The End of the 15 Minute Challenge 12/31/13

A couple weeks ago, Kate wrote about "quilter's guilt." I can relate to all the areas she mentioned--feeling guilty about the money I spend on fabric and supplies, the time I spend quilting instead of with family, time spent quilting rather than doing housework, the number of UFOs I have. However, my quilting brings me such joy and satisfaction that I can't imagine not doing it. Fortunately, my husband is very understanding and encourages me to spend time quilting.

Finding time to quilt over the holidays has been difficult, but I have made an effort to squeeze in at least a little time every day. I made sure to pre-cut lots of hexies before I flew to Wisconsin to spend Christmas Eve with family. 

12/17 - 12/23
Tuesday--Color Palette Hexies, PJ pants (gift)
Wednesday--Color Palette Hexies, PJ pants (gift)
Thursday--Color Palette Hexies, PJ pants (gift)
Friday--Scrap Hexies, PJ pants (gift)
Saturday--Scrap Hexies
Sunday--Color Palette Hexies                                 
Monday--Color Palette Hexies 

12/24 - 12/31
Tuesday--Scrap Hexies
Wednesday--Scrap Hexies, Dancing Stars
Thursday--Scrap Hexies, Dancing Stars
Friday--Scrap Hexies
Saturday--Rainbow LeMoyne
Sunday--Rainbow LeMoyne
Monday--Scrap Hexies, Scrappy Sampler
Tuesday--Scrappy Sampler, Scrap Hexies


Check out the 15 Minute Challenge posts at Life in Pieces to see how others are finding time for their creative pursuits. Kate is not going to continue the 15 Minute Challenge link-ups next year, but she has inspired me to make time for quilting every day. 


Julie in GA

2013 Quilting in Review and 2014 goals

I have been going through posts from the past year, reviewing my quilting output. My goals for 2013 were to finish more projects than I started, and also to finish at least 4 UFOs. I was successful on the UFOs, and came very close on the starts vs. finishes goal. 

I started 14 new projects this year. Of those, 9 were finished and one became a quilt top. Most that got finished were smallish projects--5 sets of placemats, 2 paper-piecing pattern samples, and 2 baby/children's quilts. The unfinished new projects are mostly throw-sized or larger quilts.

I also finished 4 UFOs and joined one old set of blocks into a top. All of these UFOs were started between late 1990s and 2003. Most were quilt tops that needed quilting and binding.


2013 FINISHES

12/15/13--4 sets of placemats as Christmas gifts (new project)

Beige/light green border stripe for cousin

Southwest border stripe for niece

Blue border stripe for SIL

Mermaids for cousin's wife

9/30/13 Uneven 9-Patch (started 2000?)

10/19  Honey, Honey pattern sample (new project)

9/7/13  Dazzle pattern sample (new project)

9/29/13 Placemats for anniversary gift (new project)

7/20/13 Turning Leaves (top made 2003)

5/30/13 Flag quilt (started 2002)

5/26/13 Zigzag quilt for Hands2Help Challenge (new project)

5/6/13 Woven baby quilt with Karen (new project)

2/23/13  Hidden Ninepatch (top made 2002)

2013 QUILT TOPS

6/29 Blue & yellow Nine-Patch (new project)

6/4 Stack & Whack Aliens (blocks made late 1990s?)

2013 WIPs (New projects)
8/6   Scrap Hexies for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge

6/29  Dresden Stars class w/ Edyta Sitar

1/12   Scrappy Sampler BOM

1/10   Dancing Stars/Rainbow Scrap Challenge

My quilting goals for 2014:
1. Make at least 4 QOV/donation projects
2. Finish at least 3 UFOs/WIPs
3. Finish more projects than I begin  
4. Stashbusting--use 100 yards, use more than I buy

Happy New Year to all and Happy Quilting!


Julie in GA

Design Wall Monday 12/30/13

My main design wall is totally covered with the blocks for my Dancing Stars quilt. I have started joining them into sections. You can see that the lower right area is all together. I have joined partial rows  on the lower left side and will do one of the upper areas next. My plan is to quilt the four sections separately, then join them all together. I had hoped to have this quilt top together before the end of 2013, but quilting before I finish joining all the parts will slow me down.

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

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 12/29/13

I had two goals for 2013 regarding my quilt fabric stash--use at least 100 yards by the end of the year, and to use up more fabric than is added to the stash. I was able to meet the first goal (just barely!) and came very close to meeting the second goal. I consider that a successful year! I hope to achieve the same goals in 2014.

Thanks so much to Judy for hosting Stash Report Sunday. Keeping track of my fabric purchases and usage has really made me more restrained when I am tempted by the on-line fabric sales.


Used this week:             1  yard
Used year to date:     101 yards

Added this week:           0 yards  

Added year to date:    104.25 yards

Net year to date:         3.25 yards stashed



Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2013 + Ideas for 2014

It's time to be figuring out my plans for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2014. I have had such a great time participating in the challenge through 2013 and look forward to another year of scrappiness. Angela is the leader of the challenge, and she has even set up a Pinterest page with plenty of rainbow quilt inspiration.

My main RSC project for 2013 has been making Dancing Stars blocks. I had hoped to get them all joined together before the end of the year, but it doesn't seem like that will happen. I've got my blocks up on the wall and have started joining them together, but decided to hold off until I have a better plan for quilting them. I might try quilting in sections, then join the sections together. I need to do some samples before I continue putting blocks together.

My other RSC project from 2013 was my Hexie Stars and Snowflakes. This project was started in August to give me some hand stitching to do on my morning train commutes. I have completed 4 months and will continue making these in 2014.

I have been looking at lots of ideas for next year's project, but am having a hard time making up my mind. One possibility is to make more of these stars, which have been sitting around for more years than I care to remember. They were made after I got the book LeMoyne Stars Made Easy by Sharyn Squier Craig. They look like the perfect rainbow project!

Another option is to combine the Rainbow Scrap Challenge with a new Scrappy Challenge by Judy Laquidara at Patchwork Times. Judy is going to assign a block each month with the idea that participants make whatever number of blocks they wish in that month. More details are available here. 

Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge posts every Saturday to see how others are using up their scraps. So many beautiful projects! 


Julie in GA

Merry Christmas 2013!

Design Wall Monday 12/23/13

Instead of a design wall, I have a design bed. Too busy for machine piecing this week, but I have been able to do some hand stitching on an old hexie project.

I have the center done plus five of the six outer sections. Just a few more hexies to be attached, then the sections can get joined together.

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

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

Julie in GA

Stash Report Sunday 12/22/13

I finished sewing my last Christmas gift a few days ago, and it felt great to have them all done. We exchanged gifts with my husband's family last night, and the four sets of placemats were all very popular. Unfortunately, no photos of the recipients with their gifts.

This week I added 3 yards for the last Christmas gift, which promptly went right back out again. I also used .5 yards for my brown hexie stars and snowflakes. That brings my total usage up to an even 100 yards, reaching my goal for the year! My other usage goal was to use more than added for the year, and right now I am behind by 4.25 yards. Only one more week to end up in the black!


Used this week:           3.5  yards
Used year to date:     100 yards

Added this week:           3 yards  

Added year to date:    104.25 yards

Net year to date:         4.25 yards stashed



Check out more stash reports at Patchwork Times.

Julie in GA

15 Minute Challenge 12/17/13

This time of year, it is hard to find time for my monthly quilt projects because I am busy making quilted Christmas gifts. I finished the last set of placemats on Sunday, hurray!! I sure hope everyone like them. (This is the same photo I showed yesterday--sorry for the repeat.)

I have one more project to make before Christmas, and unfortunately it hasn't been started yet! I had a late flash of inspiration, which led to ordering some special fabric. I thought it would arrive yesterday, but no such luck. It's going to be a push to get that gift finished in time.

12/10 - 12/16
Tuesday--Scrap Hexies, Placemats (2 more sets finished!)
Wednesday--Scrap Hexies
Thursday--Scrap Hexies, Dancing Stars
Friday--Scrap Hexies
Saturday--Christmas gifts, Placemats, Scrap Hexies
Sunday--Placemats
Monday--Scrap Hexies, Color Palette Hexies


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


Julie in GA

Hexie Snowflake

I finally finished the last brown hexie snowflake today. Brown was the assigned color for November in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. It's a good thing we weren't assigned a color for December--there's just too much going on to make much progress on any of my projects.

Not a great picture, but not too bad considering it was taken with my phone.

Now I need to figure out a different hexie project to have ready to go. Either I choose my own color and carry it over to next year's challenge, or I could pull out this project that has been hanging around for awhile.

I am linking up to the "In Hand EPP Party" at splish splash stash. You can check out some great English paper pieced projects there. I will also link up to Help for Hexie-aholics at Sarah Did It! 

Julie in GA