Goals, goals, goals

I only set 2 goals for the month of September (both UFOs) and I have done very well indeed.

#1 = get to the flimsy stage with my Dr Seuss baby quilt (an old UFO) - It is DONE! I not only got the top put together, but I quilted it myself, and it is bound and ready to gift to a new mom in October.

#2 = bind a UFO (I have at least 4 ready to bind) - I'm 3/4 of the way finished with the black/white/bright version of Color Me Happy.  I should finish that last side tonight. 

In addition to those UFO goals I have actually gotten quite a few other things done.

• I completed the final row on the Heartland Guild Row Robin project. We got our own quilts back at the September meeting, so now I need to figure out how I want to finish it.
• I finished the top for the Summer Mystery Quilt. But now I'm working on adding a pieced border to it, which was an option in the design. I liked the small version, but decided I liked that larger version.
• I took a set of cream/white blocks made for a VERY old Saturday Sampler and set them together to make a background for a wall hanging. Then I appliqued flowers and vines on it.
• And I worked on the blocks for another UFO that is VERY, VERY old (flying geese pinwheels)

So that brings me to setting some lofty goals for October.  I really want to keep my focus on working on those UFOs along with starting a couple of new projects. Some of these goals won't take very long to do, and others are a bit more ambitious.  

In October, I pledge to:

• Begin the new Fall Mystery Quilt at The Pin Cushion
• Thanksgiving 60 degree table runner
• finish the border on the Summer Mystery Quilt
• 3 more flying geese pinwheel blocks (I have 6 now)
• applique a dragon fly onto the cream/white wall hanging and decide how to quilt it
• bind pink/brown Saturday Sampler UFO 

Check it off my UFO list

This bright baby quilt is finally DONE!  Feels good to be able to check off another UFO. This one is going to be a baby gift for a first time mom who is due is just a couple of weeks.

The stripe and the green and yellow Dr Seuss prints were purchased a couple of years ago. I even had the blocks cut and then realized I didn't have enough. So it was set aside and became a UFO.  Recently I dug it out, bought some red and blue to fill it out (good choices I think). And I even quilted it myself on my regular sewing machine.  

Random sewing is lots better than no sewing

I finally got to do a little sewing today. I was supposed to play golf, but my wrist and hand just can't handle it yet. So . . . I went with sewing instead.

I added 4 more rows of 2.5" HST to this little project. These are all made from left over bits cut off of flying geese blocks from another project. Now I'm going to dig in my stash to see if I have a pretty fall print to make a border. And mayb I'll have to go buy something next week.

And I made 2 more of these red/yellow pinwheel blocks for the extra border on my summer mystery quilt.  The rest are cut out and ready to sew.

Then I made another one of these blocks from an old (really old) UFO project.  

Plus I made another string block with a red center, and I sewed on the binding to 3 baby burp cloths. So I feel like I got a lot accomplished today, even though it was totally random.  Now I'm sitting in my sunny family room trying to finish hand stitching the binding on the Dr Seuss quilt so that will be ready for the October baby gift.  What a relaxing way to spend my Saturday.

A little self-pity

We all have some weeks that just don't lend themselves to any "fun stuff".  This has been one of those weeks: no sewing, very little reading, but lots of hours driving, 3 days when I facilitated workshops and 2 days of attending training myself - all in different towns, miles apart. And too tired at night to even think about sewing.

So TGIF - and after work today I'm going to a wedding, tomorrow is a neighborhood party, and maybe Sunday I will go shake the dust off my sewing machine. Finally - some fun stuff. Happy, happy, happy.

Dr Seuss quilt

Another UFO is nearly ready to be checked off my ToDo List.  I finished this top a week ago, and today I actually quilted it myself - on my regular machine, using a serpentine stitch.  The variegated thread was left over from a previous quilt and the colors were perfect.  I love the Dr Seuss fabrics and the striped binding.

This one is going to be gifted to a new mom that is due to have her baby in mid-October.

Eiffel Tower

Since I can't actually travel to Paris, I'm going to have to settle for adding a little glimpse into a future quilt. This is Eiffel Tower Ebony by Michael Miller. Isn't it fun?  I need a light, a medium, and a dark for a new mystery quilt we will start at The Pin Cushion.  I bought a medium piece there the other day - a pretty peppermint pink swirly fabric.  Now, to decide on a light fabric and I'll be ready to go.

25 more of these

I decided to add the outer border to my Summer Mystery Quilt. So I have 1 block done and 25 more to make. 

Binding a UFO

I know I won't finish this today, but hopefully I'll get a good start on it this afternoon while watching a little football.  Black thread and black fabric are not my friends - except with really good light.  OMG - I've turned into my grandmother!! 

Applique is done

I finished all of the blanket stitching on the flowers today for this wall hanging, so the applique is complete.  I still may add some butterflies or dragonflies to it, but can't quite decide. I took this to the Wash Tub Club today (a great group of quilters who love 1930s fabrics) and asked for some ideas for finishing it. Lots of ideas to play with.

But no matter what I end up adding to it, I'm really pleased to have used a set of Saturday Sampler blocks that were about 10 years old.  They made a great background.

I need to make more star blocks

I need to get busy and make some more Traveling Star blocks.I came home from this month's guild meeting with 6 more traveling squares from members who traveled and shopped.  Thanks ladies!

These squares come from places like South Africa, Washington state, western South Dakota, and Minnesota.

And one of my regular readers from Pennsylvania sent me 2 Penn State squares. That was really generous of her. Thanks Nancy!!

Dr Seuss quilt is a flimsy

I got the top all done for the Dr Seuss baby quilt on Saturday morning at our quilter's guild "sew-in" day.

This was a UFO that I set aside when I realized that the green fabric, yellow fabric, and striped fabrics were not going to make a top large enough for a baby quilt. So on Friday during my lunch break I bought some red and some blue to cut the rest of the squares for this top.

Now - I need to find some backing and get it quilted and bound.

More Row Robins quilts

Heartland Quilters' Guild members are just full of talent and creativity.  Here are the rest of the Row Robin quilts from our recent meeting. There were 18 in all. Forgive some of the poor photo quality - I definitely need some photography lessons.

Row Robin winners

Connie - 1st Place

Cindy - 2nd Place

Louise - 3rd Place

Row Robin

Just a quick look at my completed Row Robin quilt. I really love everything that was added to it. 

September goals

For September I have 2 simple goals and both are UFOs:

#1 = get to the flimsy stage with my Dr Seuss baby quilt (an old UFO)

#2 = bind a UFO (I have at least 4 ready to bind)

I know that I'll work on some other projects, but these are going to be my top priorities.  

Self-control

I am proud to say that I've exercised some self-control this week and it feels good. I spent the past couple of days in Sioux Falls leading a workshop, and did NOT do ANY shopping during my down time.  No fabric shopping, no clothes shopping, no book shopping . . . all the things I normally like to do when I go somewhere.  I almost went to the mall, but ended up at a restaurant instead. Self-control. Sorry Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, but I did not help your sales tax revenue this week.

Now the more difficult self-control issue this week is waiting until after Saturday's Heartland Quilt Guild meeting to post some photos of the Row Robin project.  I have 6 months of row robin quilt pictures sitting on my laptop just waiting for the final reveal. Just 3 more days!!

Selvage Half-Square UFO is done

I can check this one off my list of UFOs.  Selvages onto muslin foundations made up half of each half-square triangle.  The black check was my only purchase, other than the backing.  The borders, binding, and selvages all came from my stash.