February Finishes and March Goals

Well I have  to say two months in a row I have done really well with my goals and wishes of accomplishments.  I have finished my one item that I deemed  for the "lovely year of finishes"  and I have finished or made progress on everything I hoped to and this month I even had several extra things that were thrown in.  But the proof is in the pictures right so here it goes:  
1.  Peggy Anne's - Oh Scrap - finish the top - Complete.

As I wrote about in another post, it is so big I had trouble pinning it on the design wall - hence the little warble on the top border.  It really is straight. 

2. Mystery Monday from January -  Complete!

It is quilted (more free motion quilting practice) - bound and all.  I am using this as a table topper - but will be taking it to the monthly free motion quilting class for show and tell first.  :)

3. Mystery Monday February - Complete!  

I wasn't sure what to expect when I set up my goals so I took a chance and said I would finish.  I was fortunate, it was a small project.  

4. ABCD - Progress... but it may be scrapped.  It will not be completed the way it was intended to be, but I have some ideas that can be used.  We'll see.  And so for now I won't be showing a picture. 
5. Vintage Kitchen by Jenny of Elefantz - Block 2 - Complete. 
     

        
They are small little stitchery's so they don't take too long.  

6. Jacquelynne's Steves - "Sew Sweet Simplicity" Block of the month - Progress.  I wanted to complete blocks 4,5 and 6.  I got the center appliques for each block done, but only got blocks 4 and 5 completed.  

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7. Snowman Birdhouse BOM for the Stitch N Rippit - Complete! (for now anyway) I will be using some buttons for the nose and eyes, that I'll be putting on later. 

8. Bears Block, top stitching - Progress.  No picture at this point.  I had to rip out some and redo part of the applique on one of the bears,  so I made progress - but not done.  :(

9. Tea Leaf - Complete!!  

I linked this up with A Lovely year of Finishes and got it done. 

10.  St. Patrick's Day table runner top - Top is Complete!

Since this workshop was at the end of the month I wasn't sure how much I would be able to accomplish on it.  So I only said the top.  

11.  The special block for guild member - complete!
Can't show a picture - have to trust me on that one.  *wink* 

12.  Give Away due to the Grow your Blog Hop - she selected a pincushion - Complete!  Again, no picture, she hasn't gotten it yet. 

Then there were things that came up that weren't on the list that I ended up doing too.     
We had a charity workshop at both of the guilds.  
At CRQ - they were doing quilts, and so I got this top done, they have someone that will quilt it. 

and at the SNR guild we did pillow cases.  I didn't get pictures but there were 15 of us and we got 47 pillow cases done, 6 of which I did.  We are donating them to a local domestic violence shelter.  I had only made 2 other pillow cases in my life and that was just recently.  I have to say I've got a bug for them now and so I came home and made 2 more for us.  So I've made 8 this month.  Here is a picture of the 2 I made for us.  They are tan with a cream accent and a dark brown cuff.  

So it has been a busy and productive month.  YAY!!!!
Now I did have a 3 day retreat in there, so that helped a lot, so I'm trying to keep that in mind as I set up my goals and wishes for March. So here is goes ~

March 

1.  Sew Sweet Simplicity (pictured above) - Complete the last block and then finish the top, quilt and bind.  Jacquelynne is having a contest for those that finish her BOM also I will be linking this up to ALYOF.  So I'll be pushing on this one.  

2.  Vintage Kitchen block 3. I don't know which block that will be yet. 

3.  February and March Bird House Blocks.  Will get March's at March meeting on the 10th. 

4.   March Mystery Monday - complete. That may be stretching it, since I have no Idea what we're doing. In January it was a full fledged lap quilt / table topper.  I'll find out on the 9th. 

5.   St. Patrick's Table Runner (pictured above) - completed. 

6.  SNR - Workshop is a Frog Pincushion - Don't know how hard this will be so I'll play it safe on this one and say I'll have it started. 

7.  Bears Block Top Stitched. 

8.  Finish the embroidery on the Santa Block from the "Twas the Night Before Christmas" Quilt.  It wasn't a goal this month but I did end up working on it a little, and made some progress. 

Along with these goals.  The additional items I know about that I will be doing are: 

- Charity Quilts for both guilds.  I have another  kit ready to make for CRQ, Then at SNR we are going to sandwich tops and quilt them. 

- I will also be making more pillow cases. At least 2 more sets.   

-  Also I am taking a class using another of Toni Whitney patterns (that was what I made the Sea Turtles with) - this one is the Great Blue Heron.  This is not until the 28th of March so not expecting to be too far along on it.

Extra Credit:  There is a UFO busting tool at All People's Quilts, that I am going to try.  How it works is you list 12 UFO's that you would like to finish or make progress on.  Each month on the first Monday they randomly generate a number. Which ever UFO is listed by that number is the project you work on all month to hopefully finish or at least make progress on. 
So, my extra credit this  month will be what ever project that gets drawn from them. 

Well that's it for this month.  I don't have a 3 day retreat to help me out this month so I'm hoping I haven't made the list too long.   

Guess we'll see. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Blessings,

Lynn 

Two for Two ALYOF

It's been a productive month and I've used my extra time to keep sewing - thus I haven't done much blogging.  Sorry.  :) 
I'll be doing a post in the next few days to record my progress on my goals this month, but for now I just want to share a finish.  This is my project that I listed for - A lovely year of finishes. 


And I want to link it up -  Here's where it was when I started: 



Then at the retreat I was able to get it quilted and the binding sewn on.  Just needed the hand stitching on the back done.
  

So here is the finished project. 

I'm pretty happy - I have two for two on the Lovely Year of Finishes.  

Thanks for stopping by, 

Blessings, 

Lynn 

Oh Scrap - a Goal met

I am as excited as I can be.  I started this Block of the Month in January of 2014 with my dear dear friend in Mississippi.  It was a Christmas present to her from me.  Each month we would get the BOM together and since we are so far apart it was a way to be together. It was intended to use up your scraps of batiks, hence the name "Oh Scrap".  It was from a quilt shop called Peggy Anne's and so over the year I would refer to it as the Peggy Anne quilt. The quilt shop sent us the pattern and material to make the star block, then would give us the pattern and size of the setting blocks, to grab from our stash.  Example pick one green or blue 5x7 and one rose or pink 7x10.  So it will be fun to see how different our quilts will be in the end.  Finishing the top was one of my goals for February and I was able to do that. The top measures approx 98x98. Whew  it's a big one.  I am planning to quilt this myself when the time comes but no promises when that will be.   Because it is so big it's hard to get a good picture and was too big for the design wall.  We pinned it up and by the time I took the picture one of the top pins came out.  :) 
Here it is:  

My friend has other projects and obligations that wouldn't allow her to finish hers yet, but whenever she gets it done and I get the picture I'll be sure to post again.  As for now, I'm just very happy to have the top done, a goal met and I will also be linking up to Wednesday's WIP.  

Thanks for stopping by - Blessings,

Lynn 

Grow your Blog Winner

We have a Winner..... But before I announce the winner of the "Grow your Blog"  give away, I want to give a big thank you, to Vicki at 2 Bags Full  for all the work she put into this blog hop and helping all of us to get to know each other.  I want to continue visiting blogs that I haven't gotten to yet, even though the blog hop is over.  

Okay I've drug this out long enough - the winner of my give away is #20  Alexis Borsboom  - she is from BC Canada and says she loves pincushions.   
Alexis - I'm sending an email to you to get your mailing address. 

Thanks so much to all that visited. 
Blessings, 
Lynn 

Hearts

I was looking back on some of my pictures and I'm kind of surprised at how little I've done with hearts.  I didn't pull out the pictures from my older computer, but I am pretty amazed.  I did however come across this block that I made a few years ago for a lady in one of my on-line sewing groups that had broken her hip.  Each of us made a block and one of the ladies was assembling a get well lap quilt for her.  This was my contribution and also serves as a "Heart" block to be submitted for the Tuesday's Archives.  

Thanks for stopping by, 
Blessings, 
Lynn 

Retreat Wrap Up

If you are looking for Grow Your Blog click here. There's still a week to leave a comment to be entered for the give away. 

Well I had a wonderful weekend.  *smile - smile - smile*

Lot's of laughing, lots of talking and sharing of ideas and sewing tips.  And way, way, way, too much yummy food - and chocolate.  One of the ladies made peanut clusters and every day brought us some.  Very Very good!

Okay the leaf was done on Friday - Quilting and binding. I showed that in the previous post. 

This green table topper is what I got done on Saturday. 

It is only the top, I wanted to sandwich and quilt, but there were no empty places to sandwich, so I went on to the next project which was putting together the ABCD Quilt.   It may need a little more work before I can show it, so I'm not including the picture of it right now.  But I trimmed all the blocks arranged and then sewed together.

Then the big one here - I finished today, well almost. 

 

 I had to add one block and a little section - put the top together, put the grey border around it all and then not pictured here, I made about 55 of 96 - 3.5X6.5" blocks sewed them together to make a piano key border to go around the outside. It will be king size when done.  :)   

All in all, I got a lot done and so happy I went.  Some of the ladies that were staying at the Motel, would get up at 4:00 in the morning and start in again.  I might consider staying next year.  :)  

Well - I still have 3 full weeks to finish the rest of my goals for the month.  And since I got such a big jump on them, I might do pretty good this month.  

Have a great evening, 

Blessings, 

Lynn 

Ta Da... oohhh La la

Today was the first day of my 3 day sewing retreat - and I just have to say, it was heavenly.  It is local, just across the river at the casino's.  So we had the choice of staying there or coming home at night and since this is my first one, I opted to come home. Some of the Ladies I knew, some I just met but we were all there to have fun and fun we had.  And if the laughing and good food wasn't enough, There was also the oooh and ahhh over everyone's creations and progress. And if that was still not enough to make it a great day,  I got a quilt quilted, and the binding on - just need to do the hand stitching on the back.  I was so happy to get this much done today. 

Then a couple of my friends and I met up with our husbands and had a nice dinner and chatted for a long time.  I would say Sewing retreat #1 day #1 is a thumbs up.  

And as of now - I'm really tired and need to get to bed.  

Blessings, 

Lynn 

Mystery Monday

Well Mystery Monday for February was a little smaller than January's and I'm glad I took a chance on my "Goals and Wishes"  and said I would get it done...... Because - I am finished.  First goal check off for the month.  Yahoo. 

This is a candle mat from  Bareroots.  And we got a kit from them also that included felt and the floss to do the stitching.  I love their stuff and have done a lot of it in wool and some of their embroideries.  It was great when I saw that this was our mystery. 

Happy with how it turned out. 

Thanks for stopping by ~  Blessings, Lynn 

February AYOLF

I had a hard time deciding on which project of the many I want to work on this month to be my finish for this month.  

So with out further ado.....

This is the one I have chosen to be my Finish to link up to - A Year of lovely Finishes 2015. 

Thanks for stopping by - Blessings,  Lynn 

Nine Patch Nirvana

When my husband and I first started hanging out, he liked to listen to a band by the name of Nirvana.  I had never heard of them but the music grew on me, at least some of the songs because of course it was what my honey liked, so I liked it.   Well fast forward several years, and you can see why a quilt by the name of "Nine Patch Nirvana" would be the one I wanted to make for us.  I originally found the pattern on a site called Block Central. But like quilters often do I had to make it bigger and add blocks. 

 I've shown this quilt several times over the last few years, most recently in my Grow Your Blog post, where I also shared that our oldest daughter fell in love with it and wanted it for herself.  Yep she got it. *smile* 

Today I am linking up to Tuesday's Archives. 

Thanks for stopping by - please leave a comment and then head over to Val's place and check out some of the other quilters projects. 

Blessings, 

Lynn 

Progress and New Goals

If you are looking for "Grow your Blog" Click here!

Well January was the first time in a long time if ever that I published my list of goals for the month.  And I have to say it was a great motivator  to keep me focused and on track.  However it was very revealing to me how much I can get distracted and want to stray from my first of the month to do/wish list.  *grin* 

So how did I do you ask?  Pretty good I think!  
Here goes:

#1.   Baby Quilt for my Great Grandson Benji...  "Monsters"  I free motion quilted all the blocks, which I'm just beginning on that so I am really pleased that I got it ......DONE!!!
  

#2.  The BOM from Peggy Anne's.... No Progress.

#3.  Twas the Night Before Christmas, Santa Block...... there was progress but it is not done - so that will carry over to February.  

#4.   Jacquelynne Steves "Sweet Simplicity" BOM blocks 1,2 and 3 .... Done!!!  

#5.   "Vintage Kitchen"  BOM by Jenny of Elefantz Block 1.... Done!!!  As I mentioned before, I am doing this in a salmon color.  

6.  ABCD Quilt.   I was not sure what to expect on this and so in my goals setting for January, I left it as a question of what would be accomplished.  I went to the class and I made all the blocks at the class.  So I'm going to count this as a goal met.

The process that the teacher uses is that you make a bunch of these blocks and then you have unlimited amount of quilts that you can make from them depending on how you arrange them.  Here is a sampling of the blocks we made in the class.This was a quick lay out and may not be the finished lay out. 

7.  Bears Block for my Sister's "Woodsy" quilt that I am designing. 

Well - I made progress but it's not complete with top stitching that was my goal. It won't look so choppy once I do some thread painting on it.  *smile* 

  

8.  Doll Quilt for "Doll Quilters Monthly" Swap.... Done!!!  I've been doing this swap for a couple of years now, but have decided to take a break for a while, so this is my last swap. My partner has not received her quilt yet so I can only show a peek for now.  

Extra Credit For January -  To finish the binding on a quilt from too long ago.... I didn't get that far - so of course that will carry forward.  :)  

I have to say I am very pleased with all that I got done and the progress I made.  The list really did help me to stay focused.  

So what's on the agenda for February -  This list is going to be a long one, however I have a 3 day sewing retreat to work on whatever I want to so I am planning to be able to accomplish a little more than normal.   We'll see.  *wink*

February

#1.  Carry over from January - the Peggy Anne's BOM Quilt.  I still need to do the last block and it has 96 piano keys for one of the borders.  I want to finish the top. 

#2.   I have been going to a class at the local quilt shop called "Mystery Monday"  in January the project was this 35x35 quilt that could be a lap quilt or table topper and so I picked colors I wanted for a table topper.  We worked that day and the next to get it done but we didn't.  I want to finish the whole thing quilting and all.  

Here are the 2 of 9 blocks needed.  There will be 5 of the one on the left and 4 of the one on the right.    

#3.  Mystery Monday for February will be happening again this Monday the 2nd.  All I know is it is going to be applique, with  our choice of machine or hand.  I've been doing so much fusible applique lately that I want to do this one by hand.  So I will take a gamble and say I'll finish it.  ha ha 

#4. ABCD Quilt - I want to get the blocks trimmed and decide on a lay out and finish the top.  See blocks above.  

#5.  Vintage Kitchen  by Jenny of Elefantz - finish the 2nd Block.  I'm not sure which one it will be, January's block was the top left one. You can still join in click here.  

#6.   Sweet Simplicity by Jacquelynne Steves BOM.  I want to do the final 3 blocks.  This was a 4 block BOM, however she has given us 2 bonus blocks in case we wanted to make this a 6 block quilt.  I want to use this a table topper, so I will be doing all 6 blocks.  The remaining 3 that I will be doing is the top left block and the bottom 2 on the 6 block quilt.  The there I've already completed are above.

#7  Birdhouse BOM  - This is a project for the Stitch N Rippit guild.  I need to do the block for January which is the snowman in the top left corner, and I will get the February one at the next meeting so I want to complete both blocks.  

#8  Carry over from January and continuing on with the Woodsy Quilt, I want to finish the bear(s) block top stitching and thread painting.  Pictured Above. 

  

#9.  Tea Leaf Table Runner.  This is a workshop that we had at the Colorado Quilters Guild a few months back.  It is a Judy Niemeyer paper pieced pattern.  I just need to applique the leaf on the background and then quilt and bind.  I want to complete that.   

10.  There is a workshop in February at the Stitch N Rippit guild for a St Paddy Day Table runner.  I don't know how detailed it is so I want to at least finish the top. 

Before I get to the extra credit - I also need to make myself a name tag for the Stitch N Rippits guild meetings, and I also have a block that I need to make for a surprise gift for one of our members of one of the guilds - can't say more than that.  And I am hosting a give away on my blog post "Grow your Blog" which is open until February 14th.  (Quick - go leave a comment) And I will be making a set of mug rugs or a pincushion depending on who wins.... so there's 3 more things.  :)  

Extra Credit

EX1.  Quilt and bind ABCD Quilt

EX2.  Top Stitch the Quail block I've already done for the Woodsy Quilt.  

EX3.  Start top stitching my Sea Turtles quilt. 

EX4.  Make another block for the Woodsy Quilt.  I don't know if it will be a fox,  a rabbit or a bird.... But make another block towards it. 

  

Well if you made it this far - Thank you and have a blessed day! Lynn