2017 Wrap UP & 2018 Goals

I don't know about you, but this year has flown by so quickly for me.  It amazes me that it is almost 2018 tomorrow!  In looking back at what I accomplished on my goals for the year, I find that it was not as stellar as wished, but I did manage to finish up some of my long list of UFOs.  Here is my Excel spread sheet of my UFOs from last year minus the 6 that I did finish.  Now there are only 70 to go. This list started out with 160 projects  over 10 years ago when I started keeping track of them. There has been progress, but I hope to step it up in 2018.

A recap of sewing goals for 2017.

     Use 200 yards of fabric from stash --- used 155.18 yards

     Finish 1 UFO per month --- finished  quilting 7 

     Not buy any fabric --- bought 1/2 yd. and was gifted 3 fat quarters

     Make 5 QOV - made 8 (3 quilted, 5 tops to be hand quilted by our QOV 

I also made 20 bowl cozies for gifts, a few kennel quilts for animals of the fires in California,  pillowcases for charity and QOV, 3 baby quilts not on the UFO list and several group quilts with friends for QOV.  In addition to quilting, I finished several pairs of knitted socks .

I'm happy with the results for the year, but hope to use more from my stash and lower my UFO list by 12 or more.

Here's a few pictures in review of some of the quilts. 

60" x 80"

75" x 99"

71" x 85"

Back

60" x 78"

Melon Party - Flannel backing

72" x 92"

67" x 78" QOV hand quilted

Back of log cabin

Sapphire Stars - top

 Lucky Stars - top

Final Stash Report - 2017

Fabric Added  YTD- 1.25 yds

Fabric Used  YTD  - 155.18 yds

Net Used from Stash - 153.93 yds

My goals for 2018 include

-- Using 200 yards of stash fabric

-- Donating 5-10 quilt tops for QOV

-- Finishing 12 UFOs from my list - Picking one each month

-- Knitting some hats and mittens from my stash yarn in addition to socks.

-- Trying to blog more often

-- Cleaning out more clutter from closets and drawers

-- Enjoying quilting with friends at least once a month

-- Trying one new recipe each month

Thank you all for sticking with me through 2017 and being there when I needed encouragement and advice.  Although I don't mention it often, I really do love reading your comments when I post and hope to get more involved in blogging activities again.   Happy New Year to all.  I'm going to welcome in the new year with some knitting and hand mending. Take care and stay healthy. 

Linking up to quilt, paint, create for stash reports, Patchwork Times for UFOs,  QuiltingJetGirl, planning party and Slow Stitching Sunday.

Nearing end of Stash usage for 2017

Well, it's almost the end of the year and that means the end of stash reduction for 2017 is getting very close.  I've been busy trying to get those numbers closer to my goal, but may fall a bit short this year.

December has found me trying keep up with Christmas luncheons, parties with all my quilting groups (4 of those), shopping for gifts, replacing a bathroom toilet, having roof inspected for hail damage, putting up inside and outside decorations, cooking and baking for hosting a Christmas party/luncheon.  Of course there was some major house cleaning going on at the same time.  Whew!  I'm ready for the calm between  Christmas and New Year's Day.  How about you? :)

However, I did find some time to get in a little sewing this month.  First the Cave Quilters finished the snake quilt and doing the happy dance. 

I made 15 bowl cozies for friends and family for stocking stuffers.
                      
(forgot to take pictures of the rest before giving away),

a couple of pillowcases and a few kennel quilts for a humane society in California helping with the fires. These are the small sizes they requested and I used some scraps and leftover blocks.

and a QOV top 

Also lots of blocks for another QOV top to be finished in 2018. I did use some of my stash, but there is still one more week left to reach my goal of 200 yards.  I still can't see any difference in my shelves yet.

Fabric Added this week - 0
Fabric Added YTD - 1.25 yds. (none was bought, but I was gifted or won fat qtrs at various times.)

Fabric Used since last report - 11+ yds
Fabric Used in 2017 - 150.68 yds

How are you doing using your stash?  We still have a week to go, you know, so keep on sewing.

We are getting a beautiful soft snowfall today and it looks like a picture postcard out my sewing room window. This year will be a white Christmas for sure
. 
Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

Linking up with Quilt,Paint,Create.

A UFO Finish and Stash Busting Countdown

Celtic Solstice is all finished!  I'm happy to say I found a fabric for the last border in my stash that worked, even though I was leaning toward green or blue. The backing is pieced, it's quilted and it's even bound.  Now it only needs the label and a hanging sleeve and it will be ready to be entered into a local quilt show next year.  Yay!!

Celtic Solstice - Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2013

Here is the backing pieced from some leftovers fabrics that were used on the front.  I still need to hand stitch the hanging sleeve down at the top.

I also worked on piecing the backing for my Sapphire Stars quilt (Kevin the Quilter's mystery) that  I hope to get done this month and reach my goals I set for stash busting this year. 

Fabric Report

Fabric Added  - 0

Fabric Used since last report -  4.25 yds

Fabric Added YTD - 0

Fabric Used YTD - 139.68 yds

Linking up with QuiltPaintCreate and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

A Finish and Stash Report

The last week of October found me at a retreat in Illinois at Kinderhook Lodge.  It was so much fun and I even made progress on some of my UFO's.  Celtic Solstice only needs one more border.  I had to wait until I got home to decide on a color for the last border.  It will all depend on what's available in the stash.

Celtic Solstice - Bonnie Hunter 2013 Mystery quilt

I also worked on some very old orphan blocks maybe for a baby quilt, but it needs more borders too.

Since Halloween fell during retreat, we had unexpected treats waiting for us on Tuesday morning.  Two of the ladies planned this little surprise.  A mug rug from Ree and all kinds of "spooky" items in the black pail from Jeanne.  The black pot had a skeleton bone = stiletto, a mini ghost seam ripper, ghostly candies on a necklace and other candy treats to enjoy.  Jeanne even dressed up as the Grim Seam Ripper. 

One night we played Halloween Bingo, which I've never heard of before. I was a lucky winner of one of the games and my prize was Beelzebub's Witch's Brew (Mary Ellen's Best Press). Have you ever seen this before?   Too cute.  I have never seen Best Press packaged for special occasions, but leave it to Jeanne to find it if it's out there!!

Another clever idea from our resident Party Planner was this  Witch's Hand.  Do you see a pattern here??

They said they were "giving me a hand" for organizing this retreat.  I sure hope that was the real reason and not because they think I'm a witch.!! This was popcorn in a plastic glove with candy corn for fingernails.  And of course a witch would be sporting a spider ring. 

Now do you understand why I didn't get a whole lot done.!lol   But we had Fun, Fun Fun.  We played Left, Right, Center for Fat Qtrs, after dinner a couple nights and Jeanne was the winner of all the batiks for both nights.  She should have enough Fall colored fat quarters to make a nice size quilt.  We will be expecting to see that quilt by next year's retreat.! 

To bring my Stash numbers up-to-date:
Fabric Added this week - 0
Fabric Used - 16.50 yds -(Celtic Solstice top & pieced  a back for it). Hope to quilt it by next week.
Fabric Used Year to date - 135.43 yds.


Linking up with QuiltPaintCreate.

Stash Report and Flimsies Oct. 22, 2017

This week was a good one for finishing up two flimsies.  First up is a small 16-patch challenge for Kevin The Quilter's Scrap Club.  We could make a small or large 16 patch.  I chose the smaller one to be used as a baby quilt or perhaps an Honor Flight since the size is what they require.

RWB 16-patch 38" Square

The second top is my Sapphire Stars Mystery quilt also from Scrap Club.  Now this one is big and used way more stash and scraps, although one could not tell from the bins that any was taken out.  I even had 6 other ladies take what they needed for this quilt and you cannot see any decrease.  I swear it does multiply overnight when we are not looking.:)

Sapphire Stars - 75+" x 99"

I used the same colors as Kevin suggested because I have a large supply of red, white and blue scraps due to all the Quilts of Valor tops I make.  This might be a tad too big for hand quilting with our Eastern Missouri group, but I know I can find a deserving veteran who would love to have it after I  quilt it on my longarm.

I almost forgot to count some fabric used a retreat when I donated 9 fat quarters to our Left, Right, Center game that we played each evening,  This is still fabric out of stash, right?

Fabric Added this week - none

Fabric Added Year to date - 1.25 yds

Fabric Used this week - 14.25 yards

Fabric Used Year to date - 103.43

Linking up quilt,paint,create and on Monday with BOM's Away.

Melon Party and Stash Report.

I've been keeping track of my stash on a spreadsheet for years, and continued even though Judy stopped her Sunday Stash reporting.  Having something to show does give me a needed incentive to keep using my stash.

I finished this quilt during the summer and it has a flannel backing.  Why there was a bolt of this flannel in my stash is anyone's guess.  It must have been a steal on price or I was planning to make lots of baby quilts. It is so cuddly on baby quilts.

"Melon Party"

Here's what I recorded since I last posted.  The backing and scrappy binding for Melon Party, bindings for 4 Honor Flight quilts, a few of pillowcases and some borders here and there on WIPs.

Week Ending Oct. 15, 2017
Fabric Added - 1/2 yd
Fabric Used -  11.5 yds
YTD Added -  1.25 yds
YTD Used -    89.18 yds.

I am linking up with quiltpaintcreate, Needle and Thread Thursday and Oh Scrap..

I'm....b-a-c-k

I'm back after falling off the blogging wagon for a spell .  I'm sure you know how life sometimes gets in the way of doing what you want?)  I just didn't realize it had been so long.

I'm not sure where the time has gone since going to the quilt show in Paducah in April, but it does seem like forever since I've posted.  I'm still quilting, attending quilt shows, taking day trips with friends to quilt shops in the area.  It hasn't all been fun and games.  I experienced some downtime due to an eye surgery and there is the never ending chores of trying to keep up with yard duties (weeding and mowing grass, trimming trees and bushes).  My commitment to the Quilts of Valor Eastern Missouri has also keep me very busy this summer too.   I know you understand how time flies when you are having fun and living life to the fullest, right??  Now it's time to get organized again and see if I can maintain some sense of "normalcy" the rest of the year.

Since I last posted, I've gotten a year older (maybe that's why it is taking me longer to do things lol). For  my birthday, a friend treated me to a day of fun, which included a shopping spree at the big Ikea store that opened here last year. There was a lot of walking and beautiful room displays plus many items to organize everything in your house, your sewing room included. If you are just starting to set up a sewing room, they have great ideas; but after 30 years, my room is pretty much set the way it will be.  We also had a nice lunch (a much needed break from all the walking) and we topped off the day with an ice cream sundae on the way home! I did pick up a few more plastic storage bins for sorting my scraps. lol

June found me on a 2-day bus trip to attend the Kansas City Regional Quilt Festival, in Overland Park, KS. (click on link to see winners)  The quilts on display were of the caliber in Paducah, but spread out more and you could move more easily between the aisles to view them. All the major vendors were represented like other major shows, but less crowded and people were so friendly and unrushed.  Such a nice change from the major shows I've been to over the last few years. I think this was their third year for this show. I highly recommend it next year if you want a good experience of a big show without the hassle of crowds and the parking was easy with very little walking.  The KC Show was followed by a day at Missouri Star in Hamilton. ! what can I say about this.  If you've ever been, you know it was OVERLOAD by the end of the day!  But it was a lot of fun.

Changing themes on the next day trip, found me in Hermann, MO which is known for wineries and good German foods and meats.  We had to sample their wines and homemade meats. One stop was at the  Swiss Meats Market where we sampled 12 different homemade sausages, bacon and hams and dips. One was better than the next.  Let's just say I bought more food products in this area than I did fabric at Mo. Star and KC show put together.  What can I say, I like to eat! :)

Now that my internet service is fixed and my computer seems to be working properly (keeping my fingers crossed on both counts), I hope to post some pictures next time to bring you up-to-date on my quilting projects and other happens around here.

I hope there are still a few friends out there to see them. lol  See you soon.

Happy Weekend to you all.

Stash Report - April 30, 2017

There wasn't much sewing accomplished this week at my house. I did finish quilting my Rail Fence QOV and made the binding and a pillowcase to go with it.  This is not much, but considering I went to the AQS show in Paducah, it was some what of a miracle that no fabric came home with me to increase the stash.  I did bring home other goodies to play with though.

Stash Report - April 30, 2017

No Fabric Added this week 

YTD Added - 0.25

Fabric Used this week   = 1.625 yards  

YTD used in 2017  =  77.675

Linking up with Patchwork Times.

Using More Stash

Here it is Sunday already and time to take accounting of my fabric usage this week.  I did finish up a big quilt, but the fabric had been counted already.   My only other usage wqas a pillowcase to go with the Tilted Stars QOV and a couple 'bowl buddies' for a friend and me.  Her's turned out so cute with a FQ she gave me, I had enough left to make one for myself.  I used yellow for the reverse side of her bowl and mine naturally is purple. (no surprise, right?).  The colors match the flowers on the inside of the bowl. I forgot to take a picture of hers before I gave it to her.

Bowl Buddy - I love this print for Springtime

I use these bowl potholders in the microwave almost daily either for hot cereal, soup or warming up any leftovers that fit into a medium large bowl.  They work so nicely, it's a mystery how I got along without one before.

It is more lavender than blue like it looks here.

Pillowcase to go with Tilted Stars QOV 

Stash Report -4/23/17

No Fabric Added this week 

YTD Added - 0.25

Fabric Used this week   = 2.25 yards  

YTD used in 2017  =  76.05 yards  

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

Another UFO Bites the Dust

I'm rolling along this month knocking out another of those dusty UFOs that have been mellowing over the years.  This one goes back a long, L-O--N--G time ago.  Way back in 2000 I was making blocks for our BOM drawings.  I won 7 blocks of these Tilted Stars in a half log cabin setting.  At that time I was not involved with QOV, so these 7 blocks sat in a box with many other unfinished things for a few years. Finally I decided to make more blocks so I would have enough to make a decent sized quilt.

Fast forward maybe 10 years, when I ran across them again and then finished piecing the middle section, but had no idea what I wanted for a border.  So they lay another few years hidden under stacks of UFOs and other things.  As I became more involved with QoV,  it crossed my mind this would make a good quilt to donate to a veteran, so I finished the top, added half log cabin borders to mimic the block setting and pieced a backing.   Now like a good wine or cheese, mellowing improves the final product, right?  Well I left this to mellow on a hanger near my quilting machine for a few more years (you see I was trying to decide how I was going to custom quilt it).  Then out of the blue, our first quilting day of this year was cancelled because of weather, but we all wanted to get together and quilt.  So I invited a bunch of ladies over and pulled this off the hanger to put in a quilting frame and now it is totally finished with hand quilting instead of me having to decide how to custom quilt it. I love it when things work out so well, even if it took 16 years.  I sure hope there are not too many more quilts "mellowing" this long in the closet or on the shelves.

Tilted Patriotic Stars - 67" x 78"

Backing to Tilted Stars

On the knitting front, a little more progress was made on my socks.  A few more rows and it will be heel flap time.

And, I pulled out this diagonal cowl again and did a few rows to be sure I don't forget how to do the pattern.

You know as we get older, they say our short term memories are not as sharp.  This may be a reason not to have more than one project on a needle at a time.  My next goal for knitting.  I do not want to have as many UFOs in yarn as I do in quilting things.,

Linking up with Patchwork Times, Whoop, Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finish It Up Friday,

Another finished UFO plus Fabric Report

I'm a happy camper this week.  Lots of good things always happen in April, my favorite month of the year.  First up I finished my mystery quilt, "Coming Home" which was started in January 2016 as a project in Scrap Club with Kevin.  I used all kinds of scraps from Christmas to children's prints.  It has string piecing, old, old fabrics; and one of my least favorite colors, brown.  Linda at Flourishing Palms called it her 'ick' color and I have to agree it's not one of my favorites either. Although, after having said that, I do think it looks pretty good with the teals and/turquoise in this quilt. There was still a bunch of the browns left and a few orphan blocks, so they found their way to the back, along with some ancient pieces that needed to see the light of day.

"Coming Home" - 71" x 85"

Back of "Coming Home"

I was also a Giveaway Winner too this week!!  Didn't I tell you that April is a special month? I am anxiously waiting for some Printed Treasures sheets which were a giveaway win over at Linda's blog. They are really going to come in handy this month, with 3 anticipated finishes that will need labels. Thanks so much Linda.  It's like an early birthday present!

Also completed this week was the backing to my Patriotic Rail Fence QOV. You can find the pattern information and details on an earlier post.  

60" x 78"

Backing to Rail Fence

So , here is what was used since March 26, 2017.

Stash Report - 4/9/17

No Fabric Added this week  

YTD Added - 0.25

Fabric Used this week   = 7.75 yards  - backing and binding

YTD used in 2017  =  73.30 yards  

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times and Oh Scraps.

On The Needles

Not much has been happening on my needles for quite some time.  Way back on March 10th I showed this sock which was started using a long circular needle and trying to learn the Magic Loop method.  Well, that did not go so well.  After dropping stitches, forgetting which way I was going (after putting it down for a week or two), and having to rip back at least 3 times, I said enough was enough.

First attempt with Magic Loop

So I started over from the beginning earlier this week on my trusty dpns, and this is where I am today. Just about the same place as a month ago. Not much progress on these needles either, but I've only had a few minutes here and there to do any knitting,

Back to my dependable 5 dpns

Sorry about the bad picture,  

On a happier note though, I received these beautiful socks from Michelle of Michelle's Romantic Tangle. She heard I loved purple and I so admired these fabulous beauties when she posted them (she called them 'ugly' can you imagine)!.  They fit perfectly and feel so soft and wonderful on my feet and you should see the fancy pattern she used on them.  Michelle took much better pictures when she posted them about the particulars of yarn and pattern HERE.

Thank you SO MUCH Michelle!  I love them!  They go with several of my sweaters and are getting good use.  Everyone compliments me when I wear them too.  They of course think I knitted them myself,   Then when they see the fancy cable section, they know I didn't. lol

Linking up with OTN at Patchwork Times.

A Finished Top and Stash Report

This was a very busy week with tax preparations, QoV quilting day, several quilt meetings and Springtime garden cleanup. But here it is Sunday and I'm still kicking.!  I'm happy with all the chores I finished even though not all of them involved sewing and quilting. I did finished the top for our rail fence challenge project for Kevin's Scrap Club.  This is a very simple pattern (from the free patterns at www.maryquilts.com) and I used mostly what I already had cut in my string drawers.  That was the motivation why I chose to use this pattern. The stars at the top are orphan blocks leftover from a project about 4 years ago.  I was so glad to get them out of the drawer and into another quilt. The rest of the stars will find their way to the back of the quilt and they will be all gone. yay.  This coming week I hope to find time to work on piecing a backing and getting it quilted.  We'll see how that goes.

2017 Rail Fence Challenge - 60" x 78"

I will be donating this as a finished quilt to our local QOV Eastern Missouri group.

I'm still working toward hitting my goal this year of 200 yards used from my stash.  So a little over 5 1/2 yards used for this top.!

Stash Report

No Fabric Added this week  

YTD Added - 0.25

Fabric Used this week =  5.62 yards  

YTD Used in 2017 =  65.55 yards  

I'm linking up to Judy's Patchwork Times,

Design Wall and Fabric Stash Report

Since I'm late with reporting the Stash Report, I'm going to include it here along with what's on the Design Wall. First, here's what is on my design wall. We have been given a challenge at our Scraps Club from Kevin, to make a quilt using a rail fence block in any way we want and a choice of two sizes. I decided to make a red, white, and blue large quilt with a simple setting and will donate the finished quilt to Quilts of Valor, Eastern MO. Here's what I've gotten done so far and they are all scraps from my scrappy patriotic bins.

I was busy in the sewing room this week and I made one of those bowl shaped potholders for a gift, pieced two blocks for our block exchange group, and more rail fence blocks in gray and maroon for a donation quilt to a church as a thank you.  I got a big boost from gifting a big pile of juvenile fabrics to a blogger friend to help her add more variety to her stash for making charity baby quilts and gave a yard to another friend for making a binding on her last quilt. So my numbers look pretty good this week.

Stash Report - 3-19-17

Fabric Added this week - none

YTD Added - 0.25

Fabric Used this week -  11.25 yards  

YTD Used in 2017  - 59.93 yards  

I had received one of these bowl potholder from a friend, and I use all the time. The bowl sits snuggly down in it and you can pick it up with the two opposite corners.

Potholder for handling hot bowls

Double Pinwheels for block exchange

Rail Fence blocks for group donation quilt

I am linking up with Patchwork Times Stash Report and DSM.