#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

#68 UFOs, WIPs and My Messy Space!!

So here's to full disclosure!! To keeping it real!! I have taken on a few new projects, a lot of BOM and QAL, and right now just one Bee (swap). I love fabric (a lot), am always finding more projects I want to do and adding to my ever growing list.....and  I have also started working on my family Genealogy again!! What does this all add up to......a very messy sewing space and a list that has turned from fun to...oops...what am I doing.......eek!!!!
Here's the thing, I know I work better in a tidy, organized space. I also do better when I tackle a limited number of projects, although that number is pretty high, depending on the type of projects. So why does it always seem to get out of hand?? There must be a life lesson here somewhere! I'm just not getting it, I'm a slow learner it seems.
So I am writing my plan down, and showing shameful ;) pictures (no before and after pictures today. This is live time, lol), in order to get me back on the straight and narrow.....

 My UFO List:(Anything started but not touched in more than a couple of months)

1. Sampler Quilt
2. Hidden Stars Paper Pieced blocks
3. Flower Garden Quilt
4. Fusion Quilt
5. Craftsy BOM 2013
6. Sugar Block Club 2013 (blocks are done)
7. Block Rock'n (2 more blocks to do)
8. Layer Cake Challenge BOM

My WIPs List:

1. Sugar Block Club 2014
2. Classic Meets Modern BOM
3. Aurifil Designer of the Month BOM
4. Globe Trotting BOM
5. Sew Retro Kitchen Paper Pieced BOM (one more block)
6. Scrappy Trip Around the World (Red and White Blocks)
7. Diamond Hexie EPP Quilt (this could take years, lol)
8. Modern InstaBee Come Together Quilt (one more block and this one goes together)
9. Bow Tie Quilt
10. Wedding Quilt
11. Christmas Quilt
12. 3 Quilts to bind
13. Table Runner to bind
14. Sew Together Bags
15. Coaster Sets

My Projects:

1. RJR What's your Shade Blog Hop- Ready for quilting!!
2. Participating in a BOM/Blog Hop starting in October, I'm one of the blogs, should be great fun!!
3. Modern InstaBee for the rest of this year! This bee has been a learning experience and a lot of fun!!

My Goals:

1. To stay on a new project fast (other than commitments) till my UFO list is 0 and my WIPs is 1 or 2
2. To quilt all the tops I have waiting: I think there are 11 if I am counting right and haven't lost any in this mess!
3. Learn EQ 7
4. Master Long Arm Quilting (Basically,  just feel confident!! and not scared, will always be learning)
5. Take better pictures
6. Stay organized 
7. Learn something new, 
8. and share the joy of quilting with someone else!!

Can you see what I mean? This is a lot, and the scary thing is I will probably come across more stuff I missed when I organize and clean, Oh Boy!! 

Do you work well in clutter? How do you stay organized? Multiple projects, or one project at a time?

Have a great week everyone!!

What I've Been Up To:

Globe Trotting with Pat Sloan

 Sugar Block Club with Amy Gibson

Classic Meets Modern with Erin Davis

Aurifil Designer of the Month

 Sew Retro Kitchen with Kristy 

And I made a Passport Wallet featured on SewMamaSew by Frocks and Frolics 

I tweaked it a bit: I added an extra row of pockets, the family I was gifting it to has 3 kids. I also lined the zippered pocket so it would be more finished on the inside. I used normal cotton fabric it called for oil cloth that I didn't have. I should have added interfacing. I also added round elastic for the loop instead of making the fabric loop. I think for the next one I will use 1/4" flat elastic and a loop big enough to go around the wallet for more security. Great gift idea!!

And don't forget about the free Block of the Month starting in October. Still lots of time to sign up!!

#58 My Summer Sewing List

I want to start with an unsolicited review of the Bag of the Month Club from SewSweetness! The short answer is      I loved it!! 
I was so excited when Sara Lawson posted about the club over 6 months ago now, and joined right away! I've only made a few easy bag/totes before and the idea of making my own purses was appealing. The patterns arrived every month in my email and every pattern looked fantastic! Even though I was filing them away to complete after I all the projects on my cutting table were done, I looked the patterns over and they all appear to be clear, well written and well illustrated.
 Then May's pattern showed up, from Anna of NoodleHead Designs, and I knew that would be my first bag!!! The Poolside Tote, perfect size, great summer bag, d ring was the only needed hardware, simple and straight forward pattern (have to ease my way into bag making, so I don't get frustrated, lol) and I knew I had the perfect fabric!! I was not disappointed!! I had one question in the pattern (not enough experience in bag making and wanted to confirm my thought) I emailed Anna and had the answer in no time!! Another great thing is, the bag looks great inside out too!!

I have managed to collect all the needed bag hardware and interfacing now, so now I have 5 more bags to make over the summer, and I am looking forward to the challenge!!

 If you haven't join this years club, you still can, till the end of June! 6 bag patterns for $40.00. Check it out!

  My Summer Sewing List:

       1. MidTown Messenger Bag
2. Convertible Bag
3. Bye Bye Love Bug Bag
4. Butterfly Sling Purse
5. City Slicker Bag (intermediate)
6. Continue Block of the Months
7. Finish Churn Dash blocks
8. Finish Mini Medallion Quilt
9. Batiks Quilt
10. Complete Quilt top for the Layer Cake Sampler

What I've Been Up To:

Making lots of Triple Stars 

Tester Pattern for Kristy at Quiet Play

and hanging out with Caleb at our annual  Church in the Park and family BBQ!!