Goals and Progress

    Last week was great to get some work in the garden and also in my sewing room. In the house I am enjoying the 2^nd bloom on my pastel amaryllis.

Progress on my goals for this year continues:
1.  finish UFOs

I quilted my “Seeing Stars” from 2019 and the binding is sewn to the front. I just need to do the handwork to stitch to the back.

I sandwiched my Chunky Churn Dash so it is ready for quilting.

2.  decrease stash fabric

I used stash fabric for a backing and even though I bought some inexpensive background fabric, I also cut up and pulled lots of fabric scraps to participate in Pat Sloan's March Block A Day.

     Stash fabric used or added:

this past week- Used: 6 yds Added: 3 yd

So far this year- Used: 35 yds Added: 8 yd

3.  control and use scrap fabric

I wanted to sandwich quilts so cleared off my cutting table and cut lots of scraps into units. I did not take a photo of the piles but it felt good to get that done.

4. make charity/comfort quilts for church quilt group

I sandwiched my Old School 2021 BOM and hope to quilt it this week.

I made 12 pocket prayer quilts and delivered them to my pastor Sunday.

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

Just Needs Binding

 I have spent a few days in the garden and then have been sewing on several small projects. More than a year Shabby Fabrics shared a tutorial on pocket prayer quilts. Since then my church group has made close to 300 to go in homeless care kits and to those living in an assisted living center. Our pastor also loves to share them when he visits. This week I finished 12 more. 

I finally sat down and quilted my “Seeing Stars” that was started in 2019 with Butterfly Threads Quilting. It was an interesting mystery in that you pieced block units to make up a pieced panel. My quilt is made up of 12 panels. That was a different concept for me. I quilted FM overall large swirls. Now it just needs binding.

Check out other projects on Alycia's Finished (or Not) Friday post.

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

Mistake – Maybe Not

     I have been using EQ for years to casually design and plan quilts. A few weeks ago I pieced chunky churn dash blocks into a top. Then I decided I wanted to add a border. I used EQ to make a plan; however, I did not pay close attention to the orientation of the quarter square alternate blocks in relation to the other blocks. I cut fabric for all the flying geese units for the border, pieced one and then discovered my mistake. I made a new plan and this is the pieced top now.

I still have all the geese pieces. I will not throw them out but some day I will try to use them for a different project. It was a waste of time and fabric; however, I like the new scrappy border.

Major goals for this year are to:

1. Finish UFOs  

      My “Seeing Stars” is still waiting for quilting, but that will be a priority this week.

2. Decrease stash fabric

      I needed a background fabric and couldn't find anything suitable in my stash. It was such a good price of $4 a yard I bought more than needed.

      Stash fabric used or added:

            this past week- Used: 7 yds Added: 4 yd
       So far this year- Used: 29 yds Added: 5 yd

3. Control and use scrap fabric

     I used some odd pieces and strips for placemats and to finish a doll quilt.

  

4. Make comfort quilts for my church quilt group

       Instead of quilts, this week I focused on placemats. My church group is again making them for Meals on Wheels recipients but this time with a spring theme. I have 6 almost finished. It is much faster to finish them pillowcase style with no binding.

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

Progress At Least

     I have been working on several projects so don't have a finish but enjoying the progress on each. I pieced all of step 1 for Alycia's “Stop Tossing” QOV mystery and looking forward to the next.

      I also added sashing to pieced watercolor blocks for a group project that has been sitting a few years. Blocks were pieced by 5 people and seams were not consistent so some squaring had to happen. Sashing was the easiest way not to worry with trying to match seams.

My “Seeing Stars” is still waiting on quilting but spring is calling. It was 65 degrees this morning when I woke and is supposed to be a beautiful day to work outdoors. I hope to prepare the vegetable garden area so quilting will wait.

Check out more fun for Finished (or Not Friday)

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

Goals and Progress

    First off, Sarah of Confessions of a Fabric Addict has turned over leadership of the Hands 2 Help challenge for 2022 to the Academic Quilter.  Sign up to participate will start soon. Find details and the schedule for activities on her recent post.

     I spent several days quilting last week and made great progress on projects which I shared in Friday's post. It also felt good to organize some scraps, orphan blocks and UFOs. In the process I found some great fabric for a couple of placemats for a cat loving friend and got them finished.

    I made block 2 of A Quilting Life's BOM and I'm using the churn dash frame pieces for leader/ender. I am loving the project and you can easily join in.

Major goals for this year are to:

1. finish UFOs

   I quilted and bound my “Pastel Play” quilt.(photo on Friday's post)

2. decrease stash fabric

Stash fabric used or added:
         this past week- Used:  1.25 yds   Added: 0 yd
      So far this year- Used: 22 yds       Added: 1 yd

3. control and use scrap fabric

I organized some bags of scraps, orphan blocks and UFO projects. I found 29  6” finish crumb and scrap blocks in my files of old class sample blocks. I pieced 11 more from scraps and now have 40 that along with a plain alternate block will be enough for a small lap quilt.





I used donated home decor fabric and cut up fabric and batting scraps to make 2 shelter dog beds.





4. make charity/comfort quilts for church quilt group

   I quilted Martha's Union Square quilt. (photo on Friday's post)

     Around Christmas I was gifted 2 amaryllis bulbs. They both bloomed and then I was surprised to see a second stalk emerging on both. It is wonderful bonus to enjoy them for longer.

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

Yeah for More Finished

     I have spent several days quilting this week and it feels so good to have more quilts finished even though not perfect.   I finished my “Pastel Play” quilt that started from an adopted bag of fabric strips. There are just a few unused pieces which will go into my scraps.

    Next I quilted Martha's “Union Square” quilt for my church quilt group. Another will add binding. I enjoyed quilting various designs in different areas. Most are from Angela Walters' books Shape by Shape 1 and 2.

     When sorting some scraps I found a fat quarter of a large print cat fabric. I decided it would be perfect for a couple of placemats for a cat loving friend.

Check out other projects at Alycia's Finished (or Not) Friday. 

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

Goals and Progress

   I happened upon Linda's blog in 2019 and loved this block of the month. 

She said she was playing and came up with it. She did not have a name, but it deserves a name. The units are triangle in a square or sometimes called dog's tooth units.

I have many of the units in blue and orange leftover after a Bonnie Hunter mystery a few years ago. I decided not to use them for the border. I love them in Linda's block.

For now I am calling the block “dog tooth stars”.

Major goals for this year are to:

1. finish UFOs

   I quilted and bound the “Butterfly Garden” quilt which will be baby gift. It started when I pulled out 3 butterfly orphan blocks and an orphan 3D pinwheel block. So glad they have been used.

   

   I sandwiched my “Seeing Stars” top, 

   
   
     pieced a backing for a pastel adopted project that doesn't have a name yet and then Sunday afternoon I sandwiched it for quilting.

2. decrease stash fabric

Stash fabric used or added: 

         this past week- Used:   4   yds      Added: 0 yd
      So far this year- Used: 20.25 yds    Added: 1 yd

3. control and use scrap fabric

I worked on cutting up neutral scraps into units -2 ½”, 2 ½ by 4 ½”, 2 ½ by 6 ½. Only made a little dent.



4. make charity/comfort quilts for church quilt group

   I finished quilting the “Ground Cover” quilt for my church group.

   
   
   

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

Two Waiting Binding

      After spending time last week with granddaughters, I finally got busy quilting on a comfort quilt for my church quilt group. MaryAnn pieced the Ground Cover blocks using a Missouri Star tutorial. The top was assembled by Kathy and Joan. I quilted it with large FM swirls. MaryAnn will bind for a real group effort. 

     I still felt like quilting so sandwiched my “Butterfly Garden” top and started quilting. First I stitched in the ditch around each object and then quilted some details on the flowers and butterflies.

  

I simply quilted a large meander in the background so it will still be fluffy and soft for a baby. I used Soft and Minky Dots for backing. 

 I am planning on a medium blue for binding. I am thrilled that I pulled the orphan blocks to just start this project.

Check out more projects at Alycia's Finished (or Not) Friday.

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