Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Final Countdown Day Three

Prairie Moon is having a countdown and the day three challenges,  The third day is

Pick a new habit to start (and keep)


This is a difficult one.  There are so many things I could do differently.
1,  I think I am going to say the main new habit is to clean up after each project, even if I'm in a rush to get to a new project.

2.  Then, the second habit would be to maintain an handle on my paper mess on a weekly basis.

Both of these are difficult for me.  I tend to be running at a high speed and it just doesn't seem to make sense to stop.  But, then I'm in a tremendous disadvantage when I need to have the floor without thread on it and fabric put away.  Then my desk overflows with paper and I would love to just have a clean desk top without paper.

What will you work on?

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Final Countdown Day Two

I know it won't count, but I helped organize a friend's stash today.  
She moved over the weekend and two of us went over and help sort and stack her fabrics. 
 Boy does she LOVE Batik fabrics.  
Beautiful stash.
I just saw this now challenge from Prairie Moon, and I want to find a backing that I think might be hiding under my pressing table.  
This is the Before
things I've found

Two more UFOs not on my list. 
 I put where they are now so I know.




I found missing quilts.  
Wish I'd found the Christmas tree one before Christmas





Found the color guard pillows I started.
I think I know what size to do.
I need to figure out how many to make
I have one done,.
These are UFOs that need to be done before May.
I'm tossing some items, so that is good.
I've found more Christmas coaster for the gift bin.



I found some fabrics, but not the one I'm really looking for.
Still looking.  It should have been in the cabinet or here.
Gifts and things for quilters

 

This is after. 
 Many things went to new homes and will be used later
Green bag has a UFO in the bottom and 5 in the top for the Sampler Society Challenge.
The blue is the color guard stuff
My beautiful sewing basket that needs to be used.
On the right is plastic bags that I reuse as I need for trash and sorting.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Baby Quilt is bound

Front of the baby quilt.
I like it.
I think I would make this one again. 
Backing is a large print of the same line of fabric.

Now to get the label stitched.
I can do that now that I've found the hoop.

Batik 9-patch top is done

I finished it!
I'm so happy.
Now I need to find a backing to quilt it.
I'm excited about this one.
It might just stay with me.

Final Countdown Day One


  • Our first task is:

    Clear off one flat surface

BEFORE
I pick my cutting table. 
 I know most of that fabric is not in use now.
It's a mess
AFTER
I found my hoop for my embroidery machine.
I found another UFO. :(
I took the top apart and dusted everything.
Now I'm sneezing. LOL
I arranged my rulers and found one I forgot I had.
It was a good task to do today.
Check out prairie moon quilts for their countdown tasks

Look what's up on my design wall again.

In cleaning up the studio, I found this lovely again.
I put one side border on it and now need to make the pieces for the two longer borders.
I hope I can finish this top this year.
It would be fun to try and get the quilt done.
Might come closer to meeting my goal of 200 yards if it is finished.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

UFO Completions

It looks like 46 UFOs were completed this year.  Some smaller than others.

January
(1) 68. Jo’s Lantern
(2) 41. Christmas - Western boot
(3) 119. Stack & Wack block swap
February
March
April
(4) 120. Eagle Round Robin
(5) 101. Road Quilt
(6)  76. Misc  blocks (20)Brown and Green Pillow
(7)52. Eagle embroidery (Eagle scout wall hanging(1)
May
(8)52.Eagle embroidery(Eagle scout wall hanging(1)
(9)52.Eagle embroidery(Eagle scout wall hanging (1)
(10)52.Eagle embroidery(Eagle scout wall hanging(1)
(11)121. LBT Mystery
(12) 77. Table Runner #1 (3)
(13) 77. Table Runner #2(3)
(14) 77. Table Runner #3(3)
(15) 77. Table Runner #4(3)
June
(16) 77. Table Runner #5(3)
(17) 77. Table Runner #6(3)
(18) 77. Table Runner #7(4)
(19) 77. Table Runner #8(3)
(20) 2. 9 patch strips & 122. Cozy kitten block swaps & 114. Tulip Signature swap
July
August
(21) 89. Pink and Green quilt
(22)123. Teal shenadoah
September
(23) 74. Pink and blue minkee pillow
(24) 74. Green and Purple minkee pillow
(25)126. Hawaiian Turtle Wall Hanging
October
November
(26) 117.Warm & Spicy Table Runner
(27) 117.Warm & Spicy Table Runner
(28) 117.Warm & Spicy Quilt
(29) 127. Rudy the reindeer
(30) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(31) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(32) 124. Brights & Blacks blocks and 4 patches.
(33) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(34) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(35) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(36) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(37) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(38) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(39) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
(40) 35. Christmas block swap (14)
December
(41) 104. Stockings (1)
(42) 104. Stockings (1)
(43) 104. Stockings (1)
(44) 104. Stockings (1)
(45) 104. Stockings (1)
(46) 104. Stockings (1)

My quilts for 2014

I quilted 27 of my own quilts this year.  Many of them were UFOs


 1.  Jo's Lantern
 2. Boot testing quilt
 3. Stack & Whack
 4. Testing applique quilt
 5. Eagle wall hanging
 6. Road Baby Quilt
 7.  Eagle Scout wall hanging
 8. Eagle Scout wall hanging
 9. LBT
10. Eagle Scout wall hanging
11. Eagle Scout wall hanging
12. Table Runner #1
13. Table Runner #2
14. Table Runner #3
15. Table Runner #4
16. Table Runner #5
17. Table Runner #6
18. Table Runner #7
19. Table runner #8
20. Signature Quilt
21. Pink and Green Churn Dash
22. Shenendoah
23. Turtle Wall Hanging
24. Warm & Spicy quilt
25. Warm & Spicy table runners
26. Warm & Spicy table runners
27. Black & Bright

2014 Quilts that were quilted

Well, I guess I did do lots of longarming in 2014.

 1.  Jo's lantern
 2.  Boot testing quilt
 3.  Stack & Whack
 4.  Tammy Memory Quilt
 5.  Tammy Vet Quilt
 6.  Tammy boy baby quilt
 7.  Tammy girl baby quilt
 8.  Woodland Oaks quilt
 9.  Tammy Teal and green
10. Testing applique quilt
11. Tammy BOM quilt
12. Tammy BOM 2 quilt
13. Eagle wall hanging
14. Road baby quilt
15. eagle quilt
16.  Red moon rising
17. Band T-shirt quilt
18. Eagle Scout wall hanging
19. Eagle Scout wall hanging
20. Eagle Scout wall hanging
21. Table runner
22. LBT
23. Table Runner #1
24. Table Runner #2
25. Table Runner #3
26. Table Runner #4
27. Table Runner #5
28. Table Runner #6
29. Table Runner #7
30. Table Runner #8>
31. Signature quilt
32. Lana partially quilted quilt
33. Pink and Green Churn Dash
34. Shenendoah
35. Tammy baby quilt
36. Lana's snowflake quilt
37. Turtle Wall hanging
38. Tammy baby quilt
39. Lana's large quilt
40. Warm & Spicy Table Runners
41. Warm & Spicy table runners
42. Warm & Spicy quilt
43. Black & Bright
44. Baby quilt

2014 UFO listing

I don't want to lose what I have been tracking all year.  I doubt I get another UFO completed this year, so I want to keep my old listing for history sake.   My UFO listing has changed.  I went through the cabinet and the 2015 UFO listing is the current list of what I know I have.

1. 2.5”, 1.5”, 1” scrappy
2. 9 patch strips
3. 9 patches brights/white (84)
4. ABC Quilt
5. Alphabet BOM
6. America the Beautiful
7. Angels and Trees
8. Appliqué block of the month
9. Baby clothing quilt – boy
10. Baby clothing quilt – girl 
11. Baby Quilt
12. Batik 9” – 9-patches (45)
13. Batik Tulip Quilt
14. Bee Quilt
15. Beginner/Ender hst – 1.5”
16. Beginner/Ender hst – 2.5”
17. Beginner/Ender hst – 3.5”
18. Birthday runaways Star blocks – 2007 (16)
19. Black and White Blocks (BOM) (35)
20. Blue and beige misc
21. Bright Pinwheels
22. Brown rail fence top
23. Bug Jar Quilt
24. Cajun quilt
25. Calendar for Mom
26. Cat baby quilt
27. Cat swap blocks (12)
28, Cherry apron quilt
29. Chicken blocks (14)
30. Chicken makings
31. Chicken strips leftover from making a purse
32. Childrens book
33. Childrens book
34. Christmas animal panels (7)
35. Christmas block swap (4)
36. Christmas block swap Calico kitten (12)
37. Christmas rectangles
38. Christmas skirt -- blue
39. Christmas sweatshirt project
40. Christmas tree -- applique

42. Coaster squares
43. Copper and teal quilt
44. Corn Bags
45. Cozy kitten mystery blocks
46. Crazy heart paper pieced
47. Cross Quilt (2)
48. Dino pre-quilted
49. Dino pre-quilted
50. Disappearing 9 patches
51. Double Wedding Ring

53. Embroidery blocks (30, 28)
54. Fall dress
55. Fall Quilt
56. Feathered Star pieces
57. Flower garden top
58. Future Heirlooms(can’t get in touch with her)
59. Green & floral (15) 6.5” squares
60. Green and Brown blocks
61. Halloween quilt
62. Hawaiian appliqué 
63. Home in the Middle
64. Hummingbird blocks
65. Imperfect Squares (29)
66. Insect swap
67. Jo’s club retreat teal and brown

69. Liberty blocks
70. Love of Patchwork wall hanging
71. Madam Mim
72. Marianne’s star
73. Mini Scrap baskets

75. Misc 12” blocks (12)
76. Misc blocks (2016)
77. Misc 12.5” blocks (3)
78. Misc 4.5” blocks (49)
79. Misc 6.5” blocks (20)
80. Misc 7” blocks (6 whole, 2 half)
81. Miscellaneous Cross Stitch outs
82. Odd sized blocks
83. Blue and Green Mystery Quilt
84. Office going away squares
85. Olivia Baby Quilt
86. Patriotic GMFG
87. Pet beds
88. Pheasant blocks (7)
90. Pixie Garden
91. Prayers and Squares tops (6)
92. Purple 54/40 or fight blocks (pieces for 30?)
93. Purple and green 9 patches (7)
94. Purse
95. QBS Mystery Quilt
96. Quilter wall hanging
97. Race Track quilt
98. Rectangles and squares sampler
99. Red and Black blocks (5)
100. Red Hat purse - Mira

102. RWB blocks (12)
103. SFQ BOM (blues and yellows) (15)
104. Stockings (1)
105. Sunset quilt for Jon
106. Teal and blue BDB
107. Thanksgiving wall hanging
108. Tie Quilt
109. Trip Around Texas
110. Triple Irish Chain
111. Tropical 2006 Birthday blocks (2)
112. T-shirt quilt – Ashley’s
113. T-shirt quilt - Randy’s

115. Valentine Bear Cross Stitch outs
116. Wall hangings (3)

118. Yellow and Blue Birthday Blocks





125. Flower Quilt – hand quilting

2014 Goals

1. I would like to fling the things I don't want anymore.  This one is started, but not at 100%

5. I want to treat myself and my family better. This one still needs to be worked on.

Modified Goal
6. I would like to use or give away a net of 200 yards of fabric This was almost met.  I'm about 18 yards short.

DONE 2. I would like to use a net of 100 yards of fabric this year. Completed this and modified it.
DONE 3. I want to finish 12 UFOs this year. I completed 43 of the UFOs this year.
Deleted goals
4. I want to start quilting for QOV again. I am still not wanting to quilt for QOV.

I need to make new goals for 2015.

Sunset/Dragon quilt top done

Dragons were too much for the border.
So, I had some gold fabric that I used.

fun day

Last night I put the inner border on this quilt

Finished quilting the baby quilt.
Now to bind it.

Stash report

I started tracking in December 2006

2006             14.54
2007           211.73
2008           155.81
2009             54.81
2010           109.15
2011           195.01
2012           223.52
2013             97.92
2014           181.69 (I hope for a little more this year, time will tell)

Averages to 138.24 per year.  Not too bad, but how many years will it take to use up my stash?????

Added Year to Date               57.50
Amount given as gifts            90.50
Added This Month                   0.00
Used This Month                     9.87
Used This Week                      3.04
Used This Year                     181.69

Check out other end of year reports at Judy's site.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Remainder to do list for 2104

1. Quilt and bind baby quilt
2. Finish top of dragon/sunset quilt
3. Clean up studio
4. make some QSTs for batik quilt

Reviewing the years

I've been in a tracking mode for some years.  It is interesting to see what I've done over the years.

I started tracking in December 2006

2006             14.54
2007           211.73
2008           155.81
2009             54.81
2010           109.15
2011           195.01
2012           223.52
2013             97.92
2014           181.69 (I hope for a little more this year, time will tell)

Strings

OK, so when we had a Beginners and Beyond retreat, Kim brought a bin of strings with her.
That bin was used and used by everyone during the retreat.
At the end of the retreat, we thought it looked more full.
I have now experienced this phenomena.
The dragon quilt used strings in the pieced blocks.
We had put the sunset ones into the bag to pull from.
I went to put them back into the bin they came out of.
Well, as you can see, it is overflowing.
Maybe that means I need to make more string blocks.
I wonder what color to make the center string.
More fun to come.

Sunset/Dragon quilt center done

So, I've got the center of this quilt together.
It all blends too much and is too busy.
DS likes it, so that is OK.
I'll put a black thin border on next.
After that I think I might have enough of the dragon fabric to put on the outside border.
It feels good to be inside with the cold, windy, rainy weather outside.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Sunset/Dragon Quilt

So, DS has been wanting a sunset quilt and he wanted me to use the dragon fabric.
Oh my.
He picked the basic pattern out too.
When I put some together, they didn't do well.
When I put the pieced blocks side by side, oh my!
So, we decided to do alternating blocks. 
That didn't go so well either.
Playing in EQ got me to 20 different ideas.
Had DS decide which one he liked best.
This one looks like an eye to him. 
 There are two more pieced blocks to go and the rest are spacer dragon fabric blocks.
It will make it easier to get done with fewer pieced blocks.
It is one wild quilt.

Ideas for Mom's Room Door

So, in the next few years I'll make things for Mom's door.  So far, she has 3 items - they are underlined below.

(JAN) ??,  

(FEB) Valentines - I think I'll make a heart wall hanging.  I might even have one started as a UFO.  That would be sweet.

(MAR) St Patrick's - I have St Patrick's Day fabric and could make one of those stuffed wreaths or some pattern.  Not sure.  any ideas?


(APR) Easter(she has an easter bunny), I don't have a photo of this one.

(MAY) Spring (she has a burlap wreath with pink flowers and a butterfly),& (JUN) ??, Maybe keep Spring wreath up for Jun too?









(JUL) Patriotic, - I have lots of patriotic fabric.  Maybe a star in a wall hanging?

(AUG) Summer ???,

(SEP)???,

(OCT) Fall, & (NOV) Fall, - I should make some kind of leaf wall hanging.


(DEC) Christmas (she has a mesh candy can wreath)











If anyone has any ideas for patterns, please let me know.  I'm sure something will show up.
I might just focus on the February idea for now.  This is a long term project, depending on ideas and time. :)

Merry Christmas

Our tree changes the lights.  Here is all white

Here is multi-colored.

I hope your day was Christ filled.  
We started off with DH taking photos of us getting up or waking up.
Next was opening stockings and some gifts.
Then we had some yummy butterbraids (the ones the band sold)
More opening of presents.
I think we went overboard.
Randy was making dinner and I didn't get to help him at all.
The kids and I played apples to apples.
Interesting and funny game.
Went to get Mom and she was in a mood. :(
She seems very weak and had trouble walking and getting into the car.
Makes me sad.
Had a wonderful dinner - prime rib, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, rice, egg rolls and sweet potatoes.  Yummmmy
Afternoon started with kids playing darts.  That is not a game that should be played inside. LOL
Mom wanted to go home quickly, so we had trouble getting her into the car and back to Autumn Winds, but she is there safe and sound.  The table between the chairs seems to work, so I hope it helps keep her in bed at night.
Came home and played Apples to Apples.
I took a nap, which is why I'm up so late.
I got to watch Christmas movies and read quilting magazines I got for Christmas.
Randy went to bed early.
Kids are playing a computer game and I'm checking in with my friends.
Merry CHRISTmas!
May we remember who's birthday we are celebrating.


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Last minute fun

Wreath for our neighbots

Mom's owl stocking

My stocking

Santa zombie stocking.  The colors did not transfer right.  LOL
Chuck loves zombies, so it was perfect for him!
One more stocking to finish.

Sampler Society Summary

1. Stack & Wack block swap  30 Jan 14
2. Eagle Round Robin
3. LBT Mystery
4. Cozy kitten block swaps
5. Teal shenadoah
6. Brights & Blacks blocks and 4 patches.

Finished all of them.  Woo Hoo!!!!!

Another stocking

Randy's stocking.
The first design stitched out funny and looked like a zombie.
Jon says he has the perfect person for it, so I'll finish it off when I get ours done.
I've done the name for Jon, need Meloney, Joy and Chuck for names.
I've done the embroidery for Chuck, Meloney & Joy is stitching now.  I need embroidery for Jon.
I have the stockings sewn, except for the cuff for Meloney & Chuck.
I'm making progress and each one uses half a yard of fabric. :)

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Doing a little

A friend's son needed a secret Santa gift and this is what we do for him each year. 
 This year she is the only female trombone player. :)

No stockings out of storage this year, so we need new ones.
Ashley's stocking needed snowflakes all over it.  LOL
This is actually one of my UFOs
I'm working on Randy's now.
Need to figure out what Jon wants.
I know Mom would love a pink stocking.
I want a red one or white with cardinals on it.  We will see what energy I have when I get to mine.

At least I'm doing something in my studio.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

wreath report

So, these wreaths are addictive.  I bought too much stuff, so I am making lots of wreaths this year.

This went to the Berg Family.

This went to the Schefflers.

The Girl Scouts made some at our last meeting. 
DD's Wreath was an experiment with two different colors. 

I love the way Brigid did her bow

Laura enjoyed making her bow too.

Makenzie love the variety of items

This is my wreath that I seem to do the same old thing every time.  LOL

And, I still have wreath making items.  LOL

week 51 Stash report

Added Year to Date               57.50
Amount given as gifts            90.50
Added This Month                   0.00
Used This Month                     5.98
Used This Week                       1.33
Used This Year                     177.81

Check out everyone else's progress at Judy's blog.

Status

Have not done much bu recover this week, but here is the update from the last couple of times.

3 k. Christmas pillows for teachers
4. pink UFO 
5. baby quilt Started
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
6. coasters/ornaments (sets of 10)
7. Christmas Sampler
8. Quilt testing quilt

Well, I got all the things done that had to be done.
I did not get all of my fabric used that I wanted, but I do have another week.
I would like to work on some of the quilts I'd like done this year.  We will see how the day goes.