2012 NewFO Challenge - December

Hard to believe this is the last day for the 2012 NewFO Challenge.  Thankfully Cat Patches is going to continue the challenge in 2013.  So out with the old and in with the new. 

My last NewFO post was back in September, when I started three new projects.  Needless to say, those starts have kept me pretty busy the last few months.   In total, seven new projects were started in 2012, one more than I had originally committed to.  Even so I really wanted to start one last NewFO, but it needed to be one that wasn't on the list for 2013.  I like starting new projects, but it can take me a while to decide on a pattern and fabrics.  I've been wanting to make a Quilt of Valor ever since I stumbled across Alycia Quilts.  Last year a set of fat quarters and yardage of Connecting Threads' "Firecracker" line made it into my stash.  It was the perfect fabric for the project, but I couldn't find a pattern that seemed to fit.  Then last Thursday, I spied this pattern by Miss Rosie.

So now I had the pattern.  Unfortunately, as written the pattern only makes a 33"X 33" quilt, way to small for a QOV.  So a few modifications were necessary.  Rather than 5" finished blocks, I made my 9" and changed the border to work with that block size.  One block is completed and the second is almost completed. 

No target date for finishing this project, it gets done when it's done.  But the blocks go together pretty quickly, so I do hope to finish this one before the end of 2013.   

Where did I end up on the other seven projects? 

1.  McCall's Mystery Quilt - Need to finish making blocks
2.  Scrappy Coffee Cups - Cups all done, need sashing and borders
3.  Sweet Treats - Need cornerstones, sashing and borders
4.  The Sofa Quilt - Need to finish making blocks
5.  Embroidered Medallion Quilt - Need to finish embroidery
6.  Evening Star - Need to finish adding borders
7.  Grandmother's Choice BOW - Need catch up on making blocks. 

My project list for the 2013 challenge can be found here.  The list includes 8 projects for next year, three of which will start in January.  I can hardly wait! 

Monday Design Wall - December 31st

Happy New Year's Eve!  Hard to believe it's already the last day in 2012.  We don't have any plans for this evening.  We'll stay home, maybe watch a movie together, watch the ball drop and then go to bed. Not an exciting evening, but it works for us.  I'll probably get to stitch a bit as well. 

I've been on vacation since before Christmas, but holiday preparations kept me busy for about 3 days, then we spent about 5 days visiting family over the holidays.  Since last Friday, I've been able to sew for a bit each afternoon and have made a lot of progress on several projects.  I thought Evening Star was done, but then realized it still needed the borders added. 

Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

More stars have been added to December UFO, Scrappy Stars.

Pattern is Folk Art Christmas Stars

by Robyn Pandolph

This is the oldest UFO on my list, dating from 2003.  This project will at the top of my "to do" list for 2013.

The Sofa Quilt has been a leaders and enders project for months now.  I finally got enough pieces made to complete a few more "block 2s". 

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara

(available here)

 I like how this one is going together.  I'll continue to work on the blocks as a leaders and enders project, so progress will be slow, but at least there will be progress. 

That's it for my design wall this week.  It's been nice being off work.  The house is cleaner and my design walls are fuller.  To check out what else is showing up on design walls, click over to Patchwork Times.

Stash Report - Goodbye to 2012

It was a good year for stash enhancement, not so good for using fabric.  Looking back at this year, as well as the previous two years, the big difference was not finishing as many quilts.  That means fewer backs were required and it's those quilt backings that really boost the "out" totals.  Though I didn't meet my stash goals for this year, I did learn a few things about my stash habits:

1.  Start more projects.  Even if they get put aside at some point, a pipeline of started projects yields more finishes per year, which in turn means you use more fabric.

2.  There are still a few holes in my stash in terms of color (no teal, burgundy, or gray). 

3.  Need to buy a few 5 to 6 yard cuts for larger projects.  Though I have a lot of fabric, outside of white, beige and black there aren't many larger cuts of fabric in the stash.  My default purchase pattern seems to be to buy 1 or 2 yards, maybe 3 yards if I really like it. 

So how does the report look for this last week of the year?  As has been typical for me this year, light on the out and a bit heavy on the in.  I couldn't resist the post Christmas sales. 

Used last week:  0.40 yards
Added last week:  34.5 yards

Used for 2012:  38.79 yards
Added for 2012:  413.39 yards

Net stashed for 2012: 374.59 yards 

I think 2013 is definitely going to need to be a stash diet year.  So what came home this week?  I did my part to help the local quilt shop clear out their Christmas fabrics;

as well as some of their sale fabrics.

The blue and white stripe will be the backing for the Coffee Cup quilt, the other two were just because.  And finally, I couldn't resist all of the sales over at the Fat Quarter Shop.  I have a whole collection of cardinal fabric, so I couldn't resist Moda's Winter Elegance when it was offered for 50% off at The Fat Quarter Shop.

Hopefully 2013 will be the year of finishes in my sewing room so I can start to make a dent in that stash of mine.  What are your stash plans for 2013? 

Check out all the other end of year stash reports over at Patchwork Times. 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - An End and A Start

Hard to believe this is the last weekend in 2012.  Hope your Christmas was merry, ours certainly was.  As much as I enjoyed it, having all the shopping and wrapping behind me until next year is a very pleasant thought.  There was even time yesterday to get back in the sewing room.  Though the first order of business was to get the wrapping paper put away so I could actually get to the cutting table.  That accomplished, I finally finished the last two blocks for the 2012 Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Block patterns from Karen F. Srebro and Janet McCarroll
published in Block Magic and Block Magic Too by
Nancy Johnson-Srebro

I really like the fish cup.  It looks a lot like one I brought back for DT after one of my business trips to Florida.  Here's the whole set.

This has been a really fun project.  Scraps from 14 completed quilts are used in the blocks.  It didn't make a dent in my scraps, except for the white used in the background. I don't have much of that left.  It's OK, I'll have lots of scraps to play with in 2013. 

Next year's project will use another picture block. 

This block can be made with templates or by paper piecing.  I'm going to try the paper piecing method.  That will be a new skill for me.  I'm playing with an idea for a second scrap challenge quilt for next year.  Hopefully I have that one figured out by next Saturday. 

I'm looking forward to seeing all the cool scrappy projects for next year.  Check out Soscrappy for some sneak peaks of what's in the works for next year. 

Wordless Wednesday - Winter