Ringing in the New Year With New Goals

Hello, Blog Friends!  Did you miss me?

When I looked at my last post, it was hard to believe the last 4 months of the year flew by.  Mom came into town just after that post, and she and I went to Chattanooga for Quilt Week.  There were some classes and purchases, but mostly a lot of quality time with Mom.  If I can get to the point where I can take some pics of the projects I worked on in classes and fabric purchases, I'll make a post about it.  In the spirit of complete honesty, the packed bags are still in my sewing room.  I've rummaged through a few, but for the most part, I didn't make it into the sewing room much after I got home.

Why?  The short story is my husband went to Peru.  It doesn't sound like too big of a deal, until I explain that first I had to prepare him and get him packed to be in the middle of the jungle.  He was working at an orphanage near Iquitos.  I spent about 2 weeks trying out snacks and putting together his backpack for 100+ degree heat, without clean drinking water or medical facilities.  Good thing too.  While he was there, he slipped and fell several times.  I had sent him with a bandage, which he was able to wrap his knee with so he could hobble around until he got home.  When he arrived home, he fell again and could no longer put weight on it.  Several Dr. visits and a surgery later, he has a new ACL in his knee, but is still unable to walk without crutches.  He is steadily getting better, and we anticipate he will be off the crutches in the next week or two.

It is amazing how much something like this impacts your life, especially when you add in the holidays.  He can't do things like carry his own cup of coffee from the kitchen to the table, and there was a 6 week period he couldn't drive.  That meant me taking the kids to school (both at different times) and taking him to work.  I'd have a couple of hours (assuming I didn't need to take him to a lunch or get him something to eat), and then it was time to reverse the process and pick everyone up.  Between housework, the extra help to him, and the holidays, there was simply no time to get to the sewing room.  I did hurriedly make a few things, like a clear plastic stadium bag for my mother-in-law and a bag for my sister.  These were quick, less than 1 hour projects, squeezed in at the very last moment.  Naturally, this was the year we spent Christmas in Texas.  After all, I had a new nephew to meet!!  (I have a new grand-nephew due any day now, and another new nephew due in April.  I'm so excited!!)

Now that things are a little less hectic, and he is starting to put weight on his leg again, things have started to get back to normal.  I've been able to spend several hours in my sewing room, both evaluating where I am and goals for the year, as well as trying to catch up on blogs I've missed.  (That's how little time I've had...not even time to read!). Just in case you are wondering...I didn't accomplish any of my goals for last year, except getting a quilt repair finished for someone else.

So, as I look forward to this year, I've tried to simplify my goals a little.

1.  Reduce Project Pages to 1 1/2 pages
I keep a Quilting Journal.  In fact, in December I filled up the one I've been using for the last 5 years. So today, I started a new one.  It starts as a standard spiral, and then I add lists of projects, both started and planned, followed by when I work on them.  It includes days sewn, monthly goals, any project planning I do, purchases I make, project quantities I complete, number of blocks I make, any guild or class notes I take, and anything else sewing related I want to write down.  Right now, that project list is 2 1/3 pages.  Many are sewing projects, which could be completed in under 2 days each.  If I focus, I can just sew them up and get them off the list and out of my sewing room.

2.  Use More Fabric Than I Purchase
I don't have a specific usage amount...just to keep it in the black.  The good news is, I have most of the fabric for my projects that have actually been started.  I'll be reporting these most Sundays at Patchwork Times.

3.  Complete 15 quilts
Normally, this would be a lofty goal.  But the truth is, many of my quilts are near completion.  In many cases, my projects are basted quilts that just need to be quilted and bound.  I am sad that Aunt Marti at 52quilts.com will not be continuing her UFO Challenge and monthly parade this year, but I still plan to complete many quilts that I worked on this past year as part of the challenge.  I've decided to report these as part of Judy's UFO Challenge at Patchwork Times.

4.  Spend at least 15 minutes sewing for at least 200 days this year.
I'll be following Kate's good example over at Life in Pieces.  I've limited it to 200 days, because I need to be realistic.

5.  Make 500 Blocks this year
I'll be following along with Shelley over at Prairie Moon Quilts and their block challenge.  She hasn't released any updates to last year's challenge yet, but 500 is my personal goal for the year.  I have several planned quilts that should be quick quilts and make that number doable.

6.  Assimilate all scraps into a scrap system.
This year, I made a start, but I am finding more and more scraps that need to be cut down to various size.  I basically follow Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User's System from Quiltville, but I am also reviewing the way Lori Holt at BeeInMyBonnetCo.blogspot.com organizes hers.  As I finish quilts and I am finished with the project, I will take all of the fabrics and put them back into my stash and scrap system.

7.  Start Pineapple Crazy Quilt
I know this sounds "crazy", but I am going to start this quilt from Bonnie Hunter.  My goal is to use up some of the scraps that I have now, especially the smaller pieces.  Because the pineapple blocks are small, so are the pieces needed to complete it.  My goal is to complete at least 1 block with fabrics I use on each quilt I make.  This will allow me to have my own personal quilt of my quilting journey. It is not a quilt I plan to complete, or even at a specific time in the future.  I am just going to start it and enjoy the process of making each block.

8.  Blog 40 times.
In 2016, I blogged 25 times, so I am looking to increase the frequency this year.

Those are my goals for the new year. I wish you great success as you evaluate where you are in your quilting journey.  Thank you for joining me on mine.

Blessings,
Joy :)

Springing Into New Goals

I am excited about Spring having arrived! Are you?  I did not do so well on my March goals, and April will be a little hectic, so I am going to adjust my goals accordingly. First, let's review those March goals.

 1. Civil War Celebration - The only thing that has changed in the last month, is some matched strips have fallen on the floor. It hasn't been under the needle at all. 

2.  QC Patriotic Table Runner - I haven't touched it either. 

3. Temple Replacement Quilt - Still just a stack of fabric. 

4. Tuffet for Playroom - This is a completed top, and I just need to assemble the tuffet. 

5.  Buttercream Summer Block - This block is almost done. I just need to stitch down the hexagon flowers. 

6.  Summer Solstice Block a Day - I am about half finished marking this quilt for quilting. 

7.  E'Lane's Shoes - No progress

8.  Cash and Carry Pouches - No Progress

9.  Coffee Mug Bag - No progress

10.  Boy's Pillowcase Bags - I only managed to set the fabric on the ironing board. 

Clearly, I didn't have as much time in the sewing room as I would have liked for March.  I will be traveling some in April too, so I'm going to stick to realistic projects. 

1.  Buttercream Summer Block - I only need to press, depaper, and stitch down the 4 1/2 hexagon flowers to the top of the dark green stems. Surely I can accomplish that this month!

2.  E'Lane's Shoes - I've started one, and I would really like to complete these by Mother's Day. This will be a project I work on while traveling this month.

3.  Boy's Pillowcase Bags - These shouldn't take much time, and I just need to do it!

4.  Tuffet for Playroom - I need to assemble this, so I know if I need to purchase a different staple gun to teach my classes. I also have a second tuffet cover completed, which I will assemble at the same time. In the picture, the large circles are the bottom of the tuffet, and the smaller circles will be the button covers.

5.  Cash and Carry Pouch - This should be another quick project.  I need to see if I have any fusible fleece first.

6.  Fleece Baby Blanket - I can't find the fleece I am actually looking for.  It has ducks on it.  While looking, I found the one with balls on it.  I have had this fleece for way too many years. All I really need to do is fringe the edges. It is #5 on my non-quilt UFO list, which was the number called this month at 52quilts.com.  If I can find the duck fleece, I will try to complete it too.  In the closet behind my cutting table maybe?

7.  Chained Nine Patch by Cathy Bush - I really like this pattern, and it was started last September in Chattanooga during a class with my Mom. I would like to get it completed this month, and get back on track with my monthly UFO's. It is my #5 quilt UFO, and I will participate in Aunt Marti's UFO challenge at 52quilts.

This doesn't seem like much compared to the last few months, but I think this is completely doable considering my time constraints this month. I like that several of these are near completion, and several more are small projects. Hopefully that means I will be able to finish the quilt on the list. 

Have a great month, and Happy Spring!
Blessings,
Joy

Lucky Projects Chosen for Completion

I certainly enjoyed having an extra day in February!  I actually got up at 4am, and didn't return to bed until 11pm so I wouldn't waste the gift of time.  I spent the time getting my items ready for a consignment sale, helping at the Book Fair at my child's school, taking the items to consignment, and getting my little one to the Dr.  He has an ear infection.  :(  The good news is he is on the mend.

The bad news is, I did not place one single solitary stitch. So on Leap Day, I was unable to complete any more of my February goals.  So here is the recap:

1. T-Shirt Quilt - Done!
2. Cute Critter Binding - Done!
3. Rainbow Garden Binding - Done!
4. Bionic Gear Bag - Done!
5. Guild Block - Done!
6. Civil War Celebration - Borders and background cut, 2 of 8 blocks complete, and setting blocks complete.
7. Quilting Cousins Patriotic Table Runner - Blocks Cut, but not yet sewn together.
8. Christmas Advent Calendar - Done!
9. Temple Replacement Quilt - Just a pattern and folds of fabric right now.
10. Tuffet - Strips in order and first 2 strips pinned or sewn on.

For March, I want to complete the projects that weren't complete in February.  I've also added a few other lucky projects to the list.  

1. Civil War Celebration: Here are the borders laid out for sewing.  I just haven't had time lately to sit and stitch them.
   
   
   
   
   
2. QC Patriotic Table Runner - Back in it's box until I finish the Civil War quilt.
3. Temple Replacement Quilt - I've really only selected the fabrics and pattern.
4. Tuffet for Playroom - Do you see the forms on top of the quilt?  The wedges are stitched or pinned with the first two strips.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Buttercream Summer Block - My goal is to finish the block I was working on in February.  I was hoping to finish it during karate tonight, but didn't.  It will be on the plane with me tomorrow, so hopefully it will be finished before I get to Houston.
6. Summer Solstice Block A Day - ShooFly - This quilt is already basted to the backing.  I just need to mark it in the Baptist Fan pattern and free-motion quilt it.  Do you see it in the picture of the tuffet above?  That's the cream back of the quilt that is folded.
7. E'Lane's Shoes - This is an embroidery project for my Mother-in-Love.  They are embroidery shoes for each of my boy's, which is to compliment shoes that were embroidered for her when my husband was born.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Cash and Carry Pouch - I made one of these several years ago, and the piece on the bottom is leftover from then.  But my pouch was lost when my purse was stolen.  It was what I missed the most, so I am making a replacement.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Coffee Mug Bag - I'm not entirely sure what this is going to look like or what style I'm going to make.  I just want one to match the Bionic Gear Bag and Ruler Bag I've made over the last few months.  I do know that it will include a few of these fabrics.
   
   
   
   
   
10. Boy's Pillowcase Bags - I found a cute pattern for a pillowcase bag.  I told the boys they could help me make them, and they picked out their own fabrics.  I'll let them make it with these, but I did not pick them out!

Again, it is a long list.  However, many of them are just small projects that were lucky enough to make the list.  There are 3 quilts on the list, but 1 is just quilting, and 1 is a strip quilt that should move along quickly.  That means I will hopefully be able to take my time completing the Civil War pieced quilt.  I'll be travelling some this month, so the hand projects should keep me busy when I am without my machine.

Do you have any goals for the month?  Here's hoping you have a few special projects picked out.  Happy March Everyone!
Joy

The Gift of Time to Complete February Goals

This year, we have the gift of an extra day for Leap Year!  Although February is a shorter month than all the rest, this year we can accomplish more than we normally would in February!

Looking back on January, I completed about half of my projects.  This doesn't take into account how far along I got on the those projects...I just didn't complete them.  Let's recap...

1. Quilt Repair - Done!  And back in the hands of the rightful owner.
2. Cute Critter Binding - Almost!  I need to fix a seam first!
3. Pocket Full of Rulers Bag - Done!
4. Bionic Gear Bag - Close!
5. Tuffet - One of Two Completed. 

So this month, I want to complete the projects I didn't finish last month and a few others.

1. T-Shirt Quilt - This is a t-shirt quilt for someone else.  So far, I have determined the layout.  Next comes the cutting and sewing.  That is what I will be doing today.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Cute Critter Binding - Oops! I need to fix the seam that I missed when I sewed the binding on the front, and then finish stitching down the foot or so of binding on the back.  If I get the machine part done this morning, then I can finish the binding this afternoon during karate.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Rainbow Garden Binding - This is a shop quilt I made last fall, that came back from the long arm quilter last week.  I've already cut and sewn the binding to the front, I just need to stitch the binding to the back by hand.  Once I finish the Cute Critter binding, I'll start on this tonight at karate.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Bionic Gear Bag - This pattern by Sally Thompson is about half finished.  I have all of the inner pockets and zippers sewn together.  Now it is time to sew the sides, exterior, and bindings on.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Guild Block - Last month at our guild meeting, we each took a "bookshelf" block to complete.  This month, they will be collected and assembled as a quilt to the library where we have our monthly meeting. You can find the "Read With Me" pattern by Melissa Corry on modabakeshop.com.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Civil War Celebration by Joe Wood of Thimblecreek Designs - This is my #9 UFO for Aunt Marti's 2016 UFO Challenge at 52quilts.com.  I have all of the setting blocks and 2 of the 9 sampler blocks made.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Quilting Cousins Patriotic Tablerunner - This year I also labeled 10 of my non-quilting projects to complete as part of Aunt Marti's UFO Challenge, with this being #9.  Although I had made more blocks, I gave a few away to the cousins when we had a few miscuts of fabric and ran out.  I was fortunate enough to find some more this weekend, so I think I can finish it now.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Christmas Advent Calendar - Although I finished the actual calendar last year, I didn't finish the cookies that go into the bowl.  They are fused onto felt, and just need to be cut out.  This is another good project during karate.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Temple Replacement Quilt - This is the replacement quilt for the family I did a quilt repair for last month.  I have all of the fabric selected and sorted to complete the 'Country Lane' pattern from the 2012 Winter edition of Simple Quilts & Sewing.  
   
   
   
   
   
10. Tuffet - This is a second tuffet by Tuffet SourceTM, in the same pattern as the one I completed this weekend.  I have all of the strips cut, the pattern is fused to the muslin, and the pattern pieces are cut out.  I still need to stitch the wedges and assemble the base.
    
    
    

I know this is a long list, but many of these projects are only a day or two from completion.  Accomplishing these projects would really make a dent in my overall project list.  And it would also help to clean up my sewing room by getting half-completed projects out of the way.  What do you want to accomplish with your extra day this month?

Be sure to check out all of the January finishes in the February UFO Parade at 52quilts.com.  You'll find great inspiration and motivation.

Enough blogging for now...to the sewing room I go!
Joy 

Welcome 2016!

A new year is well underway, and I am finally taking the time to welcome it on my blog.  With only a few posts last year, we'll see if I can do a little better this year.  My 2016 UFO Page and list is updated, and I am ready for the long weekend.  I have a little housework to do, and some lingering Christmas decorations to take down.  Once those are complete, my plan is to sew.

For this year's UFO Challenge, Aunt Marti has made January a "free" month.  That means we will only be numbering 10 UFO's this year, and January and December will be months we can finish any project we choose or just take off.  That works out well for me, because I have several projects that I need to get completed before my other quilts.

First is a quilt repair.  I have had this quilt for waaaaay too long.  Since it belongs to someone else, I just need to get it completed.  So today, my plan is to power through it.  Once I get it completed, I can get the monkey and chip off my shoulder for having had it so long.  I think knowing I should be working on it instead of other projects has kept me from my sewing room.

The picture really doesn't show the work involved.  In addition to putting new batting and replacing the back, I needed to fix several of the diamonds or replace them.  When I unquilted it and held it up to the light, I found 253 holes from where it was worn!  Oh My, what had I gotten myself into?  I've fixed over half of them now, and need to finish the rest and requilt it.

Once I get it finished, I need to finish the binding on my Cute Critter quilt.  I am almost finished with the binding, and ready to mail off.  Maybe just another hour or so.

In 2 weeks, I will be taking a Tuffet Class at Tennessee Quilts in Jonesborough.  To get ready, I would like to make a Pocket Full of Rulers Bag by Bella Nonna and Bionic Gear Bag by Sally Thompson to carry all of my stuff.  Completing these bags will have the added bonus of getting several more things off my project list.

I've made a ruler bag before, but my Mom liked it so much, I gave it to her.  Here are some pictures.  Now I need to make another one for me.

And this is a picture of a Bionic Gear Bag made by Sally Thompson.  See all the pockets?  I love those.  View her video to see all of the other features of this bag.  

And finally for the month, I plan to make 2 tuffets by Tuffet Source.  One will be completed at class, and the other will need to be completed when I get home.  I plan to have 2 matching tuffets for the playroom.  When I am sitting on the couch, I would like to have them for my feet.  When the boys are playing games, they would like to have them to sit on.  Here is a picture of one made by Sharyn Cole of Tuffet Source.  I'll post pictures of mine when they are finished.

All of that said, yesterday I agreed to make a t-shirt quilt for someone.  I need to decide on the layout for this quilt, and get started on it.  If I can finish all but the tuffets this weekend, I can get started on it this weekend.  Otherwise, my goal is to get started on it later this week.

That's my plan for this weekend and the rest of the month.  Come back to see my progress.  I've actually scheduled blogging time into my week, so I will hopefully be blogging once or twice more this week.  Until then...Happy Sewing!