Day: May 2, 2018

26 Projects: Moving Forward

I really took a big leap forward during the past couple of months and I am so pleased with my progress. I had a loose goal of completing two quilt tops (+backs, binding) before April 9th and I didn’t make my deadline. I did make some other small projects and crossing those projects off my list feels great. Having a  lot of small things on my to do list was dragging me down. I was ‘shoulding’ on myself a lot. However, I still have the quilts on my list so I still need to get busy.

Finished 2018 Quilt Projects

I really feel like I have finished more quilts. I am keeping good track so I know I haven’t. I have worked on a lot of quilts that are still in process, so it just feels like I have finished more.

Finished 2018 Non-Quilt Projects

Doing Good

In Process
The  ‘In Process’ is used to denote projects on which I am actively working or pretending to stitch. I try not to put away projects, because that will ensure I never work on them

  • Pies and Points from 2016 Victoria Findlay Wolfe class. Julie and I had a playdate towards the beginning of April. I brought this piece with me so I could cut more elements (Julie has a Sizzix). I am more excited about this piece now. I thought I had done more, but I couldn’t find more than 2.5 sewn together pieces.
  • English Paper Piecing Project– half hexies – I have added about five stars. I also found some grey (did I buy it for this project or on spec?) that will be perfect for the border. Now I can’t find the &^%$# diamond papers. I know I bought some and I don’t know where they are.
  • Octagon 9 Patch: The  pairs are all sewn together.  I cut pieces for the border and am sewing those patches into units and then into sections. I am using the Self-bordering technique.

Still WIPs
I still have WIPs. Who doesn’t, after all? A project in the ‘UFO’ category means I am stalled. A nicer way of saying UFO is a WIP. The list is a lot shorter and the projects are newer, for the most part.

  1. Aqua-Red Sampler – I need to lay the blocks out and put the piece together. No new progress, but it is coming up on the list.
  2. BAMaQG Color Round Robin – no progress.
  3. City Sampler – blocks all made. Need to sash the blocks and put the top together. Due to some issues I had with my seam allowance, some of the blocks are smaller than others, so I will have to adjust them in some way – either ripping and resewing, adding a piece or two to the block or with sashing. This is sort of a sticking point and while I consider this quilt ‘in process’ I hadn’t worked on it in awhile until I took the blocks to the BAM Sew Day and started measuring. Once I know what I am facing for each block, I can move forward. No new progress.
  4. FOTY 2017 – pieces cut. Need to layout and start piecing. No new progress.
  5. Handbag Sampler – this is a project about which I had forgotten. I actually don’t know exactly where the blocks are hiding. I have an idea and will crawl up in the far reaches of my fabric closet soon and see if I can find them. I haven’t even found a picture of all the blocks. The blocks were teaching samples when I taught a sampler class the time before I started writing the quilt class sampler tutorials.
  6. Lobster – I still have more stitching to do and then I need to quilt it.
  7. Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. No progress.
  8. Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I am still stalled on this again. As my oldest (I am pretty sure) UFO, I put it on my blog and out into the Twitterverse and Diane suggested that I not consider this as a self portrait. I think that strategy is a great idea. I am now trying to think of a new persona for her.
  9. Serendipity Lady Quilt: no new progress.
  10. Stepping Stones #2 – I need to cut more patches and sew more border blocks. Now that the BAMaQG IRR is off the design wall, I am planning to put this back on it and work on it, but the Octagon 9 Patch made it up there first.
  11. Under the Sea: class project; like the design and am happier with the colors. I have a new idea for it, which is to make a pillow and gift it to a friend.
  12. Black and Red quilt – This came about because of two other projects. I made a whole bunch of bias tape as part of my failed attempt at doing the Mighty Lucky Club a few years ago. Another part of the inspiration came from my class with Tina of Little Blue Cottage fame. This was going to be for a nephew, but I think it will be for one of my SILs and BILs. I have rectangles cut and some bias tape ready. My next step is to sew the bias tape to the rectangles like pickup sticks. I don’t have any photos of this, so you’ll have to trust me.

Small Projects in Process

Most of my progress involves thinking or just cutting.

  • All Rolled Up Tote – part of Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, so on my list, but I haven’t actually started
  • Sewing Mat – part of Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, so on my list, but I haven’t actually started
  • 4-Zip Organizer – part of Crafty Gemini Organizer Club, so on my list, but I haven’t actually started
  • Tool Tote – I bought the pattern at QuiltCon and started cutting it out at Sew Day in March

Ready for Quilting

  • nothing right now

In Quilting Process

  • BAMaQG IRR –The sandwich has been basted. I machine quilted a couple of lines and now I am doing the rest by hand quilting it using Big Stitch. I have quilted a few lines and plan to work on this at Craft Night, which has resumed.
  • Thanksgiving tablemat – I have the correct feet and just need to get busy.
  • Theoretically, the Tarts Come to Tea is in the quilting process, though I haven’t worked on it in a while.  See above.

Binding

Hunting and Gathering

  • 30 Something: I am still cutting 1.5 inch squares. I am pretty sure I have the 800 I need, but I am not ready to sew them together yet, so whenever I have a chance I cut more I cut more. It will give me choice when the time comes. I’ll have to think up a new name, too. My next step will be to figure out if I need to cut other sizes of squares and switch from cutting 1.5? squares to cutting the new size.
  • Blue Gradation Quilt: cutting 2.5 inch x 4.5 inch blue rectangles. It has to end sometime. I wasn’t sure I was ready to put this together, but I think I am. I might do a couple of gradation quilts in a row just to get the practice.
  • Blue Lemonade: cutting blue, green, purple 2 inch squares. I used a lot of these squares for En Provence, so I am slowly cutting more.
  • FOTY 2018: I have started cutting 2.5 inch squares for the 2018 version.
  • Pink Gradation Quilt: cutting 2.5 inch x 4.5 inch pink rectangles
  • Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. I might have to cut some more background fabrics. I probably have enough fabrics and just need to decide to start.
  • Windmill quilt: Still hunting and gathering. I am supposed to be cutting a variety of greys for the background, which required the purchase of a new template. I should be able to get going again

Other

  • Stepping Stones #3 using the Macaron pre-cuts from Hoffman. I have all the fabric in pre-cuts and am just waiting for space (and desire) in my schedule.

I bought some fabric, so I am down on net usage. Still gross usage is just over 92 yards (45 net; yes I have bought about 45 yards worth of fabric this year!). I am pleased, but I want to hit 50 yards net as soon as possible. If I could make it to 100 yards NET used by the end of the year, I would be ecstatic.

What’s on your list?