Lovely Year Of Finishes March Goal Completed

March Goal Setting Post is Here.

It was close this month but not for lack of planning like last month.  I caught a cold this month and it took me out for a good four days.  That fourth day I was feeling so much better but didn't dare sit down and sew because I knew I'd be ripping more than sewing.  Know what I mean?

I'd been so on track with my goal and was only down to a few (four) more seams and thought I'd be writing and epic fail post. Then on Friday I was feeling better and Saturday found me back in the sewing room to finish up the center of this darling Disappearing Four Patch.

So Saturday afternoon I was able to snap these photos of the finished center of this quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2602" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Disp 4 Patch[/caption]

Love the way it looks like stained glass in the sun light.

[caption id="attachment_2601" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Disp 4 Patch[/caption]

As I was finishing up and pressing the last seams I again had that self talk about why I set goals. With wimpy self asking why I do this to myself.  It's kind of like when you're doing a marathon and around mile 21-23 you're asking the same thing.  Who's ideal was this? Just what am I trying to prove and to who? This is it, I'm not doing this again EVER!

Then as you sew that last seam and press it you admit that with out the goal you would still have a UFO hanging around. Sort of like at mile 25 you start thinking I could do another marathon, I got through this one and here's what I'll do different next time around, and you're thinking about what marathon to sign up for next. Yes I've already picked out next month's UFO.

So there it is. Goal completed. Would not have happened with out Shanna and Melissa helping me set goals and keeping me accountable.  THANK YOU to both of you, it's like have a coach to bring out the best in us.

Linking up with LYOF Link Party.

DWM March 24, 2014 and Stash Report Week 12

It's Design Wall Monday and Catch Up Stash Report here at the Brick Sidewalk.

The Black and White with Charms is down off the wall. The center has been sewn together and now I have to think about borders. So new on the wall is the Disappearing 4 Patch.

[caption id="attachment_2594" align="aligncenter" width="300"] DW 3-24[/caption]

The fourth row is at the machine to have the side sashing sewn. This is my LMOF challenge March goal to have the center completed. I think I might maybe make it.

Up in the corner are three blocks of 16 from my flannel cutting. I'm making one or two blocks each evening and should have them completed in a little over a week. They will be a quilt for the Hands2Help Challenge

Stash report Week 12. I used a bit so I'm heading in the right direction.

•  Added this Week:  0 yards


•  Added this Year:   61.25  yards




•  Used this Week :  3 yards


•  Used this Year:   58.25  yards




• Net Used this Year  -3.00 yards  

Only three extra yard in but I'm finishing the binding on a couple and have on at the quilter so I'm thinking I could be out of the red next week.

No sewing happen yesterday it was a total day off with a drive in the country.  Sometimes it's just good to get out and go for a drive.

[caption id="attachment_2593" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sunday Drive[/caption]

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times. Check out what other people are working on.

 

Hands 2 Help Challenge

 

[caption id="attachment_2581" align="aligncenter" width="240"] Hands 2 Help[/caption]

It's time to sign up for Hands 2 Help Challenge over at Sarah's Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

This is my first year to join this challenge and I'm very excited to do it.

There are three charities to choose from:

Quilts of Compassion

Hurricane Sandy Survivors

Happy Chemo

I plan on making at least one quilt for each charity.

Go to Confessions of a Fabric Addict and check it out, better yet join in and and make a quilt. There are prizes.

Design Wall Monday March 17, 2014

I have more projects going right now than usual. I usually try to keep it down to one or two or three projects out and being worked on because with more than that happening things can get lost or mixed up.

I made a very ambitious goal list for March, so I've been working on checking things off that list. Also working from a list has kept me much more focused, go figure.

[caption id="attachment_2575" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Black & White with Charm[/caption]

I've been focused on my UFO's this month. On the design wall is the Black and White with Charms.  Then over here on the ironing board is the Disappearing 4 patch blocks I'm sewing in between the rows of the black and white. There are also some 3 1/2 inch 9 patches that I've been doing as a leader/ender that I want to speed up. The strips on the back of the ironing board are for QOV labels.



I'm really hoping to be back in the sewing room this week, in fact I'm planning a mini solo retreat for Thursday and Friday.  Around here that could mean a couple of hours of uninterrupted sewing or a whole day, it will be a surprise and I will relish every moment.

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times so head on over there and check out the beautiful things that others are making.

I have two projects that I'm very excited about coming up and I'll be posting about them this week.

Stash Report Week 11, 2014

It's Sunday again and time to come clean. :)

You know how I've been trying to use up my flannel? Well it's like this.  The flannel was acquired over time and mostly at big sales, so it's a bit of a jumble and I knew going in that there would most likely almost certainly be times when I would have to pick up a bit to finish off a quilt.  This was one of those weeks.  I really really truly walked into the store just to get 1 yard of grey flannel.....but.....it was on sale and I know I need some white for the next quilt. OK so far no problem.  Then I had to wait for my turn at the cut table...What should my wandering eye find but a new fabric that will border the disappearing four patch, which just happens to be my UFO of the month.  So three and one half yards later it was over.  I could go home and cut into that grey and this week it can get sewn on. Whew, that was a close one, I'm sure if the line was longer the yardage would have gone up.

Lucky me I also had a bit of yardage going out. I took some fabric to quilt club to share and  I made QOV blocks for Kevin the Quilter's block drive.

 

[caption id="attachment_2568" align="aligncenter" width="300"] QOV Blocks[/caption]

This a real easy block to make as long a I was paying attention, ask me why so many have a navy blue stripe. :0  Go check it out there are prizes.

 

•  Added this Week:  3.50 yards


•  Added this Year:   61.25  yards




•  Used this Week :  4.50 yards


•  Used this Year:   55.25  yards




• Net Used this Year -6.00 yards  

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork times.  Check out how others are using their stash.

Stash Report Week 10, 2014

Not a whole lot to report this week, but I wanted to stay current.  It's busy here at the Brick Sidewalk but not in the sewing room.  I better get on the ball and get this other (life) stuff done so I can get back in the sewing room, I mean really have you seen my March goal list.  Yikes!!

I did pick up three yards for a quilt back this week. I'll be able to count it out next week so no problem, right?

•  Added this Week:  3.00 yards


•  Added this Year:    57.75  yards




•  Used this Week :  0.00 yards


•  Used this Year:     50.75  yards




• Net Used this Year -7.00 yards

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.  Check out how others are using their stash

March Goals

It's time to finalize my  March Goals.

I get excited about making list and will just list everything I want to do, then I have to rein myself in and think about what is possible. Darn it, but I can't sit in my tower sewing room and just sew and sew, at least not this month.

1. Label and Bind  "Woods" quilt

2. Label and Bind "Thank You Deere" quilt

3 Wash and Label 4 QOV and send off

Yes this year I'm determined to get over my label phobia. :)

4. Complete tote bags for quilt club challenge

I was looking at my UFO's and they are just not moving along fast enough for me so I've decide to make them my main focus for March and April. Here's what I've chosen for March

5. Disappearing 4 Patch--This is my Lovely Year of Finishes Goal you can read about Here

6. Black and White with Charms-- Have a few rows done but now I need to locate a missing stack of charms.

7. Quilters puzzle--This is one of my oldest UFO's. It's cut out but that's all. I will decide if I'm still in love with it, if not the fabric will be return to the stash.

8. Finish my Orange Butterfly quilt- Have appointment with longarm, then label,bind and mail off

9. Start Baby quilt for my soon to be new nephew. This is my March NewFo

10. Complete 2 Halloween Hocuspocusville blocks.

11. Make tote bag for an April birthday

12. Make serious dent in taming scraps. Cut sizes needed for upcoming summer projects.

13.  Two flannel quilt tops. In January my quilt budding and I started cutting flannel to make giving quilts. My plan was to work on this at quilt club on Thursdays but that's not getting the kitted up quilts sewn very fast so I'm adding two quilt tops to my monthly goal.

I think this is where I should stop. I told you I can get carried away when making list.  I think about 80% of this list is doable even with a super busy month ahead, at least I have a plan so I'm not just wandering aimlessly around the sewing room.

February Finishes and NewFO

It's time again to remind myself of all that I have accomplished this February.

I finished up the T-Shirt quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2553" align="aligncenter" width="300"] T-Shirt Quilt[/caption]

I started and finished a baby quilt for a c0-workers daughter.

[caption id="attachment_2550" align="aligncenter" width="283"] K Baby Quilt[/caption]

I finished my LYOF challenge,  the Baby Flannel Charm Quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2530" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Baby Flannel Charm Quilt[/caption]

I started my Orange Butterfly quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2551" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Feb NewFo[/caption]

I started this quilt to bring some joy to someone's winter.  I started with Mary's strippie quilt but wanted to make it a bit bigger.  I tried out different fabrics for borders but in the end I decided not to add borders.  Mainly because I'm renting time on a long arm next week to quilt this one and since the beginning I've wanted to quilt words in the open space and outline the butterflys.  Since I rent by the hour and I'm not so fast I think it is just the right size for my attempt at using a new to me long arm.

I'm still working on my Orange Cream. My HST quilt but my sewing machine wants to eat those corners of the triangles so it's sort of slow going right now.

I also started on my second block of Hocuspocusville. Thinking I might want to focus on Hocus a little more if I want it done for this Halloween.

[caption id="attachment_2549" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Hocuspocusville block2[/caption]

I'm linking up with Barbara at Cat Patches for February's NewFO party. Check out the wonderful projects that people are starting.

LYOF March Goal

While I debated about setting a goal for March I pulled out a UFO, just in case. Then I continued this debate the following day and I took a photo of my chosen project, just in case.  Meanwhile the debate began again and I looked for the tutorial that I used to make the first to blocks and made another block, just in case.

Yesterday I was still on the fence about setting a goal and posting it for all world to see. I mean really February was finished on just about the last day of the month and it was close.  Then I thought well you did finish it and if you didn't have all of blog land to answer to it would still be sitting there not finished.  So while I was a just a bit stressed I got the job done.

So after several days of debate with myself and I did put up a good argument cause March is going to be super busy. Here is my March Goal.

Disappearing Four Patch:  Started in April 2013 with two blocks made and color squares cut and white fabric pulled. This is where I'm starting.

[caption id="attachment_2539" align="aligncenter" width="300"] LYOF March Goal[/caption]

Goal:  To have all the blocks made and center of quilt assembled. That's as far as this quilt has been planned and that is a good goal for March.

I'm linking up with Lovely Year of Finishes for the March goal setting party

Stash Report Week 9, 2014

Stash report time again and I'm still on the negative side, but I'm digging sewing my way out.

I finished up this little baby quilt so I could count out fabric and the best part is no fabric coming in.

[caption id="attachment_2530" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Baby Flannel Charm Quilt[/caption]

•  Added this Week:  0.00 yards


•  Added this Year:    54.75  yards




•  Used this Week :  4.25 yards


•  Used this Year:     50.75  yards




• Net Used this Year -4.00 yards   

I spent several hours today cleaning up, putting away and folding fabric.  It was the perfect day for it because tomorrow my quilting buddy and I are heading out for the San Diego Quilt Run today.  My fabric closet is bursting at the door and my mountain of flannel is just way to much, so that is what I'll be thinking about tomorrow while I wander the quilt shops looking for inspiration for using up all this wonderful fabric.

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.  Check out how others are using their stash.