2012 goals...final visit

So back in January (seems like it wasn't that long ago) I created a list of goals for 2012.  Here they are, with their current status in RED.

1.  Finish T's Quilt (hasn't been touched since December 10th 2011) - replaced original with Paris Race, original T quilt is in the UFO stack, one day to be revisited.

2.  Finish OUR Quilt (not touched since August 2011) - still not touched, one day I'll get back to it

3.  Complete at least 2 FWQAL blocks a month (this was becoming an overwhelming project last year, so I'm hoping to keep it honest and accept that it won't be 2 blocks a week!) - so fell out of love with this one, might do something with the blocks I have finished, or may just leave them until inspiration returns

4.  Blog at least once a week - which I pretty much have done...so SUCCESS!

5.  Complete Pinocchio Cross Stitch  -  started working on hexies, pretty much replacing this goal...so Pinocchio will just have to wait some more

6.  Relocate sewing space to craft room (currently sew in the living room, and rarely use my office/craft room...I want that changed!  will also require a LOT of reorganizing and cleaning and getting rid of stuff!) - still working on this one, hope to have the majority moved before the new year starts, but won't have all of the stuff in place for a few more weeks...so I shall call this...a Goal in Progress!

7.  Make a Christmas Quilt in time for it to be used at Christmas!  (so wanted to do this last year...didn't get around to it!) - quilt top made.  and then I got caught up in making Christmas gifts.  

8.  Make at least one quilt just for me! - still in progress, all the blocks are made, just have to get it all put together!

9.  Attempt applique on at least one quilt (mini-quilt would work here!) - not yet!

10.  Make Swoon Terrain Quilt - Quilt top completed!  needs backing, and basting, and quilting...but the top is complete!

11.  Attempt FMQ! - DONE DONE DONE!

12.  Quilt and bind Girls SQ (before Halloween!) - DONE!

13.  Finish White Rabbit Surprise/Strawberry Swoon (at least do something with the blocks that have been made!) - DONE!  

So, there we go...I only accomplished a handful of these goals in 2012...but that's ok...goals can change as you go!  I found stuff I would rather do, expanded my horizons, and had a great year of sewing.  I think for 2013...I'll try and set some goals that are a little more broad.  Some of the 2012 goals may carry over to 2013...and that's ok too. 

I hope everyone has a fantastic last day of 2012.  See you next year!

a little Sunday stitching...

after returning home yesterday...I was so happy to just sit behind my machine for a bit and relax.  I put away Rainbow Star (needed a break from the quilting, it's a big quilt to be wrestling about!), and pulled out my HST BOM blocks and got to work on finishing the last two blocks.

November:

December:

and all 12 blocks together:

now I just need to get this quilt top finished!

Since I was chain piecing the above blocks, I took the opportunity to make my leader/ender pieces my Shake n' Bake 2 blocks, so I got some piecing done with those:

and since I really needed something else to do...I started a new quilt, using a Good Fortune (Kate Spain) Layer Cake I had buried in my stash.

and now I'm off to do a bit more stitching...I'll be back later today with a final look at my 2012 goals!

upkeep and cleanup

Doing a little upkeep around the bloggy space here.  I have added pages that are specific to my finished quilts and the Quilt-a-longs and Block of the Month's that I am participating in (or have participated in).  All of this to do a bit of cleanup on the sidebar.  It was looking a bit lengthy and messy.  I prefer to be able to find things easily instead of dig for them, and for any of you visiting, hope it helps you also!  Not a lot of stitching going on right now, have spent the past day or so getting family pictures done, doing some shopping, and in a few hours, we've got to get on the road and head to a friends wedding (very excited for them!).  I'm seriously hoping tomorrow to just spend some nice quiet time sewing!  Catch ya later!

Planning

and recovery.  That's what this week is about.  Recovery from the mad dash of Christmas (which was absolutely lovely!  had a wonderful Christmas day!)...and planning for what happens next.  After the mad rush to finish so many gifts...I'm itching to get going again!  I was unable to finish Rainbow Star, so I've been doing some quilting on it, a few minutes here...a few there.  And I really want to finish up the HST BOM quilt...and there is a new rainbow quilt I want to start...but nothing has really kicked me into gear just yet.  and then I saw this...

and oh yeah...I'm in!  and I just so happen to have some yummy Joel Dewberry Notting Hill fabric just waiting to be cut up into something!  Let the planning begin...as in figure out a plan to get everything done I want done before 2012 ends...and start planning how I want to kick off my 2013!

And another set of finishes...

These two quilts were delivered today, and well received I might add!

First up - Shake n' Bake (so named because I cut the charms, threw them in a bag, and shook them up.  I then pulled them out and pieced them however they ended up getting pulled out of the bag.)

Details:
Fabric - Kona Steel (backing and binding); charms - Aviary II by Joel Dewberry, Curious Nature by Parson Gray, Seasonal Little Gatherings by Primitive Gatherings, assorted KONA solids
Pattern - ummm...yeah
Thread - Piecing: Gutterman, Quilting: Mettler Metrosene
Batting - Warm and Natural

Next - California Girl (originally started over here)

Details:
Fabric - California Girl by Fig Tree (all of the quilt including the binding)
Pattern - Jelly Roll Race
Thread - Piecing and Quilting: Gutterman
Batting - Warm and White

a few finishes...

A final post on a few of the finishes...first up...Rainbow Strings:

(pics taken when we were in Indiana, and it was very very cold and very very windy, thankfully Girl and Guy "volunteered" to help me out!...had a blast and a huge giggle taking these!):

and finally...an "official" pic:

Details:
Fabric - assorted from my stash, Quilters Cotton in Manatee and a black sateen
Pattern - figured it out myself, wanted the size to finish the same as Rainbow Scraps
Thread - piecing: Gutterman, quilting: Mettler Metrosene
Batting - Warm n' Natural

Next up: Strawberry Swoon

Strawberry Swoon was first started way back in October 2011.  I finished 3 of the 4 blocks...and then put it all away (I think I was distracted by something else!).  So when it was crunch time on the Christmas quilts...I pulled the blocks out to see what I had left to do:

and got to work!

Girl helped me decide to go ahead and do the pieced sashing and border, and I love how it came out.  I think the binding (same as the backing) helped pull it all together.

Details:
Fabric - Strawberry Fields by Fig Tree, Kona Cotton in Corn for backing and binding, background fabric unknown (I just can't remember).
Pattern - Swoon by Camille Roskelley
Thread - Gutterman for piecing, Mettler Metrosene for quilting
Batting - Warm n' Natural

and that's that for now...hoping to get a quilt bound tonight so that it can be gifted tomorrow!

15 minute challenge...week 23

Playing along with everyone over at Life in Pieces for the 15 minute challenge!

this is the post where everyone finds out if I met my deadline for my Christmas gifts!  and on a quick note...for anyone that may have read yesterday's post about my moment of panic...thankfully the part I needed was available (and cheap!!) and I was able to recover!  and now back to our regularly scheduled post!

Tuesday:  made backing and basted Strawberry Swoon; started quilting Rainbow strings

Wednesday:  quilting on Rainbow Strings

Thursday:  finished quilting Rainbow Strings, started quilting Shake n' Bake

Friday: finished quilting Shake n' Bake

Saturday: quilted Strawberry Swoon

Sunday: made quilt backing, basted and started quilting Rainbow Star; bound Rainbow Strings and Strawberry Swoon

Monday: bound Shake n' Bake

and that makes it 7 of 7!  and it was a lot more than 15 minutes a session...but I've not had so much fun sewing in a long time!  and now...did I make my deadline???

sort of...

Here is where I ended up with the list after last night:
Quilts completed:

• Rainbow scrap quilt (it's been done for awhile...but it's still on the list as it's a Christmas gift!)
• Rainbow strings
• Shake n' Bake
• Strawberry Swoon

Which is great!  Because in a few hours, we are getting on the road to deliver 3 of the above to their new homes!  (and I'm leaving my machine at home and do not anticipate doing ANY kind of sewing until I get back home!!!)

And now, what remains of the rest:

• California girl - needs to be bound
• Rainbow star - need to finish quilting and bind
• Shake n' Bake 2
- still at the piecing stage

Now...all is not lost...of the remaining quilts (with Shake n' Bake 2 not being on the original list), there is a good possibility I can still finish them in time to deliver them for Christmas.  I will have a short window of opportunity to finish up California girl when we get home from this trip, and thankfully binding it won't take me too terribly long.  Rainbow star...well...not sure that one will make it under the tree in time.  But you never know!  and well...SnB2...maybe that one will be a New Year's Eve gift!  LOL!  Gotta run...I still have to pack!!!!     

final update...

Well, here we are...the final update on the status of my Christmas-gift quilts.  All must be completed by tomorrow to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas (as in ME delivering them)...so here is where we are at (current status in pink):

• Rainbow scrap quilt - DONE
• Rainbow strings quilt - need to add borders to the remaining 3 sides, quilt top done, backing made, basted, quilting in progress, DONE

• California girl - quilted, needs to be bound
• B's quilt Shake n' Bake - fabric is cut and piecing has started, quilt top done, backing made, basted, quilting complete



• G's quilt  Rainbow star - nothing (I think I know what pattern i'm going to use, need to select fabric) fabric selected, piecing in progress, quilt top completed (so in love with this one!), backing made, basted, quilting in progress (had to share the pic of all the different threads that will be used in this one!)

• J's quilt Strawberry Swoon - nothing (but I may have a plan for this one that will make life a little easier), dug out the 3 Strawberry Swoon blocks (last heard from in November 2011), made the 4th block, finished quilt top, DONE
  
  

• N's quilt  Shake n' Bake 2- newly added to the list, Girl was worried I was leaving someone out, so we'll see if this one gets done!  fabric selected and cut, piecing in progress, scratched from the "must do" list, now on the "if i get time" list for the other J

and now the bad news...a tiny little piece of metal...so tiny that I couldn't get my phone's camera to focus on it:

broke off of my machine last night...and I still have 2 quilts that need binding and one quilt that I need to finish quilting!

It's off the little piece that holds the different sewing feet to my machine.  After some tears, some hollering and a few nasty words...I tried to see if any feet could actually still attach...and my 1/4" foot (the one I use most often) will not...but I do have a "univeral" kind of foot, that I use when I'm doing binding mostly...that does attach (sort of).  So I used it to fix a few lines of quilting on the Rainbow Strings quilt last night.  But let's just say I'm in full on panic mode right now...I don't want to have to use my machine in it's current state, and unfortunately I must have this piece to do all the finishing work I need done...I'm concerned I might cause additional damage...Guy is heading to the LQS that I purchased the machine from, this morning to see if they have a replacement part or something...I guess I'll figure it all out this evening!  So that is the final update from here!  Tomorrow as part of my weekly 15 minute challenge post, I'll let you know if everything was completed! 

The return of Mo...and yet another lesson learned...

Well...after a bit of a soak and pout...my Motivation (I call her Mo for short) returned last night.  And it was a kicking and screaming battle...let me tell you.  I had started quilting Rainbow strings earlier this week, and it was NOT going well.  And because it had not been going well...I didn't want to continue working on it...and well my friend Mo hit the road.  I forced myself for a day or so to sit down and work on it...but nothing was helping.  Thread issues out the wazzoo...so I re-threaded, cleaned, fiddled with tension...it just was not happening.  So last night, after my bit of pout about NOT wanting to touch the quilt...I remembered when this happened...and sure enough...it was the needle AGAIN!  So I tossed that set of needles.  Put in a universal needle...and well...it's been fine sailing ever since!  I'm just still a bit irritated that I didn't think to change the needle to start with...and really that I didn't toss that pack back when I had issues the first time!  So now...a few pictures:

A finished Rainbow strings:

The start of quilting Shake n' Bake:

Shake n' Bake at the 50% quilted mark:

A little more time with Shake n' Bake this evening and it will be done...and can go in the stack of quilts needing binding that is growing rapidly...and then it will be time to get Strawberry Swoon quilted!  Catch ya later!

Have you seen mo?

Mo has left...and I,m desperate for her to return...so if you see her...please send her home!  (She also answers to the name MOTIVATION).

Hopefully after a bit of a soak and perhaps an adult beverage (me, not her)...she'll return of her own free will.

update...

Just a quick update to the Christmas quilt saga...latest and greatest info in purple (I have also named some of the quilts) pics via instagram (lesleyworth).

• Rainbow scrap quilt - DONE
• Rainbow strings quilt - need to add borders to the remaining 3 sides, quilt top done, backing made, basted, quilting in progress

• California girl - quilted, needs to be bound
• B's quilt Shake n' Bake - fabric is cut and piecing has started, quilt top done, backing made, basted
• G's quilt  Rainbow star - nothing (I think I know what pattern i'm going to use, need to select fabric) fabric selected, piecing in progress, quilt top completed (so in love with this one!) 

• J's quilt Strawberry Swoon - nothing (but I may have a plan for this one that will make life a little easier), dug out the 3 Strawberry Swoon blocks (last heard from in November 2011), made the 4th block, finished quilt top, backing made and basted

• N's quilt  Shake n' Bake 2- newly added to the list, Girl was worried I was leaving someone out, so we'll see if this one gets done!  fabric selected and cut, piecing in progress, scratched from the "must do" list, now on the "if i get time" list for the other J

and that's all she wrote for now...off to get some more quilting done!

15 minute challenge...week 22!

Tuesday:  none

Wednesday:  none

Thursday:  California Girl - quilting

Friday: California Girl - finished quilting; B's quilt - started piecing

Saturday: B's quilt pieced, Rainbow strings quilt top finished, pulled fabric for another quilt, Strawberry Swoon pieced

Sunday: basted Rainbow strings and B's quilt; Strawberry Swoon quilt top finished, fabric cut for new quilt, started piecing Rainbow star

Monday: finished Rainbow star quilt top, did some piecing for N's quilt

5 of 7!  Lots accomplished, lots more to finish...I have one week left to my Christmas deadline!!!  Linking up over at Life in Pieces!

the thread was flying!

I posted on Saturday this lovely list of quilts I am hoping to gift this year...the update after a weekend sewing bonanza is in red (black is the status as of Saturday morning when the post was originally written; pics via instagram (lesleyworth).

1. Rainbow scrap quilt - DONE
2. Rainbow strings quilt - need to add borders to the remaining 3 sides, quilt top done, backing made, basted

3. California girl - quilted, needs to be bound
4. B's quilt - fabric is cut and piecing has started, quilt top done, backing made, basted

5. G's quilt - nothing (I think I know what pattern i'm going to use, need to select fabric) fabric selected, piecing in progress

6. J's quilt - nothing (but I may have a plan for this one that will make life a little easier), dug out the 3 Strawberry Swoon blocks (last heard from in November 2011), made the 4th block, finished quilt top

7. N's quilt - newly added to the list, Girl was worried I was leaving someone out, so we'll see if this one gets done!  fabric selected and cut, piecing in progress

and my deadline is still 12/18!  and I'm thinking B's quilt may become N's quilt...and N's quilt become B's quilt.  I'm also thinking that I will need to name them soon to make it a lot easier to kepe track of!   I may have lost my mind...but man oh man...did I have fun this weekend!  I'm just hoping I can keep myself motivated and the energy high until they are all done!  One thing that made all of this easier was I stuck to ONE thread color.  Usually I switch thread colors every quilt (to whatever blends in best).  Nope...I've had the same neutral loaded in my machine all weekend, and until it's time to quilt something...it will stay the same neutral!   This made it possible to chain piece like there was no tomorrow...and I was able to work on multiple quilts at the same time!

 and that's it for now!  See ya tomorrow!

deadlines...

are approaching!  Do to some last minute travel plans decided on this week...my deadline to have any Christmas presents I am making has moved up a bit.  Well...some have moved up...some have moved out.  But now it all must be done the same date.  Because I won't have any time past that date!  So to recap...here are all the quilts I was hoping to gift this year and their current status:

1. Rainbow scrap quilt - DONE
2. Rainbow strings quilt - need to add borders to the remaining 3 sides
3. California girl - quilted, needs to be bound
4. B's quilt - fabric is cut and piecing has started
5. G's quilt - nothing (I think I know what pattern i'm going to use, need to select fabric)
6. J's quilt - nothing (but I may have a plan for this one that will make life a little easier)

and my deadline is 12/18!  Thankfully that means I have this weekend AND next weekend before the deadline.  Hopefully I'll get it all done.  I really really don't want to gift late...but it'll be ok if I do...I just really don't want to!  

and now some pictures (instagram) of the progress on B's quilt!

I'm thinking of calling this quilt "Shake n'Bake" because of the process I'm using to get it done.  I'll ponder on that a bit and see where we end up!

the time has come...

Over the past 11 months...it has been a goal to convert what used to be my "scrapping/stamping" room (and sorta office) into my sewing space.  And I have rejected this goal numerous times...for many reasons.  and now...the time has come for me to put up or shut up!

The cons to moving my space:

1. Hubby would have to build a new sewing/cutting table.  There is no way my current table will make it up the stairs...it's too big.  So I would have to have a new one.
2. I will have to completely refigure the scrap room to make it the sewing room.  All the shelving that was installed and shelving that was built, was really for paper and paper related products.  So some of that will have to be moved, some can be used in current locations, and some will have to go.
3. I will have to clean the scrap room.  Not looking forward to it...since it has only been used for the sake of the computer (and the tv at times), it has become sort of a "catch all" room.  and that needs to change.  It's just the making it happen that will suck!
4. I will have to make decisions on my old scrap stuff.  and this is the worst part.  SOme of the stuff I want to keep (no idea when or if I'll ever use it again), but a good 80-90% will have to go.  Thankfully I have options to find some of it new homes...some will just have to be tossed.  and I am TERRIBLE at throwing things out!  (I must confess...I'm a bit of a pack rat!)
5. I like watching the big HD TV...especially football.  It's spoiled me.  But this can be remedied, I have a smaller TV in the space (any other size would be too big) and I would just need to trade out the receiver. (but if I want to whine and drag my feet...well here is another reason!

The pros:

1. I'd be out of the living room.  I have a nice sized living room...when it's just the living room.  I have practically cut it in half since I started sewing and with all of my stuff in the way.  I want my living room back to being the living room.
2. I'd have more/better storage space.  I like seeing my fabric/having it readily available.  Unfortunately (well in some people's eyes) I'm really starting to expand on my fabric stash and I'm running out of space in my corner of the living room (who am I kidding...in my HALF of the living room).
3. I'd be making better use of the scrap room...and cleaning it out...which it desperately needs.

Yes...there might be more cons...but the truth is...the pros FAR outweigh the cons.  So there we have it.  The decision I made yesterday is now out there, I'm going to dig in...get the scrap room cleaned out...and re-name it the sewing room.  

Thankfully Girl owes me some hours of chores.

I'll post pics when I get the room cleaned out and have an idea of what I'm going to do!

15 minute challenge...Week 21!

It's been a touch and go kind of week...but hanging in there (this week with some pictures!).

Tuesday:  Amy Butler Cameo Sew-a-long (finished bag)

Wednesday:  none

Thursday:  none

Friday: none

Saturday: Cameo Sew-a-long (made pillow) (see this post for all pics), Christmas quilt (added borders to top), B's quilt (started cutting fabric)

Sunday: Christmas quilt (quilt top finished), California girl (back made, basted, started quilting), B's quilt (all fabric for quilt top cut out)

Monday: none
3 of 7 days is not too shabby! A few days were missed due to work hours shifting around and me just being tired...so no biggie.  I'm making progress on Christmas presents, but I'm thinking it may be down to the wire on those.  Thankfully on most of them I have until Christmas Eve...so 20 more days to get em done!  Linking up at Life in Pieces!

Amy Butler Cameo Sew-a-long...my Grand Finale!

I had a lot of fun making this bag!  I was so thrilled to take this stack:

and find something lovely to make with i (FANTASTIC pattern, so easy to follow!  the instructions were great):

Reversible Bucket Bag from The Bag Making Bible by Lisa Lam

and end up with a gorgeous (at least in my eyes!) finished project:

(LOVE that tree!!!)

and from the other side:

and the inside:

and here I was auditioning a button...still haven't decided on a button...

and modeled by Girl:

And...just because I didn't want my other cameo fabrics to feel too left out...I made myself a little (14x14) Cameo pillow:

Because you always need pillows!  Especially PRETTY PILLOWS!!

If you missed any of the adventures I had getting to this finished bag...take a look at the following posts:

Episode 1: the beginning
Episode 2: Fabric auditions and cutting
Episode 3: On the Bias
Episode 4: putting it together

I had a blast making this bag...and pillow...and I still have a bit of Cameo left over!  So what shall I work on next???

Details:
Fabric - Cameo by Amy Butler, Kona Ash
Batting (pillow) - Warm n' White
Interfacing (bag) - Heat n' Bond (medium weight and fusible fleece)
Thread - Mettler
Pattern - Reversible Bucket Bag by Lisa Lam 

Weekend stitching....

I'm a bit behind on some things that must be finished up in time for Christmas (some earlier than later, some I have right up until the day!).  So my plan is to get jiggly with it this weekend.  Here is a list of things needing to be finished:
Saturday evening update in red
Sunday morning sewing session update in purple
Sunday close out update blue

1.  Amy Butler Cameo Sew-a-long - done
2.  Christmas quilt for my couch - need to add final border and top will be done; quilt top done
3.  Rainbow Strings
4.  California Girl - quilt back made, basted and about 1/2 way quilted
5.  Throw quilt for B - started cutting fabric, all fabric for top cut
6.  Throw quilt for G

All but 5 and 6 are in some stage of completion...5 and 6 haven't been started yet...thankfully I have until right up to Christmas Day!  So off I go...I'll update this post periodically throughout the weekend to see how it goes!

Got quite a bit done...4 of 6 projects worked on...making headway through the pile!

Happy Friday!

hope your Friday evening is as awesome as mine...since I get to hang out with my Girl:

in pajamas...eating chips and apples dipped in caramel...and playing games!  I can be serious or busy or have errands tomorrow...tonight...we chill!

Amy Butler Cameo Sew-a-long...Episode 4!

Welcome to Episode 4 of my project for the Amy Butler Cameo Sew-a-long!  You can see how I arrived at this point by taking a look at Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 3!

In this episode...I get the bag put together (and have a little second guessing of myself!)... :)

Up first...After getting the exterior and lining pieces all pieced...it was time to get the two put together...and this involved more pinning...again...my LEAST favorite thing to do...but fear not...I pinned (and poked and pricked my fingers quite a few times...but that's a different story entirely!) like nobody's business!

and a close up...like I said...there was much pinning happening!

and then...one piece at a time, up first, the button loop:

and then I sllooowweddd my machine down so that I would have more control over the next steps:

And it was time to add one of the bias binding strips to one side:

and then prepped for topstitching:

and did the same on the other side, and stitched the button loop going in the proper direction, and here is where I ended up:

and this is also where I started to second guess my fabric selection (not the main body fabric...but the binding fabric)...not sure it was enough contrast to really pop...and then I said...oh well now!  LOL!  So that's it for this episode...next up...the grand finale!