The Last Let's Book It Challenge Post

Sharon over at Vrooman's Quilts has been running the Let's Book it Challenge for at least the last 2 years.  

The last link up was posted on Monday as Sharon is discontinuing the official challenge.  Though my collection of quilting books is legion, I only had three projects that made appearances on Sharon's linky parties.  

The most recent is Bejeweled, which is still in pieces on the design wall.

 Bejeweled
From the book "All About Strips" by Susan Guzman

From the book "All About Strips" by Susan Guzman.

   
Flame Test had a solo post on Let's Book It.  

Flame Test
Blocks from the 2014 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler
tutorials by Angela Feldbush of Soscrappy

The idea for the border came from Sunny Steinkuhler's book, "Blocks, Borders, Quilts!"

My longest running project for Let's Book It was from the 2013 December issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.  

I found out last night that Trudy is done with the quilting and Poinsettias will soon be on it's way back for it's finishing binding.

Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

Thanks Sharon for all the fun and the motivation to use at least a few of my books and printed patterns.  Linking up with Vrooman's Quilts for the last Let's Book It linky party.  

October Let's Book It - Strips and Squares

The end of the October is almost here and Sharon of Vrooman's Quilts has this month's Let's Book it Challenge linky party started.  I'm a bit behind in my blog reading (Internet issues this week), so I completely missed that she'd posted till late this morning.  

After two years of working on the same challenge project, last month I got to start on a new let's book it project finally.  The project is Bejeweled from this book by Susan Guzman.  

I'm not making the cover quilt, but one of the other fun projects called Bejeweled.  I don't have a lot of it done, just some parts and pieces up on the design wall. 

The 36 teal square in a square blocks are done and just 12 more of the pink ones to finish up.  I've also got a start on the first set of strips.  I'm hoping these fabrics all work and play together in the final project.  Not too much more and I'll be able to start working on various sections of the quilt.  Since this quilt has to be done by May, it's on the fast track.  

You can see more Let's Book it projects over at Vrooman's Quilts.  

September One Monthly Goal: A Successful Start on a Let's Book It Project

Just a few days and the end of September will be here.  Hard to believe that it's almost the start of the last fourth of the year.  Since it's the end of the month, it's time to contemplate success or failure with this month's One Monthly Goal.  The end of the month link up is up over at Heidi's Red Letter Quilts. 

I started struggling with shoulder problems the end of August, so in picking a goal for September the thought was to go for something pretty easy since sewing time might well be non-existent if the shoulder didn't get better.  Unfortunately, that turned out to be truer than I had hoped.  Not much stitching got done early in the month. 

My goal was to get started on the next graduation quilt, Bejeweled. 

Bejeweled by Susan Guzman in "All About Strips"

I mark the start of a quilt as the date the fabric starts being cut for the project.  So this month's goal was just to get started on cutting out a few of the pieces.  I met that goal and even made some progress on getting a few of the initial blocks sewn. 

 I need 36 of these  Economy Blocks for the quilt.  Only 12 more to finish.  So that's a good start considering how little sewing time I've had this month. 

Bejeweled is also doubling as my new Let's Book It project.  The project is from Susan Guzman's book "All About Strips".

I'll be linking up with Sharon at Vroomans Quilts once she has this month's linky party up.

May Let's Book It Update and a Stash Management Report

We got an early start to the day, Drama Teen had a flight to catch at 7:00 AM.  With the hour drive from here, that meant setting the alarm to 4 AM.  So we were out the door early. My Guy and I stayed in Tulsa for breakfast, but then headed home. June is going to be our "empty nest" practice month.  DT has two other trips the month of June, so we won't be seeing much of her over the next 4 weeks. 

Sharon over at Vroomans Quilts encourages everyone to use those patterns and books we all collect by sponsoring the Let's Book It Challenge.  I've been following along with the challenge since she started it, but I've been working on the same pattern the whole time.   Poinsettias has been my leaders and enders project the last couple of years.  This month I finished off the final block and have made a start on the sashing.  Here's where the project is now.  

Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

This one should be a finished flimsy before the end of the year.  I'm really pleased with how it's turning out. 

May has been a really good month for stitching even though, I don't have much to show for fabric going out.  My efforts to spend at least 15 minutes in the sewing room each day was a success.

Days with 15 minutes of stitching time this week:  7 days out of 7
Days in May:  25 out of 28 days
Days this year:  124 out of 149

But since most of what I'm working is small blocks, there's not much going out for the week:

Used last week:  0.76 yards
Used year to date:  27.43 yards
Purchased year to date:  25.75 yards
Net used for 2016:  1.68 yards

I'm in the black by just a bit.  The plan for this afternoon is to finish the borders on Allietare, then find some backing fabric in the stash.  Don't know that the backing will hit the outgoing stash numbers this week, but it will soon. That will be a nice boost on the black side of the line.  

Linking up with Let's Book It Challenge over at Vroomans Quilts and the Stash Report over at Patchwork Times.  

Let's Book it Progress for April 2016

Just two more days in April.  How did that happen?  It seems the month just flew by.   Even though life has been occurring in a time warp, I do have progress on my long term Let's Book It Project.  

Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

Two more Poinsettia blocks were stitched together this month, just one more block left to make and then it will be time to start on the pieced sashing.  I really like how this quilt is coming together.  It may actually make it to the finished flimsy stage sometime this year.  

You can see more Let's Book It projects over at Vrooman's Quilts.  

March Progress on the Let's Book It Challenge

It's almost the end of March, so it's time to check in with Sharon at Vrooman's Quilts for this month's Let's Book it Challenge.  

My Let's Book it Challenge project has been a long term project.  Poinsettias was started back in March of 2014.  Long term project indeed!  To be fair  it also doubles as my leaders and enders project, so it's not on the fast track to being completed.  But since I've been making an effort to get into the sewing room more in 2016, progress seems to go be moving faster. 

Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

Six of the nine blocks are assembled. The sashing for this quilt is also pieced, so there is still a ways to go yet.  Once I get Allietare into a finished flimsy, Poinsettias will probably take over the design wall and become the focus project for the month.  That probably won't happen till June or July.  But I do hope to get this one to at least the finished flimsy stage by the end of the year.  There are at least 2 potential Let's Book It projects waiting in the wings.  So I won't be at a loss when this one is done. I've already picked out a new leaders and enders project too, so I'm ready to get this one done.  

Week 9 Stash Report and February Let's Book It Update

I'm glad it's Sunday, I was ready for a day of rest.  It's been one of those crazy weeks.  Since Drama Teen has been able to drive herself, my evenings are typically free.  That wasn't true this week.  Evening meetings, a trip to Tulsa and judging at the regional Science Fair put a significant dent in my stitching time this week.  Even so, there's still a bit to report as outgoing this week. 

Used last week:  0.90 yards
Used in February:  6.85 yards
Used year to date:  16.12 yards
Purchased year to date:  0 yards
Net used for 2016:  16.12 yards

I finished the last block for the Midnight Mystery quilt, so my fabric usage will slow down in March.  There's a lot of business travel on my schedule for March, so my stitching will slow down a bit like it did this week.  There just wasn't both the time and energy to get in my 15 minutes of stitching many evenings this week.  

This week:  3 out of 7 days with 15 minutes of stitching
This month:  20 out of 27 days
This year:  51 out of 58 days

Some weeks are just going to be that way.  But having the goal helps with my motivation.  Three days of stitching is better than none. 

Along with finishing up the last block of the Midnight Mystery quilt, one more Poinsettia block is done.  

Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

Poinsettias doubles as my current leaders and enders project, as well as my Let's Book It Project.  There are 9 blocks total, so I'm just over 50% done with the blocks. I like it more with each block added to the design wall.  This will probably become my "focus" project once Allietare reaches the finished flimsy stage.  But then I have to find a new Let's Book It Project plus a new leaders and enders project.  

I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times for the stash report and Vrooman's Quilts for the February Let's Book It Challenge.  

Let's Book It Challenge - January Progress

It's been one of those weeks.  My work days were just a bit longer as I had to drive into the big city for a conference this week.  Leaving the house at 6:30 AM and not getting home till 6:30 PM makes for a very long day.  I've been spending some time up in the sewing room each evening, but haven't really had time to read, much less write a blog post this week.  But today Sharon over at Vrooman's Quilts says it's time to blog about your Let's Book It Project for January. 

Let's Book It is all about actually making something from all the books, magazines or patterns we all collect.  This pattern has been my leaders and enders project for the last two years.  After finishing up all the 4.5" sub units in December, January has been spent stitching them into huge 20.5" blocks.  

Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

There are 9 of these big blocks in the quilt, so I'm a third of the way done with those.  But then there will be the pieced sashing to finish before I can start sewing the blocks together.  I'm having fun building these big blocks.  Though I'm running out of design wall space to show them off.  Hopefully Poinsettias will be finished before we get to Christmas this year.  It would be nice to have a new Let's Book it Project, even nicer to have a finish.  

There's more eye candy posted over at Vrooman's Quilts.  

Leaders and Ender Progress for December and January

Cathy over at A Quilting Chick hosts a monthly linky to inspire and encourage those of us who start/finish projects using Bonnie Hunter's leaders and enders method of piecing.  

My current leaders and enders project, Poinsettias, started in February of 2014.  I finally finished piecing all the 4.5" inch blocks that make up the 20" poinsettia blocks in November 2015.  

So this has definitely been a long term project.  I don't have another leaders and enders in the wings just yet, so I've proceeded to assemble the big blocks.  Now there are 2 big poinsettia blocks up on the design wall.  

Poinsettias By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue of
American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

The blocks  won't go together this way there will be pieced sashing between the blocks.  I'm hoping to finish this project up in 2016.  At some point it will probably make the jump from being the leader and ender project to being the main design wall project.  But there are still 7 blocks to assemble, so it will be a while before it gets to that point. 

Let's Book It Progress for November 2015

Sharon over at Vrooman's Quilts has been sponsoring the Let's Book It Challenge the last couple of years as one way to encourage quilters to use all those wonderful books and magazines we buy, drool over, but somehow never manage to actually make something from them.  

Sharon was going to stop the challenge after this year due to poor participation in the linky party, but then decided earlier this month to keep it going next year. I've been playing along with the Let's Book It Challenge, but the project I've been making has been my leaders and enders project so progress has been slow and I don't often link up, so one of my 2016 goals is to do better on having some type of progress to post each month.  

Thankfully, there is good progress to post this month on Poinsettias, my year long Let's Book It project.  I finished off all the block and sashing parts earlier this month. 

  

Now that all the pieces are made, I can start putting the blocks together.  

Poinsettias By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue of
American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

This is the top three rows of one quilt block.  The last two rows are over at the sewing machine waiting to be sewn together.  There are 25 - 4.5" blocks that go into each Poinsettia block. That makes for a lot of seam matching, so block assembly has been slow going, especially as I'm still using this project as my leader and ender project.  As soon as I clear out a couple of other projects it may get elevated to the main project on the design wall and my number one priority in terms of getting it finished.  For now, it's still progressing slowly which is better than not at all.  I have another leaders and enders project lined up, but I don't want to start something new till I finish off a couple more quilts.

Check out Vrooman's Quilts for more quilts by the book.    

Getting Somewhere on a Snowy Friday

It was 13 F when I drove Drama Teen to school this morning.  It was 19 F when we went to lunch.  It started snowing about an hour ago.  Thankfully, I'm taking the day off.  So other than those two outings, I've been able to stay home and hang out in my warm sewing room.  

This morning the last border was stitched to the  2014 Rainbow Challenge Sampler.  My usual border is to just find a matching print and add that as the border, but I wanted to do something different on this quilt.  The sashing is black and I didn't want to just finish the quilt with black borders.  In my search for inspiration I came across one of those books in my quilting library that had set on the shelf for who knows how long.  

  

I remember buying this book, it was supposed to inspire me to make more pieced borders.  Mission accomplished (finally!).  To be honest, I didn't make the exact same border as shown in the book, but made a slight variation so I didn't have to paper piece the blocks and narrowed the border from 6" to 4".  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. 

There is still a lot of black in the borders, but they are not solid black.  It was an easy border to modify as I didn't have to deal with coping strips and figuring out what block size would work best.  Now I just have to make the back and get it sent out for quilting.  This was one of those projects that I wasn't sure would come together but has become one of my favorite quilts.  My Guy on the other hand made the comment at lunch that it looked like "something where  miscellaneous blocks that were blowing down the street were collected and then stuck in one quilt".  He has never been a fan of sampler quilts. 

Getting the borders made were my February goal for a Lovely Year of Finishes.  It feels good to make this goal since I failed miserably last month.  Since the border was inspired by one of my quilting books, I'm also linking up with Vroomans Quilts for this month's Let's Book it Challenge. 

We are supposed to get snow, followed by freezing rain, then rain between now and Sunday.  I'm hopeful that means lots of sewing time this weekend.  If you live in North America, stay warm, stay dry, drive safely.  

 

Let's Book it Challenge - January 2015 Update

It's probably a time for an update on what seems to have become my never ending Let's Book It Challenge project.  

Way back in February of last year I started Poinsettias, a pattern from Judy Blok published in the 2013 December issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.  

It's been my leaders and enders project for almost a year now.  I don't have all the pieces yet, but here's the progress I've made since last October. 

Doesn't look like much does it?  I've been sewing more lately, so the blocks are starting to pile up a bit faster.  Hopefully some time later this year I'll have all the parts done and I can quickly sew all those pieces into blocks and sashing for another finish.  

See who else dusted off one of their quilting books and actually used it to make something over at Vroomans Quilts.  

Let's Book It Challenge - October Update

Hard to believe it's almost the end of the month already and time to report on the progress with all the fun challenges I took on this year.  Today it's the progress for the Let's Book It Challenge.

With all the quilting books lined up in my bookcase,  this challenge just made sense.  Dust off a book or one of those million quilt magazines stacked on top of the bookcase, find a pattern and make it.  So far there is only one project to show for my participation in this challenge, Poinsettias from the December 2013 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.

This has been my leaders and enders project for 2014.  The blocks and pieced sashing are made from 6 smaller units.  I did finally get enough of the smaller pieces made to at least see how my fabrics work in the block. 

With the end of the year looming it seemed to be a good time to take stock of where things are.  

Sub unit  1
24 done
48 more needed

Sub unit 2
48 done
24 more needed

Sub unit 3
12 done
48 more needed

Sub unit 4
20 done
40 more needed

 Sub unit 5
4 done
9 more needed

Sub unit 6
4 done
8 more needed







Looks like this will be my enders and leaders project for a while longer.  

Let's Book It Challenge - August Update

Hard to believe that it's almost the end of August.  It's been an eventful month in our household.  I'm hoping that September is a bit calmer.  The end of the month  means it's time to report on the status of my 2014 Let's Book it Challenge project. 

This challenge is all about utilizing those gorgeous quilting books, magazines and patterns laying around the quilting studio as they are intended, to make something.  I've been working on Poinsettias pretty much all year.  It's from the December 2013 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  

This has been my leaders and enders project for the last few months.  I'm finally starting to see some significant progress.

The quilt is made from 6 smaller blocks, today there are stacks of 5 of those blocks.  Enough pieces have been made to actually layout one of the blocks on the design wall.

 Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine

The America Patchwork version uses green, which I've replaced with the black prints.  So far, I'm happy with how it's working out.  There are still a lot of the smaller block parts to make, but I'm making progress.  

Check out Vrooman's Quilts for more Let's Book It Challenge projects.  

Let's Book It Challenge - July Update

I'm a little late getting my Let's Book It Challenge post written this month.  But at least I'm getting one written, I completely missed last month.  

So what is the Let's Book It Challenge?  It's a chance to pull out all those wonderful quilting books that sit around gathering dust and make something from them.  

I'm still working on the Poinsettia quilt from the December 2013 American Patchwork and Quilting magazine that was started earlier this year.  

I've been assembling the block sub-units as my leaders and enders project.  I added a new block to the mix this month, a set of Economy blocks.  

Poinsettias
By Judy Blok for the December 2013 issue
of American Patchwork Times and Quilting Magazine

I still have a long way to go before I'll have all the sub-units made, but progress is progress.  If I wasn't doing this via leaders and enders, there would have been no progress. So it's all good.  

To see more from the world of quilt literature, check out Vrooman's Quilts.  

Let's Book It Challenge - May 2014

It's nearly the end of May and time to report progress for the  Let's Book It Challenge hosted by Vroomans Quilts.  

The challenge is all about pulling out those books and magazines we all adore and actually making something that's in the pages.  Back in February I started working on Poinsettia's Allure from the December 2013 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine.  

Poinsettias Allure designed by Judy Blok
from the December 2013 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting

This has been my leaders and enders project since February, so it's not on the fast track to being completed.  Though the blocks are starting to add up.  

There are 42 half square triangle blocks completed, plus 12 of the other blocks.  I need 72 of each of these blocks for the quilt.  There are 6 different sub-units that need to be made.

This month I started cutting the pieces for Unit 1 and Unit 4.  I'm going to cut the pieces for all the units this month and mix it up a bit.  I'm ready to see some blocks materialize (making just Unit 2 got boring even as a leaders and enders project).  

That's it for my Let's Book It progress.  Check out all the other paper to fabric transformations over at Vroomans Quilts.