Finishes and Christmas Countdown Progress

In case you didn't already know, there are 67 days until Christmas.  With that being said, I'm making great progress.

In this post, I mentioned all of the projects I'd like to get completed by/before Christmas.   I've already finished the 2 charity quilts, both of which I did FMQ on. They both measure 36" x 36".

I've already started quilting mom's quilt.  Ever since I started making this One Block Wonder, well over a year ago, I planned to quilt it in orange. I'm using the color Pumpkin from Connecting Threads which is no longer available.

However, I'm not doing FMQ. I'm doing wavy lines which I've also seen called the Serpentine stitch. Mine is a lazy serpentine. You can see the quilting better from the back of the quilt. I really like it so far. I will do fmq/meandering in the borders.

back of quilt

 When mom's is finished, which should be by the end of this week, I'll get busy on my kid sis' quilt. Then I'll start knocking out the small quilted gifts, I've got 3 of 40 done so far.




Lastly, I'll start quilting Diamonds and Purples. I'm making it a quilt w/o binding AND keeping all the points. I'm trying something I've never done before and I'm excited to see how it turns out. It might even turn into a tutorial.  Stay tuned!

I spent some time this weekend organizing my stash. I usually get overwhelmed trying to figure out where to sort/file the multicolored prints, but this time...I just did it! I didn't touch the shelf on the right, but it has batiks, Christmas fabircs, pre-cuts and other miscellaneous stuff.

And since I was taking pics of my stash...I decided to straighten up the lab (that's what I refer to my sewing room as) to share some pics.

I guess that's all for now. I've got to get back to the lab.

Until next time, Happy Quilting and God Bless!

A Thread for Life

Where the spirit of the Lord is, There is freedom

Lift Your eyes to heaven, There is freedom

Freedom reigns in this place, Showers of mercy and grace

Falling on every face, There is freedom

If You're tired and thirsty, There is freedom

Give Your all to Jesus, There is freedom

Freedom reigns in this place, Showers of mercy and grace

Falling on every face, There is freedom

If your burden's heavy, He brings freedom

If you're hurt and broken, He brings freedom

Freedom reigns in this place, Showers of mercy and grace

Falling on every face, There is freedom

Great is Your faithfulness

Freedom Reigns by Jesus Culture

Linking up all over the place! 

Anything Goes Mondays
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Val's Quilting Studio Tuesday Archives
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Free Motion Mavericks
Needle and Thread Thursday
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop
TGIFF!

She's Still Stitchin'

Two months ago tomorrow, I insisted my sis come to quilting.  You can read about it in the Bitten post. Kinda long story short, she was instantly hooked! I'm proud and happy to say she's still stitching strong!  

She gets frustrated at times, especially when she's rushing to get something finished, but she's been very productive. She's already completed 3 patchwork quilts, several pillows and a couple “jellyroll” tops.  I often have to remind her to slow down. What's the rush? But we all know how it is when you want to see a project complete.  

I maybe should sometimes take my own advice about not rushing. Well, not rushing so much as just not having so many projects going at once.  I know this is the norm for many of us quilters but what's not normal is the other craziness going on in my brain. Like me thinking that since I didn't start quilting until I was 40 that I have at least 15 years of quilting to make up for, because I would've loved quilting when I was 25yrs old if someone would've just introduced it to me !! Crazy huh? LOL! Anyway having multiple projects you want/need to finish is definitely more stressful than having just one. All I can say is, I NEVER get bored! 

And speaking of projects, I finished one last night! I did different FMQ in each block. I also used Jera's Quick Binding method.

And, I finally decided what I want to do w/the One Block Wonder I put together many moons ago and hated. You can read about it here and here.  It's going to be a large lap quilt for my mom instead. Her b-day is on November 3rd so I've got several weeks to complete it. I've already taken the too wide borders off and reduced the overall size of the quilt a bit. The orange will still be the 1st border and I'll add a 2nd wider border of the brown floral. The back will be pieced w/the plain aqua and white/light aqua floral AND the extra strips I removed from the quilt top will serve as binding.

I've got a few other quilt deadlines too!  The Summer Star Mini and Bento Box are due on November 6 for a charity we are working on in QA. They've yet to be basted and quilted.

These Double Option Stars Blocks are for a quilt I'm making as a Christmas gift for my little sis. Three down, 39 more to go.

I'd like to have Diamonds and Purples completed in time for Christmas as well. Waiting to be basted and quilted too.

In addition I have several small quilted gifts I'm working on. I've got a lot to accomplish so I better get sewing.

Until next time, Happy Quilting and God Bless!

A Thread for Life
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isa 61:1-3

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A Quilting Reader's Garden 

It's Been Awhile...

I've been meaning to post for awhile now...I don't know why I neglect my blog so. On second thought, yes I do.  I've always got a lot of things going on. On top of my full time job, each week I squeeze in the gym a few times a week, church, small group, softball practice, softball game,  grandson's football practice and game, etc. In the between time I work on quilting projects...and I think about writing on my blog. Today I chose to blog before I sew, so here it is!

Here are the projects I've finished over the last few  weeks.

This is for sale on my Etsy Shop

This adorable pattern is by Jera at +Quilting In The Rain!

After my base hit last night

There are 2 quilts I MUST make before I fly to Denver on May 22.  One for my niece who is graduating HS and one for a good friend. I've started a scrappy log cabin for my friend and am making another scrappy, inspired by this beauty, for my niece.

Until next time, Happy Quilting!


A Thread for Life
No scripture this time but lyrics to a song by Sidewalk Prophets that resembles my heart at this time.

Keep Making Me

Make me broken

So I can be healed

'Cause I'm so calloused

And now I can't feel

I want to run to You

With heart wide open

Make me broken

Make me empty

So I can be filled

'Cause I'm still holding

Onto my will

And I'm completed

When you are with me

Make me empty

'Til You are my one desire

'Til You are my one true love

'Til You are my breath, my everything

Lord, please keep making me

Make me lonely

So I can be Yours

'Til I want no one

More than You, Lord

'Cause in the darkness

I know You will hold me

Make me lonely

'Til You are my one desire

'Til You are my one true love

'Til You are my breath, my everything

Lord, please keep making,

I know You'll keep making

Lord, please keep making me

WIPs

I'm officially on a fabric fast. I've taken a challenge not to buy fabric from Jan 1 -  Jun 30.  So far, so good.  I even went to Goodwill last weekend and looked at (and touched)  fabric and didn't buy any! There is a 2nd part to the challenge and that is to use up all the fabric I have on hand. My stash isn't as big as some...but I am proud of it.

I get so anxious when I think about the WIPs I have and all the works I want to have in progress...and I've got myself all stressed out. So, I'm going to try to do just 1 project at a time for awhile.  I'm supposed to be participating in 2 quilt-alongs:  a mystery quilt w/QA and a crazy quilt along...so I may allow myself to do these in addition to my 1-at-a-time projects...but I might not.



Currently I have 6 WIPs.  I'm really close to finishing 2 of them . I should have some pics posted this weekend.  Then I have 3 small quilt tops (2 pictured below) that need to be quilted and listed on Etsy...and lastly, I still have my Spring/Summer 1BW that I just really want to keep folded up at the top of my closet.

4-Step Flagstone

quilt top #1

                                     Cuttin' Corners

quilt top #2

I sold my Quilt Frame this past weekend to a Snowbird here from Iowa.  It was really just a catch-all in my sewing room and a dust collector. I'd only used it twice in the last 2 years, plus I'm raising money for my trip to Canada in May.   

I also have other WIPs besides quilting.  A few weeks ago I transplanted some Aloe Vera and Prickly Pear. Someone told me all you have to do is stick it in the ground and water it occasionally.  So far, so good.   I also planted 2 Mesquite trees in my backyard.  Thankfully the weather is mild enough to plant year round  here in AZ and everything seems to be doing well. 

Last week at Goodwill, I by-passed the fabric...like a good girl...but look at this treasure I found, that I couldn't resist! I paid $4 for it.  I sanded it, threw some ebony stain and a coat of poly on it and, voila! it's a lovely little side table! =)

Before

After

A Thread for Life

You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

-Oceans by Hillsong 

Challenge Pressure and those Darn Distractions!

At a Quilters Anonymous meeting in May 2013, one of the gals presented a UFO Groupie Challenge: Unfinished Objects(projects). The idea was to encourage and challenge members to complete unfinished projects by a particular date.  At our June meeting, anyone who wanted to participate brought a realistic list (sealed in an envelope) of unfinished projects they wanted to complete by December 2013.  Each month you check in to track your progress and at the end in December, read your goal and reveal your projects. At the time of the challenge I had no UFOs, so I made a list of projects I thought I could realistically complete by December.

Here's my list:
• Hoffman Challenge Quilt
• At least 1 Mondo Bag
• 2 Christmas Tree Skirts
• King-size Spring/Summer quilt for my bed

I sew/quilt for at least 15 minutes every day (usually longer), so this list seemed very doable. Definitely something I could do in 6 months!  Had I stuck to the list it would've been smooth sailing.  Fast forward 4 months, and I'm starting to feel the pressure.The problem is, I've allowed myself to get distracted w/other quilt projects. I've completed most of the projects on my list but I haven't been diligently working on my biggest, most labor intensive project. Now I have to finish my king size quilt and 1 more tree skirt w/less than 2 months left in the challenge!  Thankfully, I did start working on the spring/summer quilt in August and have done a little here & there, but after our October meeting last week, I realized I've got to get serious about it!

Here are some pics of things on my list AND those darn distractions! Most of these pics are on my previous post.

Hoffman Challenge Quilt

Christmas Tree Skirt #1

Distraction#1(wip - only top done)

Distraction #2

Distraction #3 (wip - only top done)

Distraction #4

Spring/Summer Quilt Progress  

I worked on this Friday and Saturday nights and finished sewing the triangles together. 

This pile will yield about 50 hexagons. I now have to press all the the seems open and then pin the 2 halves together before I can put them on the design wall.  

This stack is pressed and pinned and waiting to be put up on the design wall.

I've got about 80 up on the design wall so far. Now this part may seem easy...but it's not. Here you've got to get all the hexagons to blend or flow together. I'm sure I'll be on this step for a couple of weeks, changing, rearranging and all that jazz. Once I get them all up the way I want them, I can start sewing strips together. It's going to be beautiful!!!

More progress to come.

Thanks for stopping by.

A Thread for Life
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens. For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved.  We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 
Eph. 1:3-8 HCSB