Closing Out 2022

     This week I have tried to finish projects or bring them to a completed top. The GD's Christmas placemats for 2022 got quilted. They don't look very different from the tops I showed but now they are quilted.  I finished them pillowcase style with no binding.

The Quilting Life 2022 BOM is a completed top.

Pat Sloan's “Hometown Charms” Block Wednesday just needs borders.

       Looking back at my 2022 yearly quilt goals I am satisfied.

How I did on my goals for 2022:

1. finish UFOs
   I started the year with 26 UFOs on my list and 12 have been finished. Today there are 14 unfinished; however, good progress has been made on 7 of those.

2. decrease stash fabric

   My stash is moving in the right direction and decreased more in 2022 than in 2021 (net decrease 62 yds). I still have plenty of fabric.

   Stash fabric used or added:

   this past week- Used: 2.25 yd Added: 0 yds
   So far this year- 145 yds Added: 53.75 yd
   Net decrease 91.25 yds

3. control and use scrap fabric

   This is probably the goal that I am least pleased with my progress. Even though I spent a few days dedicated to working with scraps, they are not under control and I want to do a lot more with them.

4. make charity/comfort quilts

I made and donated 2 QOV tops and finished one of them.

I finished 8 comfort quilts for church and pieced 5 more tops.

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

Happy New Year! Prayers that 2023 will be a great year for all.

I'm linking up with Alycia for Finished or Not Friday.  Check out the inspiration. 

Holiday Happenings Take Center Stage

      This time of year there are many special events with family, friends and church so that quilting/craft time is limited; but, the special times are being treasured. The past couple of weeks I had a few days with GDs when they decorated their annual gingerbread houses. This year Mattie actually did the construction and had freedom to create some unique houses from parts. She created a dormer and a 2 story house.  Here they are during and after decorating.

    

   

    GDs also drew their annual Christmas squares and I pieced them into placemat tops. I still need to do the quilting.

Besides enjoying time with family my goals were to:

1. Control pile of scrap fabric. Done. I cut up piles of scraps for my scrap user system and created a kit for a charity quilt.

2. Quilt a comfort quilt for church. Not touched. It is still waiting but we do have a pile of finished quilts at church so there is no rush. Instead, I put the binding on a QOV. It might look familiar. I pieced the top and Bonnie from guild quilted it.

Stash fabric used or added:

this past week- Used: 2.375 yd Added: 0 yds
So far this year- 141.75 yds Added: 53.75 yd
Net decrease 88 yds

I have 2 more holiday gatherings this week which take time from quilt projects so my only goal for this week is to add more appliques to Celtic Fantasy.

Hope you are enjoying some special events this holiday season.

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

Making Progress

     I enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends as I hope many of you did. Even with the Thanksgiving holiday I made progress on my couple of goals and more.

Progress on last week's goals:

1. Cut out GD-Lily's jumper and start sewing. -  Finished. Sorry I forgot to take a photo when she tried it on.  It fit well. 

2. Quilt on cat quilt -  Finished. It even has a label and been washed so it is ready to gift.

Stash fabric used or added:

this past week- Used: 0.5 yd Added: 0 yds
So far this year- Used: 139.375 yds Added: 53.75 yd
Net decrease 85.625 yds

    The kaleidoscope is a finished top. I didn't have enough of one fabric for a dark outer border but I had leftover 5” strips so decided to use them to piece a scrappy border.  It makes the top larger than planned but that is okay.

    This week I have plans to do some holiday things with granddaughters. Each year they decorate a square for Christmas placemats.  We also decorate small gingerbread houses so I am not planning to work on a lot of quilting projects.

Goals for this week:

1. Control pile of scrap fabric

2.  Sew binding on QOV

3. Quilt a comfort quilt for church

I'm linking up to Alycia's Finished (or Not) Friday.  Check out the inspiration.  

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

Weekly Goals

   The past week was busy with several quilt projects, however, very productive. There were a couple of finishes plus work on all my goals. Before I could sandwich Halloween quilt tops, I needed to clean off my cutting table so I used that as an opportunity to cut up and sort the scraps that had been piled there. Friday I shared my finished “Brunhilda” wall-hanging. She is a favorite. Saturday I finished the “Boo Crew” wall-hanging from Fat Quarter Shop. 

 Here is a close-up of some FM quilting.

    Progress was made on other projects. I made a few more geese for the adopted project to have the needed 162 geese for an adult size lap quilt.

    A friend encouraged me to join her for Pat Sloan's Block Wednesday “Hometown Charms” quilt that has started. I did not buy any fabric but pulled a fat quarter bundle that had been gifted to me as well as the background fabric. I also pulled a few pieces from my stash.  Even though only a small portion of it was used the first week, I included the fabric yardage in my added and used stash count as it is designated for this project. 

 I am not totally happy with my color choices for the first block but hope as more blocks are added that it will come together. Here is my first block.

    Last year I bought the “Fall Memories” pattern and kit from Laundry Basket Quilts. I gave that wall-hanging to my DIL. Then I wanted to make one for myself or someone else using my batik stash. I had trouble finding something I liked for the border. I finally bought a yard. Sunday evening I made a great start on all the applique for the new one.

Stash fabric used or added:

this past week- Used: 9.5 yds Added: 6 yds
So far this year- Used: 124.625 yds Added: 41.75 yd
Net decrease 89.875 yds

Goals for this week:

1. Start piecing the columns of geese.

2. Finalize freezer paper pattern for Celtic Fantasy quilt

3. Work on “Fall Memories” wall-hanging

4. Use AccuQuilt dies to cut scrap fabric

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

Halloween Finish

     This morning started at a nice 68 degrees and I am getting in the mood for fall and Halloween. Last night I finished my “Brunhilda” Halloween wall-hanging ( pattern from Country Threads 1997).

I shortened the cauldron a few inches and tried to have the FM quilting add some light texture.

I love the bright fun fabric colors which all came from my stash.

I have one more Halloween wall-hanging ready to quilt which is this year's free "Boo Crew" from Fat Quarter Shop.

Hope you are ready for fall.

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

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

A Finish

     I have made progress on several projects but have one real finish to share.  This scrappy "Woven" comfort quilt is quilted and bound. 

 I quilted FM loopy meander because I wanted to practice that motif. 

     Now I want to get buy finishing a couple of small Halloween wall-hangings.

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

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

Weekly Goals and Progress

      The week went by quickly; however, I feel okay with what I got done  

Here is my progress -

1. decrease stash fabric

Stash fabric used or added:

this past week- Used: 1.25 yds Added: 0 yds

So far this year- Used: 104.75 yds Added: 34.75 yd

Net decrease - 70 yds

2. make charity/comfort quilts

I added the borders onto the “Jelly Roll Twist” but did not pick out a backing.

Wednesday at church quilt group I sandwiched 2 lap quilts and brought them home for quilting. I finished the Trip Around the World.

Goals for this week-

1. Work on making new bias binding for a friend's quilt.
2. Make composition book covers for granddaugthers
3. Work on a UFO.

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

A Finish

      This has been a great week for some quilting progress at home and organizing fabric for my church group.  My Jewel Box Star quilt is totally finished and I am looking forward to having it on my bed this fall. I am pleased with how the quilting looks.  

Here is a closeup again.  

    Wednesday I met a friend at church to organize our work room and we finished 5 small shelter pet beds for cats at the SPCA shelter. We still have more scraps of fabric and batting to fill at least 5 more. 

I'm linking up with Alycia's Finished (or Not) Friday.  Check out the inspiration.  

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

A Finish and Quilting Progress

       We have had a few rainy days so a perfect time to quilt and I am pleased to share my finished “Plaid-ish” quilt. The free tutorial is from Kitchen Table Quilting.   

I simply meandered the center section and then quilted Angela Walters' “Wavy Wavy” design in the outer border.

      I started quilting my “Jewel Box Stars” quilt. 

 The block was Bonnie Hunter's scrap challenge block for 2018. I took a photo of the block, printed it out and put the picture in a sleeve protector so I could try out different quilting ideas. This is the first part which has been quilted.

The next part is to quilt the neutral square on-point area and I am still trying quilting options.

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

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

Only a Little Progress

     Most of my sewing this past week was on charity projects for which I sewed a few blocks. I did finish the binding on 4 placemats for a sister and put them in the mail. 

     The rest of the time was spent with GDs. We spent one day at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Mother Earth's hair was planted with a variety of small flowers.

I enjoyed a special exhibit of origami but did not take photos. The following photo is from their website. 

The artist created origami figures and transformed them into giant sculptures with sheet metal.

     GD Lily will have a birthday next month and she requested I make a Hogwarts sorting hat for her party. We all worked together and created the hat.

Progress on my goals for this year continue:

1. finish UFOs      No Progress

2. decrease stash fabric    No Progress

Stash fabric used or added:
this past week- Used: 0 yds Added: 0 yds
So far this year- Used: 54.5 yds Added: 13.75 yd

3. control and use scrap fabric     No Progress

4. make charity/comfort quilts    
        I quilted the following quilt for Jan, a member of my church quilt group. She  will bind.   I used FMQ large swirls  and a leaf motif in the border.  

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

A Finish or Three

      Most of Monday morning was spent in my garden. After lunch I finished quilting on the 2 pet panel block placemats by practicing echoing which didn't take long.

     Then I started the FM on the Chunky Churn Dash quilt.  I used one continuous curve motif in the churn dash blocks and a different one in the large hour glass blocks.

 I quilted swirls in the border and added binding by machine for a finish.

     PatSloan shared cute carrot bags free pattern from Connecting Threads. You can watch her video of making one. I checked it out and made 2. They were a quick finish. Here they are stuffed with jelly beans. They are large enough to hold a whole bag.  Connecting Threads also has a bunny bag pattern.

That is about it for this week. Check out Alycia's post for Finished (orNot) Friday.

Hope you are making progress on your projects.

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

Happy Quilting Month

     I hope you are enjoying Quilting Month and that you did something special for World Quilting Day. Pat Sloan showed the free pattern from Fat Quarter Shop “Layer Cake Lattice” and I chose to work on it also. I already had a few leftover layer cake squares I planned to use and then pulled from my stash. I found it easy to use 4 ½” strips in my scrap user stash. By Sunday afternoon I had 35 blocks pieced. Here is my layout. Monday morning Pat Sloan shared a neat offset layout but I don't have enough background fabric to do that this time. The blocks were easy sewing for a quick charity quilt.

    Now is the time to sign up to participate in this Hands2Help.  This year it is hosted by the Academic Quilter.  Hope you will join in.

     I spent many hours 2 days sewing to prepare my ball to make a jelly roll rug.  This is my first and the first part took longer than I expected.  A member of my church quilt group will help us Wednesday get started sewing the rug.

 

Progress on my goals for this year continue:
1  finish UFOs

No UFO progress.

2.  decrease stash fabric

Stash fabric used or added:

this past week- Used: 5 yds Added: 0 yd

So far this year- Used: 43 yds Added: 9 yd

3.  control and use scrap fabric

I used 4 1/2” strips and cut a few more for the Layer Cake Lattice.

4. make charity/comfort quilts

I added the borders to finish my QOV mystery “Stop Tossing” from Alyciaquilts.blogspot.com .  It will be donated to my guild QOV group to quilt and present.

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

Goals and Progress

 

   We had beautiful weather last week and it was great to spend several mornings in the yard getting ready for spring.  Then I would come inside and sew a while.

Progress on my goals for this year continue:

1. finish UFOs

   My “Seeing Stars” from 2019 has binding. This mystery was a little different and an interesting challenge. 

   
   
   

2. decrease stash fabric

I cut the center rectangles and pulled 2 ½” strips from my stash for Pat Sloan's March block a day challenge. Here are the first 3.  I have a 4th block finished and 2 more started.

 I cut the light blue strips to add to my QOV mystery blocks with Alycia Quilts.
I could not find any fabric in my stash suitable for binding Old School BOM so I bought 1 yard, used half and the rest got added to my stash. It is a useful navy blue tonal so that is good and Old School is totally finished. 

Stash fabric used or added:
       this past week- Used: 2.5 yds Added: 1 yd
    So far this year- Used: 37 yds Added: 9 y

3.  control and use scrap fabric

         I pulled blue and green 2 ½” strips for the March block a day challenge.

4. make charity/comfort quilts for church quilt group

       My Old School 2021 BOM is finished.

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