Stash Stuff for Week 39 and 2017 Ambitions Update

October marks the beginning of fourth quarter. The count down to the end of the year begins in earnest now, or at least it seems that way to me.  Back in December of last year, I posted a list of quilting ambitions to Jetgirl's 2017 Planning Party.  With the count down to the end of the year kicking into high gear it's time to check on where I'm at on those ambitions for this year.  Since this is normally just the weekly stash report, I'll start with that so you can stop reading if you've hopped over here from Quiltpaintcreate for the weekly stash report. 

Quilt Ambition #3 Manage the Stash/Organize the Sewing Room

Used last week: 0.94 yards
Used year to date: 48.44 yards
Added year to date: 335 yards
Net added year to date: 287 yards

Stitching time was at a premium during third quarter.  I switched positions at work to one with more responsibility, which means a lot more working from home in the evening.  That's really cut into my stitching time. Add in vacation and getting the Scientist in Training ready for college, it was a really busy quarter.  The goal is to use at least 70 yards for the year.  That means using 21 yards between now and the end of the year.  Probably not happening based on what my fourth quarter typically looks like.  On other end of the stash management plan, I pretty much shattered any possibility of using more than I buy this year.  After two years of very limited buying, I had no will power for another year like that.  A fabric diet is definitely in the cards for fourth quarter.  That's it for the stash report, the rest of the post covers all my other stitching ambitions for 2017.  

The big organization project for this year has been to whip the stash closet into shape.  This is what it looked like back in July:

This is what it looks like now:

I'm almost finished with the second shelf.  All that will be left after that is to tackle that top shelf.  So I've made good progress on that front this year.  

Quilting Ambition #1:  Finish a Few Quilts  

While the stash management hasn't been the greatest, I have done really well on this ambition.  There have been six finishes so far. 

Poinsettias, Bejeweled, Geometry, The First Amendment Quilt, Meadow Mist Mystery Quilt plus Blooms and Butterflies are all finished.  When I was putting this together last year, there were three quilts I had to finish for graduation in May.  That was pretty much my goal, finish those three.  To have six finished is a smash success in my book.  My record is seven in one year.  I should at least tie that this year.  There are three quilts I'd like to finish before Christmas, that would put me at 9 for the year.  Check back in January to see how well that went.  

Quilting Ambition #3:  Participate in Challenges and Quilt Alongs

Quilt alongs and challenges are such fun.  Since I don't belong to a guild (the one here only meets during the week while I'm at work), these projects keep me engaged with the blogging community of quilters.  The Rainbow Scrap Challenge has been a long running favorite.  I've been working on those blocks since January.  

The Magnolia Mystery kicked off last month over at Meadow Mist Designs.  I've kept up, so far anyway.  I'm hoping to finish September's clue before Cheryl posts the next clue on Thursday. 

I've got 50 of the HSTs finished.  Just 22 left and I'll be caught up. 

The other planned quilt along is Bonnie Hunter's annual mystery.  If she's doing one this year, the fabric planning posts should be going up sometime this month.  I need to finish off last year's mystery quilt before then. 

Quilting Ambition #4:  Make Time to Sew

I've been doing really well on that front this year.  I've managed to stitch for 15 minutes 245 out of the the last 273 days.  So 89.7% of the time, I meet my goal.  That's an "A" if you round up.  Definitely the best year I've ever had on finding time to stitch.  Lately it really has been only 15 minutes a day, but that is better than nothing.  

Quilting Ambition #5:  Work on My Blogging Skills

There were several parts to this goal.  The first was to blog at least three times per week.  On average, I managed three posts per week this last quarter.  Most weeks I get in three, but there are few with just two. So I'm doing OK on this goal.  

Another goal was to write four tutorials this year.  I've managed two.  So to meet this goal, I'll have to come up with two for this quarter.  I'll have to put some thought into that.  

Another goal was to improve my photography.  I didn't put any metrics with that goal, so I'm not sure what I was thinking.  I've been trying to pay more attention to the lighting when I take photos. I've been less than happy with some of my finished quilt shots, so that's definitely an area I need to make more improvements in.  

The final part of the fifth ambition was to write a post each quarter summarizing where I was.  First quarter's post is here, second quarter's is here. And this concludes the third quarter post. 

It's been a pretty good year on a lot of fronts.  I know some think it's a bit extreme to have goals for your hobby.  It's so easy for me to get caught up in the "I've worked all day, I'm too tired to go sew."  I usually perk up once I get to my sewing room.  These ambitions have helped me get up those stairs most days. 

September One Monthly Goal Wrap Up/2017 Finish Along Progress

Just two days left in September!  How does that happen?  Well now that it has, it's time to check in with the One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts

The goal for September was to get a start on a new quilt for the Scientist in Training's dorm room.  My start date for any quilt is when I start cutting the fabrics.  And that has happened, there are even a few blocks up on the design wall.  But I can't show any of these as the SIT follows my blog.  So you'll have to just take my word for it that there's been a start. 

There is one more day in the quarter, but not enough time to get another finish in for the 2017 Finish Along.  

I didn't do too badly for the quarter.  There were 4 quilts on the list to be finished. I managed to finish two. 

 It's a Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs Mystery)
By Cheryl Brickey of the Meadow Mist Designs Blog

It's a Mystery was last year's Meadow Mist Designs Mystery.  The first clue in this year's mystery came out in September.  So for once last year's mystery was finished before starting this year's.  

The second finish for the quarter was Blooms and Butterflies.

Blooms and Butterflies
 Back Porch Bloom block by Lea Anne Brummett, 

Another quilt along from Lea Anne Burmmett who blogs over at Podunk Pretties.  This one wasn't a mystery, but a challenge to come up with your own pattern using her Back Porch Bloom block.  This is my new snuggle quilt.  
  
The other two quilts on the list for third quarter didn't make it to the finish line.  But there was good progress on both.  Scrappy  Coffee Cups made it to finished flimsy stage and has been sent out for quilting.

Scrappy Coffee Cups

Block patterns from Karen F. Srebro and Janet McCarroll

published in Block Magic and Block Magic Too by

Nancy Johnson-Srebro

Actually, I heard from Trudy last night and the quilting is done.  So these coffee cups will definitely be on my list to finish before the end of the year.  

The last quilt on the "to be finished" list for third quarter was Christmas Angels.  Though it didn't get close to being finished it went from just block units to finished blocks.  

 Christmas Angels
Pattern by Kate

Actually all the blocks are finished, but I don't seem to have a photo of all of them up on the design wall.  So even though I didn't get this one all the way to the finished stage, it's ready to have the blocks sewn into rows.  That's pretty good progress.  

It's been a good year for finishes, there have been six.  My record is seven finishes in one year.  I'm likely to tie that for sure.  As far as working down the UFO list, I'm pretty much where I was when the year started.  But at least it's not getting any bigger.  I'm finishing up my new starts, just not getting to the older projects on my list.  but I've moved a few along this year.  That should make it easier to get a few off the list next year. 

Now to start thinking about what will be the October One Monthly Goal and what's going on the list for the fourth quarter of the 2017 Finish Along.   

Weekend Stitching: A Finished Mystery

I'm definitely not ready for Monday, mainly because I'm headed out of town on business later this afternoon.  It's only a two day trip, but covers two states in those two days.  So lots of meetings, driving and waiting in airports.  Thankfully, I'm done with business travel for the year after this trip.  

It was a nice weekend for stitching, it was too hot to do much of anything else.  I finally finished binding the Meadow Misty Mystery quilt.  

 Meadow Mist Designs Mystery
By Cheryl Brickey of the Meadow Mist Designs Blog

I love the crinkly texture the quilting adds. 

Trudy quilted big lazy flowers across the entire quilt.  I'm not going to show off the backing.  It's one of my "ugly" fabrics, but it was in the stash and was the right size.  The binding is the same light blue as the outer border.  I did have a bit of fun with the label.

The "It's a Mystery" name comes from My Guy's repeated questions about this quilt, it's not one of his favorites.  My pat answer to him about anything concerning this quilt pretty much became "it's a mystery".  So the name stuck.  Drama Teen asked if I was willing to donate this one to a charity auction her BFF mother's is in charge of.  That's likely where this one is going.  

This is finish number 5 for 2017.  It doesn't affect my UFO count because it's less than a year old.  That makes it a WIP.  But finishing WIPs before they become UFOs is a good thing.  The next mystery over at Meadow Mist Designs has started, but this month's clue was about selecting fabric.  I don't count something as "started" until I start cutting the fabric.  So last year's mystery is finished before this year's gets started.  That's always a good feeling.

It's a Mystery is the first finish from my third quarter list for the 2017 Finish Along.  So I'll be linking up there once we get to September.  Linking up this week with:

Monday Making
Main Crush Monday
Monday Design Wall
2017 Finish Along