Non-Allietare Stitching

Before Christmas I thought that this last week of 2015 would be full of stitching.  That hasn't happened, yet anyway.  The first few days of this week became deep cleaning days (the move furniture and clean behind it kind if cleaning).  We started the process the week of Thanksgiving.  We were having company and expecting new furniture, so in the way of people who typically clean just enough to get buy we realized that there were a few neglected areas in the house.  We targeted the master bedroom and the attic this week.  It's been worth all the effort, 4 bags of trash hauled away and 3 trash bags already delivered to Goodwill. 

There has been some time in the sewing room each day.  Most of the effort has been on getting the binding stitched down on Back to Square One.  That was finished last night.  So that will be my last finish for 2015.  No pictures yet as it was 10 PM when I finished the binding.

Like a lot of quilters, I started Bonnie Hunter's Allietare Mystery.  And of course with all the holiday prep, fell way behind.  So I've done just a bit of stitching in an effort to catch up.  Still a long way to go on that front.  

In the midst of those two projects, slow and steady progress has been made on the McCalls Mystery UFO from 2012.  

McCall's Mystery Quilt, From McCall's Quilting Magazine
Jan/Feb, April/May, June/July 2012 issues

I just need to sew the top three rows to the bottom three rows and then I can start piecing the border blocks.  I haven't decided if I like this quilt or not.  The border blocks have a lot of the dark blue, so it will change the look quite a bit.  So I'm holding judgement till I get that on.  This is a big quilt.  Guess I should have paid more attention to finished size.  My main goal with this project was to find a home for the 6 yards of the focus fabric.  It had been in the stash for a while and I wanted to use it up.  What's left will go on the back.  

My Guy has promised me a break in the deep cleaning today since it's New Year's Eve.  But that's so I can do some laundry and get the Christmas tree down.  Still I hope to have some time for stitching this afternoon and evening as we wait for the ball to drop.

Linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday over at My Quilt Infatuation.  Now it's time for that second cup of coffee while I go check out what people have going on this last day of 2015. 

Have a happy New Year!   

2016 Quilting Goals

Before writing this post, I looked at last my goals for 2015.  To be honest, I haven't looked at those since I wrote them.  But, I did regularly review and generally stick with my 2015 Quilt Plan.  Stash management was also a focus in 2015, but what I worked toward wasn't really in my goal.  So I'm taking those lessons to heart in writing my 2016 quilting goals. 

1.  Follow my 2016 Quilt Plan.  
            Finish 8 UFOs/WIPs
            Start 7 new projects

2.  Use more fabric than I buy.  

To make both 1 and 2 happen, I need to get into the sewing room more.  Which leads to me goal 3.  

3.  Sew for at least 15 minutes every day.  

Here's my UFO/WIP/New Project List

The quilts listed in red are the ones to be completed next year. My basis for choosing these quilts is that they are the UFOs closest to completion or are currently WIPs.  The seven quilts at the bottom of the list are the ones I plan to start next year.   

Wish me luck, I've never completed more than 7 quilts in one year and the 2016 plan calls for 8.  I used more fabric than I bought in 2015, that the first year that's happened in the 6 years I've been tracking stash in and outs.  Can I repeat next year?  I'm going to have to keep deleting those fabric shop emails to make that goal again this year. 

I'm linking up with Val's Tuesday Archives, as she's bending the rules a bit this week to showcase future efforts rather than past achievements.  

Weekend Stitching - Not Even Close to Catching Up

Yesterday was catch up day. We stayed in a hotel over the Christmas holiday.  Not sure if it was the inability to manage the room temperature (it was either freezing or burning up) or the sheets that would slide off the bed so that you couldn't keep the covers over you.  Or if there was just something in the air.  None of us slept all that well and each morning we all woke up feeling pretty crappy.  The lack of sleep finally caught up with all of us yesterday.  There was a lot of napping going on all over the house.  

All of that just to say there wasn't a lot of progress on Allietare.  I did get in a couple of hours in the sewing room late in the evening. So I managed to get a start on clue #3 then.

Clue 1 is just about half way finished as there are now 100 HSTs up on the design wall. 

There was also some progress on Clue 2, but not enough to warrant a photo.  I started cutting the pieces for Clue 4.  Clue 5 has been downloaded, but hasn't been printed yet.  

Now that I'm all caught up on my sleep, I'm hoping to get in some significant stitching time in the sewing room today.  Assuming we keep power all day.  We are under a winter weather storm warning.  It's sleeting at the moment. Hopefully that will turn to snow soon and we won't see any flickering lights today.  

That's it for me this week.  I'm linking up with Bonnie's Part 5 post today, as well as Patchwork Times' Design Wall Monday and Love, Laugh, Quilt's Making Monday.

The Last Stash Report for 2015

Wow, week 52 already.  All the hustle and bustle of the holiday season distracts you from just how close we are to the end of another year.  At least it does me.  There hasn't been much stitching this last month, just too many other things got in the way.  Still, 2015 has been a banner year for me.  For the first time in the 6 years I've been keeping track of the in and outs of the stash, I'm going to finish the year with more out than in.  It's not as much out as I had hoped, but just to be in the black for a change is worth celebrating.  Here's the numbers.

Used last week:  0.13 yards
Used in December:  0.77 yards
Used year to date:  44.90 yards
Purchased year to date:  30.25 yards
Net used for 2015:  14.65 yards

I'm contemplating what my stash goals are for next year.  I was pretty successful with the fabric diet this year.  But, like weight loss, stash reduction takes both not adding and using to get the most benefit.  The stash diet will continue next year I'm pretty sure, I just need to figure out how to finish more quilts.  

That's it for the stash report.  Before I close this post, I wanted to share some of the beautiful light displays we saw over the holiday.  

Wishing everyone a very happy New Year.  I'm linking up with Judy's Patchwork Times Stash Report.  Now it's time for second cup of coffee and a peak at how everyone else ended up this year.  

Best of Life in Pieces for 2015

Now that Christmas is over, it's time to start thinking about the new year.  In preparation for that, Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Design suggested we look back over our blogs and decide what were the "best" posts for 2015.  

Cheryl left the definition of best up to us.  It could be the posts with the most views or comments.  If you want more of either for 2016, it's helpful to see what those posts had that others didn't.  You could highlight 5 finishes, 5 tutorials, or 5 linky parties. I decided to highlight this year's finishes and works in progress. 

Number 5.  Grand Illusion Finish

Number 4.  Poinsettia Leaders and Enders Project

Number 3:  Back to Square One Finished Flimsy

Number 2:  2015 Rainbow Scrap Project:  Twinkle Stars

Number 1:  2014 Rainbow Scrap Challenge Sampler Finish

I have one honorable mention that I'd like to include.  The post includes one of this year's quilts, but also has some of my favorite quilts that I've finished since starting up the blog.

Honorable Mention:  The Online Trunk Show

That's it for my "Best Of 2015".  You can find more fun reviews of 2015 over at Meadow Mist Designs.