Boathouse

Last night I put the last binding stitches in and finished this quilt.  I really love this quilt, but I hate that it doesn't photograph well.  

It's in the dryer now and I can't wait to pet it.  I don't send quilts out often to a longarm but I am so happy I did with this one.  I really wish I had a reason to keep it, but I don't. so I am going to send it to my aunt who has a beach house.  It deserves to live near some water.  

Hopefully I will get to visit it some winter!

This makes 2/23 done.

I might add borders to this top today.  

Maybe.  

It's a rainy day and I feel like a nap would be a better idea.  

The Other Twenty-Two

With one of the twenty three projects finished I thought I might run down the list.  

Then you will understand the task I have before me.

 1. Horizon- I'm still hand quilting this one.

 2. Boathouse- I just need to close the binding.

 3. Farmgirl- I am ahead on my blocks.  

I just need to make the repeat blocks and assemble. I still need to find my border/binding/backing.

  

4.  My vintage sheets triangle quilt- 

I have the solids shopping list made and I already have a backing. 

 5. Hello Darling-

I have all of my materials and a pattern planned out.

 6. Terrain- I have the pattern picked out and plotted.  Shopping list made

 7. Daysail- This BOM is on track.  I'm not worried

 8. Calendar BOM- I need to make my August block and stay caught up- Not worried about it.

 9.  Kiss Kiss-

I have all of my materials and a pattern planned out.

 10.  Snail Trail- I wanted to get this one made this summer but it's not going to happen.  I have a shopping list for my white and backing/binding.  I love this color.

 11.  The Red/Aqua- I still have ideas but no solid plan

12. Blitzen- I have everything I need and a pattern picked out. 

( I'm determined to get it done for Christmas this year)

13. Paridiso- I have a shopping list and pattern planned.

14. Fresh Air- I have a shopping list and pattern planned.

15.  Cotton Blossoms- I have the shopping list and pattern planned.

16. Simple Abundance- I still have ideas but no solid plan.

17. Eerie- I have a shopping list and pattern planned.

18.  Avalon Leftovers- No plans yet.

19. Baby Boy quilt- I have all the materials and a pattern plotted out.

20. Canning Jar Quilt-  I've had the fruits and veggie fabric for 4 years not sure it will happen.

21.  Canyon- when the fabric is released I have the shopping list and pattern planned.

22.  Persimmon- I have it on my sewing machine now, working on the top.  I have the backing already, but I am going to the store this week to get the border and binding fabrics.  I feel good about this one.  

So there you have it.  

In an ideal world I would like to get the persimmon finished in September and order the solids for the Eerie quilt so I could make that in October and have it finished in time for Halloween. 

 Then I could spend November with my Blitzen and have it done in time for Christmas, and start the Kiss Kiss quilt in January so I have it done before Valentine's Day.  

Think this is possible?  

Me either.      

But I sure do feel better having so much decided and ready. 

 It's nice to know when I am ready the shopping lists are ready and I can pace myself from project to project.  

I also think once the Hubs is back and we are shut in all winter I might be able to get a lot more done compared to my current pace.  

My Mirabelle Hexagons

I am so so so happy to say that this quilt is finished!

I spend a couple evenings with it on the sofa stitching the binding while my folks were here.  

The in and out of the angles did take awhile longer than straight sides do!

 But I am so proud of myself for doing it.  

 It's nice to have it finished.  

On my giant list of projects that I have to finish before I can buy fabric again this is 1 of 23.

I've got a long road ahead of me!

Getting Back

After a week of enjoying company, life returns to normal.  

Until Monday, when we start school and new normal will begin.

While my folks were here though I squeezed in a little time here and there to do the trimming and pressing for my Road to Tennessee.

I was glad to have accomplished this work so now I can stretch out my machine again and start sewing!

I think this quilt is very pretty and I am excited to get the top assembled. 

 Hopefully before second grade starts! 

A Fabric Diet

 I've been working on my Road to Tennessee.

I need to find an audiobook to bang this mindless sewing out.

But about the fabric diet.... have you ever noticed the word DIE in diet?  

Remember at the beginning of the year how I was feeling overwhelmed by my precut collection and decided to plot quilts out and start sewing?  Well, I have done pretty well with that goal.  I've made quilts with my Daydream, Miss Kate, Boathouse, Horizon, Mirabelle, Vintage Happy, and I'm currently sewing my Persimmon.    But the other night I realized I'm still overwhelmed.  I was putting away fabric pieces from the bin I use for scrappy projects like the farmgirl.  When I put things away I realized my scraps are super out of control.  And my 1/4 yard cuts box and fat quarter box won't even shut! And forget stuffing things in my 'projects' cabinet.  It's stuffed too.  And here I had just placed a big order for another quilt.  So I took stock and made a serious list of projects I have, but haven't started yet.  Which ones I needed to do the math and make a shopping list before I even think about  starting them, which don't even have patterns picked out yet.  It was overwhelming.  So I decided I will not buy any new fabric unless it is needed to complete one of these projects.  

I did give myself one little cheat, and that is I will be allowed to buy Bonnie and Camille or Kate Spain fabrics when they come out, just as long as I have a pattern and accurate shopping list.  

I spent the day yesterday plotting and picking patterns, doing a lot of math, making shopping lists.  I only have four projects left that I don't have patterns for.  But I do have TEN planned.  That Kona card sure is helpful.  

After I get the 14 projects made, I need to seriously attack my scraps.  My strings can is full and I want it emptied!  It might take years.

Actually that number should be ELEVEN because I have all the fabric for this project and it is planned out.  I am so excited to get started with this one!  

Preparing for a Non-Sewing Time

When I flipped the calendar to August I starting thinking about the weeks I had ahead of me.  

With a visit from my folks and starting our second grade homeschool year taking up the second half of the month, I thought I should be practical.  

I will probably not be able to find time to sew.  

At least not at my machine.  

I still have lots of hand sewing to do with those two bindings and the hand quilting on my Horizons.  

So I decided to take the nine days I have left and just make as many farmgirl blocks as I can.  

So this is the progress I made.  

  Old Glory

 Old Red Barn

 Out to Pasture

 Patchwork Pumpkin

 Peas and Carrots

 Pie Cherries

 Pinwheels

 Postage Stamp

Scrappy Maple Leaf

 Scrappy Strawberry

Simple Star

Spring Star

Summer Star

Sunday Morning

Sunny Sunflower

Tumbleweed

 Water Turn

Welcome

Winter Star

Woolly Sheep

I was able to get twenty blocks sewn in four days.
Considering I'm single parenting I am giving myself a pat on the back.

I still have three blocks left to make.
In the book they are additional simple stars.
I might decide to make a different block.
Either way, I will be able to pick it back up when the quilt along-ers are getting ready to finish.
And I should not single parenting by then!

A Productive Weekend

 This weekend I didn't want to leave home because of the Sturgis Rally, so we stayed home. 

(p.s if you follow that link to read that article you should know that the rally just started on Saturday) 

I basted and got quilting on my hexagon.

 I finished the quilting and started attaching the binding.  Those convex and concave 120 degree corners are quite hellish fun.  I attached one side and the straight sides last night but it was past my bedtime and I needed to stop and wait until I could think straight.   After I get the other side done I am anxious to get the binding on my boathouse too.  I will be binding for a while!

I doubt the binding will leave me with any motivation to work on my Horizon quilt, but the past couple of nights I did pull it out of it's hiding spot and get some lines done.   It had been a looooong while. 

As for that new Persimmon quilt.  I got the background cut but didn't have enough.  I will have to leave the house today to take the monster to karate so I will swing my HoLo and get what I need.  These fabrics are so darn pretty!  

I'm excited about everything I am working on lately!  

It's a miracle!