2013 in review

I have been seeing everyone posting about the finishes last year and wondered how many projects I had posted last year -- so I made a list. 

• 30 finished quilts --- anything larger than 24 inches square
• 12 went to charity 
• 8 were commissions or sold at shows

• 152 other completed projects 
• 7 custom Mug rugs
• 15 Mug Rugs for events
• 20 Pincushions for events
• 7 items for swaps 
• 50 Hand Warmer bags
• 50 Boo Boo Bags

• 6 unfinished projects to take into 2014 
• Block of the Month quilt (needs basting and quilting)
• Lazy Sunday (needs quilting) 
• Doll Quilt 14 (need to complete assembly) 
• Bible Studies (need to complete blocks)
• Unwind (needs basting and quilting) 
• Food Fight Wall Hanging (needs basting and quilting) 

So that about sums it up -- can't wait to see what 2014 holds. 

my refuge and my fortress

I like word play and a paraphrase of Psalm 91.2 sums up quilting for me -- befitting my 91st post. 

The busy holiday season has meant lots of time working on goals and reading the fun blogs of others but limited blogging on my part. I have been doing really well on my goals and even got the 3 from last week completed. 

custom Mug Rugs completed 

Ornament Swap items sent out 

Little fish is completed and bound. 

This week the goals have been -- ignored, for lack of a better word. I went to the sew in last weekend and couldn't find motivation to work on my projects and with holiday preparation for this weekend the sewing machine has sat quietly waiting for me to return. I'm hoping since the plans for this weekend have changed that means time at the machine and not facing the crowds of last minute shoppers -- so here's my lofty goals what I want to finish up by New Years. 

1. finish star wars quilt (12/25)
2. Apron Kit (12/25) --maybe
3. block of month quilt for 2013 (1/6)
4. Doll Quilt 14 (1/13)
5. Unwind Charity Quilt (1/28)
6. Shirts Swap Items (2/25)
7. ironing board cover (ASAP)
8. Lazy Sunday (ASAP)
9. BOW blocks (ASAP) 

OK, so that may be unreasonable considering there's only 12 days left in this year but putting a dent in that list will feel great as the FA challenge starts up. I cleaned up my room a bit recently and got most of the fabric refiled and picked up a few solids for filler next year (still need to get white) -- so hows about a little eye candy as inspiration?

These and plenty others just waiting for me to become that list of projects  -- oh and to make things more fun Hubby picked up this Go Baby accutter for me. I've got my eye on a few other dies and maybe they will be under my tree for Christmas. 

Happy Holidays and happy quilting everyone. 

So long, George. See you in the funny pages.

So it's been 3 weeks since a real blog posting and for my dedicated readers I am sorry to have been missing but things around here have been difficult and busy. December starts with my birthday and with it falling right after Thanksgiving this year that meant a long weekend and on the way home hubs and I stopped at 5 shops in Raleigh as one of my gifts.
I have also been finding solace in quilting but as usual am lacking focus -- but I do have a few finishes to share. 

My mini Lazy Sunday -- it's 24 by 29 and adorable 

Scrappy Swoon is finished

November Block of the Month blocks are completed -- 3 more to complete them all (by 1/7)

4 more bible studies blocks -- 7 or 8 to go and they will all be done and ready for assembly. 

The UFO list is quite lengthy and some deadlines are quickly approaching but I am sure to work diligently and strive to complete those and more to enter 2014 on a cleaner slate (lower side of the single digit range), I have only 13 things on my list -- most are on deadlines so that helps right. 

My first deadline is this Friday -- ornament swap items need to go in the mail (started and ready for embellishment) 

and a custom Mug Rug order -- tops are ready for embroidery and then quilting and binding 

I want to put binding on a baby quilt this week as well -- I've been putting it off over a week now.

Next deadline is 12/21 --- finish star wars quilt (like for real this time), make a new cover for my ironing board and put together an apron for my MIL. I am also responsible for planning the Christmas meal to be eaten on 12/22 -- Pinterest here I come. 

We are off 3 days for Christmas and because the family is coming in the weekend before there could be a lot of quilting happen during this time. My first thing to tackle at that time will be the 3 block of the month blocks left they meet again on 1/7 to start the new one but I would like to get these finished by then and maybe assembled (that may be aiming a little to high). 

Next up would be the Doll Quilt swap item that I have designed and pulled fabric for but not started yet due in mid January. I am finding some frustration in the fact that my swap partner is showing a limited amount of participation in the group and didn't provide much info during sign up other than she dislikes orange. 

I am also working on a charity quilt and want it finished in time for the Jan meeting. (notice how exhausting quilting is for kitty helpers).

If I am able to get all this completed and not start anything new that would have me entering Jan or at least finishing Jan with only 3 UFO's and one ongoing project -- and that friends would be awesome. 

January also starts the fabric fast for Fabriholics Anonymous and we shall see how that goes but I tell you I am actually looking forward to it and have a few classes that I am looking into to start on my journey of destashing.

Hope everyone is having a great December and lots of quilting is happening, I know it will be at my house. I'm hoping to post more frequently and hopefully with more finishes as I push on to stay on track with these UFO's and deadlines. 

Happy Quilting Everyone. 

SO I'm not a salesman -- perhaps that is the problem

I love making things with my hands -- I'm not a sales person, perhaps this is my downfall in being successful when it comes to vendoring. This weekend I attended 2 events, one in Colfax  -- hosted by the Girl Scouts 

and the other in Clemons at River Ridge Taphouse 

They both had slow turn out and very limited sales, I think I will come out at least covering my table fees once the custom orders are paid in full but it's still a disappointment. I have some opportunities that I am weighing out for this upcoming weekend as well as for some of the weeks in December but right now I'm kinda disheartened with the experience -- esp when it cuts into creative time. So here's to some happy quilting this week and maybe things will look better at events closer to Christmas. 

I came home Sunday and did what any good crafter does I spent time with my machine and worked on finishing up some quilt tops that I have in the works and playing in the fabric. 

Scrappy Swoon 

Lazy Sunday 

(best pictures I could get the wind is blowing strong up here in the mountain today -- see below) 

Happy Quilting Everyone -- Turkey Day is only 10 days away and it's the final 6 weeks to Christmas. 

TMQG Retreat Insomniac

OMG!! I may finally be recovered from the amazingness that was the retreat this weekend. We ate to much, laughed a lot, drank a little, shopped and of course quilted. I defiantly feel closer to these ladies than before the trip and eagerly look forward to the next time Lee says lets go up home -- cause I am so in. 

All packed and ready to go -- yes quilting stuff and projects is in the larger one. 

Teri and I (along with her husband as chauffeur) headed west Friday morning and hit up some quilt shops along the way -- here is some of the fabric goodness that I proquired along the way. 

This set is going to be a wonky stars quilt -- adorable right.

After much debate and planning and a blog post last week I decided to take most of the projects I posted about. And it's a good thing because my pal insomnia showed up so there was a great deal of progress made and some seam ripping involved. 

bible blocks caught up (again) 

3 charity quilts bound

Unwind quilt top completed 

and promptly claimed by Mack

scrappy swoon (mostly) put together -- I forgot the fabric for the center at home. (the source of much of the seam ripping) 

backing for little fish quilt

and basted -- ready to quilt ASAP. 

started name tags for a guild member and her daughter 

started cutting blocks for Lazy Sunday. 

Such a fun time and now many more UFO's to add to the pile but at least many are close to being finished. 

What to pack? What to work on next?

I have a custom order I am completing this week and hopefully will be delivering on Friday on my way to a weekend in the mountains in the form of a quilt retreat with several others from the guild. It was a fun and challenging project made from various clothing items that a wife is doing for her husband after the loss of his mother earlier this year -- it needs to be quilted and bound in the next 2 days. I hope he loves it. 

Now for the more pressing matter at hand -- what am I going to take on the retreat this weekend to work on? Most of us have a million UFO's -- but right now I honestly don't, a good problem to have I know. I do have 2 blocks from my block of the week project to make, a few small charity quilts to bind, 2 small guild swap items to make and small throw that I need to finish the backing for to be able to baste and quilt. I am thinking most of these items can come with me because they are more manageable in size. I also want to start something new -- that list of projects I eventually want to make is quite long but choosing is the hard part. 

Should I make Lazy Sunday? 

Should I Swoon? 

Chevrons?

Disappearing nine patch? 


Or keep working on my rainbow string blocks?

I'm open to suggestions and I'll be sure to update next week what all I accomplish. Happy quilting everyone.