Better late than never

"Better late than never" - that was my theory about setting goals for the last week of August and I did focus a lot more on finishes by having a list. I feel such satisfaction with checking things off that list to say they're DONE.  I feel just a little less focused! 

I even managed to finish the top of a UFO this weekend and that is exciting.

The center block is one that I won a few years ago in a Giveaway and I framed it with some stash fabric. The 12 blocks framing that are from a Halloween block swap I participated in last fall. 3 of those 12 were mine from the swap, and the other 9 were from the other swappers. I bought the stripe last spring to use for the sashing and binding, but the black outer border and the cornerstones are from my stash. Yay!!

1. sew buttons on all 6 of the 5 minute tablerunners - DONE
2. finish binding on Trip Around The World UFO - DONE
3. applique my signature block for guild President's quilt - DONE
4. 2 mini blocks for this month's Saturday Sampler
5. finish hand blanket stitching on 1 Saturday Sampler applique block
6. sandwich Minnesota wall hanging and plan quilting - DONE
7. plan layout for Halloween UFO (block swap from last year) - Flimsy is DONE

And . . . YES . . . I did finish a few things in August other than this little list.

• Dinosaur print kid quilt entirely from stash (DONE & ready to gift)
• 5 minutes table runners (6 of them!)
• caught up my RSC15 blocks and have 2 rows pieced
• some random blocks (Saturday Sampler & Traveling Stars)
• 2 rows made for Row By Row Experience

Week 34 & 35 Status of the Stash

It has been a wild and crazy couple of weeks and very little of that was spent sewing. It's pre-service workshop time in our school districts so I've been on the road every day for work. Happily, school has now started for most of our districts so my schedule is back to a more normal pace.

In the past 2 weeks I purchased almost 6 yards of fabric, with most of that being for a baby quilt for a gift. This yellow, grey, white color scheme should be pretty. And I also finished some things totaling 8.5 yards, so that is a positive number.

In this week: 5.75 yds
In this year: 156 yds
Used this week: 8.5 yds
Used this year: 151 yds

Status of the Stash: Still behind my stash by 5 yards, but have reduced that by a little bit so I'm optimistic.

Farm Girl Vintage

Just for fun on Friday after work - since my husband headed to a high school football game with a buddy - I played in my sewing room.

The Sew Vintage group I belong to meets one Saturday afternoon each month. Even though I missed last month I learned that we'll be "playing" in the Farm Girl Vintage book (by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet) for the next several months.  I already had the book and was told we at making the strawberry block for our September meeting.  

I have a pretty good stash of 30s fabrics and it is about time that I dig into them again. So I pulled every pink and a few greens for this block.  It's pretty cute. Now I guess it's a wait and see what comes next. Can't wait for our September meeting.

A UFO is finally done!

It feels so good to be able to finally check off a finish, and this one has been "marinating" for quite awhile so it's extra special.

This is a Scrappy Trip Around The World - a Bonnie Hunter pattern - and I used all batiks in watery colors of blue and green.  Love how it turned out. It's going to some newlyweds as a belated wedding gift.  I really hope they enjoy it because it's just the right size for cuddling up on the sofa. 

I'm linking up to Finish It Up Friday at: http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/

5 minute table runners

They almost look like neckties dont' they?  I ended up switching out the buttons on the first 2 because I realized that I had cuter buttons. See the lime green apples on the striped one? 

These really do only take 5 minutes and each one uses up not quite a quarter yard of fabric. The coffee one, the fruit/stripe one, and the Christmas one were all kits I just bought this month. The Halloween one, and the 2 yellow/fruit ones were from my stash fabrics.  I'm thinking I should make more Christmas ones for my co-workers and use up more of that collection of Christmas fabric that keeps growing.

Goal setting

I had a revelation this week! I've always been a list maker, but the older I get the more I notice that if I don't write it down it doesn't happen. This summer I've quit setting goals, and I've also noticed that lately my sewing mojo is suffering.  I walk into that sewing room and don't know where to start.

So . . . back to some goal writing and I'll start with the week left before September arrives. These are the goals I wrote yesterday on my lunch break.  If I write it down, maybe it will happen.

1. sew buttons on all 6 of the 5 minute tablerunners - DONE last night
2. finish binding on Trip Around The World UFO
3. applique my signature block for guild President's quilt
4. 2 mini blocks for this month's Saturday Sampler
5. finish hand blanket stitching on 1 Saturday Sampler applique block
6. sandwich Minnesota wall hanging and plan quilting
7. plan layout for Halloween UFO (block swap from last year)

Help, I've lost my . . .

I made this little flag for my sewing room last winter as a challenge to find one word to use for my quilting this year.  I normally work best in all aspects of my life when I make lists, set goals, and those things keep me focused. And when I'm better organized I'm happier.

So what has happened to my focus?  I can't seem to get my act together lately and that stresses me out even more.  

I haven't set any monthly goals all summer. I am down to reporting my stash every other week instead of weekly. My latest sewing accomplishments are single blocks and pillowcases with no real progress on any project of any size. 

So I think I need to go back to setting some goals for myself in order to get my FOCUS back. There is even time to set some goals of things to do before September 1.

Weekend sewing

This wasn't a good week for any quilty fun. I was so tired when I came home from work every day that the last thing on my mind was sewing. But I did get a couple of pillowcases made and added to my donation stack.  I love this dragon fly fabric and still have about 1/3 yard left to play with.

I worked on a block for the guild President's Quilt today. And I made 6 of the 5 Minute Tablerunners.  And now I'm back to work on a dark blue binding that I can only see in daylight.

Saturday morning was spent with the guild bus trip committee making a special surprise for each participant and planning for the upcoming shop hop bus trip. I think it will be a fun trip for everyone.

No stash report this weekend but I'll catch up next Sunday with 2 weeks again. That seems to be my pattern lately.

Growing too quickly

These little ones change so quickly and it's already been 3 weeks since I've seen him and his big sister. However, Grandpa is visiting them this week while he is in Rapid City on business.  I'm jealous!

I fixed it

I knew I would do it. I took that block apart and turned the sections so it is correct. I feel so much better.

To fix or not to fix

Can you see my mistake on this Saturday Sampler block? 

The side sections in the middle row are supposed to be pointing into the center.  I didn't see the mistake until I was looking at the instructions before cutting the pieces for the 2 miniature versions. 

I'm not sure that I'll take it apart to fix it.  No one but me will ever know that this isn't the way it is supposed to look, right?  But I'll definitely pay closer attention when I sew the little ones.

And then again, because I'm a little bit anal about this kind of thing, maybe I will take it apart after all and make it right.  

Design Wall Monday - Twister

My husband left on a business trip Sunday morning so I had a very quiet house. Naturally that made it an ideal afternoon to play in my sewing room.  I cut into some Minnesota Shop Hop fat quarters and this is what I ended up working on.

It's amazing to me that a simple grid of charm squares plus a Twister ruler ends up with these cool pinwheels.  So here is the grid before using the ruler. . .

Once I had the pinwheel section done I kept fussing with the fat quarters I still had left.  I added a narrow red piping with the same red in the center pinwheel.  And this is the result. Too bad I didn't buy any yardage of the black and white print in the border with the loons and pine trees.  It is really a pretty print.  Now I need to decide if this will become a pillow (about 22" square) or maybe a wallhanging. And I've used up most of 4 fat quarters - Yay!

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday on Patchwork Times.

Weeks 32 & 33 Status of the Stash

Oops! My first post this morning was very incomplete and makes me wonder how I managed to do that and not notice immediately.

In the past 2 weeks I've managed to add 9 yards of new fabric to my stash, including fabric for a baby girl quilt and other fabric that just wanted to come home with me. Call it retail therapy I guess. The only finish I managed this past couple of weeks were 4 pillowcases. My favorites are the fish - so bright and cheerful. 

I've also made quite a few blocks for other BOM projects such as RSC15, Traveling Stars, and Saturday Sampler, and I made 2 rows from the Row By Row kits I've been collecting. But since none of that can be counted until I have a completed quilt top, it doesn't show up in my count yet. But I did make a binding for a UFO and plan to work on that later today so there is hope that a few yards will be counted in my next report.

In this week: 9 yds
In this year: 150.25 yds
Used this week: 4 yds
Used this year: 142.5 yds

Status of the Stash: Still behind my stash, by almost 8 yards.  I need to get my mojo going again and use up more of that stash.

RSC15 progress

I've decided that one of the reasons that I love block of the month types of projects is because I am less likely to become bored and set it aside.

This morning I sewed together row 2 of my RSC15 Sampler and then joined rows 2 and 3. It is really exciting to see how those alternate blocks frame the stars.  And now it is so easy to see how the new color for row 1 will fit into the pattern. 

Now I'm getting very excited to see what color is added in September. It's really coming together quicly now.

Back to the Traveling Stars

I've fallen way behind in making these Traveling Stars blocks and so I dug into that project box and made a couple of them on Sunday.  I am very close to having enough blocks now to make a queen size quilt. And I have about 10 of the center squares just waiting yet.

The center squares are made from 6" squares of fabric shared by guild members when they have the opportunity to travel and visit quilt shops. It's a fun tradition and some members have shared some great scrappy quilts that they've made using these squares.  I've been a member about 4 years now so I have collected lots of these squares.

Accuracy is important

This Rainbow Scrap Challenge block is called Bulls-eye and I'm not completely happy with it. However it is NOT going to be redone.

The problem was that I cut the center blue square 1/2" too small, then all of the next rounds were all too long. So - while being brainless on Sunday afternoon - I trimmed the long strips rather than question why they were too long. What a rookie mistake!!

So the result was that the center was only 6", rather than 6.5". I finally decided to just add a narrow background piece to fill it out and it turned out OK - not great, but I can live with it.

One more indigo block to make and I'll be caught up again.

A finish to report

Over a week ago I got the binding on this baby quilt but forgot to post a picture since I haven't been home much. This quilt is entirely made from scraps and stash. The lime green is actually left over backing from another recent quilt. 

The black dinosaur print, the blue, and the red are all leftovers from pillows I made at Christmas time for lots of kids.  It's always nice to have an extra quilt around when I need a quick gift.

Now that my work schedule is back to "crazy" I don't expect to get as much done in the sewing room. But I did get the binding made yesterday for a UFO that is ready to bind. No I just need to find the time and the mojo to sew that binding on.

Counting my blessings

Today I'm not counting any yards of fabric but instead I'm counting my blessings. Yesterday was a lovely "mini" reunion with several of the women from my high school class.

I'm so glad I went as it was a day with lots of laughs, and a few tears. As we talked about our lives over the past 43 years since graduation it really reminded me that I have been blessed! Enough said ...

RSC15 block in indigo

This month's color is indigo or we can choose to substitute a dark purple or black if we prefer. I decided I didn't want to use black but didn't have much for dark blue in my stash. Or dark purple either. 

This block center is Mr Roosevelt's Necktie and I did find some dark blue for this. But over my lunch hour today I stopped at my local quilt shop and picked up a couple more options to use in the next couple of blocks. I think it looks like there are 3 indigo blocks although only 2 have been posted so far. Maybe I'll get that other block made tonight after work. And I guess I need to add another 1 yard to my stash status.  

Bus trip blocks

This fall our guild is hosting our bi-annual shop hop bus trip and the destination is the beautiful Black Hills.  The them this year is Hooray For Hollywood.  We have a tradition of offering participants a free block pattern when they register. They can make as many blocks as they want, and for each one they turn in as they get on the bus, their name is entered into a drawing to win some of the blocks.

This year we're offering 2 different blocks: a personal Hollywood Walk of Fame star block and a welcome to the Black Hills pine tree.  Bus trip participants can choose to make just one, or both, or several of each, or none . . . whichever they choose.

Row By Row progress

Sunday sewing found me digging into the Row By Row patterns and kits that I've been collecting. I have 2 rows made now. The top one is from The Pin Cushion here in Mitchell. The Corn Palace domes are featured, along with rain falling on corn stalks, and the end blocks are the lake.  The bottom row is from The Quilt Connection in Rapid City. Mt Rushmore, pine trees, and a log cabin block (with fussy cut center) are so appropriate to the area.

I have a few more to make and each one is so unique. There is a theme of water this year so each block has something in it that suggests water. And I've been collecting the license plates from the shops too so I need to decide how I'm going to use those.

Week 31 Status of the stash

No fabric additions purchased this week, except I'll have to count a couple of Row By Row kits next week. But I can count 2 pillowcases and the backing plus binding for a baby quilt into the "used" list. 

I did bring home 8 new "traveling" squares from guild yesterday. Our members have been busy traveling this summer. So now I'm really falling behind in making my Traveling Star blocks using these 6" squares. I need to get busy.

In this week: 0 yds
In this year: 141.25 yds
Used this week: 5.5 yds
Used this year: 138.5 yds

Status of the Stash: Only 2.75 yards behind my stash, so I'm gaining a little.