Planning 2017

Like most of you, I am looking forward to a new beginning in the New Year. My thoughts stir many ideas; finishing quilts, declutter sewing room, hand quilting, getting back to work, starting new quilts, organising the household so I don't have to cook meal every night, free motion quilting, assembling backing, etc. :^D

Although most of my friends say I am very organised, I rather think I am (just) organised as there is always room for improvement. I came across a blog last week that was very interesting and I would like to share it with you today.

Elaine at Crazy Quilter on a Bike has come up with her own planner, a very personal quilt related planner that cost a mere few dollars. Made from a notebook of your choice, the tasks are written in a "bite size" form. Mmmm! love that! The smaller tasks make for crossing off items more often and that is very encouraging.

Bought notebook at dollar store and started to write dates in colours.

Decided on my dirty dozen, next page has things I need to do as gifts and the third page will be things for the craft sale.

Oh, but I couldn't stop there! My thoughts turned to the first week of January and ideas started to pour out onto the page like snow in my backyard.

I left myself some room for other projects like RSC. No specific block has been chosen yet for the RSC2017 so I'll write it down later, with how many block I wish to make that week (or how many blocks my scraps will be able to produce).

I have enjoyed preparing this planner and can't wait to try it out. Hope this inspires you too.

Okay, since this blog is about quilting, how about some pictures of fabric and quilt blocks? I agree.

My OMG is not done yet. Working on the FMQ part. Aiming for half flowers in the white sections.

Sometimes, it is so awful it needs to come out.

This is what it will look like once it is all done. 

I'm stuck with the same questions I had when I put the quilt together; what do I do with the corners? Hurry, hurry, the month is almost done, says the little nagging voice in my head.

On the 365 Challenge front, the month of June is done.

June 29 - Contrary Wife - 41 pieces

June 30 - Beggar Block - 57 pieces. Since it is called beggar, I decided to make use of all the little bits leftover from the other blocks. The blue is the constant.

So for two blocks - 98 pieces
For the month of June, the total comes to 1455 pieces.
Year to date : 4997

July is calling for more dark 3.5" blocks. Lately, working on dark fabric is depressing for me. I'll wait til it is brighter outside because,  meanwhile in Canada:

Com'on now, all together!  "Let it snow,

Let it snow,

Let is snow ...   "                                

Until next time ... 

Hope your holidays are filled with laughter, a rejoicing heart and a peaceful mind. Know that I appreciate your company and love you all. 

*_~

Joining Sarah at Confidence of a Fabric Addict

Angie at A Quilting Reader's Garden

Myra at Busy Hands
Angela at So Scrappy

Monday! Again?

Not sure where this week went but it obviously went since it's Monday again.

Didn't do all that I wanted to [when do I ever do all there is to do? (o`o`) ] but a few things were made.

Finished the stitch-in-the-ditch on the RSC2015 quilt.

View from the back as it shows the quilting better.

The other sewing machine has to be set up for Free Motion Quilting (FMQ). The plan was to start on Sunday, but Saturday I was sick and was weak still on Sunday. If I still have energy, I will do this today. (Been shovelling since 9:30 this morning. Beautiful, fluffy snow falling! :^D)

But I digress. I did do some 365 blocks. Let's see them.

June 25 -  Wyoming Valley - 60 pieces

June 26 - Cross within a Cross - 21 pieces

June 27 - Navajo - 49 pieces

June 28 - Aunt Malvina's Chain - 36 pieces
Please don't look at this one too closely. I know my seams don't match but it's good enough ... if you look at it from far. lol.

Group photo - total  - 166 pieces.

The month of June isn't yet completed ... but i'm working on it, diligently.

Between blocks, I found myself piecing tiny bits together for a future crumb quilt. Maybe I'll end up with enough units to make a few Hole in the Barn Door blocks in the RSC2017. Who knows?

And I've also pieced some "purple" 4-patch for Bonnie's Mystery Quilt. I switched the purple for blue. I have a little love affair with blue. (and purple is practically non-existent in my stash) All the components of these blocks are from the 2" bin.  There's still some blues in the bin but they are mixed with other colours and it's not the look I want for this quilt.

So many times, we hear that quilters are very generous people. I was lucky enough to be the recipient of such generosity. I was bestowed upon by Gayle from Mangofeet. She gave me a Sew Sisters' gift certificate! I was so touched, I was beside myself. Such a generous heart. Thank you, thank you so much, dear Gayle.
I got some neutral fabrics. First time I buy from Sew Sisters and I am very pleased with the quality of the cotton.

What's in store for me this coming week?  Sew! What else? lol
Do some FMQ. Finish month of June in the 365 Challenge and get on to July. And shovel!  :^D
I have three more appointments this week and DH's bday, so I won't put too much on my plate. Hope you all have a great one!

Joining Beth at Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making.

Until next time ....

Show the world the warmth of your smile!

;^)

Winter Wonderland ... is fun!

What a glorious morning this is! Love it!

(Went outside to shovel and feed the birds but ended up have way too much for a grown-up.)


Some of my friends are flakes.

Meet my friend, Hildegard. She is new to Canada. She has fallen from the sky very slowly, through out the day,  yesterday. This morning, I helped her organised her "things" and put them together. 😇 (Don't really like that smirk. Let's try something else.)

Her smile is so sweet now. Her eyes are kind of droopy, giving her a sleepy look. Let's wake her up a bit more.

She looks somewhat brighter. What if .... ?

Oh Yes!! So much better. She's even sexy, (well, if you're a flake). Now she's ready for Hollywood. No, wait! I think her body needs some work too.

Let's start with the brains. (See how Hildegard is defying gravity here. Half her weight is off the table, just floating. Before disaster strikes, I set her down on more solid ground.)

That's what I call getting your brains picked.

I turned around and plonk! her nose fell off. Okay, let's fix that before the surgery to the body.

Hey, she now has the same nose as me. We're like sisters.  She definitively needs a face lift, especially the jaw line and the lips area. My gosh! so much work still to be done.

An hour later, Hildegaarrrrddddd is slowly melting  leaving Canada.

Don't be sad. She will be back soon. VERY soon.



Disclaimer:
On this 6th day, of the month of December, 2016, in Ontario, Canada, I, being of sane mind, solemnly declared on this blog, taking the entire world as my witness, to never work as a plastic surgeon or any other fields pertaining to plastic surgery, for as long as I live. Thank you.

Until next time ...

;^)

Monday's Promises

What's on my design wall today? Nothing. My work is everywhere but on the design wall. Let me explain.

Over the weekend, I pieced the backing for my RSC2015 quilt.

And I mean  really PIECED it!

It needed a little patching up. 

Don't have much left of this stripe fabric with flowers. Have even less of the green one. (in the first photo on the left) The bottom striped fabric was also added at the top and about one meter is what's left of that one. All are flannels. (It was so much fun playing with flannels again.) So that was a good use of older fabrics.

Pinning it together took most of the weekend, but I am finally ready to quilt it. Yes!!

I got more twine for my basket, cut some more old fabric and joined the strips together. It is now ready for a few more rounds.

Do NOT adjust the colours on your monitor if these blocks look orange. They are! (lol) (This is the first time I join Bonnie in the making of her Mystery Quilt.) I don't have a magenta fabric and I usually don't buy more than a meter, especially if the colour (magenta) is not one I would use often. So I decided to swap the colour for my favourite one; Orange. For the same reason, don't expect purple in this quilt. Anywho, I won't make a large quilt; at the most a throw.

And there are still plenty of blocks from the 365 Challenge to be made.

Playing with the flannels is like opening a Pandora's box for me. Now I'm itching to finish this crumb quilt.

More blocks are needed as I have two crumb quilts to make. My oldest son has received his flannel quilt. You can see it in this post.

One row is already assembled. I hope I have kept the "map" of this somewhere.


So, do you think I have enough to keep me busy? I hope so because this morning we woke up to this.

Yep, more of the white fluffy stuff. And still falling. And will for the entire day.
I have to go out and shovel some of it because

they can barely find the seeds I left on the chair. Need to refill the feeders.

But first, let's have breakfast.

Until next time ...

;^)

Joining Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making.

November OMG and Oops!

For the November One Monthly Goal, I wanted to finish the blocks left from the month of June of the 365 (block-a-day) Challenge but I had some Oops!

June 8 to 16

The blocks of June 1st to the 16th were previously made back when it was sunny and warm. The goal for November was to make from the 18th to the 30th. Here's how it went.

First a picture of June 17th as it was finished back then but not yet shown.

17 - Colt's Corral with 16 pieces.

18 - Mineral Wells - 69 pieces

19 - WTC Union - 31 pieces

20 - Joseph Coats - 49 pieces

21 - Windblown Squares - 24 pieces

Now here's the thing; in the North Hemisphere, June is the beginning of Summer. Since Kathryn lives in Australia, she was at the beginning of Winter. Hence the Windblown Squares block. BUT, Kathryn, being the angel that she is, thought of us, up North, and also gave us the block for December 21st (in other words, her Summer block) appropriately named Summer Wind. And yes, I did both. 😃

21 - Summer Wind - 45 pieces (another contender for RSC2017)

22 - Buckwheat - 32 pieces

You may have noticed that there's a big Oops! in this block. That's what happen when I try to rush and multi-task, trying to reach my goal. Of course I only noticed it after the block had its corners trimmed. At the moment, it is my humble block. I have a feeling it will go through a surgery before the quilt gets assembled. (Maybe I should change it now while I still have some of that fabric left?) 😖

Union Square - made at the same time as Buckwheat, also got a Oops!  The pattern calls for 4 dark and 5 light. (!!!) See the mistake? So I started over and the above 9-patch will go into another quilt. :^D

23 - Union Square - 21 pieces (not counting the blooper)

24 - Virginia Reel - 56 pieces

25 - Wyoming Valley - uh! ... no, not yet.

I didn't achieved my goal for November. :^(  I had a craft sale on November 12 and didn't start working on the blocks before the 15th of the month. Yes, I know, procrastinating is an ugly disease!   😒


Group photo

Total of 343 pieces for 9 blocks completed (and two bloopers). Not bad!

For the OMG December, my goal will be to baste and quilt RSC2015 named Hidden Gems. Yes, this lovely quilt, which has attracted so much attention, is not quilted yet.

I would be very happy to have it quilted before December 31st. Wish me luck because it is a full size quilt.

I will also continue to plow through the 365 Challenge blocks. Stay tuned to see more pictures of them blocks.

Joining Patty at Elm Street Quilt for One Monthly Goal: December. You can see all the new challenges and don't forget to check out all the achieved November goals. Some are wonderful, as always.

Joining Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Can I get a Whoop Whoop?" because seriously,  who doesn't need a Whoop Whoop?

Joining Myra at Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday. Any projects made this week, finished or not, involving fabric, yarn or thread is welcome at Myra's place.

Joining Angie at A Quilting Reader's Garden for WIPs Be Gone.

Hope to see you there too.

Until next time ...

;^)