Quilting Goals for March

I am going to continue to post monthly quilting goals, at least for now. I find it very helpful to keep me focused on these goals rather than bouncing around between too many projects. That doesn't mean I won't ever get the impulse to try out a new pattern, but this public proclamation of my goals definitely helps me stay on track!

March 2014 goals:
1.  Red, White & Blue Sampler--finish making blocks and join together. This is also my March goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes.

2.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge--make 6-8 LeMoyne Stars in next month's color.
3.  Scrap Hexies--make RSC hexie star & snowflakes.
4.  Tell It to the Stars (Judy L. mystery)--make March blocks.
5.  Spend at least 15 minutes each day quilting--cutting, sewing, designing, etc. Computer time looking at quilt blogs doesn't count (that adds up to way more than 15 minutes some days!)


February 2014 goals:
February was a successful month for my quilting goals. I ended up 4 for 4, including one completely finished quilt.

1.  Bowtie Baby Quilt--finish quilt (finish making blocks, assemble quilt top, and get it quilted/bound) DONE 2/22

2.  Scrap Hexies--make RSC hexie star & snowflake in pink   DONE 2/21

3.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge--make 6-8 LeMoyne Stars in pink DONE 2/23

4.  Tell It to the Stars (Judy L. mystery)--make February blocks  DONE 2/25

That covers my quilting plans and goals for March and my results from February. I hope to reach the goals that I have set for the next month. Watch for the next update at the beginning of April.

Julie in GA

February Finish

The Bowtie Baby Quilt is finished! This little quilt was made as a baby shower gift for a co-worker. This was also my February project for A Lovely Year of Finishes. The idea for this quilt started with the floral border fabric as my color palette inspiration. I had such a great time pulling out fabrics and making bowtie blocks. I ended up with lots more blocks than this quilt used, so another bowtie quilt will be coming before too long.

Bowtie Baby Quilt
Finished size 36" x 46"

The backing was pieced together from some flannel scraps. So soft and cuddly! 

I am linking up with the February finishes party at A Lovely Year of Finishes. You can check out how everyone else did at reaching their goal for the month. I am also linking up to Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and to Let's Make Baby Quilts! at Michelle's Romantic Tangle.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 2/24/14

Today I have before and after photos of my design wall. The before shot shows the LeMoyne Stars that I have been making for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

After having this up on the wall for a day, I decided that the big star would look better with the black background instead of the white print. I took it apart yesterday and replaced all the background sections. Yes, I redid all those y-seams! I am much happier with the result now.

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2/23/14

Most of my fabric usage this week was on projects for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I have been stitching hexie stars and snowflakes in each month's color, and this month was pink.

Yesterday I made a 12" scrappy LeMoyne star block to go along with all my 6" stars. That used .25 yards. I am thinking about switching to the black background instead of the white print to help those pale pinks show up better. I laid some pieces of the black over the white in the second photo, and I like the way it looks much better. Time to get out my ripper!

I also used 3/8 yard for the binding on the Bowtie Baby Quilt that I made for a co-worker. We are having a baby shower for her this Friday, and I can't wait to give her the quilt.

Used this week:                     .875 yards
Used year to date:            11.125 yards

Stashed this week:               0  yards  

Stashed year to date:       4.0 yards 

Net year to date:               7.125 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Pink Saturday

Over the past week, I finished stitching together my pink hexie star and snowflake for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I have now completed 6 stars and 9 snowflakes. I really need to figure out my layout plan so I can be adding background hexies to each star and snowflake as they are made rather than waiting until the end.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday--2/17/14

Nothing new to show on my design wall today. The pink LeMoyne stars for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge are still up there. These are 6" blocks, and I have been thinking about making some 12" stars to go with them.

My main focus lately has been the quilting on the Bowties Baby Quilt that needs to be finished by the end of next week. 

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. 

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday--Week 7, 2014

This was a decent week for stash usage. I finished the borders on the Bowtie Baby Quilt, using .5 yards for that, plus another 1.75 yards in the pieced backing. I also made 4 pink LeMoyne Stars on black background for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

There was one wonderful addition to my stash. I was the lucky winner of the drawing for making Judy Laquidara's "Tell It to the Stars" blocks for January. I received this fabulous "Tangerine" stash pack from Vicki Welsh. Her hand-dyed fabrics are just amazing. I love the variety of patterns in this group.

Used this week:                 2.50 yards
Used year to date:            10.25 yards

Stashed this week:            1.25 yards  

Stashed year to date:       4.0 yards 

Net year to date:               6.25 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

In the Pink

This has been a great month for playing with my pink scraps! That is the assigned color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this month. I started out making lots of bowtie blocks in pinks (plus yellows, aquas, and a few lavendars.) You can see my bowtie quilt top here.

I have also been stitching pink hexies, and I am getting close to having both a star and a snowflake assembled.

We had another "snow day" this week which gave me time to make some pink Lemoyne stars. These will join the blue LeMoyne stars from last month.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden, and I just made it in time for the In Hand EPP Link Party at splish splash stash.

Julie in GA

Bowtie Baby Quilt

I had a Bowtie Baby Quilt weekend extravaganza! I finished making blocks on Saturday and played with a couple more layout possibilities (check out this post for other layout ideas.) On Sunday I joined the blocks together for the first baby quilt (I have enough blocks for at least one more.) In the evening I was able to add the border and now have a finished quilt top!

Bowtie Baby Quilt top
36" x 46"

The border fabric provided the inspiration for this quilt's color palette. Next I need to find a fabric for the backing and figure out how to quilt this. Time is short--baby is due in one month!

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. I am also linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and Fabric Frenzy Friday at Fort Worth Fabric Studio.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday--Week 6, 2014

I didn't get as much quilting done this week as I had hoped, mostly due to having guests here on Tuesday & Thursday. However, it was definitely worth putting off the time in the sewing room in order to visit with my niece and her husband.

I did finish up another 45 bowtie blocks for the baby quilt, and I made 4 pink LeMoyne Stars for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Used this week:                 1.75 yards
Used year to date:            7.75 yards

Stashed this week:                0 yards  

Stashed year to date:       2.75 yards 

Net year to date:               5.0 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Saturday--Pretty in Pink

I am enjoying playing with my pink scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this month. It turns out that I have even more pink than I realized, and that's a good thing!

I finished basting hexies a day or two ago and have started joining them together into a star. I like the pinks against my green cutting mat.

I also finished more pink blocks for the Bowtie Baby Quilt. Still no decision on how to set them together (check out Monday's post for more layout options that include other colors besides pink.)

Today I hope to start piecing some LeMoyne stars in pinks, and maybe get one baby quilt put together.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 2/3/14

After finishing the quilt top for my Scrappy Sampler quilt a week ago, I decided to treat myself and begin a new project. I have been planning to make a baby quilt for a co-worker, and I finally decided to get it started. So far I have made close to 80 bowtie blocks and have pieces for 20 or 30 more cut out. Yesterday I started playing with possible layouts for my blocks.

The blocks measure 5" finished, and I will probably do a 6 x 8 block setting, plus a 2-1/2 or 3" border. My favorite layout right now is the barn-raising type setting (upper right.) That may change once the rest of the blocks are finished. I need to get this quilt done soon--baby's due date is March 11th!

I am linking up to Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times. Check it out for tons of amazing ideas and inspiration. I am also linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and Fabric Frenzy Friday at Fort Worth Fabric Studio.

Julie in GA

15 Minute Challenge, Getting It Done and A Lovely Year of Finishes

There were a couple of challenges I had followed along with over the past year or so, but unfortunately, neither one has been continued for 2014. One challenge that has been discontinued is the "15 Minute Challenge" hosted by Kate at Life in Pieces. Kate challenged us all to find at least 15 minutes a day for quilting (or whatever creative endeavors we choose.) Each week we would report how well we managed to make time to quilt. I discovered the benefit of squeezing in little chunks of quilting time whenever possible, since it seems like I rarely get a whole day or even several hours in a day for quilting. I kept track through all of January, and I was able to get at least 15 minutes of quilting time every single day. I have been hand stitching hexies on the morning train, sometimes doing a little bit of cutting or sewing during my lunch hour, and frequently spend an hour or so after dinner in my sewing room. It all adds up, and  I keep making progress on my current projects.

Last year Judy at Patchwork Times hosted the "Get It Done" challenge, where participants posted a list of four or more quilting goals for the month. Then at the end of the month, we reported back on how we did on our goals plus listed a new set of goals for the following month. I found that publicly posting a list of goals really kept me focused on reaching them and reduced (but did not eliminate) the starting of random, unplanned projects. Sometimes those new ideas are just too irresistible!

Because this challenge was such a good experience for me, I am planning to continue it on my own this year. I am a little behind with my wrap-up for January and plans for February. I was quite successful with my January list, completing four out of five goals. 

January 2014 goals:
1.  Scrappy Sampler--finish making bowties for border  DONE 1/18, TOP FINISHED 1/26

2.  Scrap Hexies--make blue hexie star & snowflakes  DONE 1/28 

3.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge--decide on my project and make blue blocks DONE 1/13 (9 blue LeMoyne Stars)

4.  Tell It to the Stars (Judy L. mystery)--make January blocks  DONE 1/3

5.  Begin quilting Dancing Stars  Nothing done


February 2014 goals:
1.  Bowtie Baby Quilt--finish quilt (finish making blocks, assemble quilt top, and get it quilted/bound--baby's due date is March 11th)
2.  Scrap Hexies--make RSC hexie star & snowflakes
3.  Rainbow Scrap Challenge--make 6-8 LeMoyne Stars in pink
4.  Tell It to the Stars (Judy L. mystery)--make February blocks  

Planning my "Get It Done" goals for February also fits in with deciding on my February plan for A Lovely Year of Finishes 2014.

My ALYoF project for February is a bowtie baby quilt for a co-worker. I have been making blocks for a week or so and have close to 80 blocks done, plus pieces cut for another 20 or 30 blocks. That will be more than enough for at least two baby quilts. I need to get one of them totally finished by the end of February or early March at the latest. Here is a batch of blocks in one possible layout.

That covers my quilting plans and goals for February. Even though it is a short month, I hope to reach the goals that I have set. Watch for the next update at the beginning of March.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2014--Week #5

This has been a very productive week for me--I used 1.25 yards for the inner borders on my Scrappy Sampler quilt, which was finished last Sunday.

I also used .25 yard for my blue Scrap Hexies star and snowflake.

Then there was the 2.5 yards used to make 80 bowtie blocks for a baby quilt (at the rate I am going, more likely two baby quilts!) I have been playing with possible arrangements of blocks and will show more options tomorrow.

Used this week:                 4.0 yards
Used year to date:            6.0 yards

Stashed this week:                0 yards  

Stashed year to date:       2.75 yards 

Net year to date:               3.25 yards used


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

350 Blocks Project

Dee Dee left a comment on one of my blog posts at the beginning of this year suggesting that I check out the "350 Blocks Project 2014" at Prairie Moon 

Quilts.

The hope with this project is to help us make progress on our UFOs, and I guess the thought is that the more blocks you make, the further you will get on your UFOs. Each month has a goal number of blocks, although many people make significantly more than the goal. For January, the goal was 20.

I surprised myself with the number of blocks I finished in January. It helps that most of them were bowtie blocks for two different projects. I love how easy it is to make bowties! Unfortunately, only about half of the blocks I made were for any of my UFOs; the rest are for new or fairly recent projects. 

My blocks made in January:
Judy L's Tell It to the Stars mystery--2 blocks

Rainbow Scrap Challenge LeMoyne Stars--10 blocks (one dud didn't make the photo)
Scrap Hexies--1 star & 1 snowflake

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Ninepatches--9

Scrappy Sampler--44 bowties for the border

Bowtie Baby Quilt--58 blocks

Total January blocks--125

Take a look at how many blocks others finished for the 350 Blocks Project at Prairie Moon Quilts.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Saturday--blue to pink

My finished blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge in January's color of blue included 9 LeMoyne Star blocks (6" finished size) and a hexie star and snowflake. I also have some little ninepatch blocks around here somewhere, but they didn't make it into this photo.

For February our color is pink, especially darker and brighter pinks. I had started making a baby quilt for a co-worker last week, so I had already pulled out my stash of pink scraps and strips.

I had already made some bowtie blocks for the baby quilt, and a handful of those are pink. Lots more pieces are cut for additional blocks.

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! I am also linking up to the Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden

Julie in GA