July 2013 NewFO

It's already the end of July!  How did that happen?  We had a lot going on this month with trips to my Mom's, My Guy's Mom's and then vacation.  Not a lot of at home time.  I knew at the beginning of the month that if I wanted to link up with Cat Patch's NewFO Challenge, I'd need to plan ahead.  Quilt number 8 on my 2013 NewFO list is Christmas Angels.  This project was also number 3 on my 2012 NewFO list, so I decided it was time to get it started.  I bought the background, red and green fabric for this project in 2012, but that was as far as I had gotten. 

I didn't have a pattern.  Finally after fooling around in EQ for a bit I worked out a two block design that I liked.  I need 60 4 patches to complete all of the  #1 blocks.  I've got about a third of them made.

So not a lot of progress, but it is at least started.  That's the only requirement to participate in the July NewFO Challenge over at Cat Patches, is to have made a start.  If you have something new going on this month, you should link up too.  

15 Minute Challenge - Good Causes Wrap Up

After a week on the road, I'm still trying to get my arms around being back home.  We had a wonderfully relaxing vacation.  Not much sewing for me but I was able to find time most days for some embroidery work before we headed out to do whatever we were going to do.  

Managing 5 out of 7 days isn't bad considering all the other distractions going on with us being on the road.  I do hope to get back in the sewing room tonight, now that the absolutely have to have laundry has been done. 

This is the last Tuesday in July, so it's time to wrap up the this month's fostering creativity challenge of "Get Involved in a Good Cause".  Getting involved in good causes can be a great boost to your creativity.  Charity groups are usually very appreciative of your efforts, which can make you feel really good about yourself, which is always a good boost to creativity.  Research shows that doing good deeds makes us happier, unless your creative muse originates from the darker end of the emotional spectrum, being happy tends to promote creativity. 

If you've never made a donation quilt, check out the links in last week's 15 Minute challenge post for some thoughts on where to find organizations that appreciate your quilts and give it a go.  I'm hoping to get my Quilts of Valor project done in the next couple of months.  I'll let you know how that goes.  In the meantime, link up and share how your efforts at finding time to stitch and be creative are working out. 

1. Pat 2. Thea

3. Marti 4. Amanda

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Design Wall Monday - July 29th

Is it really Monday?  Time flies when you are having fun.  After a week on the road, I'm ready to be home, even if I have up-teen million loads of laundry to do.  Summer vacation was our last trip before school starts.  We've been gone just about every weekend in July for one reason or another.  I'm looking forward to being home most of August.  

Since we have been gone so much, there has not been as much progress on projects as I would have liked.  I had hoped to get caught up on Judy's Back to Square One mystery quilt, but I haven't even finished up step 4.  This is what was up on design wall #2 before vacation.    

Back to Square One
by Judy Laquidara (pattern available here)

I've only finished 8 of the 20 square in a square block #1 for the second border.  It will be really hard to catch up now, but I'll see how it goes in August.  I really like how this project is turning out, so I'll keep working on it till it's finished.  

Now that our summer traveling has come to an end, I hope to have something new up on the design wall for next week.  Linking up with Patchwork Times' weekly design wall post as is my habit, check out all the other links to see what other quilters are up too this week.  

Stash Report - Week 30 of 2013

It's been a wonderfully relaxing week.  We finally found time in our work schedules and Drama Teen's volleyball schedule to take our summer vacation.  Where have I been?  Some place completely unlike home. 

Needless to say there has not been a lot of sewing going on this week.  I did manage to get in a bit of stitching before we got on the plane last week, so there is a bit out to report.  Vacation wouldn't be complete without checking out all the new to me quilt shops, so there is "some" incoming as well.    

Used last week:  0.1 yards
Added last week: 17.75 yards

Used for 2013:  49.43 yards
Added for 2013:  148.83 yards

Net stashed for 2013:  99.4 yards

I did a lot of checking out this week!  I found a few fat quarters:

A bit of yardage:  

The black and white tree fabric reminded me of this photo that had been taken earlier in the week.  

And one quilt kit.

This is the first quilt kit that I've ever brought home.  I usually don't like making something exactly like someone else has made, but this pattern in these fabrics was just irresistible.  

A few patterns also made their way into my shopping cart along the way.  

I really don't have plans for any of them at the moment, but with all the fabric that's coming home with me, maybe there should be!

That's it for my vacation stash report.  Hopefully next week will see an up tick in the out number, I'd really like to stay below 100 yards stashed for the year.   For more stash tales, check out Patchwork Times.  

Slow Stitching Sunday - July 28th

All my stitching this last week has been slow stitching.  We've been on vacation at an exotic locale (at least for us anyway).  

Rather than a sewing room, my stitching was done most mornings on the front porch of the cabin. 

Looking out across the fields......

.....to the mountains in the distance.  It's been nice to have time in the mornings to start my day with a bit of handwork with that view.  Amazingly, I still made quite a bit of progress this week even with the distraction of a new place.  

There is still a lot to do, but that means I'll have lots of slow stitching Sundays ahead.  Check out all the other handy work over at Kathy's Quilts.