February's OMG - Can't wait for this one

I started this one before Christmas and it's one that's on my AQM lists as well.  So this is the goal!!!  The pattern is from   Brigette Heitlan - https://www.brigitteheitland.de/ who has gorgeous modern quilts.  This one is also in her book.  It's called Sky.  A wonderful pattern using 5" squares, and making flying geese.  Her trick is wonderful, cut the 5" squares in half.  then cut the rectangles down to 4 1/2".  Then cut 5" squares for the sides, and that makes sure that you have that 1/4 inch on top to make sure your points are there.  I can't give you pictures because it's her pattern, but once you do this one, you're solid for flying geese.

My quilt is different (of course).  I wanted it for part of my wall upstairs in my loft.  It's long, more rectangular then the square pattern.  So I used the method of how to make the geese.  Did tons of them, then started to putting them rows, with some blanks in between.  But after that it was a free for all........  I placed then here and there with blank spaces in between and this is what it ended up like (look below).  This is where I'm starting at.  Almost done, and been hanging on the back of my chair in my sewing room.  Time to put it where I made it for. 

 Done some of the quilting for the quilt.  Looking at just a squiggly line.  And for some pizzazz, I'm leaving some areas open in the shape of a triangle.  I was working on this quilt when my sewing machine first started acting up.  So I stopped quilting and then just went to sewing, and then it broke for good!!

 There are a lot of empty (white) space here and there for those blank triangles to magically appear.

The material is from Kaffman of course, that wild animal/flower print.  Love how it pops with the green.  The green was some material I purchased two or three years ago during Christmas.  You can't make out the trees in the fabric, with the quilting it all goes together and makes it look like a forest.  Very, very different.

Can't wait to finish this one.  This is my listing for OMG - One monthly goal.

But not just that one, but a second one since I think this one won't take so much time.

Out side of OMG, I'm looking at completing the following:

• Block January and February for Quilt Doodle's Red Quilt called Gandma's Attic Quilt  which I will be making out of all these different reds.  It's a BOM which just started and has free blocks every month.  You've only missed the first one so you'll have to pay for that one, but the rest, mark it in your calendar and start this wonderful BOM.  This will be my 5th one with Cindy, she's a wonderful designer.  
• Making 4 scrap string quilts to get my scrap boxes (yes I have two or three) down.  Really need to get my room cleaned of all these scraps.
• for AQS the quilt goal mentioned above is from my 12B quilt listing
• for the second AQS 12A quilt listed it's a big one!!! See the picture above.   It's a hand quilted quilt from Crazy for Applique designed by The Buggy Barn (now One S1STER)  it's out of print now which makes it even more valuable.  The quilt was turned into a BOM from Carriage Country Quilts and although I didn't join the class, they had this kit, with all the fabric, but no book.  At the time Buggy Barn was breaking up and the quilt store was worried that they couldn't get any more books so they sold the entire quilt kit for $136.  What a steal.  The pattern Garden Party is 84" by 91" and the kit includes all the fabric.  I don't plan to finish it all this month (an impossible goal).  Instead I'm looking at doing the first two parts of the kit, the tree and the owl as part of it.  I'm planning on doing this as a BOM with one or two sections per month.
• The baby painting quilt created by Sew Fresh - a wonderful designer in Canada.  She designed paint brushes with paint drawn down.  I'm using solid colors with a background that looks like a wall that needs painting.  The pattern comes in two sizes, but I'm making it a small baby quilt to donate to the hospital for premie babies.

That's it.  That's enough.  That would get finished two of my UFOs, start a quilt that I've had all the material for 4 years, and cut down some of my scraps.  

Happy times  

Another Goal Coming up

I'm keeping up with this challenge, it really motivates me.  I put down what I need to do, complete it before the end of the month, post about it, then miss updating the group. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

But in reality is that the point?  No, it's to go through my UFOs and to get my sewing room down to a manageable size, and to challenge myself to keep on quilting with such a busy schedule.  So I am doing well with that.  So I keep doing what's working....  Here's my next goal.....

This ones been on the list forever, and it's one that needs to be completed before the end of June because I"m bring it to California to give it to an Aunt of mine.  The quilt is completed, it's a King size quilt. It's all together, and this picture is a little old.  I have more than 1/2 of the quilt done with little tiny squares, but I still have about 20 square blocks to quilt.  So that's what I'm working on, quilting them.  I have set a goal of 5 squares a week, to quilt (when you do that you usually do more....) or about a bobbin each time (keep quilting until the bobbin runs out).  So it's doable, just tiring on the arms because I'm doing it on my domestic machine (a small one).   Going to have trouble with this as well because I'm a teacher, it's the end of the school year and in high school that means commencement, graduation, awards night, all things after school, and it takes time (not to mention computers coming in, finals with your budget, finals with your students.....  the list can go on and on but I won't).  So it will be good luck to me to get this done, but now I don't have a choice.  Hooking up to One Monthly goal at Elm Street Quilts

Here's another shot of the quilt (Pattern by Zen Chic)

Update on last year's quilts

Awhile ago (a year ago) I published a list of 10 quilts that I wanted to finish in 2016.  Below is the results as of June 2017.  This was all part of the  "All the People's Quilt 2016 UFO Challenge".   What's in red is my update of 2017.  I took out the ones I completed in 2016.

Project	Status Before	Status Afterward
1)  Pixilated Sunflower I created	All cut out and sewn, needs to be quilted.	April 2016- Started.  Done at least 10 hours these past two weeks.  Still working on the center piece of the sunflower but I am approaching the brown, and out of the black.  I'm pleased with the work.  Finished!!!!  And it's wonderful.  See 2016 Page of finished quilts.  It was in the Quilting Guild's Show in June.  It was the quilting that took so long and I finished the quilting in May, 2017
3)  Midnight Garden	All material there but haven’t cut anything	I have ONE more to complete and what's funny is that I packed it up so I can't work on it, yet it's the perfect thing to work on right now.
4)  Garden that’s applique and wool – block of the month	All material is there but nothings been sewn or quilted.	July - Not even started... and still scared of this one....  This will be last for goodness sake. Still not started, this one is quite big, but I'm thinking about it to be the quilt for the winter.  A lot of applique in it.  This one will take a year or two
5)  Blue stars	Two stars made, need to come up with idea to bind	February 2016 - Had the design and two of the stars completed.  Can't even find it, so this one is still on the list.
6)  Houses – block of the month	All material is there,	August 2016 - Given up on this one....Packed away, but it's on my list of things to do now.  :)
7)  Block Lotto quilt - scraps	Missing 10 blocks – last two months, needs to be put together and quilted	Done!!!!  It was  also in my Guild's show.  Here's the link - http://www.fvqg.org
9)  Lily quilt - all flowers	All completed.  Even sold.  Need to quilt it.	It's done.  It wasn't sold, and I use it on my bed in the winter time.  See the tab of finished quilts for 2016
11) Modern quilt - quilt as you go...	New technique learned.	FINISH -  I added a tree to it, and it was also shown at the Quilting Guild's show in Langley.  It's my biggest quilt (King size) and the one I quilted the most!!!  I'm so amazed at it.  You'll be too.  I'm going to hang it on the 17 foot high wall in my condo.  Will take pictures when it's up.
12)  Chic Pattern	Using a precut of 10 inch squares.  Easy - looks great.	OK, this quilt top is completed, and 1/2 way quilted at this time.   It looks fantastic!!!  This quilt is being given away, it's the size of a king size quilt.  You'll see more when I'm finished the quilting completely.

Altogether, I really did so much more from the last one, and quite frankly, even though I've been in the process of moving, I'm still sewing  :0  Can't stop a quilter.

See the quilts below:

This one is the one I'm quilting - Chic.  Can't wait to complete all the quilting.  It's the king size.

Zen Chic's quilt.  Love their style.  Still quilting...

Sunflower done, and quilted.  Also up on my loft wall in my new Condo so I can admire it.

A quilty box quilt.  Love this one.  Can't give it away....

Table runner, on my antique cupboard.

And the most important thing.  I MOVED!!!  There was packing in June, and unpacking in July, and fixing up my condo (that includes scrubbing all grout in the kitchen, and two bathrooms - got Tennis Elbow now), and so on and so on.

See how it looks....

Kitchen, all tile on the floor.

15 foot ceilings, with my quilt hanging from the loft.

My quilt standing in as a barn door for now, covering up a 51 inch doorway.  Love the look of this small dining room.  A patio on the right.

And a disaster, my sewing room, but I'm working on it.  And quite frankly, with about 71 projects (yes, that's right 71) to complete, and over 100 row by row's, it's really a large amount of fabric.  For those of you wondering, yes my husband found out and I'm no longer allowed to buy any more row by rows this year.  Yes I agree 100 is way too much...  But I'm getting through them.  If you look at the picture closely you'll see some of my quilts hanging already.  one behind the door, and one right in front of my sewing machine hiding under the small cover that says "SEW" on it.  the bag on the floor in at the bottom right side is a bag full of row by rows....  So much to do...  It's a little overwhelming right now.  But I'll get there.

Here's a couple more things that I did in the last week.....  YES, I'm back to sewing...  I found some extra scraps (yes I want to use up my scraps) of left over christmas material, so I made a table cover, and a couple of place matts. 

And I did complete one more from Pat's Sloan 100 blocks.  Trying to finish off some of my quilts.

Alberta, the last block of the Canadian Mystery Quilt by Sanga. 

All have been quilted down, and need to be sewn together.  See one of my goals above.

Now here is my list to finish by the end of August (for my personal challenge):

1. the Zen Chic Black and White King size quilt that needs to be quilted (see picture above)
2. Put together 16 row by rows to make two panels for my doorway - a hand made Barn Door to close off my sewing room.  
3. The front part of a 2nd barn door I'm making, a plant pattern by two sisters....  Won't say anymore until it's done.
4. The Canadian Quilt BOM by Shania Sunga Designs - all parts are quilted already (doing Quilt as you go), and now I'm putting them together.  This is the back side of #2's barn door, with the row by rows on the front.  It will be spectacular...  All the pieces put together....
5. Three more Row by Rows from this season (it's Pacific Fabric's quilt that makes a wall hanging.  I have three out of the four to make the full quilt.  My husband and I are picking up the forth in two weeks.
6. Four more Row by Rows from two seasons previous
7. A cover for my freezer that we're keeping on the top patio.  It's to protect it from the rain.
8. Midnight quilt - one block left to complete.
9. A Red embroidery piece of two kids together.  Going to frame it when completed and hang it in my office.

That's 4 different quilts completed and 9 blocks to complete in two weeks.  Hoping to get half of it done.

Another thing that I'm working on this summer is how to improve my painting (I've been taking painting lessons for a year and a half now.  This summer I want to learn how to do clouds and the sea.  Last night after reading the book "Sea & Sky in Acrylics" by Dave White, here's the results of the clouds, that I'm very pleased with the results.    The canvas is very small, it's just a practise session, so I can make a larger one with an idea in mind.  But as I stated, I'm very pleased with the effects of the clouds.  Now to move onto the moving waves, or rather crashing waves.  I'm very happy that like most things with me, I can read a book and be able to learn from it.  Dave White is exceptional in explaining how to paint something, what colors to use, what paint brush, etc.  I do put my own flair on it (my own unique way of doing it), but the idea and premise is the same.  So I'm happy.

I promise to complete this picture by the end of the month, and I'm signing up for another session of learning to paint in acrylics.

That's it, a large list of things to do, and to complete.  I promise to write more often again to keep you the reader informed.  Take care.

October and the weather has changed....

In British Columbia that means rain, but that's ok because you get to stay in and do some sewing.  It also means in the teaching business the start of flu and cold sharing.  Which was what I've been doing the last three days, sick to my stomach with the flu.  But I did get some quilting done.  I did finish last month's goal early (See here for the butterfly quilt I made - I missed the link date somehow but I'm proud of what I did) so I'm hoping to do the same thing this month.  

This month is a new start with material and a pattern that I bought last summer.  I think that's long enough on the shelf, don't you?  :)  Here's a picture of my start.  The pattern is from Zen Chic, it's called "You and Me" and I've wanted to do this pattern for ages.  I bought all the material that summer but I was trying so hard to finish my older ones.  But in October I want something new and finish it then and there.  Plus this one will be great fun to quilt or rather practise my quilting.  This was also my thing to accomplish in September for "All the People's Quilt" UFO challenge.  See the update for that here.  This month I'm leaving just to focus on that month.

I also (as usual) have a second one -  My quilt from Aurifill which is two years old.  It's completed, I was trying to get it done for the past three months.  It's a no brainer, I'm almost done, so I'm doing this one.  

I'm linking up to to Red Letter Quilts - One Monthly goal.  I've been doing great with these goals, so thank you Heidi!!!!!  It's going to be great.

OMG - One more gone hopefully....

OK, I've been sitting on this one for a while and I want it done!!!  And it should be soon....

Here's the picture of what I have to work with.  Almost done.

The quilt is of birds on a wire (it's knitting wool) and small quilts hanging on the laundry line as well.  I have laundry pins cut out, I need to attach the quilts with these pins, and then quilt the entire thing.  The small quilts range from 3" to 7".  Really saying some with the size of the pieces on this quilt.   Notice the blue background looks like falling leaves as well.  The material for the back is Fossil Ferns by Patricia B. Campbell and Michelle L. Jack for Bernartex.  I bought over 8yards, so that enough for the front and the back.  The quilt is suppose to look like the picture below from Quiltmania #88 March/April 2012.  But mine will be three dimensional, that's why the little quilts are backed, and quilted with batting in between.  They're really cute but I won't show you now.  Just where the editted version came from.

I also want to do a quilt by Zen Chic - the You & Me Quilt, a Christmas gift from my Aunt Fernande in  Manitoba.  

Have all the material and the pattern, so ready to go on this one.

Finally (it's spring break so I can do this) I want to do about 3 blocks from my Midnight GardenThis is my New Year's Resolution from All My People Quilt.  See this post about it.

Wool Pattern.  The pattern is by Sara Tuttle 7 Sandy Brawner, it's an older pattern with 12 blocks of flowers on a black background.  There is embroidery and button stitching, perfect for relaxing in from of the TV.  Haven't started at all.

On the small side I need to complete the following:

1. I'm two behind on the Quilt Doodle Quilt - but that's about 7 blocks.
2. I need to make my mini "Sew" block
3. Want to start the tree design I've been talking about - Winter trees in Manitoba
4. I still have to make another quilt from "Precut Primers" by Me and My Sister.
5. Have to catch up on Pat Sloan's quilt along.  There are 5 blocks to do.
6. Have to do at least one month (I'm really one month and a half behind) of the 365 days quilt along.  3" squares - wow!!!

And now I'm stopping.

But for "One Monthly Goal" (I think of it more as "One More Gone") I'm talking about completing the Birds on a wire and the Zen pattern.  The rest would be bonus and a long Spring Break time that I need to get my head back on.  That means sewing.  ;)

And Dee, I'm going to play with my quilting rulers!!!!  OK this is definitely the last one  :)