Get It Done & UFO Challenge

Where did April go so fast.  It seems like just a short time ago I was planning my Get It Done goals for the month.  What did I get done during the month, you ask?  Take a look-see, if you haven't been keeping up with my progress.
April Goals
1. Assemble Easy Street into a flimsy - Nope.  Still waiting patiently on the design wall.. 
2. Make 10 string blocks - yes - here
3. Quilt 1 QOV - yes - quilted 2 in April. picture here and here  
4. Quilt one of my UFOs -  yes - Winter Friendship Stars quilted and bound- picture
5. Make 4 pillowcases - yes
6. Finish prep on applique block - nada.  Can't get my mojo moving on this one.

I've changed a few priorities for next month and tried to be more realistic about some of my older goals.  With the warmer weather and the outside calling, it will be tougher to get sewing done. 


May Goals
1. Cut, piece & quilt a wedding quilt - This will also be a NewFO for May.
2. Make 10 more string blocks - only need 20 more then I can start designing a quilt layout.
3. Quilt another QOV or two
4. Finish knitting scarf
5. Make some progress on putting rows together on Easy Street.  You notice I am breaking this down into smaller steps to see if it helps at all.

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times and Carrie at A Passion for Applique..   Spend some time and check them out.

Stash Report #17 & A UFO Finish

I have returned from the AQS Festival in Paducah and so my stash report took a hit again. It was impossible to pass up the perfect fabric I was looking for to make a wedding quilt in "their colors" with  a pattern to boot.  And it should be a fast project too. There were great prices on name brand fabrics, lots of interesting tools and gadgets that asked to come home and play in my sewing room and of course many, amazing, unbelievable quilts. I was on stimulation overload by the 4th day and could not take in any more.  Everything started to blue together and I just wanted to get home and start sewing and playing with the things I bought.

I did manage to finish he hand stitching on my Winter Friendship Star quilt that I took to do in Paducah  (if I wasn't too pooped in the evenings).  Got it done!!  My first UFO for 2013.

Winter Friendship Star

E2E - Agave

Here the week's numbers.
Fabric Used this week:  0
Fabric Used YTD -  40.45 yds
Fabric Added this week:  12.5 yds
Fabric Added YTD -  71.95 yds
Net Added for 2013 -  +31.59 yds

To check out other stash reports, go to Patchwork Times.

Stash Report - Week 16

Even though I missed two weeks of reporting my stash, the numbers have not changed much, unless you count an additional 10 yards added!  I went to a Shop Hop you know and helped stimulate the economy.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Here are my totals since the first of the month.
Fabric Added in April - 9.75 yds
Fabric Added YTD -  59.45 yds

Fabric Used in April -  .625 yds
Fabric Used YTD -   40.46 yds

Net added for 2013 - 18.99 yds

My only sewing this month has been to make and sew a binding on my Winter Friendship Stars quilt.  This was a UFO started last year and I finally got it quilted. I'm taking it along to Paducah to finish the hand stitching in the evenings so I'll have my first finished UFO.

If you have time, drop on by Judy's Patchwork TImes and see what others have done this week.

I'm still alive and kicking.

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I've posted.  It doesn't seem like it's been that long, really.  First I went on our annual Greater St. Louis Shop Hop. It is held over a 4 day period because the shops are in Missouri and Illinois. I think we drove about 350 total to do them all.  I took 2 days to complete all the shops.  It was lots of fun, but  I didn't win any of the prizes. Some fabric came home with me though.
Then I attended an all day long arm meeting with award winning quilter Linda Mae Diny of Calico Kitten.  She taught from her book "Circular Quilting" which shows ways to use circle templates. It is amazing how many different designs can be made from the simple circle template. The afternoon class covered many different rulers and border treatments.  I learned a lot, now to find time to practice what I learned.

From Linda H

The other activity that has kept my nose to the grindstone is our Quilts of Valor goal of 100 quilts by the end of June.   As I mentioned in an earlier, we are still working on getting 100 quilts ready by the end of June or early July for some returning Missouri troops.  I've been doing a lot of quilting plus making and sewing on bindings.   In addition to the pictures on the earlier post, here are a few more quilt tops that came in.

from Debbie S.

From Linda H.

Now that I can see we are doing great in the quilt drive -- we have 70 ready to go, and two months left to get to 100, I'm heading to Paducah next week.  I'll be there for 4 days this year.  Anyone else going?

March Get It Done w/Pictures

Here as I promised are pictures of my completed goals *and those not done) on the Get It Done for March.

1. Assemble Easy Street - not done.  They are still in blocks sitting on my design wall waiting to be put into rows.

2. Cut sashing and cornerstones for Joan's Stars -  not done.  They are still in blocks on another design wall.

Joan's Stars

3.Quilt 1 or 2 Quilts of Valor -  YES 1 done -  This was donated for our QOV drive to reach 100 by mid-June.  I quilted an E2E stars and loops.  There are still more to be quilted (April's list).

Top by Nancy P. 

4. Make 4 pillow cases. - YES - made 8 in the month - another NewFO

5. Make 10 string blocks - Actually made 20 - so April is done too.

6. Finish prepping applique block - Edyta Sitar's Botanical Bounty - not done. only have stems and 1  leaf done. 

7. Put together Disappearing 9-patch blocks into a top. - Done

Disappearing 9-Patch

The disappearing 9-patch was to be my NewFO for January, but I didn't get my blocks from our exchange group until Feb.  Then I actually didn't get started on this until March at my retreat, so I'm going to link up with Cat Patches March NewFO linky for March.  

This brings me up-to-date on my GID, I hope.  I plan to be busy quilting a few other tops that were donated to help the hand quilters get them all finished by our deadline.

Get It Done

March has come and gone.  Boy, where did the month go?  It's time again to see what was accomplished on my Get It Done list for Judy's Challenge.

1.       Assemble Easy Street into a top with borders - not done.  These are still on my design wall waiting to be put into rows.

2.       Cut sashing & cornerstones for Joan’s stars - nope. I had good intentions, but still haven't got all the pieces cut yet.

3.       Quilt 1 or 2 QOV - finished one 

4.      Make 4 pillowcases - done.  Actually made 8 in March. 

5.     Make 10 string blocks - did 20 (so Apr. is covered too)  

6.    Finish prep on applique block - not quite done

7.    Put together D9P blocks into a top - done 

Four out of 7 isn't stellar, but it is some progress at least.  Maybe I should limit my list to fewer things so I could get them all done!  But that would not be as challenging nor as much fun.    Pictures later today.

P

So here's what I hope to get done in April in the sewing arena 

1. Finish Easy Street top

2. Finish Joan's Stars top

3. Quilt the D9P quilt

4. Bind the D9P

5. Make 4 pillowcases for the St.LCH kids

6. Make 10 string blocks -oh yeah, I already did April's back in March!!  yipee - Done

Stop by Judy's at Patchwork Times to see how others made out on their Get It Done goals. 

Sunday Stash Report #13

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Because of the many QOV tops that came to me this last week, see some pics here, my stash usage is looking really good!! I pulled as many fabrics as I could find that matched the tops for backings, bindings and pillowcases.  But to tell you the truth, I really can't see any difference in the shelves!  lol

Fabric Bought - zero
Fabric Added YTD - 49.7 yds

Fabric Used -  22.33 yds !!
Fabric Used YTD - 39.83 yds.
Net Used for 2013 -  - 9.87 -- getting closer to being in the black

To see what others have done to reduce or enhance their stashes, check out Judy's Patchwork Times.

A Parade of Quilts

Last month at the Bits 'n Pieces Quilt Guild, I made mention of the troops from Missouri that will be returning home this summer and that we wanted to give each member of the unit a quilt.  That we would be needing 100 quilts.   During the weeks that followed, I got a couple of emails from members saying they would make a top and bring it to the next meeting.

Well at this weeks' meeting, I was shocked by the response.  Thinking that a couple people would be giving me tops, we asked for those with QOV donations to come up to show them.  It looked like half of the room stood up and came forward for show and tell!  There were 22 quilt tops and 1 finished quilt donated to QOV.  I was speechless (and that is saying a lot if you know me!)  Here are a few that were donated.

from Carol S. - used the BQ2 pattern

close up of block fabric - perfect because this is an Army unit.

from Mary W.

                               from Carol S.

from Susan C.

 

close up 

a completely finished quilt from Nancy H.
What an angel!!!

This week has kept me busy pulling backings, making bindings and pillowcases for all the tops that did not have them.  This will certainly help with my Sunday stash report.

I want to thank all the ladies that took the time and effort to make these beautiful tops and I'll share more pictures when I get time to take them.

Stash Report #12 & A Surprise Visitor

This was the view from my front door this morning when I looked out.

Yesterday we were enjoying 60 degree weather and a light jacket.
Surprise, surprise.  There was about 4 to 5 inches when I took this picture.

It was so beautiful and quiet and reminded me of a Christmas card scene where a horse drawn sleigh is coming down the drive.

This was the perfect day to work on hand stitching the bindings for two QOV quilts.  Here is a picture of one of them.  The other one deserves it's own post later on in the week.

Hand quilted by QOV Eastern MO ladies

My stash report has not changed much since last week.  I did receive some fabric from a friend to be used for the charity pillowcases, but I didn't get them finished yet.

My numbers for the week:

Fabric Added - 4 yards 

Fabric Used -  1/2 yd for binding

Fabric Added YTD - 49.7

Fabric Used  YTD -  17.5

Net for 2013  -  32.2  in the red

To see what others have done this week, stop by Patchwork Times. 

I'll leave you with another shot of our beautiful snow -- this time from the back porch.  It's about 8 or 9 inches here, (I'm guessing).  Heard that we got 12 - 14 inches in our area.

Stash Report/Enhancements - Week 11

This week I found myself enhancing my stash again!!  When will it stop and start going in the other direction???  Only time will tell.  The LQS where I worked is closing and I can't pass up a good sale.  I picked up these fun fabrics - Peace & Love symbols circa 60's, and Save the Planet to use in pillowcases and the bright orange actually goes with both for accents.

Also saw this cute sunflowers border fabric that would make a cute table runner for my kitchen island. Now to just find the time to sew all these into finished projects.! 

With these purchases, my stash is still going in the wrong direction, but hey, it's so much fun to bring in new fabric to add to the mix!

Mumbers for this week:

Fabric added            - 7 yards

Fabric Added in 2013 - 45.7 yds

Fabric used this week - 1 yd  (borders on my D9P, almost a finished top)

Fabric used YTD     -  17 yds

Check out what others did this week over at Patchwork Times, here.

On the Needles and QOV

I've been slow in getting anything new on the knitting needles, but I still have a couple balls of yarn that I wanted to use up.  Since my knitting expertise is very limited, I am still having fun with scarves. This one is a pretty variegated teal blue and will be a gift to a friend.

This week has also found me working on more QOV quilts.  I recently received quilted ones that need bindings attached.  This one is now ready for hand stitching the binding to the back.

And not to forget about the kids pillowcases, here's one more to add to the growing stack.  This is #20 so far.

There is a quilt show this weekend that I plan to check out and the warmer weather is calling me to play in the dirt. There are just too many temptations to distract me, which is not hard to do -- but I need to focus on getting some quilting finished.  It's a good thing I'm a night owl, cause when I play all day, I have to "catch up" at night while others sleep.  So what have you been up to this week?  

To see what others have been doing on the knitting front, go to Judy's here.

Breakfast Made Easier

Last month Judy from Patchwork Times mentioned eating steel cut oats and preparing them more quickly. Perhaps the title should have been "Teaching an old dog new tricks". Since I eat these several times a week, especially in cold weather, I thought I'd give it a try. I followed the directions on the box for 6 servings.  Measured the water, added the oats and cooked it for 35 to 40 mins.  Then poured the oats into individual servings in an old muffin tin that my mother always used for corn muffins.  It only holds 9 muffins, but they are quite large.  I kept out enough for my current days' breakfast.  Then the tray went into the freezer for a few hours.

When they were frozen like hockey pucks, I took them out and wrapped them individually in plastic wrap, like Judy suggested and put them all in a zip lock freezer bag.  

Here they are all wrapped and sitting on my Valentine table topper.

The next morning, I took one out of the freezer bag, put it in a microwaveable bowl and heated it for 2 mins. added a little milk and heated it another minute or two. 

I like cinnamon and honey or raisins or fresh fruit in it -- whatever I have on had.  It only takes 5 mins. instead of 35 mins. now to enjoy a delicious, hot breakfast.  I love it!  Thanks so much Judy for making my life easier in the mornings.