Finishes/Gifts of 2021

 When they say the year just flies by... they weren't kidding. I am writing you today at the end of 2022 for because life has been busy and chaotic AND I forgot I had returned to writing on this blog. But I haven't stopped quilting or organizing. Since I wrote you last, I have completed two years of the UFO challenge and have finished transforming my bedroom into a quilting room with a bed. The room remodel will be a separate post and I promise it's worth reading.  But for this post, I want to share with you the finishes I did in  2021.

The purple/black Fun Day quilt was completed and gifted to my cousin as a graduation gift. She is my mom's half sister's daughter, who now attends ASU studying Journalism. I had to ship it to her because I couldn't visit so I didn't see her reaction but I am told it is in her colors and style.

The blue/white Fun Day quilt was completed and gifted to my mom. She has it thrown over the back of her couch and while visiting, I have slept under it several times. It's surprisingly warm and big enough to comfortably nap under. 

I've found that my hang up in finishing quilts is the quilting aspect because I don't have a large enough space to baste, table space to maneuver the quilt on the machine OR a big enough machine to easily navigate. So I asked my LQS for a recommendation and found a retired quilter who long arms to support her quilting habit. I handed both of these quilts over having only chosen the thread color and the density of quilting (medium) then she chose the patterns by "listening to the quilt." I know most quilters would HATE handing over this control but I loved it and will continue to use her.

This last finish was a Superman flannel rag quilt I had started for a cousin and by the time I got to finishing it, that cousin was grown. I wanted it to go to someone who would love and cherish it. Another cousin came to mind who is a superhero all his own. I was able to give it to him personally and his mom tells me he can't sleep without it. This was the only UFO from my 2021 list that was completed. 

As with all my quilts, I included labels. Each one has a personalized message and one of my favorite parts of the quilting process.

Add M's quilt label here.

Add Mom's quilt label here.

Made Especially for Christian Papenburg
This is a superhero in all of us, we just need the
courage to put on
the cape.
Lacosta Browning
California
2021

As I ended 2021, I found myself motivated toward more finishes and continued to make my space my own so I could quilt regularly.

APQ Monthly Challenge (January)

 In addition to the regular UFO challenge, American Patchwork & Quilting is having monthly organizational and storage challenges. For the month of January, the challenge was to "Organize your UFOs." 

This challenge was announced after I had been very active on the Challenge's Facebook group. A number of people expressed stress or a lack of motivation about UFOs that they no longer have interest in and asked, "when do you abandon UFOs" and "how do you pass them on?" This got me thinking.... my answer to when do you abandon UFOs surprised me. I don't have a ton of time to quilt and so why would I spend that time working on a project that I no longer have passion for. With this in mind, I started organizing my UFOs. I decided to do a second purge of my UFOs through this monthly challenge and am abandoning several UFOs as well as purging more fabric that I think is beautiful but no longer have a project that I am passionate about. This reduces my overall quilting hoard to two storage containers of fabric/projects. They also gave us these nifty trackers to use... I didn't fill out one for each quilt as I reorganized because I needed time to go through each project and figure out what I was thinking. I put one in each bag to help me get in the habit of using them when I get to work on each UFO.

Photo of UFO bins

In fact, this purge caused me to abandon one of the UFOs on my Challenge list. The RWB Star Quilt is a completed top completed using a combo of two different quilt block swaps. My intention for it was that we'd have a quilt we could take to the Morgan Hill Freedom Fest events (Patriotic Sing and 4th of July Parade) either to curl up in or to sit on. After looking at the top and the backing fabric I had purchased for it, I decided I liked the borders I did on the quilt but didn't love the blocks and the variety of fabric. I felt like I liked the backing better than the top. So I kept the backing and am going to convert this UFO to a new project that will focus on red and medium blue starts for the quilt top. So I've updated my UFO list to reflect this change, it was #9.

Photo of RWB Star Quilt

As to the question of what to do with UFOs that you chose to abandon. Someone in the Facebook group mentioned Jo's Country Junction. This site has a list of groups that take donated projects to complete for donation to various organizations. I will be taking some time to contact these groups to pass on some of my UFOs and fabric will be donated to my local quilt guild or offered up on a Buy Nothing Facebook group, if the quilt guild can not take them at this time due to quarantine.

#JanuaryUFOStorage #OfficialOrganizingChallenge

Quilting Design Board

While designing the Flannel Quilt for my Dad (#7 on my UFO list and my only HSY), I found that I needed a space to arrange and rearrange the blocks to finalize the quilt top design. I really miss my quilting design wall and decided that it's something I need to enjoy the quilting process. 

My attempt to play with quilt designs on my tiny ironing board.

The Quilting Design Wall/Board that I had previously was created following the blog post by Diary of a Quilter By Amy Smart. My ex-husband had a problem putting holes in the wall so my design board leaded against the wall in two different houses. What I disliked about it was that 1) we could never get the flannel pulled tight against the board so it sagged, 2) the more I pulled the fabric, the more the insulation would warp/bend and didn't stand up, and 3) it was a pain in the butt to move. It was such a pain to move that when I left the marital home and moved stuff into my storage unit, it got seriously damaged and I put the whole thing (fabric and all) in the garage bin. 

This time around, I did a TON of internet searching and found this post by Alanda Craft using an artist canvas. I love the idea because there's more structure to a canvas' than I had with the insulation and it'll be easier to move by using a few small canvas sections rather than a whole wall sized piece. I decided to purchase (4) 30" x 40" Canvas' and cover each in white flannel. I feel like I scored a deal because I bought the Canvas' when Michael's was running their BOGO Free sale on canvas. I also decided to use an adhesive spray to help me stretch/stick down the fabric on the canvas and purchased a cheap staple gun from Joann's. It worked as easy as the blog post showed it too... seriously this was NO Pinstrosity! It worked perfectly.

 

I love the result! They aren't hung on my wall yet, but will be when I am able finish the redesign in my bedroom/quilting room. I am enjoying being able to drag the canvas' into the kitchen where I am currently quilting. But when I have to clear the table for distance learning/working, I can take the project back to my room for storage while keeping my progress on the movable design wall.

2021 UFO Challenge

Over the last 5.5 years and through many moves, I have purged my quilting stash twice. The first round, I got rid of probably 10 UFOs and 3 Medium sized moving boxes of fabric, notions and random sewing projects. I kept only completed tops, completed blocks, fabric that had a purpose and a small shoe box of fat quarters. At the time, I was in such a rush to make everything fit into a new, smaller unit. Most of it sat in plastic bins in the corner of my bedroom until quarantine in early 2020, when I decided to redesign my bedroom into a dual purpose bedroom/quilting room. It then sat on my deck until I was able to clear a place in my shed for it.

I decided that since I am spending so much money redesigning my bedroom this year, that I needed to use the fabric/projects I have first. This lead to me searching for a UFO challenge similar to the one I had done previously. I found the American Patchwork and Quilting UFO Challenge and decided it was exactly the motivation I needed. To fill out the Challenge form, I opened 1 of the 3 remaining project bins I have. I only filled out the form with the first 11 UFOs I found and added 1 HSY (Haven't Started Yet). Luckily, my mom had organized the bins with many of my favorite project in the same bin, which is this list.

Each month the group picks a number and that's the project you work on.  I was still working on my list when they announced the January number (#7) and since I needed a project I wanted to work on, I decided to put my HSY on that space. It is a flannel quilt for my dad that I had already started buying fabric for. I am so excited to make a quilt for him especially since I have a completed quilt top for my mom going to the long arm quilter this month. So let's get started!

#apqresolution

Finding Happiness

 Long ago... I was a quilter. A ugly divorce, custody battle, new career, 3 moves and I am finally find my world stable enough to quilt again. As I am settling into the place I will call home for another 8.5 years, I am creating my quilting space and trying to find my happiness through quilting once again. 

During the quarantine/pandemic of 2020, I started trying to quilt regularly again but due to not having a space it was sporatic. I would literally have to pack everything away daily so my kids and I could school/work from home. But I did make some headway. Below are some of the UFO tops I completed and I purchased backing. I have never done this before but I am going to have both long arm quilted because I just don't have the space to work efficiently.

Fun Day 2015

Fun Day 2013

And so, I start sharing my quilting adventures again.

September Goal

Don't know how I managed this but last year I forgot to blog about my donation quilt last year for Piece By Piece Quilt Guild's Donation Month.  The fabrics were donated by different individuals in the guild and our wonderful Philanthropy Committee created kits for people to take home and finish.  I chose a kit of purple and yellow to represent my love of the LSU Tigers but also the purple for domestic violence awareness.  The pattern that was recommended is called Rusty's Quilt.  It was super easy and I loved how it turned out! Here it is, turned into the guild for distribution at the sexual abuse interview center in our area in Oct 2013.

I've decided to use the same pattern again for this years donation quilt.  I found the below fabrics on clearance (blue/white was sale priced after coupon) at Joann's and took all that was left on the bolts hoping to put together at least one, if not two quilts this year.  They are due in October again this year.

My goal for the month of September will be to complete one donation quilt using these fabrics and the Rusty's Quilt pattern.

August Finish

I did it! I finished my Double Dog Dare Ya Challenge entry.  It was down to the wire.. literally.  The day my entry was due was also my son's first day of Kindergarten.  It was a mad dash to get everything in order for school and finish my challenge but I am proud of the finished product.

Each entry had to include a write up on "What the theme Enchanted California means to you?" Here is mine:

     "The theme Enchanted California for me has always evoked thoughts of adventure and the possibility of riches. Similar to the pioneers who traversed the Midwest during Westward expansion, forty niners, early 1900s loggers, WPA workers and artists who came here seeking opportunity, we came here seeking our own slice of the Enchanted California dream. I have expressed this within this quilt depicting the historic Route 66 using the Road to California quilt block leading to the majestic redwoods and gold fields as well as our own golden opportunity (ie. Apple, Inc.)."

I am excited to say that I won Judges Choice Runner Up.  I think it's equivalent to third place.  Anyway, I won a small gift certificate to a LQS. It's about 1/4 of what I spent to make the challenge quilt but I had fun and will be entering it into our local quilt show but won't have it judged. I believe others who participated in the challenge will be doing the same.

August Goal

My quilt guild has a challenge this month and I started it awhile back... so I drew up what I wanted but that didn't work out.  At this point, I am committed to doing the challenge so I need to figure something out.  The theme is "what Enchanted California means to you."

It is my goal this month to complete my Enchanted California Challenge project.

For me, California has always represented the end all be all of where we (my husband and I) wanted to be; what we wanted for our lives.  Through our visits, we've discovered the majestic forests, picturesque beaches, rich history and diversity and the glamour of traveling historic route 66.   I want to throw all this into my project without being too literal such as in a fully appliquéd project.  Below is a sketch of what I am thinking.

The top block is a snowball variation called "New Snowball" that appeared in the boo 5,500 Quilt Block Designs, and will represent a historical take on the gold that the 49'er flocked to California to find exactly how we relocated to California for our own golden opportunity.  That opportunity was a once and a lifetime for my husband that believe it or not, came around again. That opportunity was a job at Apple, Inc.  I will appliqué a small apple logo inside the center of the blue block as a nod to the amazing opportunity.

The bottom block is called "Road to California" and will represent the historical route 66.  It's been the path of many seeking their own California dream and how we got here.  The beige/oranges are my interpretation of the desert scenery we passed through while traveling Route 66.  I intend to appliqué a route 66 highway sign on one of the half blocks.

Lastly, I want to put these blocks on point and frame them with a dark green fabric and some appliquéd redwood trunks.  The first site we totally fell in love with was the redwood forests in Northern California and it's always been one of the main reasons I wanted to live in the state.


The required fabric is the below blue/yellow Australian fabric.  The yellow fabric below it is some scraps left over from the Fun Day apron I was required to make and plan to use in this project.

July Goal

I am desperately trying to clean up my quilting room so I can be efficient and well... it's not going well.  In my pile of "to dos" I found two tech shirts that I got for completing 10K's last year.  Both are unisex size, which probably wasn't mentioned at the time of race signup so I ended up with shirts that are too big in the boob area and long. My goal for this month is to make them fit like I did with the below race volunteer shirt.

 

The offending shirts:

 

June Goal

Well my June Goal was a complete toss up because I am currently sewing like a crazy momma to finish 12 reversible capes for my son's Superhero Birthday Party on Sunday, the 8th and that seems like a good goal that I am sure to finish.  BUT that just too easy because at the time of writing this, I am about 50% done with this project.

The biggest challenge this month is not to actually find the time to quilt or sew... it's to get it done while visiting my folks out of state without my sewing machine.  We leave a few days after the birthday party and will be there until the end of the month.  I can't imagine how I am going to manage 2 kids, 2 carseats, 3 backpack carry-ons and 1 checked bag to the airport so I am going to live my sweet Sister (Brother Innov-is NX-450Q) at home.  Even though my hubby bought me the most amazing Birthday/Mother's Day gift.

My Birthday/Mother's Day Gift

I have plans to make little Doc McStuffins doctor bags for my daughters Doc McStuffins Birthday Party when we return but thought, hey why not work on them at mom's house... she has a sewing machine?! So I talked with my mom about borrowing her machine and she not only offered to let me use it and give me time to work on the projects while she entertains the kids but will also help me figure out the pattern.  If you know me (or read my Facebook posts), you know that patterns and I DON'T get along.  Even the ones I make turn out horrible and the finished product, even worse!  I have given up on PJ pants and curtain projects because I couldn't figure out the pattern.  My mom said she just needs an example so, I went hunting through my daughters toys and found the below bag from last year's Halloween costume. Hopefully it will make it in the luggage, to grandmas and not be stolen by a little girl who now insist on carrying it everywhere since I "found it for her."

My June Goal will be to make at least 4 Doc McStuffins doctor bags something like the one below. Wish me luck!

May Finish

I am so excited to announce that I FINISHED my May goal.  My sweet little cousin will love it! The front is very girly pink and purple, a pattern that I found in a magazine and adapted... I don't remember which one.  The backing is black with multi-colored owls and the color of the owls match the stripe fabric.  I stitched in the ditch and used the stripe fabric as the binding.  It's a little smaller than twin size.

I love how the stripe fabric worked for the binding and I was very careful to make sure it wasn't stretched so that it was vertical throughout rather than a candy cane stripe.

This quilt was not without it's issues, I started the top around 9 years ago when I first started quilting and I still had a lot to learn.  Many of the cornerstones and strips on the top are wonky (stretched or not pressed correctly).  It was defiantly a challenge quilting it because the ditch I stitched in was wavy.  In all, I don't think most of the mistakes are too noticeable and I am sure she will love it anyway.

Ready to be shipped! But it'll have to wait until Christmas.

May Goal

Third time is a charm right?  I will yet again try to finish this adorable quilt.  Last month I was able to get it basted and started quilting it but then I got stuck because we went off to Hawaii for the last week of the month.  SO this month I WILL finish quilting it and bind it.  Here it is in it's current state.

Linking to: 

April Goal

I failed at my March Goal... just didn't have the time so I am now making it my April goal to baste, quilt and bind this quilt.

My guild's Fun Day is now over and many people enjoyed it. I worked hard along with the remainder of the committee to make the event successful and I'd say it was despite our shoestring budget.  We also made enough to seed next years committee so they won't have to make do like we did.  Now that the event is over and the quilt pattern revealed, I can now share my quilt.  Here it is in all it's glory. 

Linked to: 

March Goal

This month I have a lot going on so I am looking for a easy to finish project but if any of these projects were easy to finish, I'd be done with them already. Right?!  I finally decided on a quilt top I started for my husband's God-daughter who has now outgrown the girly quilt fabric.  I think my mom's half sister's daughter would greatly appreciate it so I am going to finish it for her.

The quilt top is complete; it just needs to be re-ironed because it's been in storage so long, sandwiched, quilted and bound.  That will be my goal for the month of March.

I purchased a fabric for the backing while back that I am now seriously reconsidering.... I don't know what I was thinking.  The fabric that I am questioning is the pink with butterflies in the below photo.

 Aside from the questionable butterfly fabric I have a good bit of fabric left from each portion of the quilt as well as some appliqué cut outs that I intended to be the label.  I defiantly think the pink/white/purple stripe would make a striking binding so I am going to try to avoid using it for anything else then perhaps buy a purple backing... a light lilac batik might be pretty.

Linking up to: 

February Goal Complete

I can't believe it but I actually did it.  I put together a quilt top in one month... only because I had to.

Here are my fabrics->

Super Bowl Sunday, I had a nice little setup in the living room to cut during the game.  At one point I tried to haul my machine into the room to sew while I watched the game but quickly retreated when my husband gave me a nasty look.  

I even remember to collect my clippings to donate to the gal over at my LQS, she uses them as stuffing for some of her projects.  Now I just need to remember to drop them off.

The only way I can work on a quilt non-stop is to munch on sunflower seeds.  It helps keep my mind focused.  Here is my quilting table (in my quilting room, not my temporary side set up in the living room) with my left over fabric, seam ripper and Ranch sunflower seeds.  A recipe for success.

I absolutely love my focus fabric for this quilt, which I also used as my borders.  Check out the amazing marbled colors of blue, turquoise, brown and gold.  

I got hung up the organization of my quilt blocks and ended up changing my initial plan and while I love the finished product, it is not what I expected.  It took me several days to come to a final decision, which held up my progress but a few late nights were all I needed. Here I am working away while watching a movie... notice the laptop screen to the left of my machine?  That's so I can hear and see the movie while still keeping an eye on my 1/4" seams.

As I mentioned in my Goal Setting post, the pattern is a secret so I won't share the finished product with you yet (Melissa & Shanna, check your FB PM's for the finished picture).  I promise I can share it soon, the Fun Day event is Saturday, April 5th.  I will show off the finished quilt on the Facebook group because I love it and want to brag :D

Linking up to:   

February Goal

I decided to volunteer for my quilt guilds' Fun Day Committee.  Our Fun Day is a day long event where attendees enjoy a day full of quilting and party fun.  The committee picks 1) a mystery pattern that is not known by any members until the day of the event and 2) fabric for all participants with a color theme of their choice.  Most patterns are for a wide range of experience levels so that everyone can enjoy the event.

Each committee member is responsible for making a quilt in the mystery pattern (it can have multiple variations) to be displayed at the event to help members choose their preferred pattern.  The event is being held April 5th this year. My goal for the month of February is to get my quilt top pieced for display at the event.

I choose the below batiks as the basis for my quilt top.