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.

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

LYOF February Goal

Time to go through my UFO bin and pick my February Goal.

There are so many things to consider when choosing the very special UFO that will be worked on this month.  With other commitments looming this month I wanted something doable because after all this is about finishing.

I've chosen this little flannel baby quilt.

[caption id="attachment_2506" align="aligncenter" width="300"] February Goal[/caption]

 

I don't remember when I started it, by looking at the fabric I'm guessing at least three years it's been in a plastic bag waiting to be finished. Well you darling little quilt this is your lucky month.

My February finish will mean the top is finished, it is quilted and bound.  A total finish !!!

I'm linking up with A Lovely Year Of Finishes.  Thank You Shanna and Melissa for inspiring us to Finish something this month.

January 2014 UFO's and NewFO's

This year I've committed myself to finishing up UFO's, but I also have ideals swirling around in my head all the time so we all know that there will be NewFO's too.

Starting with the UFO's :  The Flannel Woods Quilt:

[caption id="attachment_2489" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Flannel Woods[/caption]

My goal was to get the top finished and I did. It's at the quilters and I've the binding made and ready to go when it comes back. Maybe this week, so I'll have the finish photo next month.

The second UFO I chose for January was my 12 Days of Christmas wall hanging.

[caption id="attachment_2495" align="aligncenter" width="191"] Twelve Days Of Christmas[/caption]

I bought this panel several years ago while visiting in Oklahoma, like maybe 2009.  I took it when I was renting time on a long and quilted it Nov 2012. So it sat all last year just waiting for binding and a hanging sleeve.  I finished this up just this past week.

So I'm feeling really good about checking one and a half off my list this month and I'm really excited about starting my January NewFO.

I've wanted to do an orange and white quilt for some time and have been buy orange fat quarters when I find one I like. I've also knew that I wanted to use half square triangles. I started cutting my hst's with my accucutter. I decided to make one block  just to see, you know how it is when you are starting a new ideal, how you just want to see one block.



While at the ironing board I flipped one half of the block around and WOW

[caption id="attachment_2497" align="aligncenter" width="300"] WOW Love it[/caption]

So I made some more blocks and laid them out.

[caption id="attachment_2498" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Orange Cream[/caption]

I'm still working on this quilt and will be working on this this month too.  I'm so loving this quilt.  I've a busy month with quilt orders due but I'll still be able to make progress on this sweet orange quilt.

I'm liking up with Barbara at Cat Patches for January NewFO Party 

Setting August Goals

It's time to set my August Goals.  I've been very lax about keeping track of my goals for several months.  I end up with many lists in many different places and then I lose track of what I want to accomplish.  Today is a good day to get back in the habit of putting them on the blog.

I have lots of things I want to get done going around and around in my head.  Listing some here for me to track should help me narrow them down. Let's see what to put on the list? There is my quilt club challenge that is due Sept 5th so that's a given. Then I need to ramp up my sewing for the one craft show I do that is in November. There are birthday and Christmas presents to be made.  Holiday pillowcases.  Still have t-shirt pillowcases that haven't gotten done.  The embroidery quilt I'm not getting done very fast, ok I don't even know where the block is that I've been working on for three months.  Oh can't forget the labels I need to make and get sewn on to quilts. Then I wanted to do some rearranging in the sewing room this month while the sewing machines were at the sewing spa.  These are just the ones I can think of off the top. Who know what else will pop up during the month or what NewFo will be calling my name.  Darn I already feel so far behind and it's just the first day of August.

Here is my Get It Done List for August.

1. Charm quilt (this is the Quilt Club UFO Challenge)

2. Start on Fall and Holiday pillowcases Goal of 10 done in August

3. Make Labels and send out quilts

4. Make One tote bag

5. Trace blocks for embroidery quilt (find the first one too.)

Ok I think five set goals for August is good.  I've marked my calendar for a mid month check in on Aug 16th.

Ok August bring it on!

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times for Get It Done.

 

UFO Parade April 15,2013

Today is the UFO Parade at Patchwork Times and the crowds are gathering after stopping off to mail their taxes of course.  Everyone wants to see what someone else has been working on.  The parade here at the Brick Sidewalk will be on the short side, not for lack of UFO's but for lack of time to FIND them all. You should also note my really creative names for the quilts too. :)

First up is this nice Red and White quilt. I know I started this in 2009 because we were on a road trip and I would think about the design and math to put myself to sleep at night. So I think this one tops the list to get finished

 

[caption id="attachment_2005" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Red and White[/caption]

Next is my Crumb Quilt. In September 2011 Jo at Jo's Country Junction had a Crumb Along, this was the first time I knew what I  could use some of the bits and pieces for that just kept hanging around .  Now of course I have a crumb jar to save them in. The  reason this one is maturing as blocks is the two letter blocks. I wasn't sure how I liked them or how to make them different so it got set aside.  Here is the good news parade goers when I took the photo I thought wow it does look like an H and an B so this going together now.  It's small maybe even table topper size so now I'm excited again to finish it.

[caption id="attachment_2007" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Crumb Along[/caption]

 

Here we have a Cowboy Tumbler quilt going on.  It was put away because it needed more tumblers in a color other than red.  Now that my niece organized my fabric closet (more coming on that this week) I can find my cowboy fabric and finish this one up soon.

[caption id="attachment_2006" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Cowboy Tumbler[/caption]

 

Ah my lovely Yellow and Black quilt.  I'm making this quilt for our "Little Yellow Car"  what? cars can have quilts too you know.  This is your basic take 5 I think this one dates to 2009 too.  I wanted to do something special with the borders  but, that would have made it too big for the car, it's called Little Yellow Car for a reason you know.  While my niece was here we came up with a border plan that will work so my goal is to finish this before Triumpfest this October.

[caption id="attachment_2004" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Yellow and Black[/caption]

Next we have a Mini Sweet Treat.  When Judy had her Sweet Treat Quilt-A-Long in May of 2012 I started my with this fabric but soon realized that I would not have enough for the size quilt that I wanted.  So I trimmed them up to make a wonky look, then I sashed them.  I've been thinking on how I wanted to quilt it.  I bought some thread so I could be getting close to quilting this one.

[caption id="attachment_2003" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Wonky Sweet Treat[/caption]

Today we end this parade with Santa Claus, don't all great parades end with Santa coming down the route on his sleigh?  This is my quick little Christmas quit that has proven not to be so quick.  I started two Christmas's ago and even pulled it out and had it up on the design wall last Christmas but here it sits in the box just waiting for borders.  Will this be the summer that this Christmas quilt gets finished?  We'll have to wait for summer to know that answer.

[caption id="attachment_2002" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Christmas Quilt[/caption]

This was my short UFO Parade.  I know there are more, as I set here typing I can think of at least three more  the works.  Since Judy is going to have a weekly link-up I'll be digging the rest out and adding them to my list because we would not want to miss a single UFO.

Head over to Judy's for more UFO Parades.

 

So this is my UFO Parade.  For more wonderful parades head over to Judy's at Patchwork times.

A UFO and A NewFO

Yesterday after I finished attaching the binding on my Sweet Treat I pulled a UFO.  While I did sort of make a list at the first of the year I've not been working on that list very hard. Like I even know where that list is!!  Anyway when I was looking for something else I found my flannel Christmas quilt.



I started this quilt when I was a real beginner, wow! that felt good to think that I've advanced from real beginner.  You don't think about your progress on a day to day basis and then you pick up something you started a few years back and think  "I have improved at this". Oops sorry back to the quilt...I pulled it out and decided that it wouldn't take much to finish it up and bonus I'll have a Christmas quilt done too!

Then I found these Christmas fabric strips that I'd sewn into sets. Yes I know what they were for and No I'm not going to use them for that so I cut them up for a table runner.  I got this ideal from a blog that I read and as soon as I find it I post a link.



That's it for this morning.  I'm off to visit the Mom's today.

Happy Friday