#87 Spring is Here with Distractions of Colour

Even though things are still pretty brown here, there is sun and some warmer days. So I will call that a definite plus and the sun and warmer weather has inspired a new design with lots of colour, totally distracting me from that WIP list I am determined to complete.

I started out to make the One Hour Basket that I have seen lots of IG friends displaying in their feeds, by Kelbysews. If you follow the link you will find the tutorial and download., But.... I got so distracted I still haven't made one yet, lol.

I decided to sew some jelly roll strips together thinking that I could use them up and make an interesting basket. When I finished making 6 sets, I fell in love with the way they looked and I couldn't make the basket.... I wanted to make a quilt. So I sat down at EQ7 and got to work.

This is what I came up with.....Working name...Wiggle Me Colourful

and I'm half way done testing the pattern!!!

How fantastic is this!!! 

So the question I am putting out there is..... Anyone interested in the pattern? It is a great jelly roll pattern (other then the 3.5" border I plan to add) and I think a great beginner project. Even with the matching, if you press each row alternating they nest up easily!
I will be done sewing the test project this week and then I might be setting up for a free sew along with this pattern if there is enough interest!!(leave a comment) It would be a fairly quick sew along too, especially if you use precuts instead of yardage!

In the What I've Been Up To part of the post.......

I've been so distracted by springs arrival, which gave me an urge to work with bright happy colours, my poor WIP list has been a little neglected, so I'm posting it again to inspire me to get back on task.

(After adding the list and updating it.....I've got to say I am in better shape than I thought!! I am going to have to update and remove some of the categories that I've completed!!! Ya, I love lists and seeing the progress!! But with the completion of WIPs comes a longer list of quilt tops that need to be quilted, eek......)

To Complete This Year List

Blocks to Piece (blocks not finished)

• (3)Triple Star Blocks
• Playing Cards (Bee Blocks)
• (?) Scrappy Trip Around the World Blocks 
• Fusion Quilt
• Flower Patch Quilt
• Lattice Bones Quilt
• Colouring Box Quilt
• Sew Kitchy Paper Pieced BOM (one more block, Miss Betty)
• Craftsy BOM 2013

Quilt Tops to Sew Together (blocks are complete)

• Sugar Block Club 2013
• Sugar Block Club 2014
• Block Rock'n
• Classic Meets Modern
• Aurifil Designer of the Month 2014
• Globe Trotting BOM
• Layer Cake Challenge
• Come Together (Bee Blocks)
• Playing Cards (Bee Blocks)

Quilt Tops: to Quilt

• City Sampler
• Churn Dash QAL
• Nested Churn Dash
• Parade (tester pattern)
• Square Deal
• Trifle Dish Moda QAL
• Modern Blocks QAL
• Virtual Quilting Bee
• Triangle QAL
• *Globe Trotting BOM
• *Classic Meets Modern
• *Sugar Block Club 2013
• *Elephant Parade
• *Playing Cards
• *Block Rock'n
• *Auriful Designer of the Month 2014
• *Layer Cake Challenge
• *Sugar Block 2014
• *Come Together Blocks

Quilts to Bind (that's all I have to do, you would think I would just get it done)

• Bloom Bloom Pow
• Craftsy BOM 2012
• Mystery Quilt

New Projects to Do this Year:

1. 15-30 adult size bibs for special needs children at an orphanage in the Philippines (church missions trip in April) (the number turned out to be 21-just need to bind them!!)*6 left to sew
2. Design 2 original projects and write up the patterns ( I am excited about this challenge) more info on this in the future  (I did one and may still try for another, but done for now)
3. 2 quilts (one niece/one nephew )
4. Set of Placemats (12)
5. 4 mini Sew Together Bags
6. 4 Regular Sew Together Bags
7. 6 Duffle Bags
8. 6-11 purses, yup not kidding, I join the Bag of the Month again this year over at Sew Sweetness and last year of the six I only made one of the bags. This year I am determined to complete them all. (1/6 done)
9. New Christmas Stockings (8)
10. Christmas Tree Skirt
11. Misc sewing of pouches, because there is always a need for a simple pouch or 10, lol.
12. *Elephant Parade, because it was so cute I couldn't resist!! Which makes an even dozen new projects. One per month....that's doable.......

*updates

#80 Finishes and Goals for March!!!

February was a fun month...

1. I turned 50, had a party, gave away some awesome gifts (thanks to some great shops)

2. Received a Go Big fabric cutter for my birthday, and now have 5 die cutters!! (awesome hubby)

3. Designed a Valentine's table topper (pattern is coming, because it's always a good time for love)

4. Did some secret sewing (I'll talk about that in a few months!! so excited)

5. Started designing some quilt blocks and quilt patterns (so much fun!!)

6. Started a new project (even though I wasn't going to do anything new...till all of my WIP list was done....) I did get some WIPs done too!!

7. I won 3 FQs of Black and White!!!
8. Have been doing really well with the Sew My Stash  2015 Challenge!! I have purchased, but 3/4 of all my sewing at this point is all stash!!! yippy!!

Finishes:

the new project, I wasn't going to start.....too cute it sucked me in!!

Elephant Parade: free sew along over at Sew Fresh Quilts

 Needs eyes and bird's legs added, quilting will have to wait on my list.....

January Bag of the Month:

Valentine's Day:

Secret Sewing: All I can show you for now is the backs of the minis!! 2 samples of the pattern. One made with Kate Spain's Sunnyside and the other Shot Cotton and Cotton and Steel.

And finally got the binding on my Craftsy BOM 2012!! I was so excited that I found fabric to match the front...I forgot about the backing fabric. EEK!! not a perfect fit, but I don't plan on every laying it backside up on the bed, so it's ok!

Goals for March

1. Finish sewing the bindings on the last 6 bibs for the Philippines
2. Sew March Bag of the Month and a pattern from last year that I missed.
3. Put together the Block Rock'n Quilt and backing. My Goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes

4. Sew my Come Together Quilt blocks into a top

A very aggressive list, but I think I can get it done!! ;)
 Love having the list to check off, it is really helping me stay focused to get all the WIPs done!! Feels great to cross through the text!!!

To Complete This Year List

Blocks to Piece (blocks not finished)

• (3)Triple Star Blocks
• Playing Cards (Bee Blocks)
• (?) Scrappy Trip Around the World Blocks 
• Fusion Quilt
• Flower Patch Quilt
• Lattice Bones Quilt
• Colouring Box Quilt
• Sew Kitchy Paper Pieced BOM (one more block, Miss Betty)
• Craftsy BOM 2013

Quilt Tops to Sew Together (blocks are complete)

• Sugar Block Club 2013
• Sugar Block Club 2014
• Block Rock'n
• Classic Meets Modern
• Aurifil Designer of the Month 2014
• Globe Trotting BOM
• Layer Cake Challenge
• Come Together (Bee Blocks)
• Playing Cards (Bee Blocks)

Quilt Tops: to Quilt

• City Sampler
• Churn Dash QAL
• Nested Churn Dash
• Parade (tester pattern)
• Square Deal
• Trifle Dish Moda QAL
• Modern Blocks QAL
• Virtual Quilting Bee
• Triangle QAL
• *Globe Trotting BOM
• *Classic Meets Modern
• *Sugar Block Club 2013
• *Elephant Parade

Quilts to Bind (that's all I have to do, you would think I would just get it done)

• Bloom Bloom Pow
• Craftsy BOM 2012
• Mystery Quilt

New Projects to Do this Year:

1. 15-30 adult size bibs for special needs children at an orphanage in the Philippines (church missions trip in April) (the number turned out to be 21-just need to bind them!!)*6 left to sew
2. Design 2 original projects and write up the patterns ( I am excited about this challenge) more info on this in the future  (I did one and may still try for another, but done for now)
3. 2 quilts (one niece/one nephew )
4. Set of Placemats (12)
5. 4 mini Sew Together Bags
6. 4 Regular Sew Together Bags
7. 6 Duffle Bags
8. 6-11 purses, yup not kidding, I join the Bag of the Month again this year over at Sew Sweetness and last year of the six I only made one of the bags. This year I am determined to complete them all. (1/6 done)
9. New Christmas Stockings (8)
10. Christmas Tree Skirt
11. Misc sewing of pouches, because there is always a need for a simple pouch or 10, lol.
12. *Elephant Parade, because it was so cute I couldn't resist!! Which makes an even dozen new projects. One per month....that's doable.......

*updates

#11 So Tempted to Start More Projects.....

I have been reading so many Blogs and they are so good! So much information out there and so many projects to try!! Like the QAL at Happy Quilting Melissa's blog            

                                                                                                                               
and Sew Mama Sew, has the Modern BOM 2, and a Sewing Match contest,

  also Craftsy just sent me info on a  Mystery Quilt, taught by Amy Gibson....and that is just the ones I've noticed in the last few days!
Ok so let's be honest, well I mean me, lol!! I signed up for the first project the Sewing Match is doing, design your own A Line Skirt, through Craftsy, it was half price, and I am hoping  I will be able to master a pattern!! The nice thing with the Craftsy classes, I don't have to start until I want to, once you purchase a class ( and there are some for free) it is always available to you. So no pressure!!
I also signed up for the Amy Gibson, Mystery Quilt!! I couldn't help myself, a mystery...using Amy Butler's Belle line, top fabric included in the class price (US and Canada only) and 35% off!! Can't wait for the fabric to arrive, class starts Aug 1. (stand alone class will be available for purchase around or on Aug 1, for outside the above mentioned areas) I feel like a comericial... but this is just info, no affiliations, I'm excited about!!

Anyway onto the WIPs:

I continue to work on the Bloom Bloom Pow, its on the design wall waiting to be sewn together!! I'd been looking at it for a few days desiding if I liked my placement, when I realised I had flowers with petals falling off!!! Somehow the gray and white got switched on one of my strip sets so 2 of my green gray combinations look like they are loosing their petals! I just laughed, and I couldn't help but think of one of the girls I follow on Instagram, whose user name is perfectionnotincluded. Perfection is over rated!! I love it! It's mine!! and now mine is unique!! ; )

I  completed blocks 22-24 of 100 of Tula Pink's City Sampler

and my top is sewn and my back is ready for the String of Pearls QAL 

Hopefully that will be finished in the next week or 2!

And lastly....I signed up at a local quilt shop for a Dress making Class!! OOh Boy! I really want to be able to make at least a dress and a skirt, being 5'10" it is hard to find cloths long enough!! I know boo hoo, I hear from my friends who are shorter, they have to shorten everything... to which I say...at least you can remove extra material, I can't add material that isn't there! The usually agree!! ; )

So wish me luck, and if anyone out there is a clothing sewer, any helpful tips would be appreciated!!

#5 What about you?

I want to know.....

Am I the only one, the norm, odd man out, or nuts?  I have so many projects on the go. I'm about a year and a half into quilting and want to learn everything, try everything. I'm like a kid in a candy shop!!

 So to date I am working on:
1. Fusion-featured in American Patchwork Feb 2012
2. By the Sea- featured in Quickly Quilting
3. Craftsy BOM 2012
4. Craftsy BOM 2013
5. Block Rock'n -paper piece
6. Bloom Bloom Pow QAL
7. Christa QAL
8. Mystery Quilt- Gourmet Quilter
9. Modern Block QAL- And Sew We Craft
10. Sugar Block Club
11.  Tula Pink City Sampler QAL- Sew Sweetness
12. Flower Patch QAL- Green Fairy Quilts
13. Sampler Quilt- on my own

I do finish projects too!! This is a quilt I made working on it straight for about a week, for a friend going through a really tough time!! ( who is doing great!!)

And a picnic blanket that I quilted myself, shown in a previous post.

I guess the question is....too much, normal, nuts, par for the course??? lol

What do you think? How do you organize your quilt projects? Would love to hear from you!!

And this is how I store my fabrics and scraps!!