April Showers

It is a beautiful day here today, but I may need some April Showers to catch up on all my quilting. March was a very busy month for me personally, and while I did not a completed project finished I did manage to get all of my block commitments done which made me very happy. Here is Angela's block for my Bee Beautiful group. She had requested right angles, with no triangles or circles. The rest was up to us.

 I am not really sure what April is going to bring for me. I am finishing up my last swap (famous last words according to my dh) for a while. I have lots of quilts on the go. I just need to figure out how to prioritize all of it. I am ready to slow down a bit and I think my children are too. Last week when I went to the AQS, my daughter told me she was worried that I was not going to come back because I love quilting so much.  It was great to see all of the Moda fabric that I only get to drool at on the computer, but it was great to be back.

March Forward, Look Back

February was a good month. Not so much blogging, but lots of PHD organization. I also had two quilt finishes (my potholders and my wallhanging), as well as some blocks. Another PHD is now off of my list.



Here is my Through the Winter Glass now bound.

I also early this morning, finished my siggy blocks and mailed them. My hand got sore after a while of writing my name.

March is going to be another busy month. I am presenting at my guild meeting on Wednesday so I need to finalize the details on that. I also joined Potholder Pass Swap 2.


Here is my list:

• Make blocks for guild swap.
• Make Bee Beautiful Blocks.
• Prepare presentation for Wednesday.
• Finish binding the Garden Path Quilt (aka Strip Search)
• Complete Jelly Roll Quilt Along Blocks.
• Make potholders for Potholder Pass Swap 2.

As always, I will keep you updated on my progress.

2010 goals

I have a few goals of what I want to do this year. I am trying to keep it to a few but the list will probably grow.

In no particular order:

1. Sew my swap blocks into tops.
2. Make quilts for my sister, niece, nephew and brother.
3. Finish my UFOs.
4. Make a couple of quilts for upcoming family events.
5. Get better at hand/machine quilting.
   

As always it is easier said than done. I already have all the fabric for all of these quilts, except my nephews so there should not be too much need to buy fabric. That is also easier said than done. What are your goals for this year?

Quilting Triage

With 8 days left before Christmas, I am going through quilting triage right now, deciding what absolutely has to get done by next Friday. There is so much I want to do right now. I have the week off before Christmas, so I just have to decide what I can squeeze in. I have to get my pinwheel quilt done, put the label on my dad's quilt, and the binding on my son's. Now, I have decided I want to make a table runner for my in-laws. They just redid their dining room. My mother-in-law is an amazing sewer, but she does not quilt so I know she would really appreciate one. I have one that is half finished from August so it is doable. I still also would love to get a quilt top made for my sister.

I hope your triage is going better than mine.



P.S. Amy is having a fabulous giveaway for her 400th post. Go check it out!

UFO Sightings

After 7 months of almost continuous swapping, I got the urge to go back and work on my UFO's. Some of them were giving me the sad puppy dog looks. Luckily for me, Jacquie of  Tallgrass Prairie Studio had the same thought.  I really enjoyed the Spring to Finish and now she is having the Joy to the New Year Challenge. I have 9 projects that I had hoped to have done by the end of the year.

1. Bento Box
2. Kitty Cat quilt top
3. Label all my quilts (5)
4. Finish the pinwheel quilt
5. Complete the winter quilt top
6. Put together Fresh quilt
7. Make my Sheri Berry quilt top
8. Get something made for my friend who is retiring.
9. Halloween quilt top
   

Here is what I have done so far:

I am so happy with how the Kitty Cat quilt turned out. It is for my son who really likes it. It is definitely different than what I am used to doing. I love its whismy and the colours.

The bento box is finally put together for my dad and willl be ready to give at Christmas time. The quilt made be a bit modern for him but I love the collection of fabrics. I would love to make one for myself. I am going to have a giveaway soon that will hopefully help you find Joy in the New Year. My 100th post was during the Blogger's Quilt Festival, so I decided to wait until my 111th post.

PS. Though it may seem as though I am contradicting myself by the previous post. The November list is the minimum I need to do. This is my wish list. I am hoping, dream big accomplish lots!

 

November Already!

Wow, it's November already. Here is my list and what I accomplished for the month.


1) Finally bind my zigzag quilt. DONE
2) Complete the red and aqua swap. DONE

3) Get ready for Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival. DONE
4) Cut out fabric for the snowmen class I am taking. DONE (Class got cancelled)


5) Continue working on my pinwheel quilt.

6) Get the bento box quilt ready for the quilter.  TOP DONE

7) Organize something as a giveaway gift.

8) Cut fabric for the retirement quilt. DONE (Decided to make Christmas tablerunner which I already had started.)

9) Think about what I am going to do with this quilt.  DONE (Definitely worth fixing.)


10)Try to make a smaller list for November. DONE


 The only 2 things I did not get to were the pinwheel quilt and the deciding on a giveaway.

Here is my list for November.


1) Work on pinwheel quilt.
2) Choose a Seasonal quilt to take to the quilter's.
3) Think about a giveaway.

See the list is much shorter!

Works in Progress

I am finally getting around to making my list for October and posting pictures.

1) Finally bind my zigzag quilt. DONE
2) Complete the red and aqua swap.
3) Get ready for Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival. DONE



4) Cut out fabric for the snowmen class I am taking. DONE



5) Continue working on my pinwheel quilt.

6) Get the bento box quilt ready for the quilter.

7) Organize something as a giveaway gift.

8) Cut fabric for the retirement quilt.

9) Think about what I am going to do with this quilt.


10)Try to make a smaller list for November.

July Wrapup and August Beginning

Here was my list from July.

1. Finish Zig Zag Quilt. The top is done and at the quilter's.



2. Complete Halloween Block Swap. 9 patches are done and I have started on the spider webs.





3. Complete 4SQS Summer Block Swap. DONE




4. Make pincushion for the swap. DONE





I also managed to get my son's kitty cat quilt top put together except for the borders.





Here is the list for August.

1. Finish spider webs for the Halloween Block swap.

2. Finish Bento Box quilt top for my dad.

3. Start working on a baby pinwheel quilt.




By the way, Amy of Park City girl is having a giveaway of her new pattern for this bag.

June Wrapup/July Beginning

Here was my list at the beginning of June and here is how I have done.

1. Finish Spring Blooms Mini-Quilt Swap. DONE
   
2. Finish putting together Zigzag quilt. GETTING THERE
   
3. Do my colour blocks for the 4SQS summer block swap. DONE
   
4. Start working on my pincushion for the swap. PATTERN CHOSEN
   
5. Make a test starry web block. STARTED
   
6. Keep working on my dad's quilt. DONE
   
7. Catch up on the 9 patch quilt a long. PROGRESSING
   
8. Put the binding on my Spring Meadow Quilt. DONE (last few stitches done on July 1st)
   

I like putting the words beside the list. It makes it look like I have accomplished so much. I have done pretty well. Once I added more light to the sewing room, I noticed that a few of my zigzag seams were quite scant so I am going to redo them.

My first batch for the 4SQS Summer Block Swap has been received.



I changed my mind a couple of times for my pincushion but now I have my pattern picked out. It is really cute. I started to make my starry web block and then realized that the paper pieced pattern was only 78% of the actual size and that I need to enlarge it before I make it. I only had one small section done, so I really did not lose any work. My dad's blocks are done and now comes the hard part of figuring out where everything should go. I am making progress on my 9 patch quilt a long, but I realized that I wanted to keep the yellow centres all the same colour. I did not have enough of it so I have ordered some more. I did get my binding on my Spring Meadow quilt done on Wednesday, so it is my first finish of July.

Here is the list for July

1. Finish Zig Zag Quilt.
2. Complete Halloween Block Swap.
3. Complete 4SQS Summer Block Swap.
4. Make pincushion for the swap.

Notice the shorter list. This is what absolutely has to be done. No summer vacation for me!

Freedom ...

Sort of. I have no due dates for quilting this week. In many ways my quilting is like a second job for me. I had something that I thought I needed to get done this week, but it turns out I don't. I feel so free, plus I just got EQ6. I could spend the week playing with it. On top of all this my dh is refinishing our deck this weekend and has arranged for the kids to be with my parents. I am going to be having my own quilting retreat and there is a shop hop this weekend! I do however have things coming up in the next couple of weeks. So here is my list for the rest of June. Much like the Spring to Finish I will let you know at the end of the month how I do.

1. Finish Spring Blooms Mini-Quilt Swap DONE
   
2. Finish putting together ZigZag quilt
3. Do my colour blocks for the 4SQS summer block swap
4. Start working on my pincushion for the swap
5. Make a test starry web block
6. Keep working on my dad's quilt. DONE
   
7. Catch up on the 9 patch quilt a long.
8. Put the binding on my Spring Meadow Quilt.
   

Not too long of a list, right! ;-) There are still 3 weeks left in June. I hope you are having a great day.