2023 Q3 Quilting Ambitions Check In and September PHD Progress

The end of September was hectic with vacation preparations, complicated by a three day migraine.  So blogging went out the window for several days.  Vacation preparations got done, but I didn't have the energy to get into the sewing room to get photos for my end of the month post.  Since I've not done anything stitching related for the last couple of weeks, all I have to post is progress on my quilting goals for the year and my PHD progress for September.  I'm linking up with Quilting Jetgirl's 2023 Q3 Check In.  

2023 Ambition #1: Finish some quilts, make progress on some quilts and start some quilts. 

There has been one finish and progress on all but one of the quilts on my 2023 plan since my 2nd quarter update.  A second quilt is out for quilting and three others are finished quilt tops.  I am hoping to finish another three quilts before the end of the year. Even if that doesn't happen, I've made good progress on the quilt plan.  That counts too.  

2023 Ambition #2: Acquire a new skill.

In my second quarter update I noted that my plan was to learn to quilt my own projects. I've not done anything on that front, but I'd forgotten that back in April I did take a class on editing quilt patterns.  I can't say I've mastered that skill, but I did learn something new.  I've played a little with creating a tool that can help me calculate the yardage from instructions, but it still needs a lot of work.  

2023 Ambition #3:  Stitch 15 minutes a day and post associated linky party. 

At the end of the quarter, there were 37 Stitching Stuff linky parties with an average participation of 11.7 bloggers.

 As of the end of September, I'd stitched for at least 15 minutes 86% of the days in 2023.  My goal was to exceed 75%, so I'm on track, at least for now. With last week's vacation and the upcoming holidays, finding stitching time will be harder.  

2023 Ambition #4: Sewing room clean up

• Press, cut and sort scraps: some progress
• Organize yardage: no progress

I've spent some time cleaning up my scraps, but I've not done much of anything with my yardage.  Though I have used up some older pieces of yardage as backings.  I've not had enough finishes for that to impact my yardage storage, but every little bit helps. 

I'm mostly happy with where I'm at with this year's ambitions. Just 2.5 months left in the year.  We are at the point what gets done, gets done and what doesn't will just have to be incorporated into next year's ambitions.  

As far as September progress, the PHD report finally shows a finish.

 

There was good progress on several projects in September. 

Scrappy Butterflies (self designed) was assembled, the first border has been added, attaching the second is in progress.  This should be a finished quilt top by the end of October. 

A few more teal blocks were added to Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter). 

Unity (Bonnie Hunter), aka Helianthus, became a finished quilt in September. 

 

The Macaron Mystery quilt (Meadow Mist Designs) went out for quilting last month.  

The stash yielded a reasonable backing fabric for Melodic Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs).  The plan is to get this project out for quilting before the end of October. 

 

Progress on Chilhowie (Bonnie Hunter) continues as my leaders and enders project. 

Malted Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs) first piecing instructions came out in September.  I didn't quite get that clue done before October's clue came out last week. 

The project tracking chart is showing some longer bars this month.

 

Hopefully a couple more bars move closer to the left of the chart by the end of this month. 

To Do Tuesday for the Week of 12/27/2022

Hard to believe this will be the last To Do Tuesday for the year.  In addition to saying goodbye to 2022 later this week, we'll also be saying goodbye to Linda of Texas Quilt Gal who has has been our hostess for this weekly linky party since 2021.  Thank you Linda for getting the party started each week.  

My sewing time during the lead up to Christmas varies widely depending upon how much holiday stuff I got done prior to that week.  Consequently, I kept my To Do List for this week really simple. 

Weekly To Do List for 12/20/2022

1.  Butterfly Medallion Quilt: Finish butterfly #5 - progress

I didn't finish the butterfly, but I made good progress with the hand stitching the last couple of days. So though it's not a check mark, any progress is a success in my book. 

Grad Girl will be around for one more week. I'm hoping we'll have some time to hang out in the sewing room so I can make some progress on my current mystery projects.  Here's this week's To Do List. 

Weekly To Do List for 12/27/2022

1.  Melodic Mystery: Finish Nov. clue, work on Dec. clue

2.  Chilhowie Mystery: Work on clues 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

3.  Rhododendron Mystery: Work on block B as leaders and enders

First thing to do this week will be to press this pile of stitched subunits and hopefully get started on the next pile. 

4.  Write post for 2023 Planning Party

I've pretty much worked out my ambitions for 2023, I just need to write the blog post and link it up over at Quilting Jetgirl's blog.  

5. Write post for Best of 2022 Linky Party

This linky party opened yesterday over at Meadow Mist Designs.  

I've got my top 5 "Best of" items worked out, I just need to get them into a post.  

So that's my list for this week.  Next week the new hostess for To Do Tuesday will be at Carol's Quilt Schmidt - For the Love of Fabric blog.  Hope to see your completed to do list posted there next week.