Getting it Done - January!

As 2013 begins, I'm going to try and stay organized and on top of my projects....  And I will be joining many other bloggers out there both completing projects and starting new ones up!

Lynne at Never too Hot to Stitch has a great challenge going, encouraging finishing one project before starting new ones...  This sounds like a great idea!

Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts and Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs are hosting 2013 ~ A lovely year of finishes. For this challenge, my January challenge is to finish my daughter's skirt. Sorry its currently lost in the sewing room... Here is a photo of the fabrics - it the blue plaid, and the blue woven solid underneath....

Fabric from Our Social Fabric Sale

Judy over at Patchwork Times is hosting a Getting it Done Challenge in 2013...




As well as joining Leanne at She Can Quilt! for the 2013 Finish A Long 





So what is on my list?   Its going to be a simple list, sewing items anyways, as my main goal is home renovations and moving my longarm machine to my new studio.

1. Start the Starburst Quilt A Long by choosing fabrics.  
2. Load the Quilt from Sew Happy Quilt's Quilt A Long onto the lonagrm.  (UFO)
3. Finish a skirt for my older daughter. (UFO)
4. Embroider a blanket for my son's band fundraiser.  (DUE Jan 15)
5. Block for Quilt Guild BOM (January 11)
6. Jelly Roll Race Quilt at Guild Meeting (January 11)
7. Rennovations
   
   • Empty both Rooms
   • Remove carpets, wall, one door
   • Rewire, possibly adding a sub-panel for the room and better lighting.
   • Frame in closet, buy a closet door.
   • (I think there is some discussion about insulation and the ceiling.... but.... that takes time....)
   • Patch Drywall, Repaint
   • Re-floor (maybe some in-floor heating?)
   • Move Stuff!

I am also considering Quilt Sampler QAL to practice my free motion quilting....  but really don't need  another project right now.... so I really think I'll skip this unless it has a longer time schedule...  I also was thinking of doing the Dare to Dresden Blog Hop over at Sew We Quilt!

More Christmas Crafting

This year we made a few crafts for gifts....  I can't take credit for these as I had some great help..  The drill press make these reindeer fairly fast, except all the whittling my husband did!!!!  BTW thanks to my step-father for cleaning the garage, it was much easier to make a mess with this project)
Reindeer

Penguins

And finishing up a UFO... my step-father's birthday present (from his birthday last January 2012)

2012 Project Updates

2012 Goal Review

My goals for 2012 were listed at the end of 2011.  So how did I do? First I joined my local Quilt Guild.... and then I entered one item in a Quilt Challenge at a local Quilt Store, and I entered 2 items in my Guild's Quilt Show.

• Sew something every week
  I started off well, but travel, and getting back into routine got in the way... Overall I did lots of quilting, not so much garment sewing
• Purchase with a plan
  Yes!  Most fabric was purchased with a plan.  I lost track of stash in/out but did use lots of stash fabrics
• Learn to Longarm
  Yes! Getting better at this
• Work on UFOs
  Got 8 UFOs (5 Quilting, 3 Dancing) Completed!
• Enjoy!
  I did enjoy my sewing this year and at Christmas I only did 2 projects and I enjoyed both of them!

Current Status

I am not at home, but this is what I think the current status of all my projects from this year are....   Have a number in various stages of quilting....  Only one new project waiting on longarm...  

Project	Name	Stall Point	Status
1	Stars on the Mountain Quilt	Piecing	Still need to finish Mountain Blocks
3	Animals - UFO #5	DONE	1 UFO into 2 Quilts!
4	Sew Happy Geek QAL	Longarm
5	Wonky Log Cabin Blocks (Colour Challenge BOM)	Piecing	January and February Completed
10	Just Takes 2	Piecing	Done some blocks, but not enjoying... might just turn into either a lap quilt, or pillow...  Or let it sit for a while...
13	April Mae Designs - Sun BOM	Embroidery	January and February Completed March's has been Started
16	Craftsy BOM	Piecing	January and February Completed
28	BMQG - Preemie Donation Quilt	DONE	2 Airplane Quilts Donated
31	Quilt for my Husband	Piecing	Most of the Fabric is Cut Out
32	Sewing Machine Cover	DONE
33	Quilt for my Step-Father	DONE
34	New York Beauties Quilt	Piecing	7 blocks finished
35	Gecko Quilt	DONE	Entered in Contest and Quilt Show
36	Strip Quilt	DONE	Donated
37	Hugs Quilt	DONE	Mailed and Delivered!
38	Techie Quilt	DONE

Christmas Gift...

A quilt for my husband.... a few weekends ago, my husband took the kids to the island to get a Christmas tree and check on our property...  While they were away I quilted... When Connecting Threads first saw the Mastermind Collection I knew I needed to get it for my husband.... The quilting is free motion or ruler  work... It was great fun, but densely quilted so took a while to quilt!

This was my last NewFO project for the year.... and it didn't even become a UFO!!!!
I'm now ready for 2013 NewFO Challenge!!!!

Christmas Sewing

I didn't do many projects this Christmas.... But both quilting projects are done... as well as 2 family crafts!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and wonderful holiday season!

NewFO Challenge....

What's a NewFO Challenge?  Per Barbara of Cat Patches, it's permission to start new projects, without a plan to immediately finish them, thus leaving you with a nice list of UFOs for all those UFO challenges. 
I have lots of unfinished projects... and yes I want to work on those, but I really want to do some other projects too!  So here is my NewFO Project list... I'm sure I'll add to it!!!!

• A quilt for a friend who has a new house (probably this quilt-a-long)
• A quilt for my mom
• A Jelly Roll Race Quilt (January's Quilt Guild Challenge)
• A quilt for my cousin's new baby (due in April)

A hugs quilt...

This past year I was involved in a hugs quilt for a friend... It started with a quilt block that a number of us each made, and then a wonderful lady took all our blocks and sashed them and sewed them together.  I had batting, binding, and backing (2 pieces) sent to me from 3 different sources... and eventually the quilt top arrived for me to assemble into a quilt....  The quilt was finally delivered yesterday.  

My Memories Suite Giveaway....

Head on over to my Scrapbooking blog to enter a give away for My Memories Suite version 4.

Sewing Studio Update

So I haven't been sewing much.... I have completed two quilts... but they are currently under wraps...  One will be given on Saturday so after I have confirmation that the recipient has received her quilt, then I will post some photos....  The other is a Christmas Gift, and I know the recipient reads my blog... so no photos until after Christmas....But I have been spending as much time as possible sorting through 2 rooms trying to empty them out in an attempt to make a new sewing/quilting studio....  Up until yesterday I had my quilting stuff in 3 rooms, plus the hallway... I've moved a bunch of stash boxes out of the office/guest bedroom and now it is empty (except for the furniture).   The other room, the storage room is 75% empty, and when I get finished, I will start knocking down walls, painting, reflooring, etc....  Here is my proposed design for my new space.

Lest we Forget

FNSI Results

I finished quilting a quilt on the longarm. But the project is underwraps... so its a surprise....

Saturday I went to the guild sew-in and I completed the binding on two quilts and nearly completed the top-secret quilt... Must finish it by Friday, and then show it at the guild meeting... then it will be mailed to the recipient....

oh and a little dancing too....

No I haven't forgotten....

Things have been fairly crazy here this year... I keep thinking everything will settle down, but really it hasn't.  I haven't been updating here, but we're busy this summer travelling through Scotland and Iceland.
My son's pipeband played at the World Pipeband Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.  They placed 3rd in Novice Juvenile!

Practicing....
Photo by SFU Media Relations

North Berwick Highland Games 2012 -- 3rd Place in Novice Juvenille
Photo by SFU Media Relations

Piping Live in George Square
Photo by SFU Media Relations

The Worlds Results -- Glasgow 2012
3rd Place in Novice Juvenille
1st Place in Qualifying Heat
Photo by SFU Media Relations

I am finally getting back to some sewing....  I have nearly completed a premie quilt for donation to our local NICU.  I completed this quilt completely on the longarm and now it just needs binding.  I hope to have it finished for November's meeting so I can show it and donate it...  

Quilt Show....

I had two of my quilts in my guilds quilt show this past weekend.....