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.

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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. 

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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.

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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

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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.

January Finish Complete

I know it's hard to believe, but I DID finish something. I completed Dyson's rocket quilt based on The Little Rocketeer pattern in the July 2009 edition of Quick Quilts.   I started this in April of 2011 (the original post here); worked on it or set a goal to work on it in March 2013 (1) (2) (3), April 2013, May 2013, June 2013, January 2014 and finally put the binding on it for this Month of A Lovely Year of Finishes.  With as long as it took me to make this quilt, I hope my son enjoys it for many years.

January Goal 2014

So another Year of Lovely Finishes begins.  Last year I only completed 3 goals, this year I am going for twice that many so 6 for 2014.  Aim small, finish big... but we will see what life holds this year.

I was thinking I would use my Fun Day Committee quilt as my January finish but that seems like a lofty goal.  After much thought, I decided to start with something a little easier to help me feel accomplished in this new year.  I am going to start with the finish of Dyson's Rocket Quilt that eluded me in 2013.  As it sits right now, it has been quilted and needs 1) trimming/squaring up 2) binding cut and prepared (double fold french is my preference) and 3) binding complete.

I have so much going on this month but I don't think this project is un-finishable at this point.  Here's just a taste of what's on my plate this month.

• Potty training baby girl
• Beginning of Half Marathon training
• Organizing MH Mom's Get Fit Challenge
• Babysitting for busy momma (her busy time)
• Fun Day Committee