Happy 2012!

As I sit here this afternoon catching up on blogs, I can't help but think back and, at the same time, wonder about the future.  One of my favorite things about this time of year has always been watching the recaps and year-in-review programs.  In fact, it's one of the few times I actually turn on news channels.  It's nice to be reminded about what happened...taking account.

To go along with that, I've always liked the notion of New Year's Resolutions.  Not that there is anything magical about January 1, but it just seems like a good, fresh time to make new goals.  I'm doing a bit of that this year, too. 

First, I must say that 2011 was quite a year for me in quilting.  One of my struggles with being active online is seeing how much everyone else is doing.  The productivity out there is amazing...and sometimes overwhelming.  I'm constantly feeling inferior in that realm, but with a full-time job, grad school, and family, I can only do so much, right?

I ended up finishing nine quilts this year.  That's *almost* one a month!  I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tickled with that.  Maybe double-digits next year?  I'm already ahead of the game with two ready to quilt tomorrow.  :)







I haven't blogged about my two most recent finishes, though one of them is pictured in block-form in the top mosaic.  I finished a quilt for my best friend and one for my dad in December.  The former for a birthday, latter for Christmas.  I still don't have pictures loaded yet, but they're coming.  :)

Of course, top that off with three online Bees, multiple swaps, including the post-Summit pouch swap, several Christmas gifts including pouches and iPad cases, and dozens of mug rugs and other small items.  I think I've been quite productive, all things considered.  :)

Of course, the best part about looking back is to see how much I grew in my quilting skills this year.  I've gone from being very nervous and unsure about color, fabrics, and patterns to being very confident and even being able to help others.  I've gone from strictly using fabric collections to branching out on my own color combinations.  I'm even working on two quilt patterns right now.  Both are still in the paper stage, but I hope to share them soon.

So what about 2012???

1) Blogging versus sewing...more sewing, less blogging and less worrying. I've spent days and nights fretting about how many followers I have, how to drive in more traffic and how to please everyone and, well... I'm done with that.  It's amazing how easy it is to fall into what I call the popularity trap and constantly compare myself with other bloggers.  My plan?  Focus on sewing and sharing my projects.  I've met so many new people thanks to this blog and that is what I want to continue.  So, I guess this first goal is really an attitude shift.  More about people, less about numbers.  I'm good with that.

2) Host a quilt-along.  Despite how #1 may have sounded, I have no intention of neglecting this blog.  One specific thing I want to do here is host a quilt-along.  I've participated in two of these and am getting ready to start my third.  I just love them and would like to host one of my own.  Still not sure of all the details, but those will work out eventually.  (BTW - if you have an suggestion, be sure to share it!)

3) Projects for my home.  Ever since I dusted off my sewing machine, I've wanted to make some placemats.  Yes, placemats.  I know it sounds silly, but I think they dress up a table beautifully.  I still haven't done any.  Not one.  2012 will see at least one set of placemats.   Of course, I'd also like some other things, like fabric baskets and organizers, and maybe even some curtains.  I love making things for other people, but my house needs a bit of attention. 

4) Family Quilts.  Each of my boys (hubby included) now has a quilt to call his own.  I want to add a couple - or maybe even three - quilts that are just family quilts.  They will hang out in the living room or on the couch in the basement, ready for any impromptu snuggling that may come about.  Oh yeah, and one more for me.  :)

5) A raincoat.  I want to make my own raincoat out of laminated fabrics.  A class will be needed, for sure, as I've never sewn a garment.  I just think having a raincoat that I made myself would be the coolest thing ever.  (Wow - how old did that sound?)

6) Knitting.  I learned to crochet in elementary school and sort-of taught myself how to knit a couple years ago.  But I couldn't tell you how to cast on to save my life right now and I never got beyond a simple knit stitch.  Time to move forward.

7) Cross-stitching.  My first crafty love.  My mom taught me in fourth grade and it's time to go back.  I have Amanda to thank for my rekindled interest.  She's made what I thought was an outdated craft  fun again.  I've thoroughly enjoyed digging through my old DMC floss and I can't wait to keep going.  Plus this (with the knitting) will get my butt back out of the sewing room and into the living room with my family. 

8) Crochet.  My second crafty-love.  My grandma taught me this one and I've let it slip.  I recently stumbled across amigurumi and I am intrigued.  I'd like to make a couple of cute little animals to have on my desk at work.  And at least one for grandma.  I think she'd like that.

OK - so, wow.  That's a big list.  Not sure how many I will hit, but it will be fun trying.  I hope you'll stick around and see how I do.  :)

Happy 2012!!

WIP Wednesday

Another Wednesday has rolled around...something tells me the next few will be just as quick.  Is it me or is time going by lightning fast lately?

My WIPs this week are nearly the same as my last check in, with a couple of additions.  The biggest of which is my new sewing room.  Hubs and I decided to switch places with my sewing space and the boys' school room, so I am now upstairs on the main floor.  Yay!

please forgive the graininess - lights weren't set up yet.  :)

I have a long way to go to make it work, but it will get there.  I'm going with a soft green (Jardin, by Sherwin Williams, to be exact) but have no clue when the actual painting will begin.  Mostly because I'm working on three new quilts.

That's right...three.   Though, admittedly not all must be done before Christmas.

Quilt #1 is for my dad for Christmas.  I bought some wonderful camper fabric a while back and have been wanting to make him one for a while.  Lots of teals, grays, and touches of orange.   All mixed with a good bit of white, of course.  I'm using Faith's Lemon Squares quilt tutorial...and love it.  I have four of the six block types done - well over halfway!

Quilt #2 is the Charmed Prints Quilt Along I talked about on Monday.  I now have all of my diamond-in-a-square blocks done and a few stars.  Hope to finish them tonight, which means I'd better get crackin'.  Of course, this is the one that doesn't really need to be done by Christmas, though I would love to have it ready for the boys that morning.  :)

It was a little of a bear to get organized, but that's mostly because I was dead-set on chain stitching similar blocks.  If I just went by the layout, I probably could have saved quite a few stickies...

Quilt #3 is a surprise.  Sorry.  I know s/he reads this blog so that's all you're going to see on that one.  Good news is that it will be delivered by Christmas, so you don't have very long to wait.  Blues, teals, and whites on this one.  :)

Other remaining projects really haven't moved much.  I need to piece the back for Sierra's quilt and get it ready to quilt.  Mexican and Bethlehem stars are still as they were.  One day, one day...

Happy Wednesday...don't forget to link up with Lee!

WIP Wednesday - Number 8

I went back and counted all my WIP Wednesdays and can't believe I've already posted seven of them. I knew I loved them, but wow! If you haven't yet jumped on this train, I highly suggest that you do. The accountability really keeps me hopping though my projects.

This week has not been my most productive, probably because of our Atlanta trip. Most of my sewing is evening and weekend work, so trips tend to pull down my overall productivity.

Completed: No finishes (yet) this week. :o(

Ongoing:

Sierra's Quilt - Rows are pieced. Going to attach them soon for a finished quilt top.

Guitar Quilt - binding is done over halfway around. Is it just me, or is this one taking for-ev-er? Oy.

Bethlehem Star - nearly finished with all paper-pieced glows that will go inbetween the diamonds. Should be able to knock these out in the next day or so.

Bowtie Swap - all squares are trimmed and I have each solid attached to a white square.






Tops That Need Quilting:

I'm happy to say that I finished Jane's Black & White quilt top on Monday. It looks so good...she's gonna love it!

Please excuse the shadows - the sun was setting, but I wanted to get the shot in.  

I've also pieced the back, using scraps from the front and this fabulous fabric.



This was actually the first fabric I bought for the quilt. It jumped out at me at a fabric store so I bought 5 yards. I didn't know what I was going to do, so I wanted to be sure I had plenty...LOL! I'm not going to show the back, although it is pieced and ready, because I want it to be a surprise. We (the boys and I) worked on a little layout that adds a real personal touch. :) I quilt it tomorrow.

No progress this week:

Mexican Star
Flipside Quilt - but I have decided on a recipient...heehee. :)


New Projects:
I'm in the 3x6 Sampler Quilt Mini Bee this go 'round, my first time. I'm a little nervous because I'm not one for sampler quilts, but I thought I'd give it a try. I have asked for gold and charcoal blocks and put together this mosaic:

  (Click on the image for full credits of all photos.)

Whatcha think??

Don't forget to link up over at Freshly Pieced and tell us all how you are doing!

WIP Wednesday - another great week!

I'm guessing I should start numbering these, huh? :)

This has been another wonderfully productive week.  I have to say that it is such a relief to have the projects slowly whittled away.  I feel much less stressed about my to-do list, which is great considering quilting is supposed to be my stress reliever, not a stress creator. 

OK, enough babbling you say?  On to the stuff you're here for... progress reports!!!

Jenn's Sudoku Quilt - ladies (and gentlemen)... this baby is DONE! Come back Friday for a full report.  I haven't presented it to the owner yet, so I don't want to post a lot of pictures here.  I will give you a little teaser, though.  :)





I'm also going to start a Friday linky-party this week, called Finished It Fridays.  So...really...come back, check it out, and link your own finished projects!  :)

Sierra's Quilt - I finished up the blocks on this one last week, and finally got around to piecing the top.





And here they are auditioning for the layout...





These are the first pictures I've posted on this project. It's become one of my favorites. The pattern is Alice by the fabulous Rita of Red Pepper Quilts. The fabric is Kona white paired with a Fabricworm half-yard bundle I purchased back at Christmas. (Yes, shameful to take this long...I know.)  I managed to get the rows together last night.  I'm thinking of straight-line quilting this one, in true Rita style.  :)

No Progress this week:

• Mexican Star Quilt
• Bethlehem Star Quilt
• Jane's B&W Quilt
• Flipside Quilt
• Guitar Quilt

Since I've finished the Sudoku quilt, I'll be working on the binding for the Guitar Quilt.  Trenton's birthday is August 31st, so I need to have it ready.  

New Projects:

Yeah, I know - I wasn't supposed to do this, but I couldn't help myself.  I'm in the midst of a bow tie block swap, and have signed up for 40.  They are too fun and too easy!  (And there is still time to sign up if you want to jump in - check out our flickr group.)

Here they are, all chain pieced.  Next up - trimming.





And finally, for kicks and giggles, I've jumped in to the We Love French Knots craze. But more about that next week.






Don't forget - One of my followers will win a Flurry charm pack on August 1st. Will it be you?
(No comment required - all followers are automatically entered.)


Happy Wednesday, y'all - enjoy your week!

WIP Wednesday - making progress

This past week has been wonderful for making some serious progress in my WIP-busting.  I've been able to spend some significant time at my machine, and a few hours at the long-arm.  In fact, I'm going there tomorrow with another project... yay!!

Here's a run down of my week....

Guitar Quilt:

On Thursday, I finally got to quilt my son's guitar quilt.  You may remember from this post that I was supposed to quilt it before vacation but wasn't able to.  This time I made an appointment that coincided with two of their classes so I made sure they were open.  Here it is mid-way through the session.  It took about 2-1/2 hours to finish, set up included.  Not too bad. 






The binding is now on and about 30% stitched down (I do that part by hand).

Suduko Quilt:
I have finished the top on this one.  I took a couple of snapshots but, honestly, I don't like how any of them turned out.  My appointment tomorrow with the long-arm is for this one, so stay tuned to see it.  It's using Oasis by Moda and turned out just beautiful!

Bethlehem Star Quilt:
I've managed to cut all my strips out and put together four sets that will be used to build diagonals.






We also had a class this week and started to piece the glows together.  It was my first paper-piecing session in over three years and I had forgotten how much I loved it.






The points you can obtain with paper piecing are just amazing...must keep this up!

Sierra's Quilt:
All the blocks are finished on this one, and looking oh, so cute.  Pics will be up very soon...I thought I had some to post some today, but can't find them so I'm guessing I never took them.  


Not touched this week:

• Mexican Star Quilt - still sitting in my bucket.  It's a wall hanging for my office, so probably lowest on my priority list.
• Jane's B&W Quilt - All the blocks are done and trimmed.  Putting this one together won't take long as the blocks are large and few, comparatively speaking. 
• Flipside Quilt - No movement in months.  I'll probably have to dust the fabric off at this point.  This one is also for me, so low priority. 

...and finally:
I was able to give Molly her quilt last night. So stinking cute.






I also busted hubby sneaking a nap under his coffee quilt.  He says it works well.  :)






I love, love, love seeing my quilts in action.  Warms my heart and makes the time and effort so worthwhile. 

Don't forget to link up with your progress report!! And, if you're busting out some WIPs - why not join the Sew Shine WIP Challenge?? It's really kept me on my toes!

coffee quilt finished!

OK - I don't know whether it was the Sew Shine WIP Challenge or the fact that I was on vacation, but I've finished yet another quilt. Maybe it was the timing of the two. Who knows - but whatever it was, I'm on a roll and I'm loving the momentum I'm feeling.  Sorta like a dieter who has lost her first two pounds - it's inspiring me to keep moving!!

Yesterday, I finished the last stitches on my husband's coffee quilt - a quilt over a year in the making!!



He and I are avid coffee drinkers - though not coffee snobs - and when I saw this collection at a quilt show last spring (2010!) I wanted to make a quilt for him.  The panels have the cutest sayings...my favorite is "Without coffee 'Good Morning' is an oxymoron."  Oh, so true.



This is also the first quilt I designed on my own - sort of.  The outer ring is a block that was featured on Moose on the Porch Quilts as part of a sampler sew-along.  (Just FYI for inquiring minds - it's Block #2.)  I didn't do all the blocks, but of the few I did, this one was my favorite.  It was simple and quick!

The inner four blocks are my own.  I wanted to highlight the panels, so I measured and cut them, then worked with the remaining prints and panel scraps to make the blocks fit. It's basically a wonky nine-patch, with the middle "row" being much thicker.  If I remember right - and forgive me for not actually measuring - the panel cuts were 6-ish inch squares and the outer rows about 3.5".

I pieced the back, out of sheer necessity.

Because I didn't have a clue as to what I was going to do with the fabric when I bought it, I bought what I thought was enough.  All I knew is I wanted a lap quilt.  The lady at the fabric booth helped the best she could with estimates, but let's face it - she didn't have much to work with!!  By the time the quilt top was finished, I had a veritable mountain of turquoise, brown, and cream scraps, but not enough floral to cover the back.  And I had no binding...something that apparently slipped my mind back then.  (But hey - I had only finished two quilts at that point and both were under the watchful guidance of a teacher at my LQS.)

So, a few weekends ago, I sat down with my graph paper, pencil and eraser and got to work.  After about three hours, I finally had a combo that would both use my scraps and leave me enough for binding.



The next struggle was the quilting, which is no news to those who have read my previous grumblings about the actual quilting step.  I had decided long ago that I would straight-line quilt, but I wasn't sure how to do it with the seams between the two blocks (the outer and inner rings) not even.   I finally decided to start in the middle and quilt a square spiral in the center section and then parallel the seams in the outer ring blocks.  Except for running out of top thread a little over two-thirds of the way through, it went pretty smoothly.  I prepped and attached the binding, then packed it up for my beach trip.

As I was finishing it, I couldn't help but think about how much has changed in a year.  The quilt show (where I purchased the fabric) was in May 2010 and I had only "restarted" my quilting in January.  I had not found any of the blogs I follow and had never heard of "modern quilting".  I hadn't started this blog, either.

Shortly after starting this quilt, I began falling in love with quilts from people like Rita, Rachel, and Julie - who I still admire to the point of near stalking.  They had a crisp, clean look that often made me catch my breath (and still do!).  I began seeing that, yes, it is ok to use solids in a quilt and - gasp - I liked it!  I found straight-line stitching and gave it a try.  I started perusing websites more and more, and my list of  must-read blogs and must-try projects continued to grow.  I grew, too.  And it makes me wonder what my style will be like next year.

Looking back, I'm not sure I would have made the same quilt today as I started back then (even though "back then" was only a year ago).  Not that I don't like it.  I love it... it's cozy and warm and I love the chocolate/turquoise combo.  It's incredibly special to me because it's for my husband, my schmookie.  It's themed around a quiet cup of coffee, one of the simple pleasures we both adore.  I know it will get lots of use. 


But, for now, it's back to packing.  We leave this beautiful piece of heaven tomorrow.  I swear the weeks go by faster each year.  Fortunately, the weeks in between trips seem to go just as fast.  I leave here refreshed and rejuvenated - just the way it should be - and I'm already looking forward to next year.




(See my Linky Party page for blog party links and buttons.)

time for a vacay

Well, I'm sad to say I didn't get my Guitar Quilt quilted on Wednesday. When I got to the local quilt store, all jazzed and excited, I found out they were closing at five. Not enough time to get the quilt done. Turns out their normal closing time is five, but they stay open later for classes on days they have classes. When I booked the appointment, there was a class scheduled until seven that night but no one signed up for the class, so it was cancelled. Therefore, the shop closed at five.

The ladies were super nice and tried to help me out, even offering for me to get started and leave it on the machine overnight. But with work being what it is and my evenings being booked solid, that just wasn't an option. So, I'm signed up for July 14th now. There is a class that day, too, but it's the middle of a Beginning Sewing series that already has people in it, so I should be ok. :)

So - instead of finishing that quilt at the beach, which was the plan, I'll now be finishing Molly's quilt (the Above All Fabric quilt along) and Matt's Coffee Quilt.  I was able to piece the back of Molly's Quilt and get it quilted on Saturday.  Here is the back...no pic of the quilting yet.

Both are already packed in the car, ready to go. We'll be gone for two weeks, which should be plenty of time to get the binding done.  I'm also taking my pile of hexies.  I've been working on these since last fall but Kristen at K*D Quilts has inspired me to get to work on them again.  I have about 150...but need about 1,100.

Tonight will be a fun night...girls night out to the Def Leppard concert in Raleigh.  Can't wait.  Then a day with the boys tomorrow, likely including Cars 2, and off to the Outer Banks with everyone Sunday.  This is our ninth trip together and we look forward to it all year long.  And I mean that quite literally - we start talking and yearning for "next year" the day that we leave.


If you've never been to the Outer Banks, you need to add it to your list of things to see.  We are partial to the southern part, Hatteras Island in particular.  You just can't beat it.  Tiny villages full of houses, vast beaches, and gorgeous sunsets.  Wanna see?  Here's a google images search on "Outer Banks NC".   No traffic, no noise, no hoardes of people.  Sheer, wonderful, all-out peace.  Island life is the life for me.

It takes forever to get there...nearly six hours from our friends house...but it's worth it.  Because the islands are so far from the mainland, there are only two places to cross - Manteo/Nags Head has a set of bridges or you can take the Swan Quarter ferry to Ocracoke and another to Hatteras.   We opt for the former as Ash gets seasick and the SQ ferry is about two hours long.  In some areas on Hwy 12, you can see water on both sides, the island is so thin.  Very cool...except in hurricanes.   

So in a little over 48 hours I'll be unpacking and settling into what has now become our home away from home.  I'm still trying to convince Matt that we need to retire there.  Almost there.  :)

Can't promise a lot of activity here, but I'll try.  I'm sure you'll understand, though, if I make myself scarce.  After all, someone has to watch the kids while they play.  :)

WIP Wednesday - so excited!

I feel like a dork, but I must say, I am on cloud nine today.

I have an appointment at 3:30 with the long-arm machine at my local quilt shop...and I feel like a 17 year-old getting ready for a big date. The day simply can't go by fast enough.

I'm quilting the guitar quilt for my youngest. This one...

I have to say it's one of my favorite quilts to date.  I love how the browns and blues have come together and the fabric is sooooo characteristic of my son - it fits him perfectly.

The back ended up being a bit of a pain for me, but I finally got it done.  You may remember my post about planning and piecing, where I featured this little pic.  

Well - in trying to create that back, I learned that there *is* such a thing as too complex.  I spent more time trying to figure out and piece the back than I did piecing the front, including my screw up.  Not good.  

So, I scrapped my plans and started all over.  One simple strip down the back, just to the right of center, with a label in the middle, inspired by Julie's pieced back tutorial.  I used the guitar fabric for the back, with a vertical stripe of the tan and the chocolate around my label.  (Sorry, no pic yet).

It's hanging in my car as I type, ready to go straight from work to the quilt shop.  I have to constantly keep myself from going out and checking on it...you know, to make sure it's safe.  :)

Once done, I'll attach the binding and pack it up for my beach trip.  Will be hand stitching it there since my sewing machine has been banned by hubby.  (Can't say that I blame him - he knows I'd never stop sewing!)

Quilting pics tomorrow!

WIP Wednesday

I've missed out on a few of these Wednesday reports, but don't worry - I have plenty of WIP's to share!

The first, which you also saw yesterday, is Matt's coffee quilt.

I ran out of brown thread last night [insert mild expletive].  The good news is that it's a color I can also use on Trenton's Guitar Quilt, and probably even a couple of others.  So I can buy plenty without feeling too guilty about it.


Next up, Jane's Black and White quilt...all blocks are done!!

Next step is to trim them up and start attaching them.  I actually started joining them before my trip in May, only to realize that they weren't trimmed.  Quite frustrating to think you are at Point D in a project only to find yourself still at Point C.  Getting there.

My big audacious goal... to have both of these ready to bind before I go on vacation.  Matt has banned my sewing machine, so having something to bind makes me feel like I'm still getting stuff done.  Less than two weeks to get that done.


Of course, I have plenty more WIPs in various stages; but I haven't worked on these in the last week or so.

• Quilt top done and ready to be basted/quilted: 
• Trenton's Guitar quilt
• AAF's Quilt Along quilt (for Molly)

•  Blocks done, ready to assemble top:
• Odyssea quilt
• Mexican Star

•  Fabric cut, ready to make blocks:
• Flipside quilt
• Sierra's Berries quilt

And, because I have nothing else to do, I've started a Bethlehem Star class with my quilt group at church.  Can you say A-D-D?  Yeah, it's bad. 

I desperately want to join in on the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along, but I think it would push me over the edge.  Since it's a year-long project, I'm thinking maybe I can join in later after I tackle some of these others.  Maybe.  Sometimes blog-land is just too tempting!

So - gimme the scoop!!  What are you working on???  Do you have as many WIPs as I do... more???  I'd love to know!  And don't forget to link up over at Freshly Pieced, too!