Evening in the Garden Quilts

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September/October Goals 2015

PicMonkey CollageIt was a great month, goal-wise!  I don’t set ambitious goals, because things always pop up that I’m not counting on.  This month it was twenty-four Wonky Hashtag blocks I made for the #Twilter exchange, and a little Super Secret block.  Plus canning and travel and life.  But I like this list because it does focus me and prompt me to get a few things finished.  The UFO wall hanging is a case in point.  It was old (five years?) and I wasn’t interested in it at all.  But I dragged it out because it was the only goal I hadn’t achieved and I wanted a sweep.  I decided that it should be a throw-sized quilt (The Gold and Turquoise Quilt), which is good because there was a lot of fabric there.  I did fix the mistake in the top, and add a narrow border, and now I’m working on piecing a bunch of scraps into the back.

September Goals

  1.  Finish coastal wall hanging.  Yes!  All done, right here.
  2. Quilt and bind Christmas quilt.  Yes!  Here it is.
  3. Make a baby quilt from some floral scraps I’ve pulled together, probably D4P.  Yes!  This one.
  4. Work on UFO wall hanging.  Yes!  Decided to make it a quilt.  The top is finished, working on the back.

On to October!

October Goals

  1.  Piece and quilt Boxed Elephant baby quilt commission.
  2. Quilt and bind Gold and Turquoise quilt.
  3. Piece top from Twilter Hashtag blocks.
  4. Make new baby quilt with elephant scraps.
Tomato Soup

Tomato Soup!

How did you do with your goals?  Hope you’re at least getting into the sewing room when you can.  Happy Autumn!


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July and August Goals

Wow, almost August already!  Those of you who are teachers (and parents!), there will come a time when August is no longer a frantic countdown to school, but opens up as a pleasant time for sewing, travel, and deck-sitting, I promise!  We are doing a little traveling, a little entertaining, and helping return DS to college, so my goals are modest, but I will enjoy the month.

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July Goals

1.  Finish the blue and gold quilt.  Yes, this one!  Really like how it turned out.

2.  Attempt a photo transfer technique for a Coastal wall hanging.  Yes.  First attempt is pictured.  We’ll see.

3.  Get another leaders and enders project organized so that it is available when I’m piecing.  Yes!  And, see, I wrote a note, because it will be months till this is done and I have no memory.

4.  Make a baby quilt from an animal panel I purchased.  Yep, right here!

Yes, I made these goals!  And this bonus quilt for donation/stash reduction.

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August Goals

1.  Complete coastal wall hanging.

2.  Work on UFO geometric wall hanging.

3.  Make a top from my new Christmas fabrics.  Looking at these tutorials:  Four-Patch Stars  and Big Star Quilt  from Missouri Star.

4.  Source little zippers for earbud pouches.

How did you do on your goals this month?  Eh, it’s summer!  Cooler, more productive days are around the corner.  Enjoy!


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June and July Goals

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2015-06-29 13.33.08Not a perfect job on the goals this month, but that’s okay.  We’ve been traveling, and trying to get our house and yard into shape in between the rains.

 

June Goals

1.   Audit Jinny Beyer BOM Craftsy Class.   No.  Think maybe I’ve given up on this.

2.   Quilt and bind  Charlotte’s Scrap in a Box Mystery Quilt.  Yes!  Here.

3.   Attempt a photo transfer technique for a Coastal wall hanging.  No, but I bought the soluble stabilizer and the gel media.  Our printer is on the fritz.

4.  Assemble quilt blue and gold leaders and enders units into a top.  Yes!  And I’m quilting it!

 

The only “bonus” item was the Slabs of Color for donation, and those were just fun.

 

And July promises to be more of the same, so here are my unambitious goals for the coming month:

July Goals

1.  Finish the blue and gold quilt.

2.  Attempt a photo transfer technique for a Coastal wall hanging.

3.  Get another leaders and enders project organized so that it is available when I’m piecing.

4.  Make a baby quilt from an animal panel I purchased.

 

2015-06-27 15.11.33That certainly seems doable.  These goals do help focus my muddy brain so that I get something done, so that’s good.

Hope you are making progress and enjoying your summer (or winter)!

 


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March Progress and April Goals

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2015-03-29 19.14.17I really have been sewing a lot.  Darla at Scientific Quilter left it up to us whether we wanted to March-A-Long this month, and I did.  I hauled myself up to the studio every day (15 minutes always morphs into more for me, it’s just the getting started that’s hard).  I just didn’t always work on my goals.  I did make the three flying geese baby quilts, just because I caught the fever.  And a block for a friend.  And a custom quilt and matching stuffed toy that I posted to Australia this morning.  And an extra mug rug that…but I don’t want to talk about that yet.  Anyway.

 

March Goals

2015-03-07 20.59.211. Audit Jinny Beyer BOM Craftsy Class.  Yes, I am almost caught up on watching this.  And I sewed the first block.  By hand.  After cutting with templates.  Eek.  I’m glad I challenged myself, but I’ll be sticking to the sewing machine from now on.

 

2015-03-21 09.31.362.  Complete Step Three on Charlotte’s Scrap in a Box Mystery Quilt.  Yes!

 

3.  Continue studio organization.  Yes, I bought a vintage file organizer, and a couple more containers for inside the lockers.

 

4.  Begin nautical-themed art quilt.  I worked on this, but don’t know what I’ll do with it.  The photo wasn’t as good as I’d remembered.  This won’t be applique, as I’d planned, but I’m playing around with a photo-transfer idea.

 

2015-03-30 14.46.445.  Assemble scrappy log cabin blocks I made a few months ago.  Um, they’re on my design wall.  Not together yet.

 

April Goals

1.  Audit Jinny Beyer BOM Craftsy Class.

2.   Complete Step Four on Charlotte’s Scrap in a Box Mystery Quilt.

3.  Complete mug rug for Sandi’s swap at Quilt Cabana.

4.  Assemble and quilt the scrappy log cabin quilt.

 

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How are you doing?  Hope you’re happy with your progress.  I’m linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced (if Lee’s back!).


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Sunday Stash Report and Goals Update 8/6/14

2014-07-23 17.30.22

Stash Report

Not much sewing and not much to report.  I didn’t buy any fabric, and I only used half a yard on one box pouch.  My Stash Reduction is in a good place, tracking toward 100 yards for the year.

This week: +0 yards, -.5 yards
YTD: +73.75 yards, -134.5 yards
Net stash used 2014: -60.75 yards

How are you doing?

 

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Goals

Didn’t July fly by?  I knew it would, since I was traveling for part of it.  For once, the temperatures were moderate, and I could have sewn, if I had been home and in the mood, but I didn’t even complete my modest goals.

July Goals

1.  Make 5-7 box pouches for kids’ Christmas gifts.  No.  Made one, for practice, for myself.  I have the zippers, interfacing, chose fabrics.

2.  Organize stash.  Yes, partially.  I emptied, culled small pieces, and refolded fabric in the most-used drawers.  Much better.

3.  Clean, straighten sewing studio.  Progress!  Never totally done, but I put away fabric, etc., gave away a semi-working machine, caught up on mending, and did some major vacuuming and dusting.

 

I really did creep up on those pouches.  For some reason, I just didn’t want to start one.  Now I have one done (easy!), and I think I’ll be fine with the rest of them.  I’m still adjusting size and trying a different interfacing, but nothing major.  Any words of wisdom for me?

Philipa spotted a tutorial from Missouri Quilt Company called the Disappearing Hourglass, and I really like it.  (See Pip’s gorgeous Disappearing Pinwheel quilt here.)  It forms stars, so I think I’ll use red and blue fabrics for a Quilt of Valor.  Who wants to do one with us?

Other than that, I know that my tomatoes, etc., will probably start to ripen all at once and need my attention, and we are trying to organize for getting DS back to college in a couple weeks, so I’m going to be kind about my goals for August.

 

August Goals

1.  Make 8-10+ box pouches for Christmas gifts.  Who doesn’t need one of these?

2.  Make a Disappearing Hourglass quilt.

3.  Continue studio organization (or organisation!).

 

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Oh, and look for a Cucumber Giveaway here soon if my vines don’t slow down!

I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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Sunday Stash 6/29/14 and Monthly Goals

2014-06-08 19.31.21

Stash:

A great week of finishes!  I finished Beach Quilt VI, and then, this weekend, finished both the Rail Fence quilts for the Scrap Basket Quilt Along.  (I hope to post on those tomorrow.)  Those last two emptied a shallow drawer in my wire baskets that had held all my cowboy and plaid fabric.  Whoot!  Progress!  In good shape to use up 100 yards this year.

This week: +0 yards, -22.5 yards

YTD: +64.75 yards, -133 yards

Net stash used 2014: –68.25 yards

 

Monthly Goals:

June Goals

1.  Make blocks for Slow Quilt  Yes!  And completed the top!  It’s marinating while I consider batting and quilting.

2.  Donate baby quilts to Project Linus  Yes!  Regular contact seems to have quit;  forced to go to new-to-me quilt shop and dine out afterward, but it’s done!

3.  Commit to a small pouch/bag project and gather supplies.  Sort of .  I’ve decided on box pouches for the kids.  Need to order zippers.

4.  Make something with scraps just for fun.   TWO Rail Fence quilts for Amanda Jean’s Scrap Basket Quilt Along!

 

July Goals

1.  Make 5-7 box pouches for kids’ Christmas gifts.

2.  Organize stash.

3.  Clean straighten sewing studio.

 

July goals are not ambitious, are they?  But it’s summer in this part of the world, my studio heats up by early afternoon, and we’ll be gone almost a week in July.  I’ll be happy to accomplish these.

 

2014 Goals:

I’m very pleased with my progress on these.  I’ve read the books; I’ve been a little experimental with quilting; I tried a new block and used it to make a well-planned, slowly executed top ( it incorporates bold sashing, but not as much as I meant to, so I may do more with that); I’m edging my way into the bag/pouch sewing.  Still need to work on the curved piecing and finish up the other projects.  A good place to be in mid-year.

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Beautiful beet mix from the garden.

 

 

I’m linking up with Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times.

 

 


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Getting It Done: January and February

 

Well, we’re four days into February, and it just occurred to me to write this post.  One of those years?  Oh, well.

And it doesn’t look to me like Judy is continuing this link-up at Patchwork Times.  Does anyone know if I’ve missed it, or if she’s quit, or if anyone took it over?  I think I’ll still do it here, but it was fun to connect with everyone.  The goals didn’t work very well for Judy, but they did for me!

January Goals

  1. Make ten pillowcases to go with the two I have for donation. (Still need to get these to the Mason Jar.)
  2. Make HST commission quilt
  3. Make string commission quilt
  4. Scrapitude, step 4

Okay.  You see the problem with this month was that I had some extra time during the snowy weather, so I started piecing strings, which became Bright Strings, which demanded a border, which demanded some fancy quilting, so it dominated my month without even being on the list.  Then the #Twilters talked me into the Disappearing Pinwheels Quiltalong, with which we had/are having a ball.   That’s my story.  These quilts did further some of my goals for the year, though.  While not a planned Slow Quilt, Bright Strings did grow into a slower project with a lot of design decisions.  Both quilts used a ton of stash.  And I quilted something besides feathers!  So, no regrets.

On the commission quilts, I did select fabrics and settle on final designs with the customer, and I’ve made some sewing progress on one this month.

 

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February Goals

  1. Quilt the log cabin Quilt of Honor quilt. (Did this during the QOV and Sports Bowl Sew-Ins.)
  2. Piece and quilt triangle commission quilt.
  3. Piece and quilt string commission quilt.
  4. Assemble Scrapitude top.;-

 

I’d like to work on the Disappearing Pinwheels, too, but it’s a short month, and I have hopes of getting my back into good enough shape where I can go back to Step class, so I’ll just stick with the four goals.

 

I hope you’re staying safe and warm in this weather, and making progress on your goals.

Please let me know if you know anything about the Getting It Done challenge.

(And I am not doing the Crumb Challenge, no matter how many other #Twilters do.  Just so you know.  😉

 

 


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Quilty Resolutions 2014

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My quilting the past year felt a little directionless, so I’m trying to sets a few goals for this year.

Bags

I’ve sewn purses and bags through the years, but haven’t tried the new ones popular in this century.

  • I asked for and received Purses, Bags, and Totes by Moya’s Workshop for Christmas.
  • I’ve been saving Pins, tutorials, and posts about bags I like on Evernote for the last two years.  (Do you use Evernote to save everything in your life?  Recipes, blog posts, web pages, everthing, all nice and organized and private.  Across all devices.  I love it.)
  • I think little zipper pouches would make good gifts for kids at Christmas, and would be a good way to try out several patterns.

Quilt Variety

I tend to get into ruts extended studies on the same pattern or quilting design.  I don’t think that’s all bad, but I want to branch out some this year.

  • Do more with curved piecing.  It’s been a while.
  • Pick out a block pattern I’ve never used before.
  • Asked for Fabulous Feathers and Fillers by Sue Nichols for Christmas.  Okay, so that’s not different, but maybe I can take them in another direction.  And I could stand to learn a new filler or two.
  • Saw a great old quilt with really bold sashing that I want to try.

Slow Quilt

I do love to pull fabrics with abandon, cut big patches quickly, and stitch up a bright, fresh quilt before the energy can leave me, but maybe it’s time to slow down and make something planned and elaborate and maybe even show quality.  Maybe.

Stash

My goal is to have a net use of 100 yards again this year.  I’ve done it the previous two years.  I think the wire basket drawers where I keep my fabric are closing a little easier… hard to tell, but I must be making progress.  At least the fabric is turning over, and the drawers are stuffed with more modern fabric that is more my taste.  Sunday Stash Report at Patchwork Times is a great motivator, and I’ve really enjoyed my membership in the Flickr group, Stash Pact II:  Electric Bugaloo.  I can’t tell if we’re going into the new year, but I hope so.  There haven’t been comments in quite a while, but we continue to post photos as we sew, knit, scrap, etc., our way through our stashes.  Really positive people.

Getting It Done 2014

I haven’t seen if Judy is doing this again at Patchwork Times, but I hope so, and I expect she will.

January Goals

  1. Make ten pillowcases to go with the two I have for donation.
  2. Make HST commission quilt
  3. Make string commission quilt
  4. Scrapitude, step 4

Wishing all of you a great year in your personal and quilting lives!


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Wrapping Up 2013

New Year

An interesting year (aren’t they all?), lots of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, laughter and tragedy.  Some of that is documented here in the quilts.

2013 Collage 1

2013 Collage 2

That’s a lot of quilts.  I don’t have one favorite.  The most meaningful was probably the flowers for the Project Hope Online Quilt Show, that Sandy and Sandi organized in the wake of Sandy Hook and the Boston Marathon.  I pushed out of my own comfort zone, and was awed by the variety of responses.

This year the #Twilters on Twitter named themselves and cheered each other on daily during Sew-Ins, give-aways, and project advice, sharing happiness, heartache, and food and pet pictures.  Big moments or small, it’s wonderful to have friends who understand.   There began the Quiltcast FitBitters group and #QHC (Quilter’s Health Check? I forget again!).  Between us we’ve walked millions of miles and lost lots of pounds.  All that while being darned creative!

This is my 201st blog post!  Thank you all for reading, responding, and commenting!  I’ve met some wonderful people from far away places, and it is such a positive community.  I plan to keep it going in 2014.

Getting It Done

I know that I accomplished a lot by focusing on the goals I set as part of Getting It Done with Patchwork Times.  We all had a lot of fun encouraging each other, and the limited number of goals each month was very helpful.  Hopefully, we’ll do it again, but I can also do it myself for 2014.  December’s list is vague, because not everyone has received these yet.  Also, I forgot photograph some before they were wrapped.  😦

December Goals

1. Quilt for DS (Christmas)

2. Placemats (Christmas)  and a table runner!

3. Pillowcases (Christmas)

Here is my list for the year.

 

January Goals

  1. Make ten pillowcases to go with the two I have for donation.
  2. Make HST commission quilt
  3. Make string commission quilt
  4. Scrapitude, step 4

 

 

All of you have a safe and festive New Year’s Eve.  Join us tomorrow for our New Year’s Day Sew In on Twitter, #NYSI .

May 2014 be prosperous, healthy, productive, and peaceful for you.

I’m linking up with Getting It Done at Patchwork Times.


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Getting It Done in July and August

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Well. I did pretty well, considering I was only home the first three weeks of July.  The only thing I didn’t do was finish piecing the top for the Coffee Quilt, and I made a good start on that.  Also, the Log Cabin blocks were a bit of a bonus project.

July Goals

1.  Piece top for SIL Christmas gift quilt. (Six blocks completed.)

2.  Piece top for summer/beachy quilt

3.  Take sewing machine in for service

4.  Quilt beach quilt.

August Goals

1. Finish SIL’s Coffee Quilt top.

2. Quilt Coffee Quilt.

Only two goals in August, because I will only be home to two weeks.  Fair enough?

How did yo do with yours?  It’s okay to play some in the summer.

I’m linking up to Getting It Done at Patchwork Times.