Thawing Out...Maybe!?!

Has it really been more than a month since I made my last post?  It seems time has flown by, but I guess a vacation followed by being snowed in for nearly a week and a half will do that to you.  We have finally thawed out, but more ice is in the forcast for tomorrow.

The Great Freeze started just two days after I returned from the West Coast and sunny California.  While I was traveling and there, I continued to work on my Buttercream Summer, but I don't feel like I made any great progress.

But since I've been home, I've been working on my Summer Solstice UFO.  I would have had it finished, if my iron hadn't died.  I needed to press all of the blocks to attach the sashing and cornerstones, but the iron made a terrible electric smell as I heated it up.  So I immediately unplugged it, and I have moved on to a new iron I got as a birthday present 11 years ago. Then...I ran out of sashing fabric!  Ughh!  I was 1/4 yard short, but fortunately I found some more. It is the same star fabric I used for binding my Stars of Spring quilt, and this time, I bought the whole two yards that were left.

For now, here is the progress on quilt.  All 90 blocks are complete...I just need to finish the sashing and add a blue border. I plan on working on this tonight, but if I don't post this now, it may be another month before I get it posted!

Blessings!

Just sit and sew!

If you want to get results, at some point you just have to put the computer away so you can sit down and sew.  And that is exactly what I have been doing this week.

Last Saturday, I was working on the binding for the Stars of Spring quilt I completed over Christmas.  I was thinking about the lovely ladies in my Mom's quilt group, and wishing I had a group.  I went to the computer and found that there was a guild meeting close by that very day, and I headed over.  I was so warmly received, and very inspired to work on my quilt when I got home.  They even introduced me to a nearby quilt store I didn't know existed!

Energized by the meeting, this week I have finished the binding on my Stars of Spring Block a Day challenge quilt.  I used the Shortcut binding tool by the Franklin Quilt Company.  Using it, I was able to completely bind the quilt on the machine.  I will post pictures using the tool in an upcoming post, but for now, you can visit The Quilting Squares website to learn more.

I have also been working on my January UFO, which is the Summer Shoo Fly Block a Day from 52quilts.com.  I have made great progress this week, and I am finished with most of the red blocks.  I look forward to starting the blue blocks, and really seeing the quilt take shape.

In order to finish the binding on the Stars of Spring quilt, I bought a yard of this yellow with stars.  I liked it so much, I went back on Wednesday and bought another yard to use in my Summer Shoo Fly quilt.

I also picked up 18 fat quarters to bolster my selection of pinks and purples in my Winter Log Cabin Block a Day.

And last but not least, I added a panel.  My thought it that I will use it in the center of the back of my Summer Shoo Fly quilt, but I haven't decided for sure.

So with the finish and purchases, my totals for the year are:

Added this week:         7.25 yards

Used this week:          17.00 yards

Net Used this week:     9.75 yards

Added YTD:                7.25 yards

Used YTD:                 17.00 yards

Net Used YTD:            9.75 yards

Thank goodness, I finished the quilt this week.  It was good to put the computer away and sit and sew!

Happy 2015!

Happy New Year!  

I know...I'm a day late, but I spent yesterday fighting with my Mom's longarm machine.  I've been trying to quilt the Spring Block A Day quilt.  I'm almost finished, with 3 rounds to go.  We had to pause to fix the machine though.  My goal is to get it finished before we leave for my sister's house this evening.  Here's a picture before I got it on the machine.

I'm excited to get home, and work on my #2 UFO for Aunt Marti's 2015 UFO Challenge at 52quilts.com.  It is the 2014 Summer BaD (Shoo Fly Blocks).  I also need to work on my log cabin BaD, and try to stay caught up.  I'll also be working on completing the Temple Sentimental quilt repair and the Keepsake Quilt for my Mom's quilt group.  I really enjoy spending time with those ladies, and wish I lived closer so I could see them every week with Mom.

That's it for right now.  I'll try to do better at making blog posts, but no resolutions about it.  Have you made your list of projects you want to complete in 2015?

Blessings,

Joy