NewFO - January 2014

The first month of 2014 comes to a close today.  It was a fast and furious month around here.  I'm hoping that February progresses at a more sedate pace.  

Since it is the last day of the month, it's time to link up with Cat Patches and show off any NewFOs that got started this month.

So far this month seems to be the month of the scraps.  I finished the first block of my 2014 Rainbow Scrap Challenge project. 

Inverted Star
designed by Jessica Boschem of Common Threads  (available from Craftsy as a free download) 

I was having so much fun with my blue scraps that starting the Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler project seemed like a really good idea.  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler
a quilt along by Angela of SoScrappy

I've got the first 5 blocks completed and number 6 is lying by the sewing machine. It's rare for me to start more than one project a month, usually there just isn't time. But all those blue scraps were out of the drawers and sorted in piles on the floor.  They were just begging to be used in something.   

That's the new stuff going on in the sewing room for this month.  I haven't decided yet if there will be a NewFO started in February. Most likely there will be, it's just too much fun to start new stuff.   

Design Wall Monday - Mainly Scraps

It was definitely one of those Mondays at our house today.  I fully intended to get a blog post written, but that didn't happen with all the chaos.  

There has been some progress on a few projects.  A few blocks have been added to Celtic Solstice.

Celtic Solstice
a Bonnie Hunter Mystery

One additional block for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler is done.

Plus, I finished butterfly block number 2 of what was supposed to have been last year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge project.  

 Scrappy Butterflies
Block is available in EQ 7 Block Library

Progress will be slow this week.  There is a swim meet on Tuesday and Saturday.  District Science fair is this weekend.  I'm judging Friday night, My Guy will judge on Saturday.  Drama Teen will also be going on Saturday as Science Fair participation counts as one of the three major projects for her biology class.  This is just going to be one busy week.  

I'm linking up, though it is rather late, with Judy over at Patchwork Times.  

Stash Report: January 26, 2014

It's not exactly been a quiet weekend around the Life in Pieces house.  Drama Teen has been madly working on her science fair project which is due this week.  So in addition to my normal mom duties, I'm her Excel and statistics consultant.  However, I did get to practice the normal mom duties of pressing her dress, acting as hair consultant and taking a few photos as she prepared for her first high school dance. 

Hard to believe the little tom boy who wanted nothing to do with dresses, dress up or anything "girly", would willing put on a formal and wear heels.  When she was 5 she proclaimed that she'd be wearing a tux to her prom because you couldn't have any fun in a dress.  They certainly grow up fast.  

On the sewing front, I did get a bit of stitching done while DT was off at her formal.  So there is a bit out this week.  

Used last week:  0.83 yards
Added last week:  0 yards

Used for 2014:  2.36 yards
Added for 2014:  26.5 yards

Net Stashed for 2014:  24.14 yards

Thankfully there was no new fabric in this week so I can start working towards being back in the black.  I have been diligently deleting all the emails from the on-line fabric companies to avoid any temptation.  So far that's been doing the trick.  Hopefully I can maintain my "no new fabric" path for awhile.  

I'm linking up with Patchwork Times for Stash Report Sunday, hop over there and check out the state of stashes from all over the world.  

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - More True Blue

For some reason this has been one long week.  It's been really cold, which has made any trip outside just miserable.  I can't imagine what it's like trying to get any place in the northern US.  Probably our biggest frustration has been with the high school swim program. There's been some changes with the coaching staff that have left the parents concerned and the kids upset.  The biggest issue for Drama Teen is that as a consequence, practice times and locations keep changing, as does which coach she's supposed to be working with. Thankfully, Drama Teen probably only has two more weeks of active participation.  It's not likely she'll place at regionals, so she's pretty much done after that. 

 I have managed to make it into the sewing room here and there this week.  The Snowball block, block 5 for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler quilt is done. 

Block 6, the Anvil block, is cut out and ready to assemble.  That will probably get done today.  

Last Sunday, the backed up Electric Quilt files were loaded onto the new hard drive.  So I was able to print out paper piecing patterns for 11 scrappy butterfly blocks.  The butterfly blocks were last year's scrap challenge project, but only one block got made, so I'm going to finish those as part of this year's challenge.  Here's this month's block. 

  Scrappy Butterflies
Block is available in EQ 7 Block Library

This butterfly still needs the antennae added, but the piecing is all done.  I really like the spider web fabric used for the upper wings.  I'm not sure where it came from.  While scrounging around in my blue fat quarters drawer looking for partially used fat quarters, I came across a set of fat eighths that I don't remember acquiring.  Any plans I had for them have long since been forgotten, so those fat eighths have been added to the blue scraps.  

I've really enjoyed playing with my blue scraps this month.  Next Saturday will be a new month and I'm looking forward to seeing what color scraps I get to play with in February.  Check out Soscrappy for more true blue scrappy fun.  

Design Wall Monday - CS and RSCS Progress

Monday morning always seems to come as a bit of a shock, especially after having a three day weekend.  It's just hard to switch gears from the home front back to the stuff going on in the office.  

Having Friday off meant that I got in some significant stitching time.  Progress was made on Celtic Solstice.

Celtic Solstice
a Bonnie Hunter Mystery

I've got pieces made for several more blocks, so this should grow a bit more over the next week.  

In order to make a bit a dent in my scraps, I started the Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler being offered by Soscrappy as part of this year's challenge.  

 

I'm having fun playing with my scraps.  Sampler block 5 is cut out and partially assembled.  I also finished the Inverted Star block which is the original project I had in mind for the RSC this year.  It's also this month's planned NewFO project.  

Inverted Star (available from Craftsy,
from Common Threads  

Mon Ami is January's UFO.  The label got made this weekend and the binding is sewn to the front, and I've started stitching the binding to the back.  

Modified from Mon Ami
by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company

So I'm on track with this month's goals.  It would be nice to end January with a finish.  

That's it for what's going on in my sewing room.  There's more January progress posted over at Judy's Patchwork Times.