Merry Christmas!

 

To Do List for the Week of 12/23/2025

I'm in the coasting portion of the Christmas holiday. The shopping is done, the presents wrapped, groceries bought (mostly). Now I can hang out with family and just chill out. There won't be any sewing room time between now and Christmas, but I'll have lots of time next weekend to decompress from the holiday with my machine.  Before getting to my probably bigger than realistic plans for next week, here is how this week went. 

To Do List for 12/16/2025

1.  My Girl Trivets: Quilt the kitty trivets ✔

2.  2026 Guild BOM: Start February block - no progress

3.  Magnificent Mystery: Work on Oct/Nov/Dec clues ✔

4.  Wild and Goosey: Continue making green blocks ✔

Not a bad week, three out of four items with check marks by them. With all the holiday prep in the works, the shorter list was definitely the way to go.  Since I'm hoping for some "nothing but sewing days" after the holiday, I'm going to go for a much longer to do list.

To Do List for 12/23/2025

1.  2026 Guild BOM: Start February block

The instructions are written, I just to make the block to ensure that they are correct. I have till the third week in January to get this done, but starting early is wise.  Plus, I'd really, really like to work ahead a bit so that I'm not in a bind if something happens and I can't get to my sewing room for a couple of weeks.  

2. Butterfly embroidery: Take a few stitches in the current butterfly

Not sure how much I'll get done on this, but any progress would be good.  

3. 2026 SAHRR (Quilting Gail): Decide on/start center block

I've played along with Stay at Home Round Robin the last 3 years. The resulting quilts are some of my family's favorites.  I wasn't going to play along this year.  I enjoy the challenge of designing a round that adds to the quilt, but it's a lot of sewing room time. After looking back at what other's did last year, I opened up Electric Quilt and played around a bit.  Out of that came a quilt that won't take endless sewing of small pieces to meet each round.  Now to figure out the fabrics and decide on the center block. 

4. Magnificent Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs): Work on Oct/Nov/Dec clues

Progress has been steady on all the clues for the last 3 months, but still aways to go to finish up these three.  At least all the component parts are made for the October clue, I just have to but them together.  

5. Lupine and Laughter (Bonnie Hunter): Press fabrics and start clues

I'm pretty far behind on this mystery, but there is a plan.  Last Friday's clue was a block. I'm going to start with the clue for the hour glass blocks used in the block and go from there.  I very often bail on some of Bonnie's sashing and borders. So I'll start with that block and go from there on what else I decide to make for my version.  That's usually what happens in the end anyway, so I may as well start off that way.  

6. Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter): Continue making green blocks

Just need 2 more sets of 4 like this and the green blocks will be done.  Can I finish those before the end of the year?  It will be close, so maybe, maybe not.  

That's my list for this week. It's ambitious, but it's the end of the year, so I'd like to see what else I can make progress on before starting on next year's goals.  Linking up with the Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday. 

Wishing everyone a very happy holiday season. Hope you are able to spend it with those you love.  

Deadline Sewing Done for December

The week before Christmas always seems to pass in a rush. I felt off for a couple of days early last week.  Thankfully it appears to be just my sinuses reacting to all the crap the strong winds blew in.  That slowed me down a bit on the stuff that had to get done, but didn't stop progress completely. All the gifts were wrapped yesterday. Even My Guy has all his wrapping done. There were two sewing projects that had deadlines this month.  The first was the guild BOM. 

This year's BOM includes a large Carpenter Star block as the focus point of the quilt. It's 32" x 32" finished. This is the January block for the guild.  This sampler quilt includes 9 8" finished blocks and two border blocks for a total of 12 blocks for this year's BOM. I have the instructions written for the next 3 blocks, now I just have to make them. But that's a task for after the holiday.  

The other deadline was to quilt and bind the kitty trivets that My Girl made for her cousin.  

The quilting definitely isn't perfect, but I think they still came out pretty cute.  This is the third set of placements I've quilted this year.  It's been an easy way to practice using the walking foot. I've definitely improved since the first set.  The plan is to apply those skills to finish off a few quilts next year.  

Now that the deadline stuff is all done, I can enjoy the holiday with nothing imminent hanging over my head.  Linking up with Patchwork & Quilts, Sew and Tell Monday, and Free Motion Mavericks.  Hope your holiday prep is winding down and you can enjoy the rest of the holiday.  

Stitching Stuff: Week 51 of 2025

 

It's the Sunday before Christmas. Just one more full week left in 2025. That's really hard to believe.  This week wasn't so busy as last week, but for some reason I was really tired early in the week. Maybe fighting something off as it's that time of year all kinds of yucky sicknesses are floating around.  At any rate, that's what ate into my sewing time this week, There was one day where I just felt yucky and ended up going to bed really early.

• 15 minute days/week = 6/7 days
• 15 minute days/Dec = 19/20 days
• 15 minute days/2025 = 309/354 days
• Success rate = 87.29%

Most of my stitching time this week has been focused on finishing off a Christmas gift.  Are you done with your holiday sewing or has it taken over your life?  

  

1. maggie f 2. Gretchen 3. Frédérique

4. Karen 5. DonnaleeQ 6. Melissa G

7. Bonnie Stapleton 8. Andrée at Quilting & Learning 9. Quilting Gail

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

To Do List for the Week of 12/16/2025

With the holiday just around the corner, it's not been as easy to find time to stitch. Then to top it off, my foot pedal for my machine is acting up. It mostly works, then suddenly it will stop. I fiddle with it and it starts back up.  I have found a replacement, but as we have Christmas plans, I didn't want to order it right now.  Hopefully I can limp along till January.  

My sewing time this week was cut a bit short by holiday prep and a trip to see my mother.  Consequently, my to do list might as well be my didn't do list.  

To Do List for 12/9/2025

1. My Girl Trivets: Quilt the kitty trivets - no progress

2. 2026 Guild BOM: Finish January block ✔

3. Magnificent Mystery: Keep working on Oct/Nov/Dec clues ✔

4. Lupine and Laughter: Start on all released clues - no progress

5. Wild and Goosey: Continue making green blocks ✔

Honestly not as bad as expected, check marks on three out of five isn't horrible.  Keeping up with the Guild BOM was my priority for last week. As long as that happened, it would be a good week.  This week's list will be a bit shorter. I've decided to just collect the clues for the Bonnie Hunter mystery this year. Maybe after Christmas, or more likely after New Year's, I'll decide to make it or not.  There is much more sewing time in January than December, so we'll see.  That means this week's list is a bit shorter than it has been. 

To Do List for 12/16/2025

1. My Girl Trivet: Quilt the kitty trivets

This will be the first thing I work on when I make it to the sewing room. I'm hoping the two trivets won't take that long.  Famous last words, hopefully I'm not sabotaging myself.  

2. 2026 Guild BOM: Start February block

The January block is finished and I got started on the border blocks, which are actually block 12. But as the final quilt needs so many of them, I'm giving the guild members the option to make a few each month and be ready for assembly when we get to next December.  I've got the instructions drafted for the February block. I just need to get started on it.  

3.  Magnificent Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs): Work on Oct/Nov/Dec clues

There's been at least some progress on all the clues. September is completely finished with good progress on October and November. Still a long way to go with December's clue.  

4. Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter): Continue making green blocks

There's been progress on this front, but still a number of green ones left to make. The plan was to be done in December. That might not happen, but I'm happy with the progress. 

A much shorter list this week, but that fits my available time better.  Linking up with the Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday, just on Wednesday.  

Stitching Stuff: Week 50 of 2025

 

This time of year when I type the title of this weekly post, my mind says no that can't be right.  Just two weeks left in 2025?  Really?  I've been slowly taking care of Christmas stuff. I've also been taking some sanity time in the sewing room this week. 

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/Dec = 13/13 days
• 15 minute days/2025 = 303/347 days
• Success rate = 87.32%

I had a good week on the stitching front, though my only effort on the BH mystery has been to collect the clues.  At this point, collecting the clues then deciding what parts get made once the reveal comes out may be my approach this year  I very rarely make a BH quilt completely to her pattern.  

Have you been able to work in some sanity time in your sewing room this week or has Christmas prep taken over completely? 

1. maggie f 2. Gretchen 3. Julie in GA 4. Melissa G

5. Jocelyn @CNN 6. Karen 7. Andrée at Quilting & Learning 8. DonnaleeQ

9. Frédérique 10. Bonnie Stapleton 11. Deb in Canada 12. Quilting Gail

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

To Do List for the Week of 12/09/2025

It's been a busy week.  I've made some progress on Christmas preparations, but still have a bit to do on that front.  It's definitely meant less time in the sewing room. Consequently, there hasn't been much progress on my to do list from last week.  

To Do List for 12/02/2025

1.  My Girl Trivets: Quilt kitty trivets - no progress

2.  2026 Guild BOM: Finish January block - progress

3.  Lupine and Laughter: Start clues 1, 2 and 3 - no progress

4.  Magnificent Mystery: Finish Oct, Start Nov/Dec - progress

5.  Old Town: Continue Quilt assembly ✔

6.  Wild and Goosey: Continue making green blocks ✔

Two check marks, two with progress and two with no progress.  Not a horrible week, but not the best either.  There was progress, just not as much as I would like.  It's just that time of year. It amazes me that I seem even busier then when I was working.  How does that happen?  Here's this week's list. Fingers crossed I do better with it this week.  

To Do List for 12/09/2025

1. My Girl Trivets: Quilt kitty trivets

This will probably take the better part of a day to do. I just need to put the walking foot back on the machine and get it done sometime this week. 

2.  2026 Guild BOM: Finish January block

All the component pieces have been made for the January block and the block is being assembled.  I've also made a start on block 12 by making a few flying geese.  Why am I starting on block 12?  The final quilt has an optional flying geese border. Since it's a border, you need a lot of flying geese. So I'm going to give the guild members the option to make a few flying geese each month or wait till December to make all of them.  

3. Magnificent Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs): Continue working on Oct/Nov/Dec clues

It took a bit to make all the component parts for these blocks.  I've only gotten two completely assembled.  Hopefully these will go fast.  I've started cutting the fabrics for the November and December clues.  The background is cut for both clues. I'm hoping to make better progress on all the clues this week.  

4. Lupine and Laughter (Bonnie Hunter): Start on all the released clues

I've done nothing on this project, I'm going to be way behind at reveal time, but that's nothing new for me.  I've put Old Town in time out now that the blocks are all assembled, hopefully taking that off the list will give me time to start on this project. 

5. Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter): Continue making green blocks

Slowly, but surely the green blocks are getting made.  They probably won't be finished by the end of the year, but any progress is good progress.  

That's my list for the week. In addition to stitching, I still need to put the tree up, redo the table decorations, finish shopping and wrap everything.  Not sure how much stitching I'll get done, but any progress on any front is a good thing.  Linking up with the Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday. 

Mostly Checking Off Another Priority

This week has gone fast.  Hard to believe that it was just last Monday we got back from our Thanksgiving holiday trip. Both My Guy and I kept asking each other what day it was all week.  Sunday didn't feel like Sunday, mainly because we finally did our big Christmas shopping trip to Tulsa. I'm not done, done, with the shopping, but pretty close. There are still a couple of things we decided we'd be better off ordering. Hopefully, I get that done today.  Getting the tree up and wrapping presents is likely to take a good chunk of time away from the sewing room this week. What gets done, gets done. 

Saturday was my get in the sewing room and stitch day this week.  One of my goals was to get last year's Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt, Old Town to finished quilt top.  

It's most of the way there.  The blocks and sashing are sewn together, now it just needs the borders added. The plan was to add the inner pieced border, but not the outer pieced border. But I'm rethinking that now.  So I'm going to let the border plans marinate a bit, so for now this project will go back into the project box to be tackled sometime next year.  I'm happy with how this came together, the secondary pattern of the crosses formed by the sashing is one of my favorite things about this quilt.

Linking up with Patchwork & Quilts and Sew and Tell Monday.  

I'm still having problems with my computer memory. If I disappear for a few days, it means I finally put the computer in for a spa day.  Fingers crossed it doesn't come to that.    

Stitching Stuff: Week 49 of 2025

As I was typing the blog title, I had to ask is it really week 49?  Yep, there are just 3 more Sundays in 2025.  I'm definitely not going to meet all my goals for the year. Well, some years are just that way. I should probably run a debrief for myself and see what got me off course for the year.  I'll do that closer to the new year. My stitching time this year has been hit or miss too, but I pretty much hit it this week. 

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/Nov = 26/30 days
• 15 minute days/Dec = 6/6 days
• 15 minute days/2025 = 296/340 days
• Success rate = 87.06%

It was a good week.  Maybe it hasn't been the best year on the stitching front, but it's far from my worst (a 52.3% success rate).  So as long as it's not the worst year, I'm good.  

Have you been able to work in some stitching time along with your holiday prep?  

1. Gretchen 2. Julie in GA 3. Melissa G 4. Stitching Nana

5. Andrée at Quilting & Learning 6. DonnaleeQ 7. Karen 8. Bonnie Stapleton

9. Deb in Canada 10. Quilting Gail 11. Marsha's Spot

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

November 2025 PHD Report

How can it be December already? We've reached that point where you've either done a great job on your PHD plan or not.  There's not much opportunity to fix it at this point.  So I'm going to confess my lack of progress and link up with Ms. P Designs for the November PHD report.  

 

No new finishes, but one new start.  The 2026 Guild BOM won't end until next year and doesn't officially start until January. But as I'm the one leading it this year, I have to be ready to go one month early.  It's possible I could finish one other quilt before the end of the year, but it's not likely at this point.  Even though the finishes haven't happened, there has still be good progress on several projects over the last month.  

The butterfly embroidery project saw some stitching time over the Thanksgiving week.  You can see a bit of stitching on that bottom middle butterfly. Since we have family time coming up at Christmas, I'm sure this project will see a bit more progress before the end of the year.  

 

Almost finished with the dark green corners for Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter), just one small dark green block left to finish.  Then on to the bright green blocks. Just 12 of those left to make. I'm hoping to finish those before the end of the year.  I'll have to stay diligent to meet that goal.

I really like the secondary pattern that shows up with the addition of the sashing to the Old Town blocks (Bonnie Hunter).  Two rows done and sewn together, with a good start on row 3.  I'm still hoping to get this project to finished quilt top by the end of the year.  

The 2025 Guild BOM quilt top is finished. It needs to be pressed pretty badly, but you can still get a good look at how it came out.  I was so happy to have this completed for November's guild meeting.  I've heard from several of the guild members that they really enjoyed this project. It will be fun to see what variations come from the participants.  

Magnificent Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs) is progressing slowly. The September clue is completed and I've got a start on the October clue.  I still need to cut the pieces for the November clue and December's clue will come out tomorrow.  I'm hoping to get in some good stitching time this week so I can catch up a bit. I have holiday stuff that needs attention too, so we'll have to see how that all goes.  

 

The mushroom trivets that My Girl is making for a friend aren't on my list.  She pieced them and I quilted then bound them. So a joint quilting project. These trivets have been a nice way to practice quilting with the walking foot.  Both of us were pretty happy with how these turned out. 

 All the pieces are cut for the first block of the 2026 Guild BOM and assembly of the subunits has started. Still a bit to go before this is a finished block. I have two weeks.  Fingers crossed that it all goes together smoothly and quickly. 

My project tracker hasn't changed much since the start of the year.

 

All the blocks were finished for Old Town. The 2025 Guild BOM is a finished quilt top.  Those are the only two changes to the quilt plan for November.  We'll see what happens with December. I'm hoping to move Old Town to finished quilt top and will probably start this year's Bonnie Hunter mystery at some point before the new year.  Now that I've got a better handle on the walking foot quilting, I'm hoping there will be more finishes in 2026.  So I'll definitely be playing along next year.  

To Do List for the Week of 12/02/2025

We pulled into the driveway at 7 PM last night after leaving My Girl's apartment at 7:30 AM yesterday morning.  That's one long day of driving.  Thankfully My Guy was able to take yesterday off so we didn't have to drive home on Sunday.  Driving through Dallas, TX the Sunday after Thanksgiving isn't for the faint of heart. We've done that a couple of times and avoid it if at all possible.  There was still a lot of traffic most of the way, but nothing like we've seen on those after the holiday Sundays.  

I didn't post a to do list last week since we were away from home, All I did in Houston was hand work.  I did get a bit done on my last published to do list from November before we left.  

To Do List for 11/18/2025

1. My Girl Trivets: Quilt ✔  

2. 2026 Guild BOM: Start first block ✔

3. Lupine and Laughter: Start the first clue - no progress

4. Old Town: Continue quilt assembly ✔

5. Magnificent Mystery: Finish Sept, Start Oct/Nov clues - progress

6. Wild and Goosey: Continue making green blocks ✔

Not a bad showing for the two weeks ending with a 4 day holiday.  I'm going to need to get busy on Lupine and Laughter or I'll never catch up. (Not that I'm likely to stay that way, but we try).  

What's the plan for this week?  More of the same, but hopefully with more progress this week.  

To Do List for 12/02/2025

1. My Girl Trivets: Quilt kitty trivets

While we were visiting, My Girl wanted some assistance with making a new set of kitty trivets.  She's made these before so the assembly was pretty easy, but My Girl is still trying to wrap her head around the cutting instructions and wanted some additional tutoring on that aspect.  We discussed pressing instructions too.  She sewed them up and I'll quilt then bind them.  These will be a joint gift from My Girl and I.  I'm getting better with the walking foot quilting, I have some fun ideas to try on these two.  

2. 2026 Guild BOM: Finish January Block

All the pieces are cut for next month's guild block. I've actually started assembly of some of the sub pieces. Hopefully I can get this done and move on to February's block. One nice thing about the week away, I was able to finish writing the instructions for several other blocks. So I'm a bit ahead on that part.  

3. Lupine and Laughter (Bonnie Hunter): Start clues 1, 2 and 3.  

There is still fabric pressing to do before I can start even clue 1.  Hopefully I can make some good progress on all the clues this week. 

4. Magnificent Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs): Finish Oct, Start Nov/Dec clues

September clue is finished and I made a good start on the October clue. Hopefully I can catch up a bit this month.  

5. Old Town (Bonnie Hunter): Continue quilt assembly

Two rows sewn together and the third is partially constructed.  So almost halfway there with the rows. I'll see how far I can get this week. This project may have to go into time out so I can work on the newer mysteries.  We'll see. I'd really, really like to get this to finished quilt top.  

6. Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter): Continue assembling green blocks

I'd like to finish up all the green blocks before the end of the year. We'll see how that goes. It's doable if I stay focused. 

That's my to do list for the week.  I need to get laundry going and do a good bit on the Christmas stuff too. We'll see how much stitching I actually get done this month.  Linking up with the Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday.