2012 New FO Challenge - February

The NewFO Challenge is the brainstorm of Barbara over at Cat Patches.  The challenge is all about starting projects, no finishing required.   For many starting projects seems to be really easy.  It's not easy for me.  It takes me forever to decide on a project, pick the fabrics, and come up with a final design.  That last is probably what slows me down the most.  Not that I don't ever make a quilt using a pattern, I just really like coming up with my own. 


I hadn't planned to start anything new this month.  My bucket list included six quilts, so I had planned to start a new one every other month.  But I've been wanting to participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge going on over at So Scrappy since last year, but I couldn't come up with a project that would allow me to make one or two blocks a month that would then go into a quilt at the end of the year. Then out of the blue this idea came to me.  After a couple of hours playing with EQ, a final design for a rainbow scrap quilt was up on the computer screen.  

My Guy and Drama Teen gave me their seal of approval on the final design.  So Monday night, I got going on the first block.  

The block pattern is by Janet McCarroll, published in "Block Magic Too!" by Nancy Johnson-Srebro.  There are some pretty small pieces in this block (finished size is 6"x6"), but it went together pretty quickly.  My plan is to make 3 scrappy blocks a month out of whatever color So Scrappy picks for the month.  That will give me 36 blocks, enough to make the design.  I'll need to go back and make up the red blocks since I completely missed January, but that shouldn't be too hard.  


I've been in a bit of a quilting slump, but starting a new project has been just the thing to get me back into the sewing room.    Check out the linkys over at Cat Patches to see what other new stuff went up on design walls this month.  

Wordless Wednesday - Carved in Stone

15 Minute Challenge - February 28th

It's hard to believe that February is almost over.  It's been 59 days since the start of the new year.  How are you doing at making time to sew 15 minutes a day?  Do you feel like it's a habit yet?  It's been a year since I challenged myself to find 15 minutes a day to sew.  After all that "practice" time, I find that remembering to put in the 15 minutes isn't my problem, it's making myself do it some nights.  Last week was not one of my more steller efforts.

My sewing room only saw me 3 out of the last 7 days.  Could have been worse, could have been better.   Not sure I can put my finger on why I didn't sew.  It certainly wasn't because I spent all my time on the computer, I barely turned it on last week.  Hopefully this week will be better.  It needs to better, I havn't done anything on the UFO challenge this month. Yikes! 

On to the more interesting stuff.  Who won last week's challenge give-away? 

#7 Thea of California Dreamin'

Congratulations Thea!  Thea's been a regular participant in the challenge for a while.  She's made some fun quilts over the last few months, her current Disapperaing Giraffes quilt is very cute. 

Next Tuesday will be the 66 day mark, which based on one scientific study is the average time it takes someone to develop a habit.  There is one last give away to encourage you to stick with it for one more week. 

Another book, 3 Times the Charm and a charm pack of Papillion by 3 Sisters for Moda.  If you link up this week, include the words "15 Minute Challenge" in somewhere in your post and provide a list of what you did, Mr. Random Number generator might be nice and give me your number.  So link up! 

1. Barb H 2. PJ - off Avondale Rd 3. Amanda, Seabreeze Quilts 4. libbyQ

5. Shay 6. Pat 7. Nana B 8. Thea

9. Kate 10. Hueisei 11. Jane 12. June

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Foto Finish - Leap

It is it really already Saturday?  Not that I'm complaining, but it was a really fast week.  I was pretty much AWOL from the home computer the last few days. This week, the 8 hours at work has been spent in front of my computer writing reports.  I was pretty much typed out by the time I got home most nights this week.   I have at least 3 more weeks of report writing.  Maybe I'll build up some stamina and still have some words left over to use at night.


Barbara at Cat Patches has put suggested "Leap" as this week's Foto Finish topic.  After combing through my shots, it became obvious that I was going to have to go for a different interpretation.   Apparently we don't leap much in this family.  But I did come across this image from 3 years ago.  

Doesn't it look like she's ready to just leap into that water?  This is Kiddo (aka Drama Teen) running into the surf on Galveston Island.  This was Spring Break of 2009.  It was her, one of her school friends and I out to see the sights around Houston that week.  My Guy had bailed due to an impending international trip.  When DT was little we lived 15 miles from the Gulf.  During the summer we took a lot of weekend trips to the beach.  The beach is the one big thing she misses about living in TX.  It wasn't particularly warm this overcast morning in March.   DT's school friend had never been to one of the coasts, so it was her first glimpse of the ocean.  There was absolutely no chance of keeping them out of the water.  So I gave up and prepared to deal with two wet, cold girls.  But they were good sports about all of it, maybe because the next stop was lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, another of DT's favorite things from living in TX.   


That's it for this week.  Check out the other leaps over at Cat Patches.  

15 Minute Challenge - February 21st

Have you ever reached a point where you have more ideas in your head or challenges you want to participate in than you possibly have time for?  I certainly felt that way this weekend after finding 2 new projects that I really want to start now.  Last week, I ignored my sewing room for the most part, couldn't work up the interest (or energy) to spend any time there.  But I think those few days offto let my brain rest was necessary.  Since coming up with these two new projects, I'm feeling a lot more energized about spending time in the sewing room. 

It's been a year since I challenged myself to spend a minimum of 15 minutes every day in my sewing room.  It started as a month long challenge to myself because my projects weren't moving along at a pace to meet my goals.  That challenge to myself made a big difference in my ability to get projects to completion.  What I learned last week is that sometimes taking a break from the challenge is also necessary in order to keep up your enthusiaism.  This week's report reflects a renewed energy.

A total of 6 out of 7 days isn't bad.  In addition to what's on the report, I also roughed out a quilt layout for a new scrap project that I hope to start before the end of the month. 

Moving on to the more exciting stuff.  The winner of the "Necessories" pattern and fat quarters is:

# 8 Nana N of Seaside Sewing

Congratulations Nana! 

We've reached day 52 of the 66 days the experts claim it takes, on average, for someone to develop a new habit.  This week's motivation to stick with the challenge is likely to give you some thoughts on new projects to ignight your ethusiaism 

I've not made a jelly row quilt yet, but Strip-Smart Quilts by Kathy Brown has me wanting too and Redwork with a Twist by Pat Sloan had me pulling out some completed embroidery blocks to consider what might be done with them.  So it's time for you to link up and share how ethusiastic you were last week about spending 15 mintues a day sewing/crafting.  A quick reminder, to be eligable for the give-away, the post you link up must have "15 Minute Challenge" somewhere in the title or text of the post and a "report" of what you did with your 15 minutes each day you sewed.  It can be as simple as a list, or as complex as a photo collage.   

1. Liz 2. Marti 3. libbyQ 4. Hueisei

5. Pat 6. Pat 7. Thea 8. Amanda

9. PJ off Avondale Rd. 10. Kate

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