Weekly Goals and Progress

     We had a rainy weekend so perfect for sewing although it doesn't feel like I accomplished a lot.

Progress on last week's goals:

1. Quilt more on charity/comfort quilt. Done I finished the quilting and passed it to Joan to add binding.

2. Cut and package a comfort quilt kit. Not done. Instead, I worked on piecing a charity quilt and a UFO. 

3. Sandwich “Celtic Fantasy” Not done. I needed to clean off my craft table first and spent a couple of days tackling the scraps covering it.  This is the before photo.

It is almost clear now (sorry no photo) and several UFOs have had progress made.

4. Finish chickadee placemat Done When I last showed a photo of the progress, I noticed that a couple of leaves did not have the veins stitched so I had to go back and do them after quilting.

Stash Report for 2023

this past week- Used: 2.25 yds Added: 2.5 yds

So far this year- Used: 49.71 yds Added: 39.5 yds
       Net decrease 10.21 yds
I needed a perfect green for the setting of a UFO so had to add yardage. 

Goals for this week:

1. Enjoy craft time with granddaughters.

2. Piece alternate blocks for UFO

3. Piece a charity/ comfort quilt.

Have a great week and enjoy some time for quilting.

“The only mistake is the one from which you don't learn“  - Henry Ford

Friday Finish

     I am pleased to have a comfort quilt finish to share today. My part is finished so I am counting it as a finish. I pieced and quilted, then passed it off for binding. 

I enjoy making these Carolina Chain blocks as leader/ender and have made several charity quilts that way. You can find free directions from C&T Publishing for Bonnie Hunter's quilt pattern. She used 2” strips and I used 2 ½ ” so my blocks are a little larger.

Here is a close up of my quilting. The FM quilting is swirls on the blocks and a feather chain around in the setting triangles and border.

     Then I starting working on a UFO. This is my test sample of the alternate block I plan to use. EQ names it “Summer Winds”. I have all the pieces cut for 12 blocks so I hope to do more piecing today. 

I'm linking up with I'm linking up with Alycia's Finished (or Not) Friday    Hope you will check out what others are doing.

Have a great week and enjoy some time for quilting.

“When Life gives you scraps, make quilts. “

Progress and Weekly Goals

     Because I was traveling last Monday I never took time to update my weekly goals. In Friday's post I shared my progress on my son's Celtic Fantasy quilt that now is a finished top. I searched my stash for a suitable backing and finding none, went shopping which added fabric to my stash report. However, since it will be used almost immediately, I have also counted it as used. I need to clean off my craft table to get it sandwiched.

     I brought home a few boxes of a friend's stash and spent a few days washing and sorting. Some has already been shared and most will go to my church quilt group. Some is staying at my house but will not be added to my stash because I will use it to cut quilt kits for church quilt group. If I decide to keep a few pieces, I will add that amount but I am trying to resist temptation.

Stash Report for 2023

this past week- Used: 6 yds Added: 5 yds

So far this year- Used: 47.46 yds Added: 37 yds

Net decrease 10.46 yds

     Sunday afternoon I pulled a small UFO to work on. I did not follow the pattern exactly. It is now a placemat with some quilting. I plan to add some FM quilting. I adopted the kit (dated 1991) off the guild free table because I liked the bird. The fabric shows its age in a few spots but it will be a good placemat for someone.

Goals for this week:

1. Quilt more on charity/ comfort quilt.

2. Cut and package a comfort quilt kit

3. Sandwich “Celtic Fantasy”

4. Finish chickadee placemat

Have a great week and enjoy some time for quilting.

“When Life gives you scraps, make quilts. “

A Finished Top - Hurray

      I missed my usual post Monday for weekly progress and goals so I will share my progress now. My goals were to:

1. Adjust piecing on “Celtic Fantasy” Done. Not only did I fix the problem with the outer curved pieces but I added a simple wide border.  

I am excited to have the top made. This was the most challenging piecing I have worked on because of so many inset corners, irregular curves and an abundance of applique. Even by machine it took many, many hours. Now the challenge will be to quilt it and decide which colors of thread and what designs. I would also like to try some big stitch quilting to accent certain areas.

2. Start quilting charity/ comfort quilt. Done. I have done all the stabilizing quilting but did not take a photo to share.

     I enjoyed Mother's Day weekend with 2 of my sisters at Irene's home in the mountains of north western North Carolina. 

 A couple of days we went walking in New River State Park and enjoyed the wild flowers. I used a new-to-me app on my phone named “Seek” that identifies plants and animals. This plant was identifed as Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) which is also known by several other names.

After a rain shower there was a lovely rainbow.

     One morning I went with my sister to her figurative artists meeting. You can see some of their work on their Facebook page. This the “Raven Queen” doll she made for a challenge.

     A friend has moved to senior living and needed a new home for her fabric stash. This is some of what I brought home to share with church quilt group and a refugee mother who enjoys sewing. I have spent a couple of days washing it, organizing and putting some into groups for possible quilts.

It rained most of the day yesterday and is expected to rain a lot today, so a perfect day to sew or quilt.

I'm linking up with Alycia's Finished (or Not) Friday  

and   

Sarah's Whoop, Whoop Friday. Hope you will check out what others are doing. 

Have a great week and enjoy some time for quilting.

“When Life gives you scraps, make quilts. “

A Finish

    I spent a few mornings working in the yard and then a couple of afternoons with appointments so I did not do as much quilting as I had hoped.

How I did on last week's goals:

1. Finish quilting on “Suncatcher Crystals” . Done

I am pleased to share this finish. Here is a picture of the back so you can see the quilting.

 In the center area I used one FM motif for the crystals and a different motif for the yellow background area.

I quilted a different motif in each border.

I used a new FM motif in the outer most border and only marked the curved spine.  It is a variation of a feather.

2. Adjust piecing on “Celtic Fantasy” Not Done. This will need more time and attention than I had to give it this week.

In other sewing I made a couple of simple mug rugs for gifts so used a little fabric.  I let the butterfly fabric do most of the work.  

Stash Report for 2023

this past week-  Used:      0.5 yds Added: 0 yds
So far this year- Used: 41.46 yds Added: 32 yds
Net decrease 9.46 yds

Goal for this week:

1. Adjust piecing on “Celtic Fantasy”

2. Start quilting charity/ comfort quilt.

Have a great week and enjoy some time for quilting.

“When Life gives you scraps, make quilts. “

Weekly Goals

     No real progress was made in the sewing room last week.   I did enjoy a couple of hours with GD Mattie experimenting with acrylic paint techniques. We found that we could use more large brushes. Later I went to JoAnn Fabrics but did not find the kind I wanted. What I did find was some fabric on clearance for $3 a yard that I could not pass up. I thought it would be perfect for a couple of quick QOVs. So even though I did not decrease my stash this week, I do have a purpose for the fabric I added.

Stash Report for 2023

this past week- Used: 0 yds Added: 10 yds
So far this year- Used: 40.96 yds Added: 32 yds
Net decrease 8.96 yds

How I did on last week's goals: Not very well but I was out of town for part of the week. One of my yearly goals is to control scraps and I worked on that.  I cut up a pile of neutral scraps into usable unit sizes.  

1. Do more quilting on “Suncatcher Crystals”. Not done

2. Adjust piecing on “Celtic Fantasy”. Not done I wasn't really avoiding it but trying to decide how best to fix the problem.

3. Cut and piece a H3H quilt top. Done. I cut out the kit and took it to church for our Wednesday sew day. Another member took it home to sew.

About the only sewing was to repair a stuffed animal with a split seam and a dog toy.

Goals for this week:

1. Finish quilting on “Suncatcher Crystals” .

2. Adjust piecing on “Celtic Fantasy”

Have a great week and enjoy some time quilting.

“When Life gives you scraps, make quilts. “