Friday, January 27, 2012

quick update

A quick update as we head into the last weekend of the month….

I was attacked by diverticulitis this week. It was really bad. Bad bad bad. So that seriously cramped my productivity. However, somehow, some way, I was able to finish quilting all the white thread items on 5d Watermelon Slice. This did make my day. I did handle it about 15 minutes at a time with 45 minutes of rest in between each session, and I did this over 3 or 4 days. But I got them all done, and the machine is now rethreaded for the pink rectangles. Since I’m not 100% yet, I plan on doing 15 minutes at a time for them as well, and should finish with ease this weekend. Since the binding is already on the quilt, I did take some time as well whilst being infirmed and worked on that as well. I would say it’s 40% stitched down. Overall, the goal is to complete the quilt this weekend. This is completely do-able and I’m so happy to have a finish of this size! It has been a long time!

As far as everything else goes, I’m going to clean up my basement sewing space and pack up the rest of January. While I didn’t hit every goal, I got a lot farther than if I hadn’t made any goals at all. So I’m judging the month (in advance) as a success. I’ll still make 5b out as a leader-ender project and get that cut up and prepped and next to my machine while I clean up my space. While I’ve occupied my kitchen table for quilting this big quilt, the mess that is sewing has taken over my main floor, so while I finish 5d Watermelon Slice, I will clean up the downstairs space and prepare it for the machine to return. Then once the machine is returned, I will clean up the main floor as if no sewing went on. It was an experiment and a very successful one, so I will do it again as needed.

Here’s hoping for a restful and productive weekend.

Monday, January 23, 2012

2012 UFOs - January is #5 - week 3 wrap up

Week 3 of the month. What can I say? 10 days with no post - sorry

I went ahead and occupied my kitchen table. I did start quilting 5d Watermelon Slice, which I am declaring as the #5 UFO for Judy’s challenge. I want to quilt the top in 3 different colors of thread – green, white and fuchsia. The green is all done and was by far the largest amount of quilting needed. Since it also included the borders, I went ahead and trimmed the quilt down, thus removing a foot of bulk on each side, and added the binding. Only 100 inches of the binding was made, so I had to make more first – grrr. But now since the binding is on, I can sew binding down during the 10pm news, which isn’t all bad. My goal is to finish by this weekend and since I am #12 on the list, I best hurry.

I did go ahead and sort out all of the Old Navy shirts. I washed them and started cutting. Cutting is a more arduous task than I thought, as I am cutting the rest of the shirts into strips for a crochet project. (Yes, I’m nuts.) So with about 8 or 9 days to go, this is where I hope I end up.

5a Remains untouched and that’s OK.
5b I had hoped to finish this one, but it’s not going to happen. I plan on leaving it out as a leader-ender project.
5c I wanted all blocks done, but about half will be. That’s still better than where we were.
5d Done done.

The 8 QAYG string blocks are done.
The 12 Chiclet blocks are started but will not be done.
The 4 Old Navy shirts will be cut and have interfacing on them.

I have 1 little row and one star row done on Orca Bay . I will not be as far as I want to be.
I have not done anything more on Jeanne’s Diamonds.

I did finish the Anita’s Arrowhead baby quilt for my husband’s co-worker. That used up 3.06 yards of stash.

New totals: 3.60 yards used. 0 for UFOs. 3.60 yards YTD.

Friday, January 13, 2012

January Week 2 weekday update

My week 2 goals are kind of going by the wayside, once I figured out what I wanted to do on each project for the month. It really doesn’t matter, as long as I get all of it done. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

So far during the week, I haven’t actually done too much sewing. Monday involved a Girl Scout meeting. We did a tremendous amount of cleaning on Tuesday, which at least puts me in the right mind to sew in peace. Wednesday just sort of slipped away from me; I didn’t sew. But I did do some fabric searching, and that was involved, as our basement is a complete and utter wreck. After the fabric quest was complete, I was done for the night.

Yesterday I left work early for a snow day and I did get some sewing in. What I did accomplish was pretty good. I had found a lot of parts of things from my UFO list for the year, so I got those all filed into the 6 UFO boxes. I also moved the 6 UFO boxes out of my front entrance and into my sewing room and into their location under my sewing table. I also pulled fabrics to make more Bricks and Stepping Stones blocks, part of UFO 5c. So while I put stuff away, I actually took out more.

On to the sewing. I completed 8 Anita’s Arrowhead blocks, making my count 19. I need 25 to make the quilt 45” and not needing a border. I laid out the 5d UFO entitled Watermelon Slice and stared at it for a long while. I have a quilting plan in my mind, and even better yet, a timetable to complete it. I went through what blocks were done for the 5c UFO, and regrouped by color. I need 120 blocks, which is essentially 10 blocks per color from last year’s monochromatic challenge. Since I want all the blocks done this month, I need to do about 40 per week. So 10 were done (yellow). I completed red and blue last night. I need 10 more for this week, but since it is out and since all the fabric has been pulled to complete this, I may just persevere onwards until all 120 blocks are done. I am using them as leaders and enders for the Anita’s Arrowhead blocks, which I make 4 at a time. I also found a backing for the 5b UFO.

So with all of this being said, my weekend goals are as follows:
Finish Anita’s Arrowhead
1/3 of the quilting on 5d Watermelon Slice
Finish all the blocks on 5c and put all that fabric away

I will feel better when the area is tidy again.

Monday, January 09, 2012

Week 2 goals

Week 2 goals:

5a Nothing. And this will remain this way all month.
5b Get as far on the top as possible. Goal is to finish this month.
5c Do 3 sets of 10. Colors are red, orange and green. Goal is to finish all blocks this month.
5d Pull it out of the closet and study it. Goal is to finish this month.

Make the 12 centers, which are 16-patches, for the Chiclets blocks.
Nothing on the shirts.

Assemble the next 2 rows for Orca Bay . Attach them to the 2 rows already done. Goal is to quilt first section this month.
Finish all the borders for Jeanne’s Diamonds. Goal is to have sandwiched this month.

I have started a baby quilt for a co-worker of DH. I am doing Anita’s Arrowhead and I have 11 blocks made and need at least 20; 25 would be better. My goal is to get as far as possible on this one this week. Goal is to finish this one this month.

Week 1 recap

Week 1 wrap up:

Goals:

5a Nothing.
5b I think I know what I want to do. So I will pull everything together and let it sit there for a while and let it percolate.
5c I want to make 60 black and white 4 patches and look up the colors that were 7-12.
5d Pull it out of the closet and study it. Start quilting on it and be ¼ of the way done with the quilting.

Complete the 8 string QAYG blocks.
Cut 2.5” strips for Chiclets blocks. I have a bunch of fabric lying around and so while I put it all away, I’ll just cut a strip from each one.
Nothing on the Old Navy shirts.

For Orca Bay , I will assemble a little row and a star row. I’m starting at the bottom.
For Jeanne’s Diamonds, I will put the rows together, which will leave me with a completed top without borders.

Additionally I made a mini of Jeanne’s Diamonds and that is sandwiched.

Progress:

5a Same.
5b Going with Streak of Sunshine.
5c Made 60 4-patches and looked up all the colors.
5d Nothing. Boo.

The 8 QAYG string blocks are done.
Strips were cut for the Chiclets blocks.
Nothing was done on the shirts.

I did assemble 2 rows for Orca Bay .
I did assemble the center of the top for Jeanne’s Diamonds.

I did finish the mini Jeanne’s Diamonds. 0.53 yards used in mini. 0 for UFOs. 0.53 total YTD.

Friday, January 06, 2012

Mid-week Update

This is what I got done on Wednesday, while recovering from a migraine...

5b I took the fabrics out of the box and realized that there are 7 of them and they are at least FQ size if not bigger. I’ve decided to do Bonnie’s Streak of Sunshine with them in as large of a size as the fabrics will permit.

5c I found the list of 2011 colors from Judy. I then took some inventory of what I had done. And I made 20 4-patches.

I started to sew a string block to use up a spool that was just about done.

I did sew together one little row and one star row for Orca Bay .

I did assemble the blocks for Jeanne’s Diamonds.

This is what I got done last night...

I cut a whole bunch of strips for the Chiclets blocks. And then collapsed for the exhaustion of a 2 day migraine.

I'm out of pocket Friday afternoon to Saturday night, so here's hoping for a big quilty Sunday.

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

2012 UFOs - January is #5 - week 1

So Judy picked the UFO number on Sunday (OMG, I was stalking for this number on Sunday!) and she picked 5. So let’s take a look at the 5 box, plus the bonuses plus the homework.

Box 5

5a Snowmen – I swapped 12” snowmen blocks a while ago and also some snow FQs. Status: Flimsy.
5b Australia FQs – I received these in a secret santa type box and I need to finish this project and donate it. Status: In pieces.
5c Bricks & Stepping Stones – I started these blocks trying to make 10 per color of Judy Laquidara’s 2011 Monochromatic challenge. Status: Some blocks completed.
5d Watermelon – A Dorothy Young pattern. Status: Sandwiched.

Homework

12 Chiclets blocks
4 Old Navy Flag shirts
8 String QAYG blocks

Bonus UFOs

25 Orca Bay – The Bonnie Hunter 2011 Christmas mystery. Status: In pieces.
26 Jeanne’s Diamonds – The Dorothy Young 2011 Christmas mystery. Status: In pieces.

So from all of this, I need 2 finishes for January. Here are my goals for this week on this box. I hesitate to talk about the whole month, so let’s just start with the week.

5a Nothing.
5b I think I know what I want to do. So I will pull everything together and let it sit there for a while and let it percolate.
5c I want to make 60 black and white 4 patches and look up the colors that were 7-12.
5d Pull it out of the closet and study it. Start quilting on it and be ¼ of the way done with the quilting.

Complete the 8 string QAYG blocks.
Cut 2.5” strips for Chiclets blocks. I have a bunch of fabric lying around and so while I put it all away, I’ll just cut a strip from each one.
Nothing on the Old Navy shirts.

For Orca Bay , I will assemble a little row and a star row. I’m starting at the bottom.
For Jeanne’s Diamonds, I will put the rows together, which will leave me with a completed top without borders.

Additionally I made a mini of Jeanne’s Diamonds and that is sandwiched. I’d like to quilt it by Thursday night and bind it in the car over the weekend, as we are travelling north.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Sick of Green

I'm sick of green. There, I said it. I'm so stuck in the Orca Bay mystery. I'm trying to finish all of the green clues, since Bonnie's black is my green. OMG, I am so sick of green.

Oh, and Happy New Year.

I shall persevere. I am close to being done with the green. I had hoped to be done with it yesterday, but that did not happen. So today I shall try again to be done.

I went and saw the reveal for Orca Bay and I like it. I'm also glad that I switched the black and green positions in my own quilt. While green is bugging me now, having a quilt with that much black would bug me later with the finished product.

I also need to finish Jeanne's Diamonds, which I also hope to do today.

They're still asleep and I best get downstairs to start HP 6 and finishing up all that green....