Tuesday, January 31, 2017

2017 - The Year of Thelma - LX

Eeeek, it's the last day of January, where did this month go, and where is this year going!  Things are finally getting back to normal around here,  I'm back to my regular daily routine and regular sewing time which makes me a regular happy girl.  I may even get back to my regular blogging!

First up, I was thrilled to share a few of my quilts with the Pride of the Prairie Quilters for their January meeting.


Here's the before I started chatting pic, 6 bags of quilts ready to go, 25 quilts total.


And here's the after pic, all the quilts out and down to my last one. I'm not sure why I'm so serious  talking about Coastal Lily, lol.

The ladies were so welcoming, I made new friends I hope to see again.

With the Christmas decorations packed up and the trunk show over I've finally had the time to think about the year 2017, which I've name The Year of Thelma - LX.

I had a few 2015 goals that I carried over to 2106 and will now carry over to 2017!

I'm still working on getting the perfect fabric to make this pattern by Cindy Lammon.  


I've finally ordered fabric, fingers crossed it all works out.  My biggest hurdle in the past was getting yardage, I mainly have fat quarters, but I think I'm good.

Last year I also wanted to make a project using a Laundry Basket Quilts pattern.  I have several, and love most all of Edyta's quilts.


It didn't happen in 2015 or 2016,  hopefully this is the year.

I spent some more time on Zipper but it's still not done.


I'm losing that loving feeling for this one, and I'm not sure why, all I know is when I get it out I avoid my sewing room, not a good sign.  

I finally finished a top using this Autumn Woods fabric by Kate and Birdie for Moda, this was from 2015


And here is what I finally made.


 A great finish. 

While I didn't accomplish everything on my 2016 list,  I did finish 22 quilt tops, and had a lot of fun, I chose happy and enjoyed every day I spent in my sewing room.

Here's a few more things on my list for 2017; 

this is the year I wear fun socks,

every day.

This is the year I make something out of my favorite fabric that I've been hoarding, 


like this bundle of Happy Go Lucky by Bonnie and Camille for Moda, 


and this bundle of Juggling Summer by Zen Chic for Moda.

WHAT AM I WAITING FOR!  There's more beautiful fabric coming down the road all the time, my hoarding days are behind me.

This is the year instead of just buying Carolyn Freidlander's fabric I actually make something with it.

This is the year I make one of those 100 six inch block sampler quilts, Marcelle Medallion by Alexia Marcelle Abegg, and a low volume quilt.

This is the year I get to as many patterns as I can that have been on my To Do list for too long.   First up is Swoon.  I made a smaller 4 block Swoon wall hanging for my daughter years ago, it's just one of those projects that I'm always going to get to but never do, until now.


Baby Swoon hangs in my daughter's office, and has for over 5 years!  Where does the time go!

Anyway, I'm busting up all my Bonnie and Camille bundles and putting together combos of my favorite fabrics to make my most happy and spectacular Swoon, what took me so long!


And here's my first block, made with my all time favorite Happy Go Lucky print, and my favorite red dot fabric from Vintage Picnic.

This is the year I go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink, just once, maybe.

Oh, and this is the year I turn 60, there's nothing I can do but embrace it, celebrate it, and why not, I'm healthy, blessed with a wonderful family, and am part of an amazing quilting community that challenges and inspires me and has given me the best quilting friends in the world, what would I possibly change?

Thursday, January 19, 2017

First for 2017

So here's my first finish for 2017, but the vast majority of the work for this quilt took place in 2016, the entire year.

These are my 2016 project scrap houses, with some holiday houses and just because I like the fabric houses.


I sort of arranged my Village into districts, and like a calendar.  Valentine's Day houses in row 2,  St Patrick's Day house in row 3, April Showers and Easter houses in row 4, May floral houses in row 5, day sail houses in row 6, 4th of July houses in row 7, summer houses in row 8, Halloween houses in row 9, fall houses in row 10, and an entire row of Christmas houses for row 11.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 193
The pattern is Village by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co
It finished at 70" X 77".
I has approximately 1.034 pieces.
I've named it Village - A Year in the Life 2016

This was so fun I'm thinking of doing it again this year, except maybe going with spools or basket blocks instead of house blocks.

I am so behind on piecing the backs of my quilts that I've instituted a new rule, no new projects started until the backing and the binding for the last project is done.  Plus it wouldn't hurt me to have a backing Monday, for the next 3 months, I'm 13 behind!  So nothing new until I sew the backing for Village, which I haven't even given any thought to, hopefully I have something on hand to use so I'm not waiting around for a delivery from the mailman.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Weeeeeeeee

I'm back!  After Christmas I hit the road for a holiday vacay and just got home yesterday.


Once I sort the mail, get caught up on the laundry and pack up the Christmas decorations I'll be back in my sewing room and will have some quilty topics to blog about.  I've been thinking about what I what to make in 2017, I think it will be a fun year.

Until then, here's a picture of me zip-lining in Maui, one way to start the year.