Finish Along - Quarter 1 Finish Party

Well, it's time for the Quarter 1 Finish party of

While I had listed several lofty goals,

I at least managed to complete one!

My Cathedral Star quilt

is COMPLETED!

Binding and all!

It only took me years to get it done,

but the result is beautiful

and the quilt can finally be used!

Before picture:

And after picture:

I love it!

And in case you want to make one, too,

here is the link to Bonnie's free pattern.

Go check out the Q1 Linky party 

at The Littlest Thistle

Thanks for stopping by,

Barb

Finish Along 2014 Q1

Ok, I am trying on all fronts

to make 2014 the year of quilty finishes,

get UFO's moving into completed quilts. 

So I joined Katy at  'The littlest thistle" 

and her Finish Along 2014.

What a perfect fit - 

details here!

This is my Q1 list - 

and before I come to my senses,

I better post it:

1) Complete x&+ quilt

(rows are sewn)

2) Complete Cathedral Star quilt

(need miles of binding...)

3) Complete Hashtag quilt

(rows are sewn)

4) Complete Celtic Solstice

(blocks to finish and more)

5) Complete Lenora's B'day signature quilt

(blocks done, layout / sashing pending)

6) Complete Orca Bay

(top done, border decision needed)

7) Complete "Fit for a Hero"

(border needs to be pieced, then top sewn)

Well, this is more a year long list,

-not a quarter-

but whatever doesn't get done

I will roll over to the next quarter.

Come and join,

the Q1 link-up closes 1/17!

Wish me luck,

I may need the help of some snow days...

Yet every finish is a success!

Barb

The 100 day hustle

I may be a day late, 

but I am hopping on the band wagon nevertheless!

Kelsey Sews is hosting it:  - 

so September 22nd meant that

there were just 100 days remaining in 2012.

Just 100 left, 

I mean 99 today - where did 2012 go?

"Let's hustle through our to-do lists and 

start the new year with a clean slate!"

Well, I am in and here is my list:

* Finish a certain b'day project out of Tula's Book

(image to come once it is gifted)

* Complete AMH's Feather Bed Quilt (top only)

* Participate in Sew Sweetness Sew-along

project to be decided...

* Quilt 2 more charity quilts

Houndstooth 

and one more from the Quilt Guild Charity Table

* Finish 2 more UFO's - yes, I fell off and have too many left

Flying Geese - sew into a top

Binding for Cathedral Stars

* Quilt Lenora's quilt

* How about 8 more Farmer's Wife blocks (2 per month)

currently 18 blocks done

* Add some more Swoon blocks, also neglected

Well, I will try and see what I still can pull off in 2012.

Are you in?

Linking up to Kelsey's blog.

I better get sewing,

Barb

2012 UFO challenge

This will be my 2nd year of joining Judy's UFO challenge.
While I will be listing 12 projects and see whichever one gets chosen, I may need to adjust my monthly project by season. Seems to be more difficult for me to do summer projects, so we'll see how it goes. But I will try to get more than 5 UFO's done, so I can beat my 2011 finished UFO!

1. Orca Bay mystery - while it is still ongoing, I will have to work on almost all steps; hope to get it done as a quilt top by the end of 2012!

2. Jelly Roll Race quilt: is promised to be given to a friend, latest for her birthday in May; it needs quilting and binding

3. Lenora's quilt: I gave a her pictures of several quilt tops and am waiting for her to pick one!

???

4. Friendship strips: we had a strip exchange going last year and I really would like to finish it into a top

5. Mod Blossom: needs quilting

6. Houndstooth top: needs quilting

7. Modern Cross; add borders, quilt

8. Farmer's wife: make 10 more blocks (or it would be an overwhelming task...)

9. Binding for Cathedral Stars quilt

10. Binding for Jelly Roll quilt along quilt

11. Tropical Twist: needs borders - hope to find a for me do-able solution

12. Flying geese: finish top (and quilt)

That's my list - please check all the other participants listed on Judy's blog -

and maybe you will join yourself!

It sure helps to get things moving along!

Happy UFO sewing in 2012!

Barb

2011 UFO challenge

Ok, here is a short recap of my 2011 UFO accomplishments:

I finished 5 out of 12 UFOS!

Not the best result ever, but every UFO done, is one less!

#1 : Simply a Bloom: DONE, binding and all!

#2: Jelly Roll QA: quilting done - needs binding

#3: Batik Whirl - not touched...

#4: Cowboy Wave: DONE & donated

#5: Fishing Circles: not touched...

#6: Cathedral Stars: quilting done, needs binding

#7: Bears in the forest - not touched...
#8: Tropical Twist - ...
#9: Double Delight - ....

#10: Anita's Arrowhead: DONE & donated

#11: Quilting of 1 big quilt - didn't happen
#12: Irish Chain -.... need to pull it out and use as leader/ ender project

I see a pattern here: I seem to have issues with borders. Lots of projects stop once I reahc a border decision stage.
Hm, I see lots of borderless quilts in my future ;-) maybe that will help my finish-it-up mode!

Ooh, and have a look at the socks I just finished this week:
4 pairs done - and 1 new one (the 2nd sock is already half done):

Well, that's it for today,

Barb

Design Wall Monday

It is 9pm on Sunday - and I just pulled UFO # 6 Cathedral Stars of my frame: DONE!!!!

What a nightmare it ended up being.

20 inches left of  the final quilting row - and my sewing machine stopped dead.

In the middle of sewing it just froze - and so did I.

Followed by some nasty words, threats, you name it...

I tried and tried, but nothing would get her started.

The hand wheel did not move whatsoever. 

Finally I pulled her of the platform for some more poking & proding. Nothing.

So off to the neighbors to drop off the felt wreath - and I got invited for dinner :-)

Well, what a great way of  ending Sunday on a high note!

Came back and couldn't help myself, but needed to check on Juki - again. 

Poked in every hole and oiled the heck out of her.

And, and, and ...she moved! WAHOOO!!!

Some more oil and TLC and she dripped oil and moved slowly at first;

but then she sounded like her old self.

Some test sewing, back on the frame - and

FINALLY UFO # 6 IS DONE!

Tada!!!

That pretty much was my sewing or rather quilting this week.

It's been a learning curve of 30 hrs plus.

Apart from this I did finish the rows of The Tempest -

and really hope to have the top sewn by next DWM.

That's it for today, have to go look at Cathedral Stars again ;-)

Please look at other design walls at Judy' Patchwork Place!

Barb

Stash Report 4 / 2011

While have been sewing and quilting, there is nothing to report for the stash report: no fabric came in or was used.

Stash Report Week 4 / 2011:

Used this Week: 0 yards
Used year to Date: 26.7 yards
Added this Week: 0 yrds
Added Year to Date: 4.25 yrds
Net Used for 2011: 22.45 yards

Please check out other stash reports listed on Judy's blog!
I have been working on the UFO # 6 and am fighting the hopefully last major road block. I have quilted as much as I could on my short arm frame and turned the quilt.

 

After over 3 hours turning the monster quilt and trying to match the panto, I finally gave up.

The quilt is turned, but the matching up is not happening.

I may have another solution of the type of " don't try this at home" and we'll see if it works...

For me this truely was the worst 1st UFO of the year that could have been picked.

So far I probably spend 20hrs plus on it,

with loading, unloading, reloading, pinning and quilting..

Then I heard about some neighbors of mine going through some rough patches

- and found a perfect excuse to abondon Cathedral Star for a bit to make this Felt Heart:

It is based on a tutorial by The Idea Room -

and I did die-cut the approximately 160 circles out of felt (about 3 inch diameter).

It still needs a ribbon so it can be hung on a door or wall,

but I think it looks beautiful!

My picture doesn't really do it justice though.

And last but not least: it was another slow fitness week on my end.

Some "stomach bug" kept me at home after work with early bed times.

Yesterday I made it to the gym for the first time this week.

On top we have real low temps and no walks after work either.

Next week will be better!

Have a nice Sunday,

Barb

Design Wall Monday

Yes, this is a real late design wall Monday post for me,

but sometimes things just don't work out as planned.

And not much has happened that you can see,

but I tried to get some better pictures.

The Tempest

(Cherry House pattern)-

a bit rearranged and with better lighting (?):

And there you can see that I am getting closer

to the middle turning point of quilting UFO # 6

Cathedral Stars ( Bonnie Hunter):

By now you probably have already seen tons of other DWM -

if not, please go here and check them out!

Barb

Desgin Wall Monday

Well, I guess I have to play around a bit more with the layout of  "The Tempest" (by Cherrie House).

The blocks are all done and my plan is to sew the rows this week

and maybe even finish the top -

it all depends on my day job intensity...

 And here is the proof that I managed to put UFO # 6 "Cathedral Stars" (by Bonnie Hunter) on the frame. To quilt a row per day would be great, but we'll see what happens...

Sorry, both pic's are somewhat grainy - and the flash didn't want to work.

Not sure what's going on here.

So, what's on your design wall?

Please stop by at Judy's place and see a whole lot of DWM's!

Have a great week,

Barb

 P.S. Since I forgot my fitness part in yesterday's report -

thanks for the reminder, Penny -

I went to the gym 4 times last week: not too shabby.

Hope you are keeping  up your exercise regimen as well :-)

2011...

Happy New Year!

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream!

 (C.S. Lewis)

I truely hope this quote will lead me through 2011!
What better day to change the layout of my blog - long overdue.
And it is time to pull out UFO # 6 as selected today by Judy.
On my list that's the Cathedral Star quilt top:

Needs: backing, put on frame and quilt.

Since the top is HUGE I will need to turn the quilt on the frame once I am somewhere in the middle of quilting it - that is going to be interesting! I also need to make a decision if I do a panto or one of the EZ boards I have been using.
Ok, I am off to check out material for the backing.

Are you going to start on your 1st UFO of 2011? If not yet - check it out and join Judy's challenge!
Happy New Year,
Barb

Cathedral Stars

There is nothing new on my design floor and maybe that is a good thing. So I had to dug into my stack finished pieced tops and pulled out Cathedral Stars following Bonnie Hunter's instructions. You can see it in her blog header and it intrigued me at first sight.

Here are the 2 blocks the quilt is made off.

I just like the colorful look of this quilt and thought I share it with you.

Otherwise I am still contemplating of entering the 5k event in The Brooksie Way on Sunday. The main event is a half marathon - and way out of my league. But the 5 k is on Meadow Brook grounds and sounded like a good idea. I am currently watching the weather channel to see what it is going to be like on Sunday before I make my final decision and sign up.

It has been rainy and much cooler lately and I still hope to reach my goal of not turning on the heating until October... 1 more day to go.

Have a great week! I am off to the gym.

Barb