March's OMG project

With a 2 for 2 record for 2016 with the OMG challenge organized by Heidi from Red Letter Quilts, so far I have another lil' monster on my want to do list and which I have continued to procrastinate with so think it should be produced.  What is it you say?

It's March's Patchabilities that I've wanted to get done for the past couple of years!  I really should be embarrassed about it not but will forth wit publicly declare that it shall be done this month!  I really mean it this time.

I borrowed this photo from the Patch Abilities blog 2014, but this is what mine will look like too.  I believe I have the shamrocks wire holder too that came with the kit, but can't find my pattern now.  Will be on the search for that next.

Still away from blogging and am writing this on the 7th of February, but will return shortly.   Hubby and I are on a little quest.



TTFN, Jane

Slow Stitching Sunday 3-8-15

Linking in this after noon with Kathy's quilts for a slow stitching Sundays after spending most of the day in Saranac Lake at a Hockey Tournament for the youngest grandson.   He did well, scoring 6 goals.  Yeah B!

Since it's late and now approaching evening, this is what I've been working on.  Not too much more to go before this one gets done.  Thinking of using beads instead of french knots which the pattern calls for.
Will need to audition which will be best.  

March's Plan and a surprise

Feeling really good about what I did get done last month and not focusing at all on what I didn't get to.  Can you tell I'm getting really relaxed about letting those unrealistic expectations free?

• This month I plan on getting the 40 diamond quilt totally quilted for my ALYOF project cheered on through Fiber of all sorts  and as part of the Q-1 challenge with Adrienne from on the Windy Side.  Maybe this month I'll finish sooner rather than later.  That would be awesome!
• Make some yellow HST units for the RBSC with Super scrappy.
• One or two bird projects for the tree Bird Blog hop coming from Sew We Quilt and being cheered on by Lana.   I do have a bird panel from the fabric designed by Elizabeth's Studio which I've looked hunted for but can't find.  My day to share is the 17th which is St. Patricks day AND National Quilting Day, what a coincidence.
• Something for a March theme home goodness.
• Read the Book The Hotel on The Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.
• Make 15 blocks for a class I'm taking next weekend.
• Finish all the cross stitch on the bottom left corner of Winter's Alphabet.

That's enough even though there are a few other projects I'd like to get too besides.   For an example of what's also spinning in my mind are making a purse/bag (for the let's book it challenge), make another snap bag, start/finish quilting the Tweet camping quilt that I'd like to totally cross off my list this year besides another doll quilt for the stuffed animals community project for the guild.  All of this and that's not mentioning wanting to start the Jenni Beyer 2015 BOM or the New Hexagon millefiori that I just received templates from the Paper Pieces in KY from in the post this morning.    Okay, that's enough of that monkey brain spinning out  of control Janie, just breathe and stay on track.

Speaking of mail in the post, imagine my surprise when I received a nice squishy package in the mail this am. It was from Tonia who blogs over at  All thingz sewn.  Thank you so much, I love the prints and that pattern is cute which I also have an idea of making a perfect something from it.   Maybe I could squeeze that in this month too!   

 lol   

Also, thanks for those Babushka Scissors!  SQUEE!  What a sweetheart and how did she know I collected scissors?  With all my scissors I didn't have any like them at all,  I heart them Tonia,  THANKS!!  You really made my day. 

I saw in my email this am a daily inspirational  which quoted a saying something like "Perfectionsim is the killer of creativity".  I concur.  

Enjoy your day and follow your passions.  Jane

February accomplishments

Yup, didn't quite get everything on my list accomplished but came so close that I'm happy,  extremely happy!

#1- I only got one color section quilted but the quilting design is top notch and I'm so happy with it.  What do you think?  My question now is for the diamond center, should I add another stitching surround within it?
Those feathered fat commas surrounding and spinning around the diamond is not my own design.  I did see a quilt with this on it at the Malone Quilt Show and snapped a picture.  Of Course after much distortion I had to draw it out and then go to my local copy center and have them print it to a 9 1/4" inch size when I was happy with it.  Then to make a template and mark the top was a learning experience in itself.
I know many of you  love those Frixion pens, but I personally don't care for them since where I live is in a cold climate for 5-6 months out of the year and I will even keep a quilt or two in the car for travel.  That being said those pen lines will surely reappear continuously and I can't have that.  I did use a chalk pencil for this first block and am thinking of trying the pounce with the iron off chalk for the next colored block to speed that process up.

While taking the photos, I couldn't see any of the stitching  or even that much chaulk left remnants, that's why I laid the stencil I cut on top so you could see the quartered design.   It really shows up differently here.  

 I'll be washing this quilt out after all the quilting is done.

Should another design be added to the centered diamond quilted shape?  

#2- Baby doll quilt that matches the baby quilt I made last fall was Totally done!  This was a first for me making those scrap bits of fabric into blocks to add to the fabric when I didn't have enough charm sized squares left.  Mile a minute block is what they are called I believe. Not bad if I do say so,  now all of that fabric is completely used up.  What a great feeling about that.  It also used pink for the backing which was the color for February in the RBSC another plus in my book.

The second blue colored row has a mismash of fabrics sewn together to get enough for the row.  

Cute messages about family, love and friends written on the white cloth strips.

Baby Quilt with a matching doll blanket for when the child grows up she'll have a blanket for her dollies like she had.
I think with the 24" x 24" size this could also double as the infant carrier cover first.

#3- Check!  Got all the white stitched on but there's a stitch count off somewhere in the snow area.  Don't know if it'll be crucial to repair since snow blows all over the place around here.  Think I'll try to work on the rest of this corner this next week to see what should be done as whether to rip it out or keep it and make it work.

#4- Check!  Made 36 HST with the pink, (four made of each pink fabric).  Glad I am keeping up with this challenge so far this year.

#5- Check!  Made a total of  7  pincushions.  Will be back to share those later on this week.



#6- Check! The Round House by Louise Erdrich was a good book that I enjoyed. Near the end of the book the main character was making 12 peanut butter and pickle sandwiches for a road trip.  Jackpot I thought!  That combination in a sandwich is one I have loved since I was a little girl.  I kid you not.  Peanut butter sandwiches with thin slices of Kosher Dill pickle are great.  So for a snack at our book club meeting, I made little sandwiches for the members to try.  One didn't care for them, 2 wouldn't even try them and some thought they were good and several ladies loved them.    More of the members loved them than didn't so that book and I have converted some more palettes to this combo.  Insert wicked laugh here.  Maw Haaaa!

Enjoy Your day.  Jane

March es past... now onto April Fools, 2013

Since it's the last day in March I'm summing up the list of four (plus extras)  that I listed at the beginning of the month.  Not great but not that bad either.

1-Stitch Me Up Project - DONE
2- Kindle Bag - Didn't even start, will be relisting this for April perhaps this is  a New FO whenever I start it.
3-Quilt Convergence Wall hanging - Started, the pieced center is quilted now that I figured out what it was calling for.  Have all the borders yet to quilt, then pipe, bind and label.  this too will be relisted in April.
4- A Little Something Jacket- Started and so close to being finished,  Hemming is all that is left.  This too will be relisted for April.
5- The Baby Quilt didn't even contemplate!

The apron and the 2 Superman capes that were finished  were on my list for May. Ah hummm... Can I say I'm ahead of schedule there!

Boy, can I ever fool myself!  Only one completely done out of the 5!  How foolhardy is that thinking that it wasn't so bad?  Progress was made on all but one and I did list five so I am content none the less.  Now onto my hopes for this month.

My four focuses  for April for the Getting It Done challenge are:

DONE  1: Finish the A little Something Jacket made from the tropical foliage rayon.
2: Kindle Bag designed and made.
3: Convergence wallhanging totally quilted.  Have a stalled and very cold engine for this baby.
4: Embroider another lil' Miss Shabby Block (that project has stalled since February but one more so close to being done).
5: Piping and binding for the Convergence.
DONE  6: Shake Your Pom Poms project, my date to share is the 29th.
It actually was one of the top two projects that day.
DONE  7: Batiks Quilt blocks made out of the 10 minute block pattern.  20 made.
8: Make another "A Little Something Jacket", perhaps the orange with the cream and black print. Reminds me of Butterflies.
9:  The "Straight grandbaby quilt", have the flowers appliqued onto center of the quilt, it'll be an original design but still a simple.
DONE  10: Pillow case(s)  made for PGD#1 to match her Field of Flowers quilt.  Perhaps this will be a nice sewing project to do with her this week since she's out of school.  Made 3.

NO, this list is not an April's Fools Joke, it really is my intention.  There are so many other items I could  and perhaps should have written but I'll limit myself to these.  If those others creep onto my sewing table and demand my attention well then, I'll be forced to comply and will add them at the end of April. 

What projects are on your horizon?  To see what many other bloggers are pledging, follow the link to Judy Laquidera's blog.

Sometimes I feel like such a slacker with many of my friends and my Mom, who is absolutely amazing shall I say. They all seem to get quilts done lickity split.  For example:  Like my  BFF Trudy, last week I stopped by to visit and enjoy a cup of tea and she had just started a baby quilt for an expected in May, great grandbaby, her first!  then BANG!   Saturday  she showed up at our little quilt group stitching the binding on.  Talk about gorgeous and quick!  She had even sent it out to be quilted!!!   Boy, I am not worthy.    Mom makes a quilt every month and gives it to Community service at her church and she doesn't make wimpy sized quilts either.  Those quilts are at least 50" x 68" and done with her scraps and yardage she's  pushing through.  Besides the other quilts and projects she completes each month is astonishing.  I really am not worthy.   Yet here I am, all smug in my feeble creative attempts and loving these little projects of mine.   

But my most important project is the time spent with my grandchildren.  Any  projects not completed are a small price to pay for the priviledge in holding them, playing a game, creating something and just  guiding their development that I am content.   It's such an honor and priviledge that I cherish  doing in this life and hopefully doing so with grace (my other intention).

Jane 

Getting it done - March's list

Since February was a short month and all but one of the four listed  items for Getting It Done Challenge were completed, I'm not going to beat myself up about the one that didn't!  My book club met tonight at 7pm and my grand daughter didn't leave until 6pm and then we had to fit supper in there too so the plans I had for tonight are being thrown under the bus!  I had thought of getting that backing done tonight after getting home, but I still am in too much pain with the back issues and I am tired.  So I'll start off March's list with that encore.

I also notice so many other bloggers get so much done and accomplished that I feel like such a major slacker!  So my intention is to pick up my pace this next month.  What you may be asking, do I have planned?

1. Get the backing made for the Lone Star quilt and send it off to a Long arm quilter.
2. Make the long awaited Kindle Bag/Cover that I've been wanting to do since forevah!  This will be a New FO for March.  I love it when a project can fill the bill in two different challenges!  Sneaky, I know.
3. Stitch Me Up Project- A new blog hop coming in March.  This will be a New FO for this month too.  I really am enjoying these blog hops Madamme Samm thinks up.  This is a personal challenge of mine to perhaps participate in one each month.  It gives me a chance to grow and explore, stepping out of my comfort zone.
4. Quilt the Convergence Wallhanging.
5. Make the - A Little Something Jacket.  It seems silly to do that now when I am really focused on loosing weight, but I am tired of waiting til who knows when!  It'll get done.
6. Hopefully if all of these are done then perhaps I can start a long over due Baby Quilt for a friend's grand daughter.  Wish me luck on this one.  It may have to wait to April though since it's already number 6 here.

Ambitious or NUTS?    Who knows, I just may surprise myself. 

With my most recent post, I was pleasantly surprised by how many blog friends stopped by and left such nice comments.  My head is beginning to swell with all of those kind words and praise over that quirky rendition of me, that I thank you all.  Another amazing note is how many people want to follow this little blog of mine!  To me it's a very public journal of the happenings in my life with highlights on vacations,  family and friends besides the hobbies or current interests from my perspective so I am humbled by the connectedness I'm feeling with such attention. 

Thank you all so much.  My heart is open and I feel so blessed to enjoy the many friendships gained  through this modality.    I can only hope I don't bore you to tears!  lol

Jane