Happy New Year 2015!

it's that time of year again folks, where many of us set goals to achieve throughout the upcoming year.

here's mine for 2015.  you'll see some that carry over from 2014, because i did not succeed in achieving them last year, and some new ones as well!

i'm breaking them down into categories again, as that worked well for me last year.

financial:
1.  make maximum contributions to pre-tax retirement funds
2. pay cash for a new car if this is the year the saturn dies

health:
1.  get back down to 140 lbs or less
2.  get back into an exercise program 2-3 times per week, even if it's just going for a 15 minute walk!

home:
1. paint interior (we bought the paint in 2014, but never picked colors and got it tinted!)
2. finish remodel of M's house

quilting and sewing:
1.  learn to use my serger - for reals this year
2.  Get done with all pre-2014 WIPS!!! Finish at least one per month.
3.  make at least 4 quilts for charity
4. finish medallion quilt by February
5.  keep using the fabric i have instead of purchasing more, and limit new purchases
6. keep trying curves to master them!

here's to a successful, happy and healthy 2015!

2014 - A Year of Finishes

I feel like I made a lot of quilts this year - twenty, not counting minis - but last year I made twenty-five.  Some of these were started in 2014, some in 2013, and a few well before that!

Looking back, I'm pleased with what I accomplished, though my numbers are less than in 2013.  I finished things I never thought would get done (the hand pieced hexies baby quilt), and tried new things and stretched myself (the Color Party quilt, the pixelated scissors, and the Cross Stitch Sparkle quilt).

I also seem to have done more selfish sewing, in that 40% of this year's quilts stayed with me or my husband, versus 20% from last year.  That being said, I made a lot of mini quilts and other handmade items for lots of people this year.

I finished all but one of my 2013 WIPs, but I didn't make such great progress on my pre-2013 WIPS.  I finished 4 of 9, made progress on another, but didn't touch the other four!

I started 2014 with 9 WIPS, and ended the year with 8, so that's progress I suppose.  That's four from before 2013, one from 2013, and three from 2014.

Here's to a productive 2015!

AWOL much?

so, apparently i have a blog . . . a neglected blog.  my only excuse is that the last month has been crazy.  between quilt market, quilt festival, my birthday, mark's birthday, a quilt retreat, not to mention work, i just haven't had a chance to blog.  even my mother called to tell me i hadn't blogged lately!

so, here is a quick catch-up of what i've been doing:

i bought all the pretty things at quilt market . . .

i took a fun class at quilt market and learned how to make these:

i made Mark a twin sized quilt to keep in his camper at the deer lease:

and i started working on a medallion quilt for our bed:

hopefully i'll get back on track with blogging soon!

To Market, To Market,Jig a Jig Jig and Binge-Sewing

I'm going to Quilt Market!  I'm super excited, and I even whipped up a badge holder this week.  I made one for a friend, too, but she took it away before I could photograph hers!  I drafted my own pattern, and mine, being the first attempt, is not quite right.  the portion at the bottom with the clear vinyl needed to be a wee bit taller, as the top part of my badge is hidden under the fabric edging.  And I got the strap twisted once when I sewed it on.  Oops.  Liz's was much improved, being the right size, the strap not twisted, and even lined!

Other than that, even though I haven't blogged, I've been busy.  Remember how September was the month of binge-sewing City Gym Shorts?  Well, this month, Santa's Little Sweatshop geared up here in Houston, and I've been binge-sewing Divided Baskets from the pattern by Anna Graham (aka Noodlehead).

Back in September, I made the first one for a birthday swapping club I'm in, and was amazed at how simple the pattern was!

Then I made one to give to a friend later in the year:

And another for a birthday present:

Then one for the Ghastlies swap:

And another Ghastlies one for a friend:

Then I FINALLY made one for myself:

Then, not pictured because she swooped it up almost as soon as I'd finished it, I made a very similar one for my friend Liz.

Then I started in on the Christmas presents:

All total, I've now made FOURTEEN of these super darling baskets!  I know I need at least ten or twelve more,  I'm having such fun choosing fabrics from my stash for these.  All of them aren't to my taste, but they're presents for other people, so I've tried to make baskets I think they will like.  They're a great stashbuster, at 1.5 yds of fabric per basket, too!

Saturday Stash Status

Weeks ending 10/11 and 10/18:

Stash Acquired:

1.5 yds lizzy house jewels in coral and green

I ordered 3 yards of fabric to make a dress (so it doesn't count towards stash), and it wasn't quite enough dollar wise to get free shipping.  so either i had to pay $7.95 shipping, or i could buy another yard and a half of fabric (less than $12 on sale) and get free shipping.  SO I ordered some nice stash basics.

Stash Used/Disposed of:

9 yds for six divided baskets
1 yd for Kitty Mini Quilt Swap mini and fabric gifts
1.5 yds for cathedral windows pillow and binding
TOTAL:  11.5 yrds

I'd say this was a pretty good week for stash busting!

Saturday Stash Status - The Really, Really Late Edition

'

Fabric,com had Ghastlies on sale, so I had to order some more, right?  And I had to order some cotton + steel to get up to $35 to get free shipping, of course!  And then another online shop was having a great going out of business sale.  Too tempting!

Week ending 10-3-2014:

Stash Acquired:

3.5 yds Ghastlies

1.0 yd cotton + steel

4.5 yds assorted fabrics

TOTAL:  9 yds

Stash Used:

4.5 yds more divided baskets

4 11/12 yds binding, backing and background for string quilt

7/12 yd Kitty Mini Quilt

TOTAL:  10 yds

Even though I bought fabric this week, at least I used more than I brought in!

Friday Finishes

My first finish for today,chronologically speaking, is my Feathers Quilt, made from an Alison Glass Designs pattern.  I participated in a QAL for this quilt back in January/February, and finished the top within the time of the QAL, but then I just couldn't decide how to quilt it.  Finally, I decided to have my friend Pam quilt it on her long arm.  Pam always does amazing work, and I knew that together we could come up with a fantastic plan for my quilt.  I wasn't wrong!  I love how the quilting turned out so much!  It's a nice size, at 55" x 66" and so snuggly soft!

My second finish was my Cross Stitch Sparkle quilt, which I made pattern testing for Sara Peterson of Knotty Gnome.  You can see my quilt on her blog today, along with info on purchasing the pattern on Craftsy!  My quilt finished at 54" x 54", and I wish I'd made it even bigger, although I was pretty sick of trimming all those half square triangles!