Completed House Row

This is my first completed row of our Moda quilt this year.  I got it all sewn together yesterday.  This row was divided up over 3 months, but future rows will be completed in a month.  I'm trying to keep it fun and not stress over it too much.  Whimsy is the goal, not perfection.

Quilting Goals Update

I mentioned earlier that I didn't meet my quilting goals that I set for myself in 2015.  So this year I'm am continuing in my effort to meet those goals, and I've gotten one step closer to meeting one of them - make a quilt for my bed (queen size).

Last year, my intention was to make a queen size Christmas quilt for my bed out of the blocks we made as our guild project for 2014-2015.  I was going to use one of the blocks, repeated 15 times, as an alternate block to make it large enough.  Once I got the blocks made, I didn't like it that way.  I thought it was too busy.  But I still really liked the blocks set together, so I made even more of them - 25 in total.  I added several borders to it and made it into something big enough to fit my bed.

However, in my hurry to get it to the quilt shoppe for quilting, I forgot to take a picture of it.  But here is a picture of one blocks.

I'll post a picture of the whole thing when I get the quilt back from the quilt shoppe, if I remember, and definitely once I get it bound and labeled.

Snowflake candle mat

I finally finished the little candle mat/wall hanging/mini-project from back in August.  I'm not exactly sure when I finished it.  I didn't make a label for it, like I normally do, because it was such a small project.  Then, I forgot to take a picture of it right way too.  I know that I have already shown it at both my quilt guild and my Moda group, so I finished it in either late January or early February.  So here it is, belated, but finally posted.

A Funky Forest

These are the tree blocks for our March Moda meeting.  I wanted to make sure that I got them finished before I started back teaching.  Don't know how much time I will have for sewing during the next couple of months. 

It is my first time teaching on the term/compressed schedule system.  You have to cram a lot of information into a short period of time, so I'm sure I will be pretty busy.  Wish me (and the students) luck!

Extra blocks - finished

I had to cut out extra pieces to use as a demo on how to make the butter churn block and the milking day block for my guild meeting last week.  Today I decided to go ahead and sew those blocks together, so I wouldn't have loose pieces laying around. 

Here they are, together with the original demo blocks.  I might add sashing and a border and make them into a little wall hanging or I might save them for a larger project.  I haven't decided yet.  At least they are no longer just loose patches.

Houses - all in a row

For our Moda class this year, we are doing a row quilt.  The first row consists of houses with tree and star blocks in between.  For this month, we were supposed to make the houses.  Here are mine, all lined up in a row.  I was going for something fun and whimsical this year.  The finished quilt is twin bed sized, so I wanted something that a little kid would (hopefully) enjoy looking at and sleeping under.

Getting Ready for February

February is my month to present the blocks for our current quilt guild project.  This year (and into next year) we are doing blocks from Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt.  I chose the Butter Churn block (top) and the Milking Day block (bottom).  I did mine in the 12-inch size.  I would not have wanted to do the milking day block in the 6-inch size, simply because of the pieces that make up the handles on the sides of the milking can.  The little "flippy corner" piece is cut at 3/4 inch square for the 6-inch block.  That is quite small. 

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the blocks, because I'm not planning to make the guild project quilt this time.  I tried to come up with a pattern to use multiples of just these two blocks, since I have to cut extras to show how the block is put together, but I couldn't come up with one that I liked.  Below are pictures of the blocks with the extra pieces to use in the demonstration.

The Milking Day blocks are identical to each other, but the Butter Churn blocks use different fabrics.

Some thoughts on last year

Looking back at last year (2015), I feel like I had a less than productive year, at least compared to some recent years.  I completed 12 projects, which really isn't that bad, but it is my minimum goal for each year to finish one project per month.  At the beginning of the year, I had set out 5 goals for myself:  hand quilt something, make a batik quilt, make one quilt from the quilting books I got for Christmas (in 2014), donate a quilt to charity, and make a quilt for my bed (queen size).  I only accomplished one of those goals - donate a quilt to charity.

I'm not sure how 2015 got so out of hand.  Not only did I fall behind on my quilting goals, I also fell behind on my reading.  In 2014, I read 22 books, and in 2015, I only read 16.  And the most pathetic thing is that I read 6 out of those 16 in January!  Between September and December, I only read ONE.  Now true, it was 555 page Charlotte Bronte novel, but it still shouldn't have taken me 3 months to read it.

Now, in all fairness, I did accomplish something pretty major in 2015.  Back in August, I started on a Baby Steps to 5K program that was on one of the apps on my phone.  I completed the program and now I walk 5K three times a week and I do it in under 45 minutes.  I also lost over 15 pounds in 2015, through the increased exercise, a gradual calorie reduction process, and trying to eat healthier meals.  I know that took a good bit of my time and energy, and I'm very happy that I did it.  I also want to continue the exercise and healthy eating and make sure it becomes a part of my lifestyle going forward.  But I also want to make sure that I find more time for reading and quilting in 2016 than I did in 2015.  Finding a good balance, that is my goal for 2016.  Wish me luck.

Hand quilt something

Make a batik quilt

Make at least one project from the books I got for Christmas

Donate at least one quilt to charity   Sent quilt to Project Linus on 4/17/15

Make a quilt for my bed

- See more at: http://the-creative-side-of-me.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-years-resolutions-sort-of.html#sthash.qOTgsb11.dpuf

Hand quilt something

Make a batik quilt

Make at least one project from the books I got for Christmas

Donate at least one quilt to charity   Sent quilt to Project Linus on 4/17/15

Make a quilt for my bed

- See more at: http://the-creative-side-of-me.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-years-resolutions-sort-of.html#sthash.qOTgsb11.dpuf

Hand quilt something

Make a batik quilt

Make at least one project from the books I got for Christmas

Donate at least one quilt to charity   Sent quilt to Project Linus on 4/17/15

Make a quilt for my bed

- See more at: http://the-creative-side-of-me.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-years-resolutions-sort-of.html#sthash.qOTgsb11.dpuf

Hand quilt something

Make a batik quilt

Make at least one project from the books I got for Christmas

Donate at least one quilt to charity   Sent quilt to Project Linus on 4/17/15

Make a quilt for my bed

- See more at: http://the-creative-side-of-me.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-years-resolutions-sort-of.html#sthash.qOTgsb11.dpuf

Cascades

So this is my last quilt of 2015.  I named it Cascades, because the design reminded me of water rippling over a cascade-style waterfall.  I'm thinking about writing a pattern for this one.  It is made with one jelly roll and one charm pack of the same fabric.  I attached the label while at my sewing group at the library today.  It makes my 12th quilted item of the year.

2015 guild quilt

I just realized that I never posted my finished quilt top from our guild project this year.  (I finished it back in September, I think.)  It was a jelly roll mystery quilt that one of our members found at Carter Quilter.  The project could be done in any of three sizes, but I decided to go with the smallest of the three.  It only required 23 jelly roll strips, so I bought a package of strips that only had 24 strips in it, and was all color coordinated, as you can see.  I used solid black for my background fabric.

The top is all finished and it is ready to be taken down to the quilter.  I am hoping to have it quilted in "Glowing Embers" King Tut thread.  It is variegated red and black with seems like it would be just perfect for this quilt top.  I haven't decided yet what pattern I want it quilted in.  I know she has a pattern that is flames, which seems fitting, but I'm not quite sure I want to go that route.  I know I don't want anything floral.  I guess I'll just have to see when I get down there.

2015 Moda Quilt Top

This is my Moda quilt top from our 2015 project.  We did the Vintage Quilt Revival book this year.  I did mine in the Piecemaker fabric line by Kathy Schmitz, which is all blues, browns, and creams.  I think it has a nice masculine look to it.  If I were doing it over again I would pick different fabric, though.  I wasn't paying attention to how much of the fabric was directional.  I'm a little OCD about keeping the direction right, so that made it less fun to work with.

I decided not to go exactly with any of the three layouts from the book.  One layout had the blocks simply sewn together in rows, no border, no nothing else.  The second layout had dark, narrow borders around each block and then light sashing and dark cornerstones to put the blocks together.  The last layout used setting squares and set the blocks on point.   I thought about doing the second layout from the book, but I didn't have enough background fabric to cut the sashings the width recommended in the book.

As you can see, I decided to go with a narrow sashing in the background fabric and no cornerstones.  I like it better than butting the blocks up to each other directly.  I think the individual blocks stand out a bit better this way.  I had a good bit of fabric left over from the fat quarter bundle I was using to make the blocks with, so I decided to cut them up into 5 inch squares and make a pieced border out of them.  I still have some left even after that.

It is now ready to take down to the quilt shoppe to be quilted.  Not sure when I will get the chance, though.  It may not be until after the holidays.

Last Two Moda blocks for 2015

These are the last two blocks we had to do for our Moda group quilt this year.  The one on the left is "dove in the window"  and the one on the right is an Art blocks.  The center of the Art block was supposed to be just solid background fabric, but some of the fabric I was using had small panels, set on point, which seemed perfect for the block.  I sorta looks like applique, which makes it a little different from the other blocks, but that's okay with me.

Now I need to figure out how I am going to lay out the top.  I'm sure I won't get it together before our final meeting on Wednesday, but I'm glad that I at least got the blocks finished.  I'm thinking that I will sash blocks with the background fabric, if I have enough of it, and put colored corner stones in between.  I'm considering using what is left of the fabric to make a pieced border.  I'm not sure yet because I'm not sure how much fabric I have or how much it would take to make it.

Wonder Woman fleece

Since I didn't get to finish the quilt that I was planning to donate to the blanket drive at church (see previous post below), I bought some fleece and quickly made a fringed fleece blanket to donate.  That is what most people make for our church blanket drives anyway, so It's no big deal that I don't have a quilt, but since I'm a quilter I like to donate one if I can.  This year fleece will have to do, though.

Simply Gorjuss quilt top and pillowcase

The quilt top is 62-1/2 inches square and made from a layer cake, with a little yardage for the border. I finished it back on the 27th of last month, but I'm just getting around to posting it.  Things have been so crazy around here.  I was hoping to get this one finished by this weekend to donate to the blanket drive at church, but apparently that just wasn't in the cards.

Two weeks or so ago, I got the backing fabric cut, pressed, and ready to sew together.  I left it laying on the floor in my sewing room, so that it could be flat and not get creases in it from being folded.  Unfortunately, we got a lot of rain (Sunday night into Monday morning) and my sewing room flooded, which it had never done before.  So then I had a major mess to clean up including washing the fabric for the backing.

I got the mess mostly cleaned up (sewing room, laundry room, guest bedroom and bath) and then we got more heavy rain and flooding the following Sunday (day before yesterday).  Now I did have the good sense to not put the fabric back on the floor or anything else that I had already cleaned up, so there is much less to do now than last time.

I'm not really trying to get the sewing room put back together until we can find out why the water is getting in and stop it.  So this quilt top will just have to wait until another day and another blanket drive.  I hope normal sewing can resume soon, though.  It is depressing to not get to sew.

I did, however, make a matching pillowcase for the quilt, before all the flooding started.  It is made from extra backing, border, and binding fabric.

September Moda Blocks

Even though we didn't actually meet for our Moda group in September, we still got our block assignments.  I'm glad that we did because I want to get them finished up.  I finished up the second one today.  Just two more blocks to go.  Woohoo!!

Ripple Effect

This is the latest iteration of my "Squares for Cyndi" pattern.  Instead of using a charm pack, it uses strips of yardage.  I finished it yesterday on the way back from taking my youngest son back to college in Tuscaloosa.  I think it would make a nice wall hanging or a modern baby quilt.

Improved (?) Cascade quilt top

A few months ago I made this quilt top, without the borders.  The more I looked at it, the more I felt like it needed borders.  Plus, I realized that if I added borders to it, it could be big enough to fit a twin sized bed. 

I had not originally ordered enough fabric to make borders, so I had to order more fabric.  I used Kona snow for the small (1-inch) inner border and I used the fabric that I had originally gotten for the backing for the larger (6-inch), outer border.  I'm glad that I put the borders on it, because I think it makes for a more usable size. 

It's still not my favorite quilt that I've made, but it's okay.  I feel like it is just a little too busy.  The center of the quilt is busy, and the outer border is busy fabric.  There is only the really small, inner border to add any calmness to the quilt, and I don't think it is quite enough for my liking.  It actually looks better, to me, on the bed than it did when I had it spread out on the floor of my sewing room.

At this size, I'm definitely planning to have it quilted.  Not sure what pattern yet.  Probably an off-white thread or maybe a soft blue variegated.

August Moda Mini Project

Today I sewed together the top for this month's mini project.  It finishes 15 inches square.  The original pattern was done in red and white, but it was called "Flurry" and to me it looks like a snowflake, so I decided to go with blue and white instead.  I think it turned out really cute.  It will make a nice little table topper or candle mat for wintertime.

I plan to machine quilt it, but I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to go about that just yet.  A decision for another day.

August Moda blocks

Here are my blocks from last month's Moda meeting.  I don't love the way the Tea Leaf block (on left) turned out, but I don't hate it either.  Oh well, it will be fine.  I like the one on the right better.  I forget the name of it, though.

We are getting close to finishing up the blocks.  I'll be glad when it's done.  I hope I have enough fabric to finish it.  Still not sure how I'm going to put them together either.  I think I'm done with sampler quilts for a while.

A Cotton Rose Christmas

I finally finished my guild project quilt.  I had it quilted at the Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.  It is an all-over pantograph of poinsettias and holly.  I finished the binding on this one on the way home from our road trip to New Jersey.  I sewed the label on on our trip to Tuscaloosa to move my youngest son into the dorm over the weekend.  Here is a close-up of its label.