Joy's Parting Gift

My first UFO of the year done!  Okay...so it wasn't that old, but it was from last year and now it's done. I was in a hurry to get it mailed off, so only got one good shot.

Joy's Parting Gift

There is a pattern out there like this, but it make a big quilt, I thought I would rather have it be wall hanging size.  I just sewed jelly roll strips together, adding a wide "ribbon" 1/3 of the way over.  Then I cut off the top third of the strips and added another 'ribbon' of fabric  Added the bow...wishing now the tails were a bit longer. :(   I had a party and had everyone sign good bye wishes to her.  I quilted it with various size swirls. And now it's on it's way.

Sample sewing

It's that time of year again....getting all my samples done for Spring. Actually, this is later than normal as I decided to take January and part of February off and head south...where it has been deliciously warm! I love it! Sure makes it more enjoyable to sit and sew, looking out at bright sunshine and taking the afternoon walk to stretch the legs and back.  Especially when I have 11 quilts (ok--some are just blocks) to make!

Here is what I've been working on...

This is a fabric line from a few years ago...Oz by Sanae (Moda).  I had just a FQ bundle that hubby bought me and thought I would wing it on the border...more on that later....

sewing strip sets.....

making cornerstone units

making sashing...

is it ever going to end?

all done but the border...

Ta da! Slide Show (a pattern by Atkinson Designs).  A scrappy border just wasn't going to look right, so a quick internet search yielded just enough fabric for a border and some for the binding. I am loving this quilt, even without the border!

Sew It's Finished...

Well, they will be this year!  I joined the group "Sew It's Finished" in hopes that publicly admitting my need for accountability for getting UFO's done will work. :)  And so here they are:

1. Be Attitudes
2. Pop Star
3. Dresden Plate
4. Folk Art Christmas Stars
5. JOY's Parting Gift
6. Shakespeare in the Park

Shakespeare in the Park Blocks

7. Red & Black Row by Row
8. French Lone Star
9. Pink & Black Pinwheel
10. Folk Art 16 patch
11. Nana's Garden

Nana's Garden block

12. Diamond Scrap Star

And so there they are--the UFO's I'd like to finish this year. Some are 8+ years in the aging barrel and others were started last year. And I have plenty more, but I chose these to be done first. I also have flimsies to do as well, and would like to get 12 done of those.  But it's an ongoing project and wonder if I will EVER be caught up there.

Project 365- Week 2

Week 2 of 2012

I decided that I would try to do Project 365 this year.  I have been sporadic about taking photos, kind of a feast or famine thing.  I'm hoping that my picture quality will improve.  But more important to record our daily life, as it is.  So when we look back, we can see what our life looked like. Very real. Not perfect.

I haven't gotten Week 1 compiled yet. I made the mistake of using 3 different cameras.

iPhone 4s

So thought I would share the end of Week 2.  It's really hard to narrow down your photos to just ONE per day! Some days I would have several and then other (lots of other) days, I would have one.

Canon sd1300is

Week 2 had me finishing up a big tournament that my hubby holds and I have to feed staff/coaches and I had just a small plate of brownies left over. It has become synonymous with the tournament. Tournament = lots of fudge brownies.  :)  Picture 1

Nikon d90

Then I headed to my daughter's to watch the 3 youngest grandkids for 9 days while they all traveled to Europe. My Mom came up to help so it's been fun!  Pictures 2,3,4,5

By Saturday night, we were a bit whipped. Mom went to bed at the same time the kids did, and I was too pooped to do anything but cruise through Pinterest.  Picture 6

Sunday was a beautiful sunny, yet cold day.  God's Frosty Beauty...as seen on the way to church. Picture 7


 I did get to cut some kits out at night, after the kiddos went to bed.

 But no sewing. That's okay, I didn't need help from a 20 month old!  I'm headed to SC for a month after this week--I'll need it! Haha. No, they were good..just anxious to get to a bit warmer weather for a while.   So I thought I would cut kits to take down with me to make samples for my Spring classes.

Photos not making the cut for my Project 365;

for "Taxi" quilt....need more yellows though..

Auditioning for Taxi-the quilt, not the show! Oh wait, does that 'date' me?

Ready for a "Slide Show"

Cutting kits to sell (from my stash).  Great way to make some 'moolah' for new fabric!

2011 Finishes

I've been seeing these photo collages around blogland and thought what a great idea to recap my year. I ended up with 18 finished quilts, 18 ANGRY birds, 3 tote bags and 8 pillows.  Not bad considering I was gone 100+ days last year! I didn't realize I had been gone so much until I started adding up the days!  I also made a book of my finishes.  I hope to start doing that to have record of how I spent my time. 

Row 1: Scrappy Zig Zag Diamonds, Granny's Bloomers, Triple Irish Chain, Circlin' Round Kaffe, 4 patch and friends
Row 2: Split Daisy, Scrappy Fall, Poppy Baskets, Picture Perfect, Beckam T Shirt Quilt
Row 3: Scrappy Trip Around the World, Buttons and Bows, Scrappy TOW, Hexagons, Railing Beauty
Row 4: Circling Tweets, Second Helpings, Angry Birds, 16 Patch and Pinwheel, Dresden Plate Topper
Row 5: Ticker Tape Pillow, Apple Core Pillow, Figgy Tree, Tote 1, Tote 2 (Tote 3 not shown)
Row 6: Cathedral Window Pillow, Twister Pillow, Dresden Wheel Pillow, Hexies Pillow and Tumbler Pillow.

Lots of finishes, but I hope this year brings more quilt finishes!

Folded (fabric)

My birthday present. 

FQ bundle of Daisy Cottage by Lori Holt 

A stack of folded fabric. 

Love. 

*sigh*

I have a fabric closet that rivals a small quilt shop. I do NOT need fabric. In fact, after tracking my stash for a year through Judy L's Stash Challenge, I realized that I don't need to buy any fabric. Ever. Again.  But of course, I do and will, but not at the speed and tenacity that I used to accumulate it. I mean, collect it. :)

And I have done very well these last 3 years. I've purchased fabric, but not very much.  And this year I could count on 2 hands the amount of yardage purchased by me.  Until...

I stumbled on Lori Holt's blog, Bee in my Bonnet. And saw her latest line of fabric, Daisy Cottage. And I fell.in.love.   As in, I want the whole line! I love her patterns. It kind of shook me up because I haven't felt that way about fabric for a while, to the point of wondering what was wrong with me! hahaha  

Never fear. I'm fine.  I did show patience by asking for it for my birthday instead of rushing out and buying it. By the way, the grays are showing up a bit on the brown side. Sorry--was kind of a yucky day outside and was hard to get a good picture. But it is gray, pink, and gold mostly. 

{oops, I just looked at that stack and 3 Moda Marbles jumped right into that stack!  They hid themselves pretty well!  A light pink, light blue and hot pink. See them?  just trying to blend in.}  *cwazy fabwics.*

one little word...

this is my 'one little word' this year. Do you do that?  I started a few years ago....in 2010 it was JOY (as in  I choose JOY), 2011 brought FOCUS ( and I didn't do so well!! LOL) and thought I would do it again.  I really don't like to make resolutions, but instead have a word to help focus my intention of the direction I want to head in my life.

Nourish. 

My mind--reading more. My body--overall health. My soul--continuing growing closer to God. Family--being a positive influence in my family, especially the grankids lives. Community--giving back to others. Imagination--getting the creative juices flowing again  (how do you like the little logo I created above?)

Another thing I would like to do is participate in the Project 365...taking a picture a day.  I'm a little worried about that one...it all sounds so good, but come March, will I fade away?  I really wish I could stick to something...anything...more than a few months.  I get so distracted, unmotivated, forgetful or whatever you call my lack of stick-to-it-ness(is that a word?) that I never finish out the year.

Why is it that a New Year feels like you get to start over fresh?  Something about a new year that wants you to be able to start that new diet, renew your gym membership, start that Read the Bible in a year program, or any other self improvement project.  

Whatever the reason, I'm hoping that announcing it publicly will keep more on track..for my sake. I know you all have your own issues! LOL  So..wish me luck!

This is Day ONE of the new year and yes, I did take my photo. I don't think I'll post them everyday, maybe in 1 week batches.  In keeping with my new word of the year, I need to start NOURISHing my body and the first thing is getting more rest! So took a photo of my bed!  Hubby made a comment about how much better I looked while on vacation..no bags under the eyes because I was getting more sleep.  Guess I should get off the computer earlier. I hate to admit it, but surfing' the net keeps me up in the later hours of the evening.

Nourishing my creativity will hopefully get me back into a more regular schedule of quilting. I went more days than not last year of sewing and it was almost always for something other than for me. Not that I don't like creating for others, but nurturing my own creative urges makes me happy.

And in all this, I hope to be a bit better blogger.  I miss it.

Here's to a BRAND NEW YEAR!