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

JDRF Silent Auction Donation

I volunteered to help my girlfriend Julie for a cause very close to her heart, Juvenile Diabetes.  Her little girl has JD and they started fundraising for the JDRF walk last year.  This year, they are moving full force and needed items for a silent auction fundraiser to help the team meet their goal of $5,000, so I offered up my services.  At first, Julie asked for a cupcake apron similar to the ones I made for the Spring Boutique earlier this year.  I offered to do one better... a matching mother/daughter apron set.  I wasn't crazy about the cupcake fabrics I found but love the final product.  It will be paired with other kitchen items for a Mother/Daughter Baking Basket. I hope it brings in a nice bit of change toward a great cause.

August Goal: One Last Crack @ It

For my August goal, I am going to take one more crack at finishing Dyson's Rocket Quilt (see previous months goals).  I need to square it up after quilting and bind it.

Sad... I always buy, cut and iron binding when I buy the fabric for a quilt.  I normally use double fold french binding cut on straight of grain then iron it in half and roll it over a toilet paper roll for storage.  Unfortunately, I can't find any binding that was dedicated to this project nor can I find fabric so I guess it's time to go shopping. Who ever complains about fabric shopping, right?! Okay, maybe my husband :D



 

July Goal DONE!

Woo HOO! It's been a few months since I "finished" something and with good reason but this month I did it! I finished the Patriotic Rag Quilt that I promised for a fundraiser with plenty of time to spare. Here it is!

It will be sold via silent auction at the Liz Lykowski Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser on Saturday, July 27th in Toledo, Ohio.  Liz was my sister-in-law (husband's sister) who passed away at 21 years old from a undiagnosed heart defect while attending Indiana Tech. She was a defensive specialist on the Tech volleyball team and had been a part of the team for since it's inception 3 years prior to her death.  Monies raised at this fundraiser will fund the memorial scholarships in her name at Whiteford High and Indiana Tech for college bound and/or collegiate volleyball players.  

June Goal Fail, July Goal Hope

So I didn't finish my June Goal :(  It was also my goal for April and May.  There was so much going on with planning the Birthday party, the move and my mom's visit that I didn't finish.  I sat up the night before the party wondering if I should work though the night to finish and decided against it as I needed all the energy I could muster to deal with 13 kids under 6 and parents.  I was heart broken that I couldn't give my son his rocket quilt but all in all, I am the only one who cared.  Ironically, it's still not finished!  I got it quilted and it needs to be trimmed and bound but I have to put it aside for the month of July to do a quilt I promised for the end of the month.

That brings me to my July goal... A patriotic rag quilt for auction that will benefit my late sister-in-law's scholarship fund, Elizabeth A. Lykowski Memorial Scholarship, at Indiana Tech.  The fundraiser is July 27th and I have to figure in mailing time from CA to MI so I need to make quick work of this project.  Honestly, I think my husband will shoot me if I don't finish it because he wants the supplies to fall on this years tax deductions.