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

Snow Day!

Wednesday was an unexpected snow day. The snow totals weren't high, but roads all over the Atlanta area were impassable, bringing the entire city to a standstill. I am very grateful that I ride the train to and from work because I had no problem getting home on Tuesday, unlike so many people who were stuck on the roads for 20 hours or more. It looks rather pretty on our back patio though, doesn't it.

I took advantage of the bonus day off and spent most of it working on a baby quilt for one of my co-workers. My initial inspiration was these two fabrics, which will be the border and the background.

I pulled out all sorts of yellow and aqua/turquoise and pink scraps and stitched up a pile of bowtie blocks. I still need to make some more in pinks and maybe a few purple/lavendar, then I can start arranging them on my wall. By the time I quit making bowties, there will probably be enough blocks to make two baby quilts!

I am linking up to "Let's Make Baby Quilts" Friday at Michelle's Romantic Tangle.

Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 1/27/14--Finished Top!

Instead of a design wall, today I have a "design bed" to show my finished Scrappy Sampler quilt top! I completed the top last night too late to get any outdoor photos, and it is too big to hang on my wall.

Autumn Scrappy Sampler
80" x 100"

This quilt was started just over a year ago as a block-of-the-month project at one of my favorite local quilt shops, Intown Quilters in Decatur, GA. Many of the other BOM participants were making their quilt from a kit of the same fabrics as the sample quilt, which were very bright batiks. Below is a shot of the BOM sample. As you can see, mine went in a very different direction as far as color palette.

I am so thrilled to have this quilt top together and can't wait to get it quilted! Finishing this top also means I achieved my January goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes. That's a good way to get the year started. Now to figure out what project to work on next. I'm sure there must be a project or two (or twenty!) that I could pull out.


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 in to BOMs Away Monday at What a Hoot.

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 2014--Week #4

I was so happy to get an extra day off last weekend for MLKing day. Sunday turned into a very fun, spontaneous day for hubby and me. We took care of the grocery shopping early, then made a trip to the fabulous Dekalb Farmer's Market. I wanted to get some more black-on-white prints to use for the background with my hexie stars and snowflakes. We stopped at two different quilt shops, and I came home with this lovely stack of fabric, 2.75 yards total

Used this week:                    0 yards
Used year to date:            2.0 yards

Stashed this week:            2.75 yards  

Stashed year to date:       2.75 yards 

Net year to date:               .75 yards stashed


Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Scrappy Saturday--End of the Blues

Unfortunately, there hasn't been much time to play with my blue scraps this week. The long hours at work have continued, plus I haven't been riding the train the last few mornings because of our cold weather, thus losing my morning hexie stitching time.

I have nearly finished my first blue snowflake and hope to get another one together next week. Then it's time for a new color!

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 1/20/14

I finally finished making the bowtie blocks (180 total) for the borders of my Scrappy Sampler quilt. Now I am in the process of joining them together, then they will get stitched to the center of the quilt. I'm getting very excited to see this quilt top all together! Unfortunately, it is too big for me to get a photo of the whole thing indoors. When it is complete, I will be sure to get some outdoor shots of the finished top.

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

Julie in GA

Hexies on Sunday

I have been stitching hexies since last August as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. They have turned out to be surprisingly addictive and the perfect portable stitching project. Most of my hand stitching is done during my morning train commute or while "watching" TV in the evening.

I finished a hexie star in blue a few days ago. This brings me to 5 completed large stars, although the light blue one needs some help. Those outer points disappear too much against the background.

Next up will be a couple of blue snowflakes, to go along with the 7 done previously.

I hope to find some time to stitch hexies today and tomorrow (an extra day off--heaven!!) If not those days, I will definitely continue my morning commute stitching, despite the funny looks I get on the train. I was glad to see another woman pull out her crocheting one day last week. I'm not the only crazy crafter!

I am linking up to Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts, HeLP for Hexie-aholics at Sarah Did It!, and Hexie Weekend at A Quilting Reader's Garden. On Monday I can add the Monday Morning Star Count at Life Under Quilts. Check them all out to find great hand stitching and English paper piecing inspiration.

Julie in GA