First two blocks - Guild Mystery Quilt 2018

This year in my quilt guild we are doing a mystery quilt.  Each month we will get directions for a block.  We are then supposed to make two blocks in that same pattern but with different fabrics in each.  These are my first two blocks.

Chubby Charmer

I finished this bag today.  It is made from a pattern called Chubby Charmer by Penny Sturges of Quilts Illustrated.  The pattern calls for 48 charm squares and 1-1/2 yards of fabric for the handles, lining, and pockets.  The charm pack is Mill Book Series c. 1852, one of Moda's Collections for a Cause (purchased in 2014).  I also used 1/2 a yard of fabric from that same line (purchased at the same time) for the handles and to cut some extra charm squares.  And I used some yardage from my stash for the lining and pockets.

Now I will have a bag that is large enough to carry a quilt in that isn't a reusable Walmart shopping bag.  I got teased about that recently.  This one is big enough to carry a 9x13 casserole dish in the bottom.  It says so right on the pattern!  The bottom is 9x18.

Goals for 2018

This year my sewing goals are more general than specific.  I want to try to focus on finishing things I've already started and using what I already have. 

So here are the goals spelled out:

1. Finish the year with fewer unquilted quilt tops than I started the year with (I started with 18, oops, make that 19, I just found another one). Updated 5/15/18)
2. If I start new projects, use fabrics that I already have on hand.
3. If I buy new fabric, it should be to finish an existing project or complete a project I've previously designed.

So far, I'm basically on track, but it is still early.  For my Moda project, I'm using a charm pack and a jelly roll that I already had.  For my guild project, I'm using a fat quarter bundle that I already had.

I've made a quilt top from a design I made last year and from a jelly roll I already had. And I made a bag from a charm pack I already had and fabric from my stash.

The new fabric I've bought so far was backing for the previously mentioned quilt top, and background fabric to go with a fat quarter bundle that I already had to make my guild project quilt.

And although I have made another quilt top since the first of the year, I've dropped 2 off to be quilted, so that more than balances out.

2017 in Review

Looking back at my sewing projects from last year, I found that I was a bit busier than the year before.  I finished 6 quilts, made 4 bags, 2 pillowcases, 2 pot holders, 2 matching place mats, 1 cat toy, and several cloth wipes (for my granddaughter).  That makes for 17 completed projects.  Not too bad.

I also completed 9 quilt tops that didn't get finished.  At least a couple of them I plan to quilt myself, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.  One I know I plan to have quilted, but I haven't bought backing yet.  And one of them is quilted, but not yet bound.

It seems like the UFOs are starting to pile up a bit again.  I guess I should get to work on that this year.  But I also have several designs that I've dreamed up that I haven't made yet, so those are calling to me, too.  Somehow piecing almost always wins out over finishing. . .

Hearts and Stripes

This is my newest creation.  I just finished the quilt top this morning.  I designed it myself and I am calling the pattern Hearts and Stripes.  Not too creative a name, I know, but it's accurately descriptive.  It uses one "Surrounded by Love" jelly roll (purchased in 2017) and some yardage for the background and borders.  It finishes 64 inches by 70 inches.

I like the way that the vertical stripes in the hearts bisect the horizontal stripes in the rest of the quilt.