Progress Feels Good

     I am pleased and surprised at how much sewing/quilting I got done last week. This week I get to spend some after school time with granddaughters but there should still be sewing/quilting time.

How I did last week:

1. Quilt a sandwiched top. Done. I quilted another Colorworks comfort quilt and shared Friday. Because I planned to use the same light gray thread on the machine, I started quilting another comfort quilt.

2. Make progress on a UFO. Done. I cut and sewed more 4 patches that I plan to use for Pat Sloan's free Traffic Jam quilt pattern.

3. Organize a drawer and recycle unused items. Done and I donated box full of miscellaneous items.

Stash fabric used or added the past week- Used: 3.5 yds Added: 0 yds.

                        So far this year- Used: 95 yds Added: 25 yds

       All the blocks are pieced for my Bats and Boos wall-hanging. I don't enjoy working with lots of small pieces as the 81 in the center star block but it turned out fine. I used a few fun Halloween fabrics from my stash. I love the large eye balls in the center star.  I have a fun fabric that has been in my stash for several years I hope to use as the border.  Have to wait and see how it will look. 

Goals for the last week of September:

1. Decide on border for Bats and Boos quilt.

2. Make progress on a comfort quilt top.

3. Enjoy time with granddaughters.

Stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

Small Finishes

      My first finish is a lap size comfort quilt for church. I did the piecing and machine quilting and another will do binding.

I did simple FM swirls all over in light gray thread.

     For a little play I used a recent pile of fall fabric scraps to make an acorn potholder. I was thinking about making more for gifts but I'm not sure I like the shape. 

   Recently I have enjoyed seeing many fall quilt projects in magazines and online. I don't need another new project; however, since I don't have one to decorate for fall, I pulled Halloween fabrics from my stash and started making blocks for Fat Quarter Shop's free Bats and BoosQuilt Along wall-hanging.

Block 1 – 4 bats are made. 

 Now I need to decide whether I want 4 pumpkins from one fabric or 4 different fabrics.

I'm linking up with Sarah for Whoop, Whoop Friday and Alycia for Finished(or Not) Friday. For fun and inspiration check out all those sharing.

Stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

Weekly Progress

  The weather has been cooler and feeling like fall so the garden was tempting a couple of mornings. Wednesday morning was spent at church clearing out the quilt room for renovations and another day was spent dealing with items I brought home with me. Overall I feel good about what I accomplished.

How I did last week:

1. Sandwich one of my quilt tops. Done. I sandwiched 2.







2. Cut scraps into a comfort quilt kit. Done. I did some cutting; however, most of my time was spent sorting pieces (mostly 4 patches and HSTs) into quilt kits. A shelf in my sewing room is much neater.

3. Make progress on a different UFO. Done because I am counting all the 4 patches and HSTs that were sorted into quilt kits and the orphan blocks that were organized.

Stash fabric used or added the past week- Used: 0.5 yds Added: 0 yds.

             So far this year- Used: 92 yds Added: 25 yds

    I am keeping up with the Old School BOM.  September's block was mostly curve piecing which I have done before.  The designer, Yvonne, gives 2 options so I chose the most challenging of piecing the center as an inset circle. 

 

 I am glad she gave plenty of extra room to square to the correct size.  It would have been easier if I had read carefully at first but overconfidence caused me to spend some extra time un-sewing. I love the finished block at the top left. 

Goals for this week:

1. Quilt a sandwiched top. (Waiting are 5 for church and 2 for myself.)

2. Make progress on a UFO.

3. Organize a drawer and recycle unused items.

     Cute fall quilt projects are so tempting. We will see if I can stay on track.

Hope you stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

Progress on Weekly Goals

     Last week flew by and I stayed busy. I worked in my yard 2 mornings to get weeds and bushes under control. The mornings have been cooler and feels like fall is getting close. Wednesday was spent working in the quilt room at church. Because rooms will be renovated, we are having to move out all our material and supplies before the work. We did sandwich 5 quilt tops so they are ready to be quilted plus put together a few quilt kits that can be sewn by members at home. I brought home a few boxes of smaller pieces to be cut for kits and spent another afternoon on them. Next Wednesday we have to finish moving the rest.
A couple of afternoons I made time to finish a couple of sunflower placemats which I shared Friday.

Stash fabric used or added the past week- Used: 2 yds Added: 0 yds.
So far this year- Used: 91.5 yds Added: 25 yds

Goals for the past week:
1. Sandwich a quilt top. Maybe start quilting. Done?
I sandwiched 5 comfort tops at church ( 2 of which I had pieced) but not one of the projects for myself and family.
2. Cut scraps into units with GO cutter. Done but not enough to make a dent in the scraps.
3. Make progress piecing on a UFO. Done.

My “Seeing Stars” blocks are all together for 72” by 81”.

 It still needs a good pressing. This was a free sew along from Butterfly Threads Quilting in 2019 and is still free. I love the design and used only fabric from my stash. There were lots of seams to nest or match and I did a pretty good job. There is one place in the middle where the same fabric touches but it is okay. This size will fit a twin bed. It was not designed to have a border; however, if I add a border I could use it on my guest full size bed. 

4. Finish the fall placemats. Done One has already been given away.

Goals for this week:
1. Sandwich one of my quilt tops.
2. Cut scraps into a comfort quilt kit.
3. Make progress on a different UFO.

Hope you stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

Small Finishes

    Recently I have enjoyed looking through my old quilt magazines before deciding what to recycle. The cover wall-hanging of this August 2008 issue of “Quilter's World” caught my eye.

I decided to focus on the sunflower and chickadee for placemat size. I considered placing a bird on the leaf but liked it on the flower instead. Here are my 2 finished.

They can be used as a placemat or small wall-hanging. One has already been gifted. Here is a closer look.

I found a few other fall project ideas of interest in those old magazines so I better get busy.

I'm linking up with Alycia for Finished (or Not) Friday. Check out other's projects and get inspired. I always do.

Hope you stay safe and healthy while enjoying some time sewing and quilting.

  I started the year with a long list of UFOs I really want to finish and not find another home for.  Another major goal for the year is to use my stash.  Until last month I was making good progress.  Now I want to get back on track. 

How I did on goals for the past week:

1. Start quilting my “Home Is” quilt top. Finished

2. Cut scraps into units with GO cutter and die. Not done. I got sidetracked on a fall placemat gift project. I did, however, find a GO pattern I love called “Bursting Forth”. Soooo tempting. 



 It uses die #13 which is a triangle in a square and die #15 which is the kite. I cut and pieced one block which went together easily.

    
     


If I want to use different colors in the pattern, I need a grid to make a plan but that needs to take a backseat to some other projects. I really want to focus on my UFO list.

3. Make progress piecing on a UFO. Done. I pulled a couple,  made some progress but not a lot to show yet.

      All my current projects were finished and I started looking for a UFO to quilt. I choose 2 tops, searched my stash for quilt backs but couldn't find anything suitable that I had enough of. I did not want a scrappy back. JoAnn Fabrics was having their Labor Day sale with great discounts. I had been doing so well using my stash until this weekend. I needed backing and the discounts were so tempting. I bought 2 large backing pieces plus a couple of yards just because it was a super navy blue.

Tracking stash fabric used or added the past week-

                          Used: 7.5 yds Added: 17.5 yds.

So far this year- Used: 89.5 yds Added: 25 yds

Goals for this week:

1. Sandwich a quilt top. Maybe start quilting.

2. Cut scraps into units with GO cutter.

3. Make progress piecing on a UFO.

4. Finish the fall placemats.

Hope you stay safe and healthy and enjoy some time sewing and quilting.

Yeah for Friday Finish

      I finally got motivated and busy quilting this week so I could have a finish to Whoop about. My “Home Is” quilt is finished.

Yeah! I love it! I enjoyed the whole process with Pat Sloan each week giving tips on choosing fabrics, plus the great variety of blocks and sizes in a nontraditional layout.  Since the design is so busy, I FMQ swirls all over. 

     With that finish I want to get another quilt sandwiched and I will pull from tops waiting, choose backings and get them ready to quilt in coming weeks. I have been tempted by cute fall project patterns; however, I am trying to resist since my list of UFOs from the beginning of the year still has too many projects on it.

I'm linking up with Sarah for Whoop, Whoop Friday.  I love to see what others are making. 

Hope you stay safe and healthy and enjoy some time sewing and quilting.