Some Scrappy Sewing

I can't believe how long it has been since I have written anything.  Life has just gotten in the way.  I have been sewing and trying to sew some WIP's.  I even have a finish to post soon too.  I need to get those done for the Q1 FAL.  I will not get anywhere near finishing the eight I had listed but I am trying to get some of them done.

What I have been working on is getting my fabric and scraps in order and sewing my stash.  Some quilty friends and I have again agreed to do a bee but this time the queen picks the block and color theme and you sew from your own stash. I don't know about you but I love other people's stash so much more than my own.  So I picked the low volume plus block.  And lucky me there was a swap on Instagram as well.  So this one will be full of lots of scrappy goodness.  Here are my blocks to swap.  I think I still need to make 12 more and then I will have enough for a very large lap.  I love these blocks easy and fun to make!

I also have been going through my own scraps. I have some really old scraps and they never seem to go away and I am ready to let them go.  So I went through my 2.5" and 3.5" strips.  I kept ones I still loved or was going to be using in a project and I put the rest aside to give to a local church who does charity quilts.  I hope they can put them to good use.

Here is the stack of 2.5" strips. Yikes!  I know what I want to sew this year and these are not in my near future plans so getting rid of them and that made it possible to better organize my solids.

They just looks so pretty all stacked up by color.  I really need to sew some of this up!  

I have been sewing up some 16 patches in blue and beige and have 30 of them done.  Need to make 26 more I think this might be finish by month end.

 I have had this small stack of Economy Blocks from a flickr swap from 2013 I think  I made four more up and it will either be a mini for the sewing room or a pillow for the living room.  I think they are pretty cute little blocks.

Lots of scrappy stuff going on here so linking up to She Can Quilt for Scraptastic Tuesday and Oh Scrap at Quilting is More Fun than Housework.  

I should be posting a finish this week as well.  Just need to get through the photos.  Thanks for reading!

First Finish in 2015

I finished my goal for ALYOF over two weeks ago but almost didn't get this posted in time.  It was nice to start out and make a small finish that I needed and wanted in the laundry room.

I used the pattern from the FQS and used a charm pack in my stash and most of the fabric pack I had as well.  I cut up a few things and I think I am gifting them to a lady that I met my LQS meeting.  She loves Mary Engelbright and I want less fabric in the house!  That is a win-win!

I was working on pinning this on the basement floor.  Can you tell by the photo?  When I realized I had sewed on a piece backwards.  Not sure how or when that happened but unpinned it and fixed it.  I could never have lived with that.  It took about 30 minutes to fix.

So here is the very cute new table runner long enough to cover the washer and dryer all fixed and finished.  This is where everything gets dropped when we come into the house through our garage so it saves on nicks and scratches on the top of them and since this is right off the kitchen it needs to look good! No I haven't put it there yet! That is on tomorrow's to do list.

Nothing fancy with the quilting this time just straight lines on each side of the colored squares. I went with the scrappy binding to use up what I had. Here is the link to my goal and this is also on my Q1 list as well.  

I am really hoping to find some time to sew tomorrow.  I hope everyone else is sewing and making beautiful things.  

Oh and I signed up for my first mini quilt swap on Instagram.  Oh the pressure - that is not due till June so lots of time to think about that one.

Happy sewing!

Q1 2015 Goals

So a fresh start with some new goals and a few left over from last year (and maybe 2013) as well.  This year the Finish Along is taking place at On the Windy Side.  Hopefully this will keep me motivated to finish a few of them up.  As usual I put it all on here and see what happens.

1.  Moda Friendship Quilt - this quilt has been on my list all of 2014 and while it is together and FMQ has begun it is big but I so want this one done so I don't have to have it on here for another quarter!

2.  Tula Pink City Sampler - I did get all of my blocks together and figured out a background color now I just need to get the top done.  I think this one may to to the longarmer.  This one was on my list all of last year.

3.  Blue and beige 16 patch scrap quilt - I pulled this one last quarter from the scrap bin and have not worked on it at all but Sarah from Confessions of a Fabric Addict is starting a QAL for the Hands 2 Help quilts so this is perfect since it is just waiting to be used.

4.  Moda Modern Building Blocks - pulled the fabric but haven't started

5.  Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt from Quiltville - I have worked on this in November and December and lots of the pieces are made not all but I love the finished quilt so this should be fun to make

6.  Church dash blocks - I have wanted to make this block for a while and I needed about 20 blocks for a project so I made them up one night.  I love them.  Not sure how they will finish up but excited to see what I come up with.

7.  String Quilt - I made the light one last year and still have some left and the dark bin is over flowing so planning on using them.  So either a giant star or the spider web or both I really do have enough.  Thinking this will be a Spider Web block.

8.  Runner for the washing machine/dryer- The one I have now is about 19 years old and wearing out I really need a new one.  I am going to use the FQS new free pattern with a charm pack I had stashed away.

Really not sure how I will even finish half of this list but I sure am going to try!  

ALYoF - 1st Goal

Trying to start out the year on the right foot by actually listing my goal for A Lovely Month of Finishes for January.  I am linking up almost at the very end.

I was having a hard time determining which project I was going to focus on finishing.  So this little stack that has been set aside forever was time to get done (also part of the plan to Sew the Stash).  I think this will look really nice finished as a table runner for my laundry room.  So starting it now!  I am using the free pattern on FQS.

Back to sewing - linking up to Sew Bittersweet Designs.

Quilty Goals

The holidays are over and as much as I look forward to them,  I am happy they are over.  Lots of family time and then throw in a 18th birthday for my youngest as well and I am ready to get back to a routine.  I did love having lots of time off the last two weeks.

As I think about 2015 I looked back at 2014 and I was really happy with what I did accomplish. I finished 14 projects.  4 of those were charity quilts, 1 Riley Blake Challenge, 6 gifts and then a few things that I am using or saving for when I need something. All of my finishes are under the finish tabs at the top.  I was happy that I used just over 90 yards of fabric. I didn't really count what came in but I did use more than I bought.

I have been thinking about what things I would like to do and accomplish in 2015 and there is a link up over on Quilting JetGirl.  I love a list to see what I want to do and I love to cross things off as well.  Not sure if I will hit 15 but here they go:

1.  Sew my stash- this is more about cutting into the newer bundles or yardage.  I have sewn a lot of scrap quilts the last year or year and half now I want to sew up those bundles and collections that I seem to never get to.  This is not even close to all but just stuff sitting out that I would like to use and one of the solids bins.  This is the start of sewing my stash.

2.  Sew charity quilts.  I would like to do 4 again this year.  I can't possible use all the quilts I make so it is nice to give them to others. Here are the 4 that I made this year.

3.  Use the quilt books, patterns that I have bought.  I need to make quilts from them instead of buying more.

4.  Sew a bag!  I really want that weekender but maybe start off with something smaller/easier.

5.  Sew some clothes.  I really want to try this again.  It has been at 20 years but would love to see how that would go.

6.  Declutter and reduce possessions.  I have been seriously purging for six months and want to get my basement ready for an overhaul.  That translates to a bigger sewing area after that youngest goes to college.

7.  Try something new.  I have yet to make a paper pieced quilt, curves, bags.  Whatever seems interesting a few of those things seem to scarce me away.  I need the challenge to keep things interesting.

8.  Find balance to work less than I have been so I can work out, practice yoga, get back to eating clean.  I have more energy when I do those things than when I don't and then of course more sewing time during the week.

9.  Try an Instagram swap.  I was really close to doing one and missed the cut off time.  It is a little nerve wracking thinking about making something for someone you don't know now there is another one and I just need to take the plunge.  

10.  Continue with the Finish Alongs.  This keeps me more focused to accomplish the quilts that I have started and am working on otherwise I think I may just keep starting things and have a large stack of WIP's.

11,  Track what I bought against what I used.  I know I used 90 yards but not sure how much I bought. I was on the fabric diet for the first 6 months and the only fabric I bought was the 7 yards on vacation at the quilt show in Paducah.  I didn't track anything after that.  I am fascinated how I really don't notice when I use up fabric. 

Okay that is all I have and am excited to see what new things I create in 2015.  If you made it to the end, thank you for reading.  Is anyone else making any goals for the new year?

Finished Quilt Gift

I have had this one done for awhile now but just have not had time to sit and write about it.  I had won a layer cake of Field Study on the Moda Love blog tour.

My original plan was to make the quilt from the tour but decided I wanted to do something a little simpler and smaller as it was going to be a gift for SIL for Christmas.  I haven't made her a quilt in a long time and thought this fabric line would work really well for them.

I quilted it with an overall leaf pattern. I stitched this quilt up in November had it almost completely done in just over a day.  I had run out of time to finish it up.  The pattern was from the FQS.  

Here is another close up of the quilting. Overall I am really happy on how it turned out.  I still need to work on the stitch length.  Sometimes it just gets a little too long.  I know what I am doing wrong but it is difficult to slow down and be consistent.  

I used Aufil #2600 for the quilting.  I think that might be one of my favorite colors.  I used a Kona blue for the binding.  My SIL's living room is navy and grey and they live on a wooded lot and get lots of animals in their backyard.  I am hoping they love it!

On the back I used all my leftovers and I had a fat eight small pack along with some Kona silver. So happy to not have any scraps left over.

Here is one from the weekend when my friend made the same quilt in a different fabric and they are different.  This was a great pattern!

Linking up to Whoo Whoo it's Friday, Finish it up Friday, NTT, Sew Fresh.

Week 1 Mystery Style

I decided this year I would partake in the fun.  I am sorry I didn't make Celtic Solstice since that one is just beautiful.  These quilts seem overwhelming when you see them done but not so much when they are broken up into chunks and you sew them up over six weeks.

So here is my color selection.  I have a few more lights to add in.  Most came out of the stash but did add some aquas.  I do love the colors!

I didn't have as much time to sew over the weekend so I was set to get some time in tonight.  Just in time to link up too.  I was able to cut my blacks and yellows and sew up a few HST's.  

I am planning on getting some done this week and then to be ready for clue number 2 on Friday.

Click over to Quiltville to see what others have done - there are a lot of links!  It's too bad I have to work this week!