School's Out

The last week of school went very well considering it is tough to keep everyone focused when we are completely off our normal routine.  I have lots of tricks up my sleeve and everyone was happy.  No absences because they all know I will make the day worth it!  The ultimate compliment!!

Wednesday's Fun: Bottle Rocket Launch = Science + Teamwork

I was totally exhausted after 10 hour days, so no sewing took place on the school days.  I did make more progress getting the classroom cabinets emptied than I thought I would and the kids pitched in to get the decor taken down.  All in all I am in a better position for Monday than I anticipated.  Woohoo!

This morning I woke up and sewed!!!  I got the last of the Scrappy Spools made.  Since there is no hurry on those, I have plenty of time to get them pleasingly arranged before I add the spool ends.  

Scrappy Spools are Done.  Any odd balls?

There are a few that I think don't have the same "look" as the others.  I need another eye to either verify what I think or let me know that I am overthinking it. Please take a look and let me know if you think there are any they aren't quite right.  Usually I don't care, but this time I do - I think.

I know there are only 3 flag blocks.  That is correct according to the instructions.

Next up for the weekend is my Crayon for the RSC.  This one will be pink since I made orange by mistake in April.  Update: Finished bright & early Sunday morning so I am adding it here. 

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 3/7

15 minute days/May = 20/30

15 minute days/2026 = 123/150 

Success Rate 2026 = 82%

I could count out the Scrappy Spools now, but I haven't mathed that out yet.  A good project for later this week.  I love quilt math!

  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 1.66 yard for Chicken Girl's pillowcase & tote bag

Used year to date: 31.57 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 13.36 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at  quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy  

Maybe It's Time for a Break

My busy weeks were busier than I thought, but all is well.  The wedding was great and my dress worked just fine.  It paid off having sewing prepped because I was able to sew little bits all the way up to the wedding weekend/Little S coming back home from college.  

Hmm.  Something is wrong!

The following weekend Little S was headed to France for a "semester abroad" for intensive language studies and she is also planning plenty of art during the trip.  So anyways, there was a lots of prep for that and I was still working and I had to prepare a sub plan for taking another day and a half off.  It all worked out, but no sewing took place until she left.

Then I finally got back into the sewing room.  First, for a good rearrange to accommodate a shelf Little S brought back and a new to me shelf that has been waiting for months in the garage.  This is the time of year that teachers are cleaning out so I also scored a rolling 10 drawer cart in white which coordinates better and Teacher E will take my colorful one.  I have a few other ideas for the room, but they will have to wait for summer vacation.  For now I am happy to get the mess under control and get back to sewing.

Chicken Girl and her Chicken Apron!

I sewed with my student two days after school to finish the pillowcase (no photo) and make the apron we had been planning. She picked the fabric for this project.  She already has a good eye for colors.  She is determined and has been practicing at home on all kinds of random things.  I could see definite improvement in keeping a straight line and threading the machine herself with confidence.  I love it!

Fresh eggs in exchange for sewing lessons!!

My progress this week was more of the Scrappy Spools.  Only 6 more blocks and 2 of them are already mostly prepped.

Lots of progress here!

This is the last week of school and we only have 4 days, but they are full.  Plus, our hallway is getting new cabinets (Why?? The existing ones are fine and the district is in financial difficulties???) so I have to pack up ALL the cabinets before checking out for the summer.  This blog is not called "packrat" for nothing!  In my defense, it all gets used and I rarely have to ask the parents for anything.  I am already figuring at least 1-2 days after our one post-planning day next Monday.  All that to say, I'm not sure where my energy level will be, but hoping for 15 minutes each day and prepping accordingly.

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 6/7

15 minute days/May = 17/23

15 minute days/2026 = 120/143 

Success Rate 2025 = 84%

The pillowcase was my fabric, so I can count it out.  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 1.66 yard for Chicken Girl's pillowcase & tote bag

Used year to date: 31.57 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 13.36 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at  quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy 

Scrappy Spools are Stacking Up!

More of the same this week.  I have worked my way through almost all of the Scrappy Spools that I had prepped, so I need to get more of those ready to go.  I haven't taken a photo in a while, but here you can see the progress.  I started the year with just one of each style block.  I am having fun picking through my smallest scraps to find just enough to make each block work while sticking to a deliberate overall look.  

When I am not sewing I have been unsewing.  Some of the fabric I brought back from my MIL was orphan blocks or trimmed ends and things like that.  She doesn't have access to cotton like we do here, so not everything can be repurposed for what I sew.  So when I don't have papers to grade, I am unsewing while I watch TV in the evenings.  

While unsewing the cat fabric, I was reminded me of the orange & blue blocks that I don't have a plan for.  Maybe they could work with the cats??  I think the idea is right - pieces blocks with a solid block, but the theme is wrong and the cat scraps are too narrow.  But it does give me some more ideas.

I also got most of what I brought back from her in February put away - finally!  Just a few stacks left that are strips that I want to cut down and put in my drawers of pre-cut strips and squares.

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 7/7

15 minute days/April = 11/11

15 minute days/2026 = 89/101 

Success Rate 2025 = 88%

No stash movement.   

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0.0

Used year to date: 29.96 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 14.97 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at  quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy 

Fun Little Blocks

I was having fun with the blocks for the Sew Scrappy Spools quilt (Lori Holt).  I still have no big plan, but am enjoying the process.  I have only been using fabrics from my precut scrap users systems.  Nothing larger than a 3.5' strip was harmed in the making of these blocks!  These are small, but fun.  I can't help but compare them to the small Dear Jane blocks.  

One of each style block.

When I was sorting and putting away the fabric from my MIL I found some red, red/cream striped, and green 6.5" squares in the bottom of the precut squares box.   It looked like there were enough to do something with, so I planned for a D9P.  I found a fun print that coordinated for motivation.  

Fun coordinating fabric for the D9P

I ran out of the original striped blocks and found a small similar piece in the stash and then another piece that was close enough.  Then I dug in a found a similar green. I used these as leaders & enders when I was working on the Sew Scrappy blocks.  I had just enough fabric to eeek out one more single unit for a 5 x 5 layout.  

Impromptu D9P

The blocks have been joined, but is put away for now.  I have to decide how I will use the Hawaii fabric.  It isn't quite enough for a backing.  Also wondering if I should add borders of some sort.  There is not enough of the fabrics on the front to do anything else with them.  It is already about 54" x 54" which is not a bad size.

15 Minute Report

15 minute days/last two weeks = 6/7

15 minute days/June = 24/30

15 minute days/July = 4/5

15 minute days/2025 = 183/204

Success Rate = 90%

Not enough movement to measure this week.

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 73.35 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards 

Acquired year to date: 24.5 yards

Net used in 2025: 48.85 more yards used

Linking up to Life in Pieces to show progress.