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Welp, May didn't see me get as far as I would like on my Ohio Star Quilt.
But a fail for May OMG is an opportunity for June!
It may be ambitious, but I'm shaking up my June OMG Goal and expanding it to incorporate two items; Two quilts, one goal! This will help me get back on track for OMG and the 2016 Finish Along.
So, this month, I will finish my Ohio Star Quilt and the Tree of Life Baby Quilt (or cry trying).
My OMG (one monthy goal) for April is another finish for my 2016 Finish Along. This month I want to finish a very old WIP. I call it the Original Mini.
Here's hoping I can finish this one soon, and also add it to my Q1 completed list! I will be linking up with Red Letter Quilts for OMG April!
Happy first day of Spring, everyone! I'm glad it's not snowing where I am. Let's hope that's all over with!
I'm putting the last Slow Sunday Stitches in to this quilt before it heads out. Linking up with Kathy's Quilts.
I'm trying to get this WIP from top to finish by the end of January.
All my quilts are completely hand pieced, quilted and bound. I never show my piecing stitches, but I'm working hard on improving so here's a peek behind the scenes (seams?).
I'm working towards my stitches being more like the diagonal line as opposed to the horizontal one.
One of my quilty goals this year is to get at least one finish done each month. I have specific deadlines for some quilts, and I want to get my production up. Heidi at Red Letter Quilts is hosting a great link up: OMG (One Monthly Goal).
One thing I really like about OMG is that you can set any quilting goal, not just a finish, to link up with. This link up is all about encouragement to achieve your goal!! This brings me up to 4 link ups for the month, which serves another goal of community involvement!
I'm linking up with OMG today and with Kathy at Kathy Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.
This week I'm working on finishing something that should have been done at the beginning of the month. Ah, well, it'll be ready for the new year.
I'm also making a bunch of over stuffed pincushions to restock the shop with.
Linking up with Kathy's Quilts and her Slow Sunday Stitching.
I'm working furiously to get this WIP done...
...but life keeps getting in the way. Life has a way of doing that; keeping me from sewing, blogging, or getting my holiday sale up and going.
The holiday sale has been postponed until next weekend.
Still plenty of time to get orders out. Please keep your eyes peeled here and over at instagram!
I'm linking this post up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.
I'm a little late posting this one, but am linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching anyway!
While unpacking, I've uncovered a lot of WIPs & UFOs. I made this mini quilt ages ago, so long now I can't remember. I do remember it was my first attempt at flying geese with not the best results. All my geese were cropped!! I've never quite gotten over it and haven't made flying geese since.
I still liked aspects of this mini, though, so when I found it I decided to back it and quilt it. But now, what to quilt it with? I picked out a few thread choices, but none seem quite right... Any suggestions?
I have a lot on my plate at the moment, so I'm not in a great rush to make a decision.
Now for the news! Mad Cat Quilts will be having a sale starting next weekend! Just in time for xmas gifts, of course! Look for updates and the start of the sale in the blog and instagram. There will be many small items, as well as sale prices on quilts! Keep your eyes peeled!
Packing, unpacking, and quilt tops are taking up every weekend.
I'm gathering all my thread ends for a friend's project... it's slow going.
Slowly but surely.
This year has not been great for meeting deadlines. I think making, meeting, or exceeding deadline will be a goal for 2016.
I'm working on some other new goals for next year, as well. How about you?
Working in clean spaces on clean lines and simple designs:
I'm hoping to get a lot more work done on this in a very short amount of time. Fingers crossed! (But I've said that before.)
Linking up with Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday (for real this week).
In an effort to post more and to sew more, I plan to start making weekly WIP posts.
This is a quilt blog, after all!
As usual, my work is all pieced and quilted by hand.
I found inspiration for this block here. Finishing this cushion is on my Q3 for 2015 Finish Along list here. I'm linking up with Kathy's Slow stitching Sunday.
What are you working on this week?
I did terribly with my Q2 goals, only finishing 1 out of 6. Here's a recap:
1. Finish the Nest Black jacket
I'm never gonna finish this, I've decided and am taking it off my lists for the year.
2. Finish piecing, baste, quilt, bind, and label Quilt for Grandma Doris.
I did make quilt a bit of progress with this one, so it will continue to my Q3 list.
3. Quilt, bind, and label the Scrappy Heart Quilt.
Done! The only project I finished. Find the blog entry here.
4. Finish quilting the Fat Little Cross block and make it into a pillow cover.
Another project I didn't touch. This one goes to the UFO pile possibly never to be seen again.
5. Finish piecing, baste, bind, quilt and label a quilt to trade for a tattoo.
I worked on this a tiny bit in the beginning of Q2, but not since. Too much going on for a tattoo, so it's on hold. I think I'll put it on Q3.
6. Finish piecing, baste, bind, quilt and label a Beach Blanket.
Another one I didn't even touch. This one I will put on Q3, but I'm not holding my breath.
OK. On to the Q3 List: I put six things on this list, like last list. Although that didn't work out well last quarter, I hope to do better! I rolled over three projects this quarter.
1. Finish quilting, bind, and label Quilt for Grandma Doris.
I have this one started, but I am quilting it pretty heavily, and it is July and hot now, so it might take a little while. I plan to have this one ready to gift in Nov as that is her Bday. If not then, there's always xmas....
2. Finish quilting and making, stuff and use, PIllow #1 for a New Secret Project.
This one is a wee part of a larger project. Bits and pieces of this project might show up for a while. But for Q3, I just want to finishing the start, if you know what I mean! I have the top of the pillow pieced and basted and I started quilting. Need to finish and build the rest in order to stuff. This is a new goal for Q3.
3. Piece, baste, quilt, bind, and label Beach Blanket Quilt.
I haven't even touched this quilt since I put it on Q2, so this is pretty ambitious. But I'd be happy to just work on it a little. A more apt goal might just be to get the top done. I do hope to have this one ready for next Summer, tho. This is rolled over from Q2.
4. Finish piecing, baste, quilt, and bind and gift Tattoo Trade Quilt.
This is another project that has a Nov giveaway deadline in my mind. But there's a lot of work before we get there. I have quite a bit more fiddly piecing to do, must decide on a final size, and how I want to quilt it. Also ambitious. This goal is rolled over from Q2.
5. Piece, baste, bind, and label Bright Triangles Quilt.
This is another new goal. A fresh project that has been my go to work when I'm taking the train (which I had been doing a lot in June). The beginnings came together pretty quickly, so I hope this one moves right along. It also occurred to me who might like this quilt as I typed this, so that might be good motivation!!
6. Start, piece, baste, quilt, bind and label OC/GC Baby Quilt.
This one is just an idea and a fabric pull and not due (no pun intended) to be gifted until next year, so I have some time.... But if the mood strikes me, it might happen in Q3. It would also make a really good travel project if #5 gets pieced in a timely manner.
I love lists!
It's so fun to see these goals written down each quarter! I have a lot of big projects in the next three months, but I really hope to see some of these quilting goals completed by the start of Q4. And I'm already thinking of Q5 aka Q1 2016!
I think I did pretty well on my Q1 goals, completing three out of five. Here's a recap:
1. Repair, Label and Gift the Friendship Star Mini.
Done! This quilt is really called Quilt for Grandma Aponte and it's done and gifted.
2. Finish hand-quilting, binding and labeling All Gingham All The Time quilt.
Done! Check out the blog post here!
3. Finish Nest Block Jacket.
Not done. This one is getting rolled over to Q2.
4. Baste, bind, quilt and label Stormy Friendship Mini Quilt.
Done! Here's the blog about it.
5. Finish piecing, baste, quilt, bind, and label Quilt for Grandma Doris.
Not done. I didn't even look at this one. Like not even glanced at it. It's getting rolled over to Q2.
On to my Q2 goals! I rolled over two from last quarter and decided to set my sights at six goals in total.
1. Finish the Nest Block Jacket.
This goal is rolled over from Q1. I have an old red wool jacket that my mom gave me quite a few years ago. It's really red. I started a wee star block to add to it. I'm hoping it breaks up the red a bit. I have the block, and I started quilting and appliqueing it onto the jacket. Hopefully I can stay motivated and get this goal finished in time for the still chilly spring weather.
2. Finish piecing, baste, quilt, bind, and label Quilt for Grandma Doris.
Another roll over from last quarter. This was the biggest project on the last list and I made no progress at all on this so far. I started this quilt Nov 2014 with very high hopes it would be done that year. Then I hoped it would get done by the end of Q1. Hopefully I can make this a priority and have it done by Mothers Day?
3. Quilt, bind, and label the Scrappy Heart Quilt.
Like everyone this year, I fell in love with Cluck Cluck Sew's heart block and made a little scrappy quilt top. I have started quilting this and want to get it finished soon!
4. Finish quilting the Fat Little Cross block and make it into a pillow cover.
I've never made a pillow cover before!! I've made stuffed pillows, but never a cover. This block perfectly fits a pillow form I have. I have to finish the quilting (which I stopped due to bearding frustrations) and decide how to best convert it to a pillow. I'm thinking of trying this tutorial.
5. Finish piecing, baste, bind, quilt and label a quilt to trade for a tattoo.
An instagram friend and I are planning a trade! I get a hand poked piece of art to wear forever, and she gets a quilt! I had inspiration for the quilt and started piecing it. It's no real rush, but I'd like to have this done by the end of Q2.
6. Finish piecing, baste, bind, quilt and label a Beach Blanket.
At the end of last Summer I decided we needed a beach blanket. Nothing better than to make one myself! I started the blocks, but that's as much as I got done. This is the most ambitious goal on the list, but wouldn't it be great to finish it for the Summer season?
I feel like I'm challenging myself for Q2 and I'm ready to get started! I'm Linking up with Adrianne today to set my Q2 goals. And with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching bc I can't wait to get to work!.
This year, I want to blog more, I want to sew more, I want to finish more!
So I'm participating in Adrianne's (On The Windy Side) 2015 Finish Along.
For those of you haven't heard of this before, every year a lovely blogger runs a Finish Along (FAL) where sewists can make quarterly goals to finish for the year. The projects can be quilts, clothes, knits, etc... But they must be a semi started project when you link up at the beginning of each Quarter. As you finish a project, you make a blog entry, and at the end of each Quarter you link up again with all that you have completed. There's no punishment or negativity if you don't finish, but there are potential prizes if you do! More than anything, it's a way to keep a list for yourself, and also to have support from the sewing community as you go!
I'm a big fan of to do lists. I make one everyday for myself at work. Although I have included quilting on some of my lists, I have never made a list just for sewing.
Here is my First Quarter List!
Since this is the first time I'm joining in, I'm gonna go easy for my Q1. I've picked 5 projects to get done in 3 months.
1. Repair, Label and Gift the Friendship Star Mini.
This quilt is pretty much done (so much so, that I already blogged about it once). Although I consider it a 2014 finish, it needs repair where the binding didn't catch. It needs a label and to given to whom it belongs. I think this is a good goal to start the year and Q1.
2. Finish hand-quilting, binding and labeling All Gingham, All The Time quilt.
This project was started way back in Jan 2014. I set it aside when I wasn't happy with how the hand quilting was going. After some months of space, we have reunited. I want to finish this one up completely for Q1.
3. Finish Nest Block Jacket.
I have an old red wool jacket that my mom gave me quite a few years ago. It's really red. I started a wee star block to add to it. I'm hoping it breaks up the red a bit. I have the block, but I have to figure out how to best affix it to the jacket. This seems like a simple Q1 Project, but it may go sideways if the jacket needs more work.
4. Baste, bind, quilt and label Stormy Friendship Mini Quilt.
I made the top for this at the same time as the yet to be named Friendship Mini. Now I've got a back made. I want to have this one finished this Q1. This should be a straight forward project. I just have to keep on task .
5. Finish piecing, baste, quilt, bind, and label Quilt for Grandma Doris.
This is the biggest project on the list bc it is the least done. I started this quilt Nov 2014 with very high hopes it would be done by xmas. Not to be. I'd love to have this one done Q1 with the idea to gift it for Mother's Day, maybe? But there doesn't really need to be a special occasion to gift someone a quilt, right?
OK! I'm feeling good about this list! Let's get going!
Linking up with Adrianne, of course!
I've noticed there's a lot of quilting lingo out there. Some of the terms I like, some not so much. WIP (Work In Progress) is fine, normal everyday. UFO (UnFinished Object) on the other hand.... Not my favorite. I choose not to use it. (HST [Half Square Triangles], by the way, I quite enjoy.)
My sewing work generally breaks down like this:
I always have one or two quilts that I'm really working on at any given moment. Those I don't even consider WIPs bc they are active and getting done. These quilts could be in almost any state of progress. I like to have a few since I sew everything by hand. My hands tend to get tired but not my mind. I need one quilt getting pieced and also one getting quilted or bound. That way, when my hands start to hurt, or I have to give my callouses a day to rest, I can switch up the type of sewing that I'm doing.
Next I have my ongoings. Little projects that aren't fully formed in my mind, or scrap projects. These are often littered about, sometimes easy to find and add to, sometimes not. These probably don't have a clear ending in mind. When they do, they will most likely move into the first category. Until then, these could be considered WIPs.
Then there are the theoreticals. These are sometimes stacks I've pulled or stacks I'm adding to. Or fabric I'm just not using bc it seems to have a quilt waiting for it, eventually. Most times, these are only ideas I have for quilts. These really cannot be considered WIPs, bc they don't usually even exist. Yet.
And lastly, I have the stalled quilts. These are mostly what I really think of as my WIPs. These are mostly quilts that I had to stop bc I didn't have the right fabric for them, or I got to a point where I wasn't sure what to do next, or didn't have the space to complete the next step. Occasionally, these are quilts that I just stopped bc I didn't feel like working on them. Not long ago, I was able to photograph some of this kind of WIPs.
I started this quilt late last Summer, or during the Fall. I had some reclaimed bright feed sack squares and wanted a really bright vibrant quilt to showcase them. I started making blocks with lots of little fiddly bits and all the yellow I could find. I made six blocks and started putting them together, but ran out of the right yellows and the motivation.
This is a quilt I worked on last Fall while working on another that has since been completed. Also using reclaimed blocks, I finished this top pretty quickly, but have stalled out on the back. For many of my quilts I wait to find just the right fabric to finish. And since I get most of my materials vintage or thrifted, this could take a long time.
This poor little guy has been waiting a very long time to finish. Started in AZ at my BFF's house in 2010, this mini only needs the quilting and binding finished. I chose a particularly annoying quilting pattern for this quilt, then lost the thread I was using, then, who knows.... One day, it will get done.
Every once in a while, I pull out these WIPs (plus more. But not too many more...) to look at, remember, or to see if anything in my stash has become usable for. These three may be doomed to stay in the pile, tho, at least for the time being. Just bc I'm not picking up these projects doesn't mean I'm not sewing! I'm making more WIPs all the time.
The start of one busy quilt...