Completion and hand sewing

I finished the binding on this soft basketball quilt.

I was taking this on the trip to Tennessee, but that trip was canceled.

I have car issues and waited for a bit at the dealership.

I made great progress.

I'll work on it on the way back to the dealership tomorrow.

This is one of the UFOs I had scheduled to be worked on this month.

I have all my hand stitching in one bag because of my trip preparation. 

Most of them are complete kits and can be picked up and taken with me when I know I'll be waiting somewhere.

I have ten hand-stitching projects.

It feels good to have them in one place and ready to stitch.

Now to get them done.

 

Design Wall Monday 1/8/2024

    Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday

One design wall has one block for the MAMN challenge and a green and peach block.

This one came from the guild.

They received it partially made, and I am trying to figure out how to use the pieces.

I think it will become a lap quilt, and any leftovers will be made into a bag or pillow.

My second design wall has the two blocks from this month's challenge.

Stash Report 1/7/2024

  quilt paint create links to all our stash reports 

It's been a week of doctor appointments, but I did get the binding on one of the baby quilts. 

Honestly, I have no idea where this panel came from, but it is soft.

I also prepped for the senior sewing program and made sample wristlets. 

I have some in process to help with the steps for making them.

Those will be finished later in the week.

Both these projects were started last year, so they count as UFOs.

	Used this Week:	4.59 yards
	Total Used Year to Date: Donated fabric	4.59 yards 0.00 yards
	Net Stash used in January	0.00 yards
	Added this Week:	0.00 yards
	Added Year to Date:	0.00 yards
	New Goal:	200.00 yards
	Yards to the goal:	195.41 yards

A couple of other fun facts are:

Prairie Moon is doing a 350-block challenge:

	Total Number of equivalent blocks:	6
	Perimeter in inches:	366
	Number of UFOs completed UFO Yardage Used	2 4.59
	Percentage of yardage used in UFOs:	100%
	Number of Bobbins Used this Week:	1
	Number of Bobbins Used this Year:	1
	Number of Spools Used this Week: Number of Spools Used this Year:	1 1

Binding

I bind for our guild's Habitat for Humanity committee. 

The two I had taken in 2023 are finished.

  

While going through my UFOs and recategorizing them, I found these two panels.

They are VERY soft and cuddly.

They are big enough to not need a border, so I just quilted them.

They now have binding on them and are ready for hand stitching.

  

I have a Habitat quilt I need to get done quickly.

That will be an easy pattern for a 19-year-old boy who loves fishing.

 

2024 Outlook

 I start my new year off evaluating what I want it to be. 

2023 did not go the way I expected or wanted.

It started off with a wonderful finish to a 3-week Hawaiian vacation.

Life when we returned was not too bad, but it was full of little bumps and turns because of some unneeded family drama.

Then, the health issues started for DH at the end of June and continued.

My health had some problems, too, but nothing like DH's cancer in the liver diagnosis.

Then, DH's liver resection and infections which have finally cleared.

Did you know that recovery time is estimated to be 5 days for every day in the hospital/rehab center?

That would equal 22 months, and that is a long time.

I think with all this in mind, my word for 2024 is Savor. 

My definition is "enjoy completely."

I need to savor all the things around me, even when I am knocked down.

I need to count my blessings and savor them even in the middle of chaos.

I have so much to be thankful for, and I need to focus and savor that instead of the negative.

Some things I want to do in 2024 are:

1. Learn how to use the Cricut I received for 2022 Christmas.

2. Finish up the quilts I need to do for others.

Donna's Memory Quilts

Ashley's High School Memory Quilt

Teddy Bears for Donna, Lillian, Wyatt

Lillian's Pillows

Meredith's Memory Quilt

Wedding Quilt

3. Finish at least 28 UFOs, more if possible.

I have 289 identified UFOs. 

I only added a couple of new starts from 2023, which I consider incredible with all the stuff going on.

But, I did find some other ones, or split items already on the list, so my number is up.

I did buy from a quilter who needed to sell her stash, so some of those UFOs were already started and added to my list.

If I get 28 done, then that is almost 10% of my list.

My focus is to pull UFOs and finish them or take them off the list.

4. Continue with the Challenges with Michelle, Ashley, and Nancy.

We did two challenges in 2023.

Ashley picked Improv, which was difficult for me.

Michelle (one with peach), Ashley (one on the right bottom), and me (Mine on the right top).

It started out with us having to use the teal, brown, and spiderweb white fabric, but we could add whatever we wanted and make it the size we wanted.

Michelle came up with a Christmas challenge combining more than one pattern.

  

I'll pick the first challenge in 2024, and it will be a color/placement challenge/mystery.

We alternate who picks and plans for each challenge, and its timing will depend on what the challenge entails.

We will probably join in a Christmas in July Challenge with Nancy and Cathy.

5. Continue with the APQ Challenge:

1. Sunflower Felt Table Topper

2. Alphabet Panel

3. Hive Mind

4. Marthat pouches

5. Dr. Suess Baby Quilt

6. Flamingo Panel

7. Jacob's Ladder

8. Swatter Sweaters

9. Chili Pepper HST

10. Progressive Quilt (Biloxi)

11. Off Kilter

12. Katie Journal

6. Work on my Health

Drink More Water

Exercise at least 3 days a week

Write in my affirmation journal daily

Eat a healthier diet

Increase my positivity

7. Continue with the monthly Stashbuster Challenge

January

#5 Alphabet Panel Quilt

#47 Christmas embroidery 2

8. Start Stashbuster's Use a Book Challenge

Betsy's Quilt  from Fantastic Scrap Quilts, pg 8

9. Quilt Charity Quilts as they come along.

Design Wall Monday 1/1/2024

   Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday 

One design wall has one block for the MAMN challenge and a green and peach block.

This one came from the guild.

They received it partially made, and I am trying to figure out how to use the pieces.

I think it will become a lap quilt, and any leftovers will be made into a bag or pillow.

My second design wall is empty.

I think I need to get busy and get things all together and moving.

FAB 4 1/1/2024

Fab 4 

This week:

Apparently, I can't make a list of only 4 items. LOL

DONE 1. Fix T-shirt Pillow

DONE 2. Finish Lillian's Baby Quilt Surprise 

DONE 3. Finish binding Covered in Love Quilt

DONE 4. Make MAM (Michelle, Ashley, Meloney) Block 1 and clarify the pattern.

I think it might become MAMN because Nancy wants to join in on the challenge. 

I made the first block and am ready to share the directions whenever the others finish their cutting.

DONE 5. Finish Test Quilt (I won't be able to show a photo)

I'm adding on to my Fab 4

DONE 6. Quilt zebra charity quilt

DONE 7. Make bags out of flamingo fabric

I could potentially make more items, but this triangle bag was my focus.

 Started 8. Make Birthday PCs

9. Make game pieces bag

I'm trying to find a pattern that I think will work.

 Started 10. Bind H4H

DONE 11. Quilt Basketball Charity Quilt

Fab 4(6) for the week ending 1/7/2024

 1. Make Birthday PCs

2. Make game pieces bag

I'm trying to find a pattern that I think will work.

DONE 3. Finish Binding H4H

4. Finish Binding H4H

5. Bind Basketball Charity Quilt

6. Bind Zebra Charity Quilt