#75 Challenges and New Years Plans and Lists

Saying Good-bye to 2014

It is so hard to believe that another year has flown by! I was thinking I should do a recap of what happened this year, but decided to skip that and just look forward, and scatter the post with pictures of my favourite finishes of 2014 instead.
 We finished 2014 with our youngest son turning 20. It's hard to believe I was his age when I got married. I can't imagine him getting married right now, lol. So now we are officially a home with no teenagers. Not to be out done, 2015 will bring some great celebrations too. In a month I will celebrate my 50th and in July my husband and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, so here's to a great year!!

Playing Cards from Modern Bee-a Christmas gift for my nephew

Onto the UpStairs HobbyRoom Challenges....

My First Challenge for this year:

I decided to cut back on my fabric purchases and "sew my stash", not sure if I will do any better on a fabric diet then I do on any other diet, but time will tell, lol

I have joined in with "Sew My Stash 2015" being lead by ProjectLease.com and challenge myself to 50-100% of my sewing this year will be from my stash. There are a few projects where I know right now I will need to purchase fabric because I don't seem to hoard home dec weight and canvas fabrics like I do quilting fabric!! (being flexible in this challenge is a good thing, right?!! lol)

RJR Fabric Cotton Supreme Challenge - Pick Up Stixz

My Second Challenge:

is to complete all of my WIPs/UFOs. I need to clean up all the now old projects before I can start any new shiny and enticing projects that are just calling out my name........this is not going to be easy because the list is long and I'm a sucker for a good BOM.....

Craftsy BOM 2012, total cheat to add this picture, it still needs to be bond

To Complete 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)

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

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

Noodle Head's Divided Basket - The original size is the center one

My husbands 50th birthday 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!!)
2. Design 2 original projects and write up the patterns ( I am excited about this challenge) more info on this in the future
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.
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.

Diamond Tread - and Churn Dash on the flip side  For my daughter and son-in-law for Christmas 2014

That's it, and I'm exhasuted!! ;)

Wishing you all the Best in 2015!!!

Sew Sweet Simplicity Block #3 and Bonus Block #1

What fun I've had with this months block. I made two version and tweaked the bonus block to give you all something to think about and maybe try for yourselves!! ;)

BOM Info:

There is going to be a "Catch Up" Sew Along Day on January 10th 2015. This event will run on FaceBook and Instagram and is a great way to get started on your blocks, or get caught up, or maybe just to make some extra blocks...more information to come.

But first....the give away, excuse me, the give aways for this month!! Yes there are multiply giveaways this month!! (I'm going to show you up front and not make you scroll to the bottom. Lol, an early Christmas gift to all.)
If you are here first because you are following my blog (thanks) you will want to go over to Jacquelynne's blog for the chance to win one of the 3 Mini-Kits she is giving away. You can enter here for the PDF pattern bundle. You can also enter at each of the other BOM hosts sites as well to increase your odds of winning the PDF prize bundle. (Links provided below)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

UpstairsHobbyRoom (you are here)

LilyPad Quilting
Quiltscapes
Crazy 'Bout Quilts
A Quilt and a Prayer
Bejeweled Quilts
Wedding Dress Blue
Mountain Quiltworks
Garden Path Quilts

 What I've Been Up To:

Block #3

My table runner version of the block...(sorry the lighting was really bad)

and the back of the runner...

Version 2 of Block 3

Using a font from Word or check out dafont.com for lots of free fonts to download. I printed this at 450 I think , but had to trim to make it fit, so double check your sizing.

I could say I decided to put the block on point to add to the tweaking....but I like to keep it real, I'm not perfect... lol, I misjudge the block layout and appliqued the W side ways!!! So it was on point or redo.... ;)

Silver Lining.....I love it!!!

My Version of Bonus Block #1

I took the bonus block 1 pattern and upsized it to 32" square to put on my coffee table for Christmas

I love how it turned out!!

No tutorial, but here is a quick list of the dimensions I used:

• 5-5.25" for half square triangles (then trim down)
• 4.5" for squares
• 4.5 x 8.5" rectangles
• 16.5" centre

The last thing I wanted to share with you today is Jacquelynne's free Emagazine. If you haven't signed up you should check it out. The Emagazine is full of lovely crafts to do, yummy recipes, and graphics by the talented Jacquelynne, and if you need another reason...besides free and full of great projects to try...sign up this month and you will receive the Red and White Quilt pattern for free too. (it would look great as a blue and white or green and white or yellow and grey or.....I think you get where I'm going with this....lol)

#74 Tic Tac Toe Game Board Tutorial

Merry Christmas early!! My last tutorial post was my gift to all of you. I want to say thanks for taking time to come over and see "What I've Been Up To". I hope that you will enjoy the pattern and maybe even make a few. I would sure like to see pictures if you do!!

So last Christmas I was part of a blog hop and designed a Travel Blackboard Mat which features a straight blackboard area and side chalk holder. I have tweaked this pattern to incorporate the Tic Tac Toe board and voila, another pattern is born!!

Tic Tac Toe 

Title is the link to the PDF file with the written instructions and measurements. The pictures are just for clarity sake. I didn't take time to re-write the whole tutorial again. Hope you enjoy it!!

Assembling the Tic Tac Toe Board:

 

Quilting the backing:

Adding the pockets to side pieces:

 Left side is chalk pocket in sewing position, and right is after it is pressed up:

 Measure for the next chalk holder:

 Second set of Chalk pockets in sewing position:

 Sewing lines to divide pockets for chalk:

 Measure for last pocket:

 Adding the top flap with an 1/8" seam:

Attach the left and right sides to the game board middle section. (Totally forgot to get a picture of this.)

Make your quilt sandwich (backing right side down, batting up, game board section right side up) and stitch the top and backing together with an 1/8" seam.

I also stitched in the ditch around the game area.

 add your label and your 2 elastic loops :

finish sewing the binding down:

A mini with

 (a little disclaimer if you will....these are patterns I have come up with and am sharing for free with all of you, please do not copy and redistribute. Link people to my blog, if you want to share. If you do make any of the patterns, and share via social media, I would love it if you give me credit for the pattern and again link to my blog . I am sure this one goes without saying, please don't take these patterns and  try to sell them, even if you tweak them a bit....that's just not right) Thanks everyone

Winner of November PDF Prize Package

Congratulations,


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I haven't forgot about the Tic Tac Toe Game Tutorial, it will be posted this weekend!