Stitching Stuff: Week 51 of 2020

 

It's been a week.  All three of us woke up with low grade fevers (99.X F) Thursday morning. None of us felt bad, it was most likely sinus related. But pandemic rules at work say if you have anything higher than normal temp, you aren't supposed to come into the office. So I worked from home my last work day for 2020. The fevers were gone by Saturday.  

On the stitching front, it was a reasonably good week.  Finding some time to stitch was easy for a change.  The wind down to the holiday wasn't as manic as I thought it would be.  Christmas shopping is done, so that wasn't competing with my stitching time either.  How did it go in your sewing room last week? You can link up at the bottom of the post to share if you got in your stitching time for the week. 

Finding time to stitch was relatively easy this week.  

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/Dec = 13/19 days
• 15 minute days/2020 = 312/354 days
• Success rate = 88.14%

It was definitely a productive week in the sewing room. Just one corner left to turn on the binding for Frolic. That should happen this afternoon. Hopefully early enough that I've got time to get some good photos for Monday's post.  

Since participation has been pretty steady this year, I'm going to continue the 15 minutes to stitch linky party in 2021.  My first 15 minutes to stitch post was way back in February of 2011. Wow, it's been almost 10 years!  Time flies when you are having fun.  

This month I've been sharing some of the ornaments that are on our Christmas tree. Last week I shared a Barbie ornament, which was supposed to have become a favorite if I ever had a little girl. I did have that girl, but when she was little she preferred a different set of "dolls". 

Spiderman was the Scientist in Training's first favorite superhero. She had a Spiderman cake for her second birthday. Superman is also hanging on the tree this year.  She left off her Batman ornament, or at least I've not seen it if it's there. 

So how was your stitchy week? 

1. Chrisknits 2. Meloney 3. Julie in GA

4. Marti 5. DawnyK 6. Andree at Quilting & Learning

7. Quilting Gail

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Stitching Stuff: Week 50 of 2020

Week 50 of 2020?  Just two more weeks (and a few days) left in 2020.  That's not a lot of time to finish or start all those projects that were on our to do lists for the year.  It gets even harder to work on those to do lists when you have those extra holiday chores, like present wrapping and baking pop up as well.  Sometimes even just 15 minutes of stitching time is just not going to happen. 

This was another of those weeks where holiday preparations and family time trumped my stitching time. 

• 15 minute days/week = 5/7 days
• 15 minute days/Dec = 6/12 days
• 15 minute days/2020 = 305/347
• Success rate = 87.90%

I spent two days wrapping Christmas presents and hanging out with the Scientist in Training and my mother.  We've all been careful to social distance and wear our masks the last couple of weeks so we could have some girl time before the holiday. Needless to say, stitching time just didn't work out with the schedule.  But at least this week was better than last week on the stitching front.  

A lot of the stitching time this week was slow stitching. 

I'm just about to turn the first corner on the binding for Frolic, or what I'm calling The Couch Frolic as this quilt is destined to be draped over the back of our couch.  I hope to make a good bit of progress on the binding this week. Linking up with Slow Stitching Sunday over at Kathy's Quilts.  

Last week I shared one of the ornaments from our annual girls' weekend, which was much toned down this year, no shopping or restaurant dinners.  I've mentioned before that both Mom and my sister were managers of Hallmark stores.  Consequently, I have quite the collection of Hallmark ornaments. Some of my favorites are a special series of Barbie ornaments. 

This is one of porcelain ornaments from that series.  I started collecting the Barbie ornaments before I was married and way before the Scientist in Training came along.  The thought was there might be a little girl at some point in time that would love Barbie.  Well the little girl came along, but she wasn't a big fan of Barbie.  Not surprising as I didn't like to play with them, I much preferred sewing clothes for them. I have fun memories of sewing to my sister's specifications and learning how to sew on a snap from my mother.  

So how are you doing on working in some stitching time this holiday season?  

1. Julie in GA 2. Chrisknits 3. karen

4. Meloney 5. DawnyK 6. Shasta @ High Road

7. Quilting Gail 8. Andree at Quilting & Learning 9. Amanda

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Stitching Stuff: Week 49 of 2020

 

Just three more weeks left in 2020. It will be a busy time for most of us. Last week didn't go so well for me. How about you? Did you get a good start on any last minute holiday stitching?  

It really was a miserable week for me. Finishing up projects and personnel reviews kept me at work really late several nights. That took a toll on finding time to stitch last week.  

• 15 minute days/week = 2/7 days
• 15 minute days/Nov = 25/30 days
• 15 minute days/Dec = 1/5 days
• 15 minute days/2020 = 300/340 days
• Success rate = 88.24%

I'm still on track to meet my goal of fitting in some stitching time at least 85% of the time this year. It should even out at work this next week, so fingers crossed next week's numbers will look much better.  Hopefully, you are on track to meet your stitching time goals as well.  

It's the first Sunday in a new month, so it's time to take a look at the stash report.  

• Fabric used in November = 6.2 yards
• Fabric used YTD = 61.93 yards
• More fabric in than out for 2020

November was a really good month for fabric usage.  If I can find a way to use 4 more yards this month, I'll break my record for fabric usage in one year. I need to piece the backing for the Red, White and Blue Stars quilt, that would get me part of the way there.  Linking up with Quiltpaintcreate for the monthly stash report.  

We put the tree up just before the Scientist in Training had to head back to school for dead week and finals.  Usually I put the lights on the tree and she picks out and hangs the ornaments.  This year, she helped with the lights and we both did the ornaments.  My sister and mother both managed Hallmark stores (each for about 20 years), so we have a pretty impressive collection of ornaments to choose from when decorating.  

This isn't one of our many Hallmark ornaments, but it's one we got last year on our annual girls only Christmas shopping trip with my mother and sister.  There won't be a shopping trip this year due to the pandemic, so the SIT wanted this ornament on the tree to remember last year's trip.

So how did you do with doing at juggling holiday preparations and stitching time this week?  

1. Julie in GA 2. Meloney 3. Chrisknits 4. karen

5. Jennifer in Indy 6. Sherrie 7. Shasta @ High Road 8. Andree at Quilting & Learning

9. Quilting Gail 10. DawnyK

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Week 48: Stitching Stuff

We've eaten and shopped pretty much the whole weekend.  Family is gone, so it's back to just us.  It was a very nice Thanksgiving, but now I'm just tired.  The SIT goes back to college this afternoon, but she'll be home for winter break in just two weeks.  Stitching happened this week, mainly just the hand type, but that still counts. 

15 minute days/week = 7/7 days

15 minute days/November = 29/30 days

15 minute days/2019 = 302/334 days

Success rate = 90.42%

It was a good week. Hopefully you found a bit of quiet time this week to stitch a bit each day.  You can link up at the bottom of the post to share your success and/or regrets for this week.

On the stash front, November was better than October. 

Fabric out for November = 3.11 yards

Fabric out for 2019 = 41.03 yards  

I was hoping for 60 yards out.  Not likely I'll make that goal this year.  But as I start assembling some of the blocks for the mystery quilts, there should be a bit more out in December.  Linking up with QuiltPaintCreate for the weekly stash report. 

Before I close out with the linkly, here's a few shots of the pretty Christmas lights we braved the cold and rain to check out last night. 

So how did your stitchy week work out?  

1. karen 2. Chrisknits 3. Julie in GA

4. Meloney 5. Quilting Gail 6. Mary-Kay

7. Amanda 8. Christina's Handicrafts

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Happy and Bright Wishes

Wishing you and yours all the best this holiday season.

Stash Stuff for Week 51 of 2017

Merry Christmas Eve!  For those who celebrate Christmas, I hope all your holiday preparations are mostly done.  Our family celebration is this evening, so we'll be hanging out in the kitchen most of today, baking and cooking, talking and laughing.  For those who have other traditions and beliefs, wishing you much joy with your family and friends this week.

Even with all the family time and holiday prep this week, I still managed to find 15 minutes to stitch each day this last week.  But most days it was just 15 minutes.  So I don't have much to show for this week's stash report. 

Used last week:  0.31 yards
Used year to date:  56.91 yards

I've got at least one quilt back to piece next week, so I'm hoping that helps me break the 60 yards out mark for the year.  My stash busting goals didn't go so hot this last year.  Hopefully your stash management goals went more smoothly than mine did.  If not, we all get the chance to start over for 2018. 

In the spirit of the holiday, I've been trying to photograph some of my favorite ornaments when they are on the tree.  Both my mother and my sister were managers of Hallmark stores for many years.  So I've got quite the collection of ornaments. This one is one of the early ones from Mom. 

I don't remember the year on this one, but it's from the late 1980's.  It always reminds me of my mother's sugar cookies, which are legendary in the family.  Looking forward to making more memories this holiday (and eating more than a few of those sugar cookies!).   

Linking up with Quiltpaintcreate (if she has a linky party this week).  

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays

The Last Stash Report for 2015

Wow, week 52 already.  All the hustle and bustle of the holiday season distracts you from just how close we are to the end of another year.  At least it does me.  There hasn't been much stitching this last month, just too many other things got in the way.  Still, 2015 has been a banner year for me.  For the first time in the 6 years I've been keeping track of the in and outs of the stash, I'm going to finish the year with more out than in.  It's not as much out as I had hoped, but just to be in the black for a change is worth celebrating.  Here's the numbers.

Used last week:  0.13 yards
Used in December:  0.77 yards
Used year to date:  44.90 yards
Purchased year to date:  30.25 yards
Net used for 2015:  14.65 yards

I'm contemplating what my stash goals are for next year.  I was pretty successful with the fabric diet this year.  But, like weight loss, stash reduction takes both not adding and using to get the most benefit.  The stash diet will continue next year I'm pretty sure, I just need to figure out how to finish more quilts.  

That's it for the stash report.  Before I close this post, I wanted to share some of the beautiful light displays we saw over the holiday.  

Wishing everyone a very happy New Year.  I'm linking up with Judy's Patchwork Times Stash Report.  Now it's time for second cup of coffee and a peak at how everyone else ended up this year.  

Merry Christmas

Tuesday Archives - Christmas Quilts

It's been awhile since I've linked up with Val for Tuesday Archives. 

Since I'm off work this week, I actually have time to write a post.  For some reason, Monday's are always manic and I just never get a post pulled together.  

This week's archive topic is Christmas Quilts.  I've only finished one Christmas quilt and I wrote a post about it when Val's Tuesday Archival linky party  #12 was for Christmas quilts.  You can click here, to see Charming Christmas Cardinals.  

There are two other Christmas quilts on the UFO list.  The first is Poinsettia's, which has been my leaders and enders project for the last couple of years.  It's also been my Let's Book It Project, a linky party hosted by Vroomans Quilts that encourages us to use all those quilting books on the shelf.  The last post showing progress is just a few weeks old. You can find it here.

The second Christmas UFO has been hanging around since July of 2013.  The most recent blog post on that project dates from November 2013.  I haven't touched it since then.  Here's the original plan for Christmas Angels:

The green and beige 4 patches are all made and the star points are all made.  I just need to finish the angel blocks.  Hopefully I'll get back to this one sometime next year.  

That's all my Ghost of Christmas UFOs has to show.  You can find more eye candy for Christmas over at Val's Quilting Studio.  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - Year End Review

It's been a whirlwind week.  We had a wonderful Christmas with my family.  Drama Teen decided she needed to spend some time in the kitchen learning to fry chicken. 

Later she donned The Santa Hat to pass out the Christmas gifts, taking a few minutes here and there to open her own. 

She got two sets of Legos for Christmas.  She'll definitely be busy the next few days (so no "I'm bored" complaints till probably about mid-week).  

The holiday definitely put a crimp in my sewing room time. The only stitching that happened was focused on finishing up a Christmas gift, not playing with scraps.  So I don't have any progress to show off.  A review of the year's scrappy play is all I have to post today.  

Angela suggested a sampler as part of the challenge this year.  For the most part I kept up, though will admit to not making all the blocks.  

 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler
By Angela Feldbush of Soscrappy

Still there were enough for a good sized lap quilt.  I'm still in the process of getting all the blocks sashed and set together.  

In 2013, Scrappy Butterflies was started as part of that year's Rainbow challenge, but only one block got made.  I did a lot better at keeping up with those blocks this year.

 Scrappy Butterflies
Block is available in EQ 7 Block Library

I have the fabric picked out for the last block, but haven't found time to cut out the pieces and assemble the block.  Hopefully that will get done this next week.

This year's challenge project was to make 12 Inverted Star blocks.

Inverted Star
by Jessica Boschem of Common Threads
available from Craftsy as a free download

Ten of the blocks are completed, one is in progress, but I've yet to decide on the color to be used for the last block.  This is another set of blocks I hope to finish up in the next week.  

Looking ahead, I've picked the block for next year's challenge.  It's one that Angela included in the challenge sampler, Twinkle Star.  Last week I posted 4 different variations of the blocks and got lots of feedback.  I made one more modification based on a couple of comments.  Now I've got 6 versions to decide between.  

Twinkle Star
Tutorial by Angela of Soscrappy

Versions B and C were the most popular last week, with A a close second.  Layouts E and F are the new ones.  Any one of these will look great, which is making it so hard to decide on the final block modifications.  I really want the block to shine, so maybe A, E or F?  Thankfully I still have about a week to decide.  

I'm off work this next week. The plan is to spend the mornings cleaning out closets and the afternoons sewing. A good balance between the need to do and the want to do. It's snowing here at the moment, so I'm going to grab another cup of coffee and check out all the other scrappy projects posted over at Soscrappy.  

Merry Christmas

Wordless Wednesday - A Blue, Blue Chistmas

Happy Holidays

A Little Christmas in the Sewing Room

Actually, it's not a little it's a lot!  For about 2 weeks, my sewing room becomes gift wrap central and my normal calm and soothing retreat is invaded on a regular basis by the rest of the family.  That's what I get for having such a nice cutting table.  It's so much better than the kitchen or dining room tables for wrapping gifts (especially for my guy who is on the tall side). 

So rather than folds of fabric, there are rolls of wrapping paper.

No quilt binding and labels, but ribbons and bows.

I've hidden my sewing scissors (Because scissors are scissors right?  They all cut paper.) and covered the sewing machine.  What's now community property won't revert to sole occupant status until next week.  Sanity breaks will have to be limited to hand work or blog hopping. 

Hope your holiday preparations are going smoothly.  Ours are on the typical track, hopelessly behind and reaching fever pitch! 

Christmas Vacation

Just 2 more days of work and then I'm off work for the rest of the year!   Lots of Christmas stuff to finish up, but there will be time for quilting, especially the week after Christmas.  What's on the top of my list?

Sew the quilt label to the 2009 mystery quilt (No I still haven't managed to get that done!).











Finish block 4 in the Layer Cake Quilt Along




Finish the center block and assemble the Seeing Stars BOM.  It also needs a back pieced so it can be sent out for quilting.




Bind the 2008 BOM and the 2010 mystery quilt.


 

I've also been working on my quilting goals for next year.  I'm down to 5 UFO's, also known as PhDs (projects half done).  I'd like to get all 5 of those done next year.   Last year I participated in monthly UFO challenges on Connecting Threads Quilt With Us community and that helped keep me motivated.  For next year, I looked at participating in Judy's UFO challenge, which looks like lots of fun.  But I was afraid that trying to finish any one of these UFO's in a month would just frustrate me.  Mrs. Pyjamas over at Quilting in My Pyjamas had linked up to Myra's PhD Challenge.  I'll have till June to finish up the 3 projects I selected.  This challenge looks more my speed.  My challenge projects are posted here. 





So the UFO's (PhDs) are under control.  I'm going to look at stash management plans for next year (Note I did not say stash reduction).  Plus, 2011 may be the time to look at my PIGS (Projects in Grocery Sacks).  You know those projects you bought the fabric or the kit, have a pattern, but just never started.  At least that's my definition.  I'm not sure how many of those I have.  So that may be my after Christmas assignment, find the PIGS and decide if I want to work on any of them for next year. 

So what are your quilty plans for the holiday?  How are your 2011 quilting plans coming along?

Charming Christmas Cardinals

Nina-Marie over at Creations..Quilts, Art....Whatever has linked up to an online Christmas Quilt show at  SewGalCal's.  Lots of beautiful eye candy to check out.  Just click on the button to go have a look (But not before you check out my entry!). 

So here is my entry.   Last year, before the local quilt shop had to cut back on hours due to family changes, they were still offering classes.  I signed up to take a class based on the Quilt in a Day pattern "How Charming".  I played around with 3 different sets of fabrics before I finally decided on a Christmas theme.  Then the class was canceled because no one else signed up. It's not a hard pattern and I had signed up for the class mainly as a reason to start a new project.  So I had my own all day class on the same Saturday as the canceled class.  I didn't follow the layout guidelines exactly, but really liked how the quilt came out.



I did learn one very valuable lesson when making this quilt.  In order to fussy cut the cardinals, I had to cut them as diamonds, on the bias.  I had heard that spraying pieces cut on the bias with starch reduces stretching.  But you are supposed to spray on the starch before you cut out the pieces not after!  Thankfully I had not cut the strips for the red frames yet, I just cut them a bit larger and then cut the final square to size, that worked really well and kept everything the right size. 

I collect cardinal fabric, I just love the deep red of those birds.  This was the first project that seemed to be just the right place to use that fabric.  I don't do my own quilting, this one was quilted by Lesa Foreman at the Corner Sew and So.   

Thanks for letting me share one of my favorite quilts.  It's almost time to pull it out of the closet and enjoy it during the Christmas season.  Hope you get a chance to enjoy the rest of the Christmas Quilt Show.