Getting It Done March/April

Judy at Patchwork Times has challenged us to list 4 quilting goals for each month. At the end of the month, we review how well we did on those goals, plus post a new list for the next month. I am finding this challenge very helpful in keeping me focused on certain projects. I knew that March was going to be a very busy month at work, so my goals were modest. I am happy to have completed 3 out of 4 of them.

MARCH GOALS:  

1.  Dancing Stars--make 8-10 blocks in this month's color (orange) for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.   10 blocks finished 3/22

2.  Scrappy Sampler BOM--make this month's set of blocks.  Made center block 3/24, finished center with borders 3/31

3.  Storm at Sea--finish hanging sleeve.  almost, but not quite done 

4.  Photograph Storm at Sea & Hidden 9-Patch; submit quilt show entry forms.

     Done 3/28

APRIL GOALS:

1.  CLEAN UP SEWING ROOM!!!  It is a disaster area, making it very hard for me to get anything done.

2.  Dancing Stars--make 8-10 blocks in this month's color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

3.  Scrappy Sampler BOM--make this month's set of blocks.  

4.  Patriotic Sampler--make at least 4 more blocks.

5.  Choose a UFO to work on over the summer break and make a start on it.




See how well other quilters did at reaching their goals this month at Patchwork Times.

Julie

Stash Report Sunday 3/31/13

My goal for stash usage this year was to use up at least 100 yards of my stash by the end of the year.  Here we are at the end of the first quarter, which means I should be closing in on 25 yards used.  Unfortunately, I am only about half way there.  I will have to get into gear over the next few months if I am going to meet that goal.

The fabric used this week was for my Scrappy Sampler BOM.  This month's assignment was to make the center block, plus frame it with sashing and two rows of 2.5" squares.  I will show it on my design wall tomorrow.  I made the center block twice because I wasn't happy with the first attempt.


Used this week:   1 yard  
Used year to date:  12 yards    

Added this week:   0 yards

Added year to date: 2.5 yards

Net year to date:  9.5 yards used 

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie

Dancing Stars update

I haven't made any new blocks for my Dancing Stars quilt this week, but I wanted to see my collection of blocks all together.  I am making the blocks as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge where a certain color is chosen each month.  So far, we have had bright pink, purple, and orange.  

I am linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, where you can see all sorts of ways that other quilters have been using their orange scraps this month.  I am also linking up to Amy's Creative Side, the source of this fabulous Dancing Stars pattern.

Julie

Design Wall Monday 3/25/13

I had some time for quilting on Sunday and decided it was time to redo the center block for my Scrappy Sampler BOM.  My first attempt looked too dark and didn't have enough variation for me.  This new one is a little brighter, and I am much happier with it.  They are the two big blocks at the top of the photo--the one on the left is the first attempt, and the one on the right is the new block.

As usual, I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.  Check out all the great inspiration there. 

Julie

Stash Report Sunday 3/24/13

I continue to have very little time or energy for quilting lately.  I have been finishing up hand stitching on the hanging sleeve for my Storm at Sea quilt, but haven't done much machine stitching.  However, late in the week I got motivated to make some more orange Dancing Stars blocks. That brings my total for the month to 10 blocks, which used 1 yard of fabric.

Used this week:   1 yards  
Used year to date:  11 yards    

Added this week:   0 yards

Added year to date: 2.5 yards

Net year to date:  8.5 yards used 

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie

Orange Dancing Stars

There hasn't been much time for quilting lately due to long hours at work.  However, I was able to make my last three orange Dancing Stars blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge over the past couple of days.

Here they are along with the rest of their orange friends.

Be sure to check out all the great projects featuring orange at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  You won't believe all the amazing ideas & inspiration you will find there.


Julie

15 Minute Challenge 3/19/13

The past week was the first time in a while that I didn't manage to sew every night.  We have been putting in overtime at work, and some nights I just don't have the energy for sewing after I get home.  It doesn't help that my sewing room is a terrible mess. It's even harder to get going on a project if I have to clean up first.  

Tues., 3/12--Storm at Sea hanging sleeve

Wed., 3/13--none
Thur., 3/14--Storm at Sea hanging sleeve
Fri., 3/15--none
Sat., 3/16--Storm at Sea hanging sleeve
Sun., 3/17--Storm at Sea hanging sleeve
Mon., 3/18--Storm at Sea hanging sleeve

Check out the 15 Minute Challenge posts at Life in Pieces to see how others are finding time for their creativity. 

Julie

Design Wall Monday 3/18/13

There is very little change to my design wall this week.  We have been putting in extra hours at work, and that has eaten up most of my quilting time.  I did put up the center block and some of the squares that surround it for my Scrappy Sampler quilt.  I am considering remaking the block with brighter fabrics--these seem awfully dark to me, especially for the very center of the quilt.

As usual, I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.  Check out all the great inspiration there. 

Julie

Stash Report Sunday 3/17/13

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all!  I know yesterday was International Quilting Day, but unfortunately I had to work all day and didn't have any time to quilt. Hopefully today will be more productive for quilting.

My main quilting project this past week has been getting a hanging sleeve sewn onto my Storm at Sea quilt.  There is a juried local quilt show this summer that I want to enter, and the entry form requires photos of the quilt be included.  No yardage used for that.


Used this week:   0 yards  
Used year to date:  10 yards    

Added this week:   0 yards

Added year to date: 2.5 yards

Net year to date:  7.5 yards used 

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie

15 Minute Challenge 3/12/13

Last week was unusual in that I was at home alone every evening while my husband was off working.  I thought I would get lots of quilting done, but was generally too tired from work to do much.  I did manage to do a little bit of sewing each night though, and more on the weekend.

Tues., 3/5--Dancing Stars

Wed., 3/6--Dancing Stars
Thur., 3/7--Dancing Stars
Fri., 3/8--Dancing Stars
Sat., 3/9--Scrappy Sampler
Sun., 3/10--Scrappy Sampler
Mon., 3/11--Storm at Sea hanging sleeve

Check out the 15 Minute Challenge posts at Life in Pieces to see how others are finding time for their creativity. 

Julie

Design Wall Monday 3/11/13

We had the monthly meeting for our Scrappy Sampler BOM on Saturday, and I have been working on my "homework" for next month.  Our assignment is to make the 12" center block for the quilt, add a 1" border, surround that with two rows of 2" squares, then another 1" border.  I have been auditioning fabrics to choose one for the borders of this quilt.  Here are some I have been considering. I am leaning toward the lighter one in the first photo, but I might still look for something else.

Here is a link to more info about the BOM and a photo of the project.

As usual, I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.  Check out all the great inspiration there. 

Julie

Stash Report Sunday 3/10/13

There has not been any change to my stash this week.  I was tempted to go fabric shopping yesterday, but somehow I managed to resist the urge.  I didn't have anything particular I needed to get for any current project, and I have more fabric than I can ever use.  The projects I am working on right now are all scrappy, which makes it easier to pull from my stash. I hope to keep my yardage used numbers ahead of purchases this year.

Used this week:   0 yards  
Used year to date:  10 yards    

Added this week:   0 yards

Added year to date: 2.5 yards

Net year to date:  7.5 yards used 

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie

Scrap Happy Orange

One of the best things about changing the calendar to March is getting a new color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This month our color is orange, a color I love to use in quilts. It is such a bright and lively color. Just don't ask me to wear orange! So far I have managed to make 7 orange Dancing Stars blocks to go along with the pink and purple blocks from the last two months.

Be sure to check out all the great projects featuring orange at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.
Julie

15 Minute Challenge

I have been able to spend some time sewing every day this week, even though things have really gotten busy at work.  I was very happy to finish my most recent extra costume project on Saturday and shipped it off today.  It's good to have that done and have more time to focus on quilting.

Tues., 2/26--costume project, Dancing Stars

Wed., 2/27--costume project
Thur., 2/28--costume project
Fri., 3/1--Dancing Stars
Sat., 3/2--Dancing Stars, costume project (finished!)
Sun., 3/3--Dancing Stars
Mon., 3/4--Dancing Stars

Check out the 15 Minute Challenge posts at Life in Pieces to see how others are finding time and space for creativity. 

Julie

Design Wall Monday 3/4/13

My design wall didn't change at all this week, but I do have one new thing to show. I didn't have much time for quilting in the past week because I was too busy trying to finish making a pair of breeches for a show.  Besides making costumes all day at work, sometimes I agree to do extra projects on the side, and this was one of those. I am very glad to have them done and look forward to shipping them off tomorrow.

  

As usual, I will be linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.  Check out all the great inspiration there. 

Julie

Stash Report Sunday 3/3/13

There was a tiny increase on the yardage used side this week.  I made a hanging sleeve for my Storm at Sea quilt, using 1/2 yard of fabric for it.  That puts me at a total of 10 yards used in just over two months so far this year. That's not very impressive. I need to get in some serious quilting time if I am going to reach my goal of using at least 100 yards by the end of the year.  


Used this week:   .5 yards  
Used year to date:  10 yards    

Added this week:   0 yards

Added year to date: 2.5 yards

Net year to date:  7.5 yards used 

Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie

Dancing Stars link-up

Amy at Amy's Creative Side is having a link-up party and giveaway for anyone participating in her Dancing Stars quilt along.  I downloaded her free pattern (you can find that here) in January and decided to make these blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2013.

I made the pink blocks in January and the purple ones in February.  I have a total of 22 blocks completed so far.  The color of the month for March is orange, and I have started making some orange stars but haven't finished any yet.  My goal is to make enough stars for a throw quilt (98 needed, according to Amy's pattern.)  If I continue making around 10 blocks each month, I will have more than enough by the end of the year.

I love the accuracy of the foundation piecing for these blocks.  I am very excited by how they are looking together and wish I had more free time to keep making more blocks.

Check out all the quilters linking up with photos of their blocks at Amy's Creative Side.

Julie