January UFO Update

I've had a couple of sew days this month at my house and have gotten to work a bit on my January UFO Talkin' Turkey. I am almost done with the last round on the 30 blocks. Then, I will need to make sashing and assemble the blocks and do the borders. Piece of cake! All of the units are done. It is just a matter of sewing and pressing and sewing some more! Last week, I pressed the units.

Last night, I decided to take a break from decluttering and I started attaching the units to the center of the blocks. I'm hoping that I can finish the blocks up in the next few days and get the top assembled by next weekend.

Speaking of decluttering, I have been following the 91-day declutter challenge from Mary Organizes blog. I tried this challenge a few years ago and got hung up in the kitchen. This year, I made great progress in my bedroom and bath and am hung up on the kitchen again. BUT! Next week is the laundry room which isn't much in my house so I am going to keep at the kitchen. My goal is to move all of my sewing/quilting items back upstairs into my studio but in an organized manner. It feels so good to get some things out of the house that I am not using or needing anymore. I've been working on selling things and things are moving out slowly but surely!

And I got the dogs new fleece jackets for the cold weather. Lula likes to wear hers and her tail is wagging non stop when we walk and she has it on. Kinsey, on the other hand, has to be goading into wearing it when I know it's cold enough outside that she needs it.

OMG - April Goal

I set up a One Month Goal for February (actually, I had several goals!), but I missed posting an update. And I totally skipped March because there has been too much going on at home for me to get any sewing done other than getting to the quilt shop for my classes.

Here were my February Goals with results.

1. Work on t shirt quilt for Aunt Donna - I have cut the shirts apart and fused the interfacing to all of the shirts. This month, I will finish this!

2. Quilt 4 personal items - I haven't quilted any personal items in the last 2 months.

3. Declutter 3 areas - Done out of necessity with my brother moving in.

4. Sock Monkey HSTs (because they will need to be packed up if not assembled into a top!) - The blocks were laid out!

Not too bad. Not too great either.

A lot of big items have been ordered for the kitchen repairs. The first big item goes in next week - upstairs carpet. This is also wreaking havoc on my quilting and piecing because all of my projects and fabric and totes have to be moved out of my studio to give the carpet layers as much room as possible to lay the carpet cleanly and evenly.

BUT I am excited that I have a quilt retreat this month and am already batting around ideas of what I will take to work on.

So my April OMG is to make the monkey blocks! If I have to put them away, at least the blocks will be made for storage.

This is what the block will look like. Some are in strips and pressed and just need to be sewn into rows. Some are still HSTs laid into the block pattern.

There are enough blocks for a couple of baby quilts. Or maybe 3 or 4. I can't remember.

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts' One Month Goal for April.

BOMs away - Big Updates Coming

I haven't been sewing a lot the last couple of weeks for a few reasons. In January, I had a water leak in my kitchen and I am stressing about the fact that almost the entire first floor is ripped up at the moment.

And my brother is moving back to the area from out of state and will be moving in with me for a while. The past couple of weeks, I have been concentrating on decluttering some spaces to make room for him. This week, I will be finishing up the changes in the house because he will be here next weekend.

So now that those updates are out there, here is the sewing that I have gotten done.

The Deb Tucker ruler classes have continued at the shop and I have gotten a couple of blocks done with during the Tucker University classes. These classes are designed to help us get more experiences with using the rulers that we got with last year's BOM.



This block was made using the Square Squared ruler and was one of the examples on our handouts.

Yesterday, we used the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star ruler. This was the first time I have used this ruler and made this bock without making HSTs. It so easy!



I've also been working on the sock monkey blocks. I have 6 assembled into rows and ready for the rows to be assembled.



I need to keep plugging away at these blocks. I think there are at least 8 more that need to get to this stage.

And finally, this is the February Ohio star block that was made in class this month.



Here are the January and February blocks together. I really like them!



I am linking up with...
Lynette for BOMs Away
Sarah for Whoop Whopp Friday

WIP Wednesday - Still here and moving along

I bet you thought that since I haven't posted in a week that I was dropping out of blog world again, didn't you? Well, I am not! The first of the month was last Thursday and the first 3 business days of each month are very busy at the office for me and it doesn't leave me time for much else.

I did find time to get a couple of backings during a sale on Saturday at my local quilt shop. I also got to enjoy lunch with my 2 partners in crime, Gail and Tina. They are the ones who have taken all of the Deb Tucker classes with me since last January. The shop had 20% off for the Super Bowl and I took advantage with 2 extra wide backings. Sweet!

I was able to finish all of the blocks for Road to Llano, project #1 on my 18 in 2018 list. And the UFO number pulled on Judy L's UFO list for February. And since all of the blocks were done, I laid the entire quilt out on the design wall.



I have been working on assembling the rows and then sewing a new finished row onto a section already assembled. One more row for the top half to be fully assembled!

I have been working a little each morning before heading to work on whichever project is on my cutting mat. Two days ago, I turned on my iron and water was spewing from all of the crevices. This isn't the first time that it has happened with that iron and in the past, I would do the anti-calc/cleaning and it would shape up for a few months or a couple of years. This time, the iron kept flipping on the re-heating light even though it should have been hot enough.

I was all prepared to purchase another Rowenta steamer iron! I had looked up the prices on Amazon a few weeks ago and checked out other stores to see if there were better deals. I kept remembering the first steamer that I had that I won in a raffle and how great it was for marathon sewing days... I was ready to take the plunge and buy my own!!

Then, when looking for my missing owl pin cushion, I found a box for the iron under my bed. I pulled the box out and it was not empty - it had a brand new iron, the same model that I have been using. I must have bought a replacement for the iron one of the time that it leaked.



So now, I have a new iron and no need for the steamer. I'm a little bummed, but a little happy that I thought ahead and won't be without a nice hefty iron for any length of time!

One thing that was holding me back while assembling the Llano blocks into the top was that I didn't have a leader/ender project. So I took all of my sock monkey HSTs and put them into blocks.



They will be at least 2 baby size quilts and possibly a lap, but really maybe just a few baby sized.

So that is where I am. There are quite a few things going on behind the scenes that I can't share at this time. All I can say is that I am looking forward to things quieting down a little in a month or so.

I am linking up with...
Lynette for BOMs Away

Sarah for Whoop Whoop Friday

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts

Esther at WOW - Wips on Wednesday

Lorna at Let's Bee Social

A finished top!

I meant to post this yesterday, but I ended up working from home and tried to get so much done in the time that I was online and then I went to a new local meeting of long armers and by the time I got home, I was too pooped to even sew!

So I am posting my January OMG update, my WIP Wednesday, my January UFO finish... So many blogs to link to!

Let's start with the January One Month Goals. Here are the goals.

1. Work on steps 1-3 of Road to Llano (#1)
2. Cut out and piece blocks for Come Sit a Spell (#10)
3. Work on the Sock Monkey HSTs
4. Quilt 2 personal things on To Be Quilted list

I really tried to limit myself to steps 1-3 on Road to Llano, but I haven't been able to stop myself from working on it!

I am just about done with step 9 - I just have to do the final pressing of the darker complimentary blocks. But I couldn't resist laying out the blocks to see how it was going to end up looking. This is going to be a king sized quilt for my parents to use on their bed.

And once I got the blocks made for the Come Sit a Spell, I just have to keep going on that one, too. It helped that it was the UFO number pulled on Judy's blog.

I need to get backing for this one and put it in the to be quilted line.

Unfortunately, I didn't work on the sock monkey HSTs other than to separate them into stacks of the same fabric so that I can lay out the blocks. And now, the design wall is occupied....

And I didn't get anything quilted. But I have a kind of big event happening in a couple of weeks and I need to get the house in order and one of the things on my list is to get my upstairs railing cleared and that is what I have part of my To Be Quilted pile.

Now, I will make up my February OMG...

1. Work on t shirt quilt for Aunt Donna

2. Quilt 4 personal items

3. Declutter 3 areas

4. Sock Monkey HSTs (because they will need to be packed up if not assembled into a top!)

Also, I am adding the Halloween top to my 18 flimsies in 2018.

1. Come Sit a Spell

All in all, I think I did very well for my first month at my sewing machine in way too long! 

I am linking up with....

Lynette for February 18 in 2018

Judy for the January UFO finish

Elm Street Quilts for One Month Goal

Sarah for Whoop Whoop Friday

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts

Esther at WOW - Wips on Wednesday

BOMs Away - So much done!

This week, it's like I couldn't stop sewing! Every free minute that I had, it seemed that I was stitching or pressing or cutting.

It is amazing how much can be accomplished in just a few minutes stolen here and there.

For the Road to Llano quilt, I was able to finish steps 5 and 6.



These are the setting triangles and corners.

And since I was on a roll, I went ahead and worked on the next steps.



Steps 7 and 8! And step 9 is for the outside corners for these alternate blocks. Once these are done, then all that is left is quilt assembly, quilting and binding.

And to think that 28 days ago, this was just fabric sitting on a shelf taking up space.

I also worked on the Halloween quilt with the Come Sit a Spell fabric. I just slapped the blocks together without making any kind of effort to make points or seams meet. And from across the room, you can't tell that things don't match.



I'm linking up with...

Lynette
Tish
Sarah

WIP Wednesday - step 5 and blocks

The blowers and dehumidifiers have been removed from the premises! Woo hoo! And I am so happy to say that it is quiet! Nice and quiet!

Sunday afternoon and evening, I got a lot done on the Road to Llano quilt. Done with step 5 at this point! But I don't want to stop working on it.



Steps 6 and 7 look fairly quick and easy...

I also finished assembling these blocks and got them trimmed. The pattern is The "Martha" Quilt by Kimberbell. The blocks went together easily enough, but I feel like I should've made real HSTs and then pinwheels instead of assembling them this way. When I squared up the blocks, quite a few of the seams were not even in the corner of each block. I'll just have to assemble the top and go with it. Not sure how else I could fix it now.



Time to throw it up on the wall so I can get the blocks assembled and the top made fairly quickly.

I am linking up with....

Esther
Brooke

BOMs Away - Llano progress

I am still dealing with plumbing issues at the condo and it is very loud with the blowers and dehumidifiers in the basement and on the first floor so I am spending a lot of time in my quilting studio away from the noise. The good news is that I am making progress on some projects!

I have finished steps 3 AND 4 on the Road to Llano quilt! The first set of blocks are finished!



I also got the pieces cut for the Halloween quilt, #10 on my 18 in 2018 list. And I worked on piecing the blocks.



And after the snafu with the fabric book, I was hesitant to work on anything new, but I went ahead and cut the kit for a pint size tote from Connecting Threads. I need to stitch up the opening and get a couple of decorative rings, but other than that, it's done. And out of the stash!





I am linking up with Lynette for BOMs Away.

WIP Wednesday - minimal progress

Well, this week has so far been a bust for me. I will share some pics in my next post when I hopefully will have a bit more info, but I will just say that I am dealing with some plumbing issues at my house.

I was able to get the squares cut for my Road to Llano quilt and these will be used in steps 3 and 4, just as a start. I'm hoping to get step 3 done sometimes this weekend.

And I am trying to work on the little projects that I pulled out of my shelves - the 2 fabric books and a Connecting Threads pint size tote. The tote fabrics have been pressed but not cut yet. And here is the status of the books.

The ABC's book is DONE!! I have given it to a co-worker who has a 4 month old who loves to be read to.

The 5 Funky Monkeys, on the other hand..... I cut these pages out in the same manner that I did for the ABC's. This panel did not have instructions or cutting lines like the first one did.

Let's start at the beginning....

Or is that the end?

I'm really not sure what the issue was with this panel... Maybe someone cutting off the bolt cut in between the wrong two pages? At this point, the fabric will be trimmed up and put into the scrap bin. No sense fussing with it now.

I also had pulled out a table runner kit that had been partially cut, but without the pattern or the pattern name. I had 3 large pieces of fabric that will be repurposed for backings for other runners. It's a win-win!

I am linking up with: 

Brooke at Silly Mama Quilts.

Esther at Esther's Blog.

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict on Friday

Whoop Whoop and Q1 Finish-A-Long goals

I didn't get a lot of sewing this week. I'm not sure why but I was very sleepy all week.

After shuffling things around on the shelves earlier this week, I did spend a little time trying to identify the table runner pattern for the kit that seems to be cut out, but I didn't have any success with that. I even asked 3 of the ladies that I used to work with at the shop, but they don't remember either. I think it was a runner that was made up and I used the pattern but bought different fabric. There is still a fair amount of yardage so I might just give up on the runner idea and use the yardage for backing on other runners that are backing-less. I will not be moving the fabric back to my UFO shelves. That is certain!

This morning, after a scare with my little dog, Max, I medicated him up and set to work on an easy sew fleece blanket kit from Joann's. This was when those kits first came out so this was several years old. I had 3 waiting to be sewn up and it would've been one for each of the pups, but we sadly lost Maisy last March. She was able to enjoy her blanket for a while though. So the other 2 will be crate blankets because.... well, dachshunds.... and this one will reside in the studio. It is already being put to good use by Max.

Somehow, I messed up my camera SD card and I can't get this picture to flip to right side up. The print is dogs.

Today was the first day of the 2018 Block of the Month at one of my local quilt shops using the Deb Tucker rulers. I switched out a couple of fabrics from the kit I bought at the shop and I am really happy with the changes I made. I was able to get the block done during the class and then I worked on some of my strip sets.

This week, I was able to use command velcro type strips to re-hang my white board in my studio. I'm very happy to have it off of the floor and out of the way! Now, I can keep reminding myself of the quilting that I have to do.

I have made my list of my Finish A Long goals for the first quarter and I wrote them out and will hang them from the white board as well. Best way to make sure they get done is to have them in my face all the time!

1. Finish up to step 5 on Road to Llano (#1)
2. Finish Halloween quilt top (#10)
3. Cut out squares for Santa Rag quilt (#15)
4. keep blogging!!
5. Sock monkey tops
6. Finish llama pillow
7. Finish RV placemats
8. Finish poinsettia table runners
9. Finish cardinal table runners
10. Finish teal table runners

This list is going to keep me busy! I will have to keep working on my customer quilts simultaneously. I can handle it!

Linking up with...
Sarah for Whoop Whoop Friday
Tish for UFO Busting

WIP Wednesday and OMG

It seems that there are so many challenges going on with the start of the new year. I would like to continue feeling like I am progressing on my projects and making some sort of headway and I want to join all of these challenges, but I am trying to be realistic and trying to not overwhelm myself because that could result in my giving up. If the last couple of days are any indication of my UFOs and kits that are hiding in my sewing studio, I can't afford to give up!

I am going to join in with the One Month Goal (OMG), but I missed the January link up. This will still help me with focusing on what I want to accomplish.

1. Work on steps 1-3 of Road to Llano (#1)
2. Cut out and piece blocks for Come Sit a Spell (#10)
3. Work on the Sock Monkey HSTs
4. Quilt 2 personal things on To Be Quilted list

This week, I spent a bit of time straightening up my studio and trying to condense the shelves where I pulled my 18 in 2018 projects out. My big idea was to move more of these projects to the shelves that I face when I sew so that they will be sort of in my face as I am sewing. In doing this, I found 3 bags of scraps and only one was identified, but it was with a person's name and not a pattern name. My guess is that this bag was scraps to be made into a Chinese coins quilt to donate to my local guild.

I also found a couple of fabric book panels to be made; what looks like a table runner for Christmas that was already cut out, but I am not sure of the pattern although I have a pretty good idea; and a kit for a small tote from Connecting Threads. Things that I should be able to knock out rather quickly instead of putting them back on the shelves to be lost again.

In moving the kits around, I found a small container with the HSTs from sock monkey fabric that I made from leftovers from a quilt top I made last year. I need to layout a baby size quilt and see how many HSTs I have left. I am hoping that I can use this as a leaders/enders project.

And this easy sew rag quilt has been hanging out in the studio for too long. This morning, I assembled the first 2 rows. Since the fleece will gum up the machine and the seam allowance is for 1", this will be sewn to completion before anything else is worked on.

And I cut the strips for step 2 of Road to Llano. This step does not result in 120 units so I am hoping it goes together quickly!

 Tonight, I stopped in at my quilt shop and picked up my kit for the 2018 BOM which is the Ohio star Deb Tucker BOM that Michelle Renee Hiatt put together. The classes start on Saturday as long as the weather cooperates and I am very excited about this class and most of these colors. (The yellow doesn't excite me so much.)

Last weekend, I went to a new local quilt shop with my pals, Barb and Katy, and picked up these gems. Doxies with balloons and a coordinating dot print! I have no idea what I will do with them, but they make me smile!

I am linking up with Tish's UFO Busting Party.

BOMs Away - Road to Llano and Halloween

This is my first BOM's Away post and this goes along with the 18 in 2018.

This week, I finished step 1 on the Road to Llano quilt. This pattern is a free pattern on Judy L's page. I have already made one of these quilts in the purple and gold colorway for my cousin. This one is a king size for my parents. I had to enlarge the pattern on EQ to make it a king size.

It's been a while since I have worked on this many pieces and ended up strip piecing.

I was getting quite a pile going! I forgot to take a picture during the final piece added though.

Here is Step 1 done! 120 units!

This is my #10 18 in 2018. Ten was the number pulled from Judy's UFO challenge and I thought I would work on this one this month, too. I had planned on working on a second project with the Llano quilt so this one was the easy choice. I had a layer cake and some fabric from the line to use for borders and binding. I paired up the 10" squares for the pattern and trimmed one from each pair down. This week, I will work on cutting the black and getting the smaller squares cut for the first step on this project.

Not a bad week for a first effort!

I am linking up over at Lynette's blog for the BOMs Away!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 

I have been battling bronchitis this past week, but I have still made some time to reflect on this past year and look forward to 2018 with a list in my head of the things that I want to accomplish. This weekend, I spent a bit of time cleaning and disinfecting and the house is in much better shape!

Yesterday, I went through some projects and came up with a list of my 18 in 2018. This will be the list that I focus on for the BOM's Away posts throughout the year, as well. Assuming that I keep up with the blogging, but that is absolutely my plan at this moment. I want to keep myself accountable and keep up and get some things done and stop promising that something will be done soon.

Here are the projects that I pulled out and I am ashamed to say that I didn't remember a few of the projects. I am very pleased to see that some projects were stored with notes or flags as to what I was planning on pattern-wise.

1. Road to Llano for my parents. I have had these fabrics since 2013 to make this quilt.

 

2. Avatrix quilt. This was a kit from Craftsy and was a steal! A FQ bundle and yardage for a great price. Almost everyone in my quilt group got a kit and then no one has ever made it. Once I started the Deb Tucker ruler BOM last year, my partner in Crime, Tina, even bought a kit. Our plan is to work on this quilt and Tucker-ize the pattern.

3. Thimbleberries 2008 BOM quilt. This is all cut out and some of the blocks are actually made. I started this when I worked at the Best Friends quilt shop. This fabric is not my cup of tea anymore, but I am sure that when I get the quilt finished that someone will love it.

4. The Super Secret quilt project. Again, when I worked at Best Friends, some organized a super secret quilt with blocks that they picked from a book. I am sure that some of them finished their quilts, but Barb and I did not. I got everything cut out and put it away. The quilt is for Barb so it would be nice to get it finished so that she can actually use it. The binder includes all the blocks and the pieces for the blocks and notes that I made when cutting. This was from 2010.

 5. Judy Martin's Finger Lakes log cabin. This was cut in 2010 and then stored away. (sensing a theme here...)

6. 2017 Deb Tucker Ruler BOM. I bought the kit for this class and have since replaced the black. I made the first four blocks and wasn't blown away with the yellow and got stalled. I have added the three fabrics on the left in the first picture and removed the yellow and the lime green so I need to start over. I do like this color combination much better now though.

7. My brother's quilt. I am still gathering some fabrics. I need a few more browns. The gathering only started within the last 2 years.

8. A quilt for a friend. I have the color scheme set, but need to start picking fabrics and a pattern. Probably a Deb Tucker pattern.

9. Regina's 50th birth year quilt. This needs to be done this year. The pieces were pulled and started at a Bonnie Hunter class through my guild maybe 2 years ago. Turkey Tracks.

10. Halloween quilt with Come Sit a Spell layer cake. I should've started this quilt in 2017.

11. Rick Rack quilt kit with Persimmon line by Basic Grey. A quilt kit from Craftsy.

12. Axis Mod Decor quilt kit (top in the next photo). Another purchase from Craftsy.

13. Love is in the Air quilt kit from Craftsy - bottom in the next photo. (Darn their sales!!)

14. Quilt the 4 Which Witch wall hangings. I have been working on these FOREVER!! I was working on the applique in 2011, but I know that I cut the pieces and had those done for a while before attaching them to the blocks and then a while went by before I satin stitched the edges. Now, they are hanging over my banister upstairs tormenting me daily.

15. Santa rag quilt. I've had this fabric since 2008. Flannels.

16. Window treatments for 3 rooms. Only showing the fabric for 2 rooms here. I've been in my condo since 2001 and had the fabric for all three since about then. I can do this!!!

17. 2009 Designer Mystery BOM from the Fat Quarter Shop. The blocks are done. The finishing kit is here. I just need to bust through it and get it quilted so I can use it!

18. Fresh Flowers quilt kit. This is one collection of layer cakes, charm packs, background and a book that were in an ArtBin and stored. I have no idea for how long. But it's time to get it made.

I am going to be participating in this challenge hosted by Lynette. Here is the link to the challenge page. Come and join the fun! You don't have to pick 18, but I have a plan already for working on each one of these!