April Wrap up and May Goals

Well if you read my last post you will already know that my month derailed and I got off track.  As hard as I try to be realistic about how much I can accomplish and factor in things like spending time with Hubby and other things that might come up, I think I'm always hopeful I can accomplish so much more. However it doesn't always go as planned.  So I decided to give myself permission to go totally off course and enjoy the ride.  :)  
Okay what did I really get done? 

APRIL

1.  Project quilting - Random # UFO - WIP  to be announced the number will be picked on Monday.
Well the number they picked ended up being my "Folk Ark Gathering by Cheri Saffiote Payne"  but sorry....  No Progress

2. Vintage Kitchen Block #4 -- Done  

3. SNR - Charity Quilt.  Quilt the kit I made up and brought home to completion.
I got the borders on and  the back made and got it sandwiched ready to quilt but didn't get it quilted. So there is progress - just not done so I get a 1/2 on that one. 

4.  Mystery Monday - Don't know what it is but complete it!  Done.

We made rotary cutter cases.  And I made extras.  We are using them for eye glass cases too.  :)

5.  CRQ - charity Quilt top.  Make one,  if time allows, make a back and quilt it myself, instead of just the top. 

 Done Top made, back made, sandwiched, quilted and linking this to ALYOF.  Yahoo!

6. SNR guild workshop  the frog pincushion that I didn't get from last month.  Make it.  
No Progress.  I didn't get to go to the instructional workshop and then when I was asking how it went everyone was dismayed and confused on how to put it together and only 1 or 2 finished so due to all the other stuff that was doing I gave myself permission to leave that for later.  
It sounded like a good excuse to me.  ha ha

7.  SNR guild workshop - this month we are making a travel bag.  I'll say start it.  

Started and Finished  Done (Zipper and all)  

Extras that I want to do and need to be done.
* Work more on the Gray Heron - No Progress

* Work on the Woodsy quilt - No Progress

* Make a spring or summer table runner to change out for decoration.  Complete

And then there are all the extras that I did that wasn't part of the plan.  

First there is the SNR Charity Project.  This month we made Pillowcase dresses for little girls in Africa.  I have made 3 and have at least 2 more to make.  

Next I made Pincushions for our Quilt Show Boutique that will happen in Feb of 2016. 

No Picture at this time but I'm hoping to make more so maybe then. 

And when the month went sideways - and I wasn't able to do all I wanted to   I decided to just go with it.  Then we also had a wonderful surprise visit from some of our children and that was great.  So with all the distractions, I decided to stitch on Daisy Days which I haven't touched in several months.  It was a free BOM from Jenny of Elefantz.  I was doing really good at keeping up each month until about the 5th month  - but once I got behind I really got behind. 

 I got just a bit more done than in this picture but it's close. 

Then on Wednesday night - I went to what is called "Art Quilt Sew-cial"  at the local Quilt store Fabrics Unlimited.  

We were supposed to do "Whimsical"  self portraits - but I was being a little to serious about making it realistic and so this is what I came up with.  I still need to do a little detail work but here it is. 

There were a few other items that I also did - I made some pillow covers, made another set of curtains and who knows what but the month is ending and now I'm thinking of what all I think I want to accomplish in May.  LOL

MAY 

So for May - Like I told my friends, May is Animal month.  But I still have all this stuff that is due for the guild and charity that needs to be finished. And it seems that each month there is some class or project I want to do that despite my resistance to new stuff, I cave to the pressure.  :) 

So what do I mean by Animal Month.  Well I have the Woodsy Quilt that I have been meaning to do for almost 2+ years for my Sister that will include bears, and other woodsy animals.  Then I have the Sea Turtles that I took the class last September (I think) then a month ago I took another class by the same designer as the Sea Turtles which was a Grey Heron.  I need to make some serious progress on each of these projects. And I still have other stuff that needs to be taken care of.   Soooo here we go  :)

1.  May Mystery Monday - she claims we should be able to finish, so I'll say I will complete it. 

2. SNR Guild - I had one quilt that needed to be quilted and since I won't be there on Charity day because I'm taking a different class, I was given another quilt to quilt so now I have 2.  So I will quilt the one that is already sandwiched (See Picture #3 above)  that I didn't get quilted in April. And I will sandwich the other one it's a baby quilt and if  time allows I will quilt it too. 

3.  Vintage Kitchen by Jenny of Elefantz Block #5   I will stitch it. 

4.  SNR Workshop is a "Mondo Bag"  - I will at least start it. 

5.  SNR - African Dresses - I have a minimum of 2 more to make. 

6.  Make a Ten Minute Table runner.  More if I can - they are for presents. 

7.  All People quilts UFO Buster - After the random # is picked I will try to make progress.  They pick the random number on the 1st Monday of the month.  I will make another post showing where I'm at now so I can hopefully show progress at the end of the month. 

8.  ANIMALS - Woodsy Quilt.  Finish Bear block applique and top stitch, make another block a (Fox or Rabbit)

9. Dragonflies and Cattails It's a class that will teach us how to use - Tsukineko Inks and Fabrico Markers.  this will be on May 15th.   So I will say it is started.  Here is a picture of what we'll be doing. 

9.  Art Quilt Sew-Cial  - I Don't know what the project is this month but at least start it.  

EXTRA.......... 

X1.  Fuse the rest of the Grey Heron on the back ground.  This is the photo from the designer Toni Whitney. 

X2.  Top Stitch the Sea Turtles - this is where I am so far.  

X3.   Top Stitch the Grey Heron- pictured above. 

I have other things in my mind that I want to do - and this list is already so long.  I have friends birthday's that are coming up and I had things in mind to make them - so we will see.  I'm sure I will keep you posted. 

I haven't decided which project will be my "A Lovely Year of finishes"  I guess I'll have to figure that out. 

Thanks for stopping by - If you have read this far - leave a comment and maybe you'll get a pincushion or mug rug.  :)  Good thing you read it all huh?  

Have a blessed day.  

Lynn 

N-L-I-P!

NLIP = Not Like I Planned.  

I learned this term a few years ago while doing an online Bible Study and it just stuck with me.  If you have read a few of my posts over the years you have probably read or figured out - I'm a planner.  Well I love to make the plan - and sometimes it works and a lot of the time - it doesn't work, which at that point - it's a NLIP.  And at that point I can be frustrated, or I can try to force it, or I can like a GPS - recalculate (which is more planning which I like) and form a new plan.  * :) * 

And so I have gone sideways and am just going with it.  New plan - there's no plan for the rest of the month.  LOL

I did want to make a new spring summer table runner and I was able to finish that up yesterday. 

I made a couple of little throw pillows using the fabric that is on the end, so putting it on the ends ties the two of them together.   The pillows are one of my side ways distractions this month which I will explain more later.  

One of our biggest distractions, is our oldest daughter, son in law and grandson arrived yesterday evening for a surprise visit. We haven't seen them in 8 months, since we moved here.  And it was her Birthday so wonderful for her and us.  So the next few days will be spent with them, and not sewing.  :)  

Have  a Blessed day,  

Lynn 

Liberty and Justice - ALYOF #4

Yay!!  I have completed #4 of my A Lovely Year of Finishes.  Yay again.  I really hope that I can keep this up all year, I now have #4 of 4 finishes. 

This month I chose a charity quilt that I am doing for one of my guilds.  And though I know I didn't have to put all the quilting into it that I did, it was a great way for me to practice my free motion quilting. I tried something a little different, I quilted words, as I stated in my last post, it just seemed like it was asking for it.  

So here's how it came out.  I tried to take a couple of close ups to show the words and stars, and if you look close, there is something else I put into the quilting.

Can you see what it is?  I quilted Liberty Bells into it.   See if you can find them and if you do let me know. 

I will be linking this up to ALYOF 2015.   

Have a Blessed Day!

Lynn

America the Beautiful

I've been told that as you start quilting more and more that the quilts will start speaking to you and telling you how they should be quilted.  Well I don't know if I am there or not, however, yesterday as I started quilting this quilt, not sure what I wanted to do I started getting these Ideas.  I knew I wanted to do stars and so I practiced them then started in.  But all the sudden I had this urge to use words.  I'm not sure if  I've free motioned words before.  Oh well it's what was calling to me - so I'm giving it a try.  I am still in the beginning stages so not all my loops are smooth, but I like what I did.  

It's hard to see but if you zoom in you can see the words.  

So I'll be working on it a little more today - and I'll see what I come up with.  
Have a great day!   
Blessings. 
Lynn 

PS  I'm not always good about leaving comments either - but if you can say Hi and let me know you were here.  :)

Thursday - Friday and Beyond

Well I figured I could get away with finishing out the week in my title.  :)  And very fitting to explain what all I've been up to. 
On Wednesday I woke up feeling like I had the flu - so other than taking our normal walk, I stayed pretty close to home.  I tried to do a little sewing, but for the most part I just took it easy and took a nap. 
Thursday I felt a little better so we took our walk and then I was able to do a little more sewing.  In fact I was able to finish the top to the CRQ Charity quilt.   It is hard to see but I used the strips to make a rail pattern around the flag and strip of soldier fabric.  Then I had enough strips left over that I ended up piecing the back.

Here's the back!

Then Friday I sandwiched it and pin basted it.  So I can start quilting it any time now.  After I got that pinned, I put the borders on the next charity quilt, this is for the other guild I belong to the "Stitch N Rippits".  Then I needed to Piece the back and it was ready to sandwich.  By the time I got that done the tables to spread out on were filled so I worked on some other stuff.  

Then yesterday (Sat) I went to my free motion quilt class at Fabrics Unlimited. I asked and they didn't have any more classes for the day so they said I could spread out.  So I took advantage of that and pin basted that 2nd quilt too.  

I didn't make this quilt, only the borders and back.  So now I have two quilts to get quilted.  I used to just make the tops for charity and then give them to someone else to quilt.  But one of my friends said it's a great way to practice your free motion quilting on, so I not only decided to do one - I'm a glutton and decided to do two. One for each of the guilds.   

Today we're going to church and then I will start on these this afternoon.  We'll see how far I get.  

I'm sure I'll keep you posted on that. 

Have a Blessed Day!

Lynn 

Mon - Tue - Wednesday

Well I wasn't able to show you what we did Monday for "Mystery Monday" because I had left it at the shop and hadn't taken a picture.  See we we have Open Sew on Tuesday Mornings, so it's just easier to leave our machines and supplies at the shop over night, hence not having the project.  
We got two little fabric bundle kits for the class and we were able to complete one of them in class and I finished up the other yesterday morning in open sew.  

It's a rotary cutter holder.  However I think I'll make more to hold sunglasses.  I keep scratching mine by putting them in my purse with out a case.  This little pouch won't take a lot of space and when I told my husband of my idea he said he wanted one too.  

Then after I finished the second one yesterday morning, I started on my charity quilt project for the CRQ guild.  I started with this pile of fabric.  

Then I trimmed the flag panel, and put some of the soldier fabric around it.  Then I took the strips and made strip sets.  I want to do a rail pattern around the center.  I laid part of it out to see what it looked like. 

So if all goes well, I will start sewing the rails around the sides. 

Have Blessed day! 

Lynn 

2015 UFO Busting Update

All people's quilts is doing a random number UFO buster. At the 1st of the year you were supposed to list 12 of the UFO's you wanted to work on and hopefully finish or get a lot farther on during the year.  Then on the first Monday of the month they randomly pick a number and whatever number they pick you work on that UFO as much as you can that whole month.  Well I did really good in January and February, I was able to complete each of those projects. March had a mind of it's own.  :)   But I did make progress.  It's a quilt called "Ruby Red Dot".  It uses applique, wool applique, and piecing. At the time of starting it, I was in a wool club.  Each month we would receive a pack of wool containing 6 or 7 pieces about 5x7.  It was hand dyed wool that was a specialty of the quilt shop I went to.  Anyway - the wool that we got at the time was nice and bright and didn't really match the blocks that were in the book, but I decided I would try to make the quilt using the colors we got anyway. 
So at the start of the month I had 8 1/2 blocks already completed. 

After working on it around other projects this last month I got the 1/2 block done  and one more block.  Not as much I wanted to get done. 

 I had hoped to be able to get the sashing pieces done and some of the friendship stars.  But that didn't happen.  
So I really thought about continuing on with it again this month, however I decided to go ahead with this months random number which is # 8 and according to my list that means a Quilt called "Folk Art Gathering"  by Shari Saffiote Payne.  It's a primitive quilt using homespuns and wool and also contains a lot of hand applique.   Here is what I have done so far, 

I chose to do mine in teal, brown and creams with an accent color of the muted burgundy to rose color.   Here's a close up of the bottom two left blocks - this row has the alphabet and I've started it.  

Can you see it around the crow and pineapple? 
Here is a picture of what needs to be done. This is taken from the pattern photo so it does not reflect how it will really look.  

  
I'll try to update through the month and let you know how I'm doing.  I don't think I'll be able to even get the top done this month, but It'll be fun to get back on this quilt and see what I can get done.  Have a Blessed Day!  
Lynn    

April - A Lovely Year of Finishes

I don't have any particular deadlines for anything right now - and sometimes that makes it harder to get going and get things done.  *smile*  So I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do for this month's ALYOF.   I have been trying to use this to get some of my UFO's done - but I have a couple of charity quilts I need to get done, so I am going to make the top, quilt and bind it, and that will be my ALYOF for this month.  

I was given a couple of panel pieces and a lot of strips and told just do what I want with it.  So here is the material that I received.  And I'll show you what I come up with when I'm done.  

Today was Mystery Monday, and we had a great time.  We made rotary cutter cases.  However I left mine at the shop and forgot to take a picture so I'll have to show you that tomorrow.  And with any luck - I'll have an update on what I've decided to do with the Charity quilt.  

Have a great night - 

Blessings,  Lynn 

Goodbye March, Hello April

When I still lived in the Pacific Northwest - March, April and May were hopeful months that the rain would settle down, flowers and gardens would take over the focus of some quilters time and the beauty of the area would flourish.  Now that I am in the desert of Arizona,  it's hot season gearing towards A/C Season.  There will come a time in the next couple months that we will be stuck in the house.  Shucks, guess my sewing time is coming.  :)  

Okay how did I do with my goals for March, that's what we all want to know.  

1.  Jacquelynne Steves -   Sweet Simplicity BOM - Done  Yahoo!

2.  Jenny of Elefantz - Vintage Kitchen block 3 - Done Yahoo x 2!

3.  SNR  Guilt BOM  February and March Birdhouse blocks - no progress at all.  

4.  March Mystery Monday - It was a tote bag - Done  + extra credit made a 2nd bag. 

5. St. Patrick's Day Table runner - Done! 

6.  SNR Guild Workshop Frog Pincushion.  I missed the class due to some issues that came up - I did pay for the pattern and supplies so I will be picking that up and hope to add to Aprils stuff to do. 

7.  Woodsy Blocks.... No Progress

8. Embroider Santa Block .........  No Progress. 
  

Then I had a UFO goal through Project quilting - they pick a random number and that's which UFO or WIP that you work on all month.  I had hoped to do more but I did make progress of 2 blocks of applique on it.  
***********

Extra that I accomplished in March - 

I took the class and started the Gray Heron. 

I did make a set of pillow cases and the extra tote bag, for my Mother in law for her Birthday. 

I did spend one of the workshop days for the SNR guild putting together quilt tops with borders, backing, batting, and binding for members to take home and quilt. 

We had some issues that came up this month that did take away from our regular routines and I lost a little more than a week of my sewing time.  My Dad had another stroke and was in the hospital for a little over a week, and another family member moved so we spent several days packing and moving stuff  calling and making changes to utilities and all that fun stuff moving involves.  So considering that I still got about 1/2 of my stuff done - I feel pretty good.  :)   

Dad is home now and doing pretty good.  He has a little memory loss and some loss of dexterity with his right hand and leg but otherwise is doing good.  

So I'm going to try not to over do my list for April - ha ha  - we'll see how that goes.  

                                     APRIL

1.  Project quilting - Random # UFO - WIP  to be announced the number will be picked on Monday. 

2. Vintage Kitchen Block #4 

3. SNR - Charity Quilt.  Quilt the kit I made up and brought home to completion. 

4.  Mystery Monday - Don't know what it is but complete it!  

5.  CRQ - charity Quilt top.  Make one,  if time allows, make a back and quilt it myself, instead of just the top. 

6. SNR guild workshop  the frog pincushion that I didn't get from last month.  Make it.  

7.  SNR guild workshop - this month we are making a travel bag.  I'll say start it.  

Extras that I want to do and need to be done.  

* Work more on the Gray Heron

* Work on the Woodsy quilt

* Make a spring or summer table runner to change out for decoration.  

Not a lot of pictures this time - but I'm hoping that things are settling down and I will be able to post more than I have been and that I'll be able to show you more as I go - I guess that's a goal too. :)
Thanks for stopping by -  Blessings - 
Lynn