2025 Recap

At the beginning of the year last year I set out some goals for myself.  I reached most, but not all, of them. Here is the end of the year summary:

1. Finish UFOs = 4 of 4 (completed)
2. Use pre-cuts = 3 of 3 (completed)
3. Do window paintings = 2 of 2 (completed)
4. Do non-window painting = 1 of 1 (completed)
5. Sew sets of coasters = 5 of 5 (completed)
6. Sew small bags = 0 of 2
7. Sew tote bags= 1 of 2 

I couldn't decide if making the small bags was a good idea or not.  I think they are cute, but I'm not sure about the overall appeal or functionality.  I'm especially concerned about the closure.  Is a small Velcro closure enough?  Should they zip?  Have pockets?  I don't know.  I asked my 8 year old granddaughter what she liked best, and she said bigger with pockets.  I plan to take that under advisement.

The other tote bag, I just never got around to it. Somehow time just got away from me once we got back from visiting family in Washington last summer.  As you can see, there are no posts from July, August, or September.  We were gone during the month of July, but after we got back home I just couldn't back into the creative mindset.

And I thought I should note that I actually did a lot more than just one painting on paper.  I did several zen tangles, 5 mini-watercolors, and some full page watercolors. 

In total, I finished 8 quilts, 2 bags (one was for me so I didn't count it in my goals list), and 5 coaster sets.  I didn't create any new quilt tops without finishing them, so no new UFOs.  Not a bad year. 

Ride the Train

 

Gus's quilt is finished and ready to give.  Even though it was technically finished after Christmas, that didn't really matter, because we weren't going to see them until after Christmas (Dec. 29), so all is well.

I quilted this one in an all over meander pattern using white cotton thread from Hobby Lobby.  It's not my favorite thread, but it's what I had.  I feel like it doesn't unwind as smoothly as the polyester thread, so the stitches come out a little less even. 

The binding was attached to the front and turned to the back, then machine stitched down using a small zigzag stitch in matching red thread.

Disclaimer:  This post is being backdated to the date I finished the quilt.  I was having computer issues and didn't get things posted in a reasonable time frame, but I wanted the quilt to show up in the right time frame when I look back at the year.

All Aboard quilt

 

This is a twin sized quilt for my oldest grandson, Gus.  He's about to graduate from his toddler bed to a twin bed.  He LOVES trains, so his mama asked that I make him a train quilt for his new bed.  It will also be the biggest part of his Christmas present this year.

The quilt top is made from the All Aboard pattern by It's Sew Emma, but it doesn't use the featured fabric.  I assume that's not available anymore anyway.  The quilt top measures 71.5" x 91.5".

Disclaimer:  This post is being backdated to the date I finished the quilt top.  I was having computer issues and didn't get things posted in a reasonable time frame, but I wanted the quilt to show up in the right time frame when I look back at the year.

Fillers, Feathers, and Flowers

 

 

I made this quilt top so that I could do some practice machine quilting.  I divided the quilt into rows of 2 strips and rows of three strips for the quilting designs.  The rows of two are quilted with filler designs and the rows of three are all feathers.  Jellyroll strips work well for practicing.  They give a defined area to quilt in that goes all the way across the quilt.  It was all quilted in Lt. Turquoise (#32975) Glide thread.  I plan to use this quilt as an everyday quilt on my loveseat.

Disclaimer:  This post is being backdated to the date I finished the quilt.  I was having computer issues and didn't get things posted in a reasonable time frame, but I wanted the quilt to show up in the right time frame when I look back at the year.

Full Moon with Bats Door Art

 

I had an idea for more Halloween themed door art, so I decided to paint on my front door, like I did last Christmas.  I like for the painting on the front door to be larger, simpler, and easier to see from the street than what I paint on the side door.  I thought that bats in front of a full moon would be pretty visible and recognizable from a distance.  It also sorta resembles a evil smiley face. 

I used string and a dry erase marker to draw the large circle.  I used white ceiling paint to fill the circle.  Then I used a pale yellow wall paint for the moon color.  I drew bats on card stock, and then cut them out.  I traced around them with pencil and then filled in the outline with black acrylic paint.

I think it turned out okay, and it fulfills my last non-sewing goal for this year!

Running total of goals accomplished:

    Finish UFOs = 4 of 4 (completed)
    Use pre-cuts = 3 of 3 (completed)
    Do window paintings = 2 of 2 (completed)
    Do non-window painting = 1 of 1 (completed)
    Sew sets of coasters = 5 of 5 (completed)
    Sew small bags = 0 of 2
    Sew tote bags= 1 of 2

Black Cat in a Pumpkin Door Art

 

For Halloween, I decided to do a painting of a black cat in a pumpkin on my side door.

First I found a picture online of a cat in a pumpkin that I liked.  I drew it first on paper to get a feel for how to draw it.  Next I drew the picture with dry erase marker on the window.  Then I used acrylic paint to fill in the colors.  It took several coats of paint for the orange because I didn't do a white base coat.  On this door I don't do the white base coat because I want the image to be the same on both sides of the door.

I think it turned out cute enough.  It makes me smile when I see it.  And it fulfills one of my creativity goals for the year.

Running total of goals accomplished:

    Finish UFOs = 4 of 4 (completed)
    Use pre-cuts = 3 of 3 (completed)
    Do window paintings = 1 of 2
    Do non-window painting = 1 of 1 (completed)
    Sew sets of coasters = 5 of 5 (completed)
    Sew small bags = 0 of 2
    Sew tote bags= 1 of 2

He Still Loves Me Jelly Roll Race quilt top

 

 

I started this quilt top on Wednesday and finished it today.  If you've ever made a jelly roll race quilt, you know that it involves sewing very long seams once you get the strips sewn end to end. It's not my favorite thing to do, so I was only sewing one long seam per day.  I sewed the last two seams today, but they were the shortest ones. These really aren't my favorite types of quilts to sew, and I don't love the way they look either.  

I bought this jelly roll (one of my first actually) and some coordinating fabric over 10 years ago, planning to make a jelly roll race out of it. I actually bought 2 jelly rolls at the same time and made a jelly roll race out of the other one, but in doing so found out that I didn't like doing it.  

However, I decided that I wanted this style of quilt to practice long-arm quilting on, so I went ahead and pieced this one just for that purpose.  It has the added bonus of using one of my unused pre-cuts, so that means it satisfies one of my goals for the year, too.

Running total of goals accomplished:

    Finish UFOs = 4 of 4 (completed)
    Use pre-cuts = 3 of 3 (completed)
    Do window paintings = 0 of 2
    Do non-window painting = 1 of 1 (completed)
    Sew sets of coasters = 5 of 5 (completed)
    Sew small bags = 0 of 2
    Sew tote bags= 1 of 2