Stitching Stuff: Week 40 of 2024

 

Most of this week has been spent on the road and away from home.  My Guy took a week off work and we went to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a much needed vacation.  We had bigger plans for vacation earlier this year, but a family wedding and a potential refinery project left a very small window to fit in a vacation.  It was still a fun week. We shopped, hung out at a few coffee shops, hiked and ate at all of our favorite places. I took some hand stitching to work on.  That's usually easy to pick up and work on for at least 15 minutes.  

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/Sept = 30/30 days
• 15 minute days/Oct = 5/5 days
• 15 minute days/2024 = 279/279 days
• Success rate = 100%

Maintaining the 100% has become a family affair. One day of vacation we got back to the rental late. As we were getting ready for bed, My Guy asked if I had gotten my 15 minutes in.  I had stitched while he was out for his early morning walk, so he hadn't seen me work on anything.  It's nice to have family support, he's definitely a keeper.  

As we weren't home, there wasn't any scrap processing or fabric pressing. So nothing to share on that front.  How did you do at fitting in some stitching time this last week?      

1. Gretchen 2. Julie in GA 3. maggie f 4. Karen

5. Frédérique 6. DonnaleeQ 7. Jennifer in Indy 8. Quilting Gail

9. Deb in Canada 10. Bonnie in Va

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September 2024 PHD Report

September was just a weird month for some reason.  I guess because, though it has cooled off some, it was still pretty warm. Didn't feel like autumn at all.  At any rate, the higher temps made the sewing room the place to be so I got a lot of stitching done this month. So there is plenty to report for the September PHD Report linky party over at P Designs USA. Here's my PHD report for the last month.  

The report shows a new start.  But that start was planned at the beginning of the year.  At least that one won't count against my PHD for this year, the clues won't end till next year.  There is a finish to balance out the new start.  Rhododendron Trails (Azaleas) was the 2021 Bonnie Hunter Mystery.  

I just barely finished the quilt before the end of the month and managed to get this photo of the quilt laid out on a bed. This is my sixth finish out of 12 Bonnie Hunter mystery starts.  So I still have lots of BH quilts on my UFO list to finish.  I'm sure some of those will make next year's PHD list. It does feel good to have one off the list.  

In addition to the one finish, there was lots of progress on other projects this month.  

There was good progress on the orange blocks needed for my version of Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter)

  

Seven sets of 4 blocks have been completed. Just need one more set of 4 to have what's needed for my version of the quilt.  

It's been slow progress on the Simply Sensational Summer Scrap quilt (Kevin the Quilter).

One set each of 10 yellow and blue blocks were finished in September. It is my leader and enders project, so progress is slow, but it's been steady. I finished a set of 10 of each last month.  Slow progress is better than no progress. 

Another Bonnie Hunter mystery finally reached the finished quilt top stage.  

Chilhowie is the 2022 Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt.  I'm pretty happy with how it came out, that final teal border really helps calm down all that orange.  It joins Indigo Way in the to be quilted closet.  This one probably won't be quilted till next year. I'm hoping by next year I'll have enough skills to quilt the smaller quilts like this.  

Trudy finished the quilting on Diatom (Quilting Jetgirl) and sent it back. 

I started hand stitching down the binding on the last day of the month. The PHD report should have one more finish added next month.  

The September block for the Guild BOM was finished.  

I've stayed caught up with this block of the month.  The instructions for the October block have already been published.  It's another 12" block, so it should go together quickly. The finishing instructions in November are going to require a lot more effort. 

The new start is the 2024 Meadow Mist Designs Mystery quilt along, Marble Mystery. 

The September clue was the 9-patches and the flying geese.  Those are done, plus I have all the fabrics cut ready to piece the rest of the clues.  The October clue comes out tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing what's next.  

September was a productive month.  One finish, one being bound, and one finished quilt top.  So definitely not a bad month. I'm hopeful to have another quilt ready to go out for quilting before the middle of the month so there will be finishes for both October and November.  We'll see if that happens.  It's doubtful I'll achieve a PHD this year. That's OK, I'm really happy with all the progress on so many projects this year.  I can try again next year.  

To Do Tuesday for the Week of 10/01/2024

It's October! I'm really not ready for that reality. We've got a lot going on this month, so I'm sure it will go faster than September.  Oh well, at least I got a lot done last week.  

To Do list for 09/24/2024

1.  Rhododendron: Finish binding ✔

2.  Diatom: Make label, binding, trim, sew on binding ✔

3.  Guild BOM: Make September block ✔

4.  Chocolate Marshmallows: Decide on setting ✔

5.  Wild and Goosey:  Continue making orange blocks ✔

6.  Sensational Scrap Quilt: Continue as leaders and enders ✔

Six for six last week.  I took the finishing of Rhododendron down to the wire. But it's off the to do list for good now. The plan is to do as well with this week's to do list. 

 

To Do List for 10/01/2024

1.  Diatom (Quilting Jetgirl): Finish hand stitching binding

I've just started on the hand stitching.  All four corners left to finish.  But it should be doable to finish it this week.  

2.  Guild BOM: Cut and start stitching on October block

Those instructions should come out today. This is the last block for the sampler. November's clue will be all the flying geese used in setting it all together.  

3.  Marble Mystery (Meadow Mist Designs): Start October clue. 

The next clue doesn't come out till Thursday, so I won't finish it this week, but I should be able to make a start on it.  

4. Chocolate Marshmallows (Seabreeze Quilts): Decide on block layout, start assembling sashing. 

Before I get into cutting and assembling the sashing, I need to decide which one of these neutrals to use in the borders because that needs to be the third strip in the sashing pieces. The EQ design uses the first neutral, I like the texture of it best.  But I'm not sure I have enough of it.  I have lots of strips left over from making the blocks. Fingers crossed I can assemble enough of those strips to use the yardage for the borders.  

5. Wild and Goosey (Bonnie Hunter): Finish making orange blocks

Only 4 more orange blocks left to finish what's needed for the quilt layout. Once those are made, I'll get to pick another color to continue with, probably red or green. Both of those are close to being finished up as well.   

6. Simply Sensational Summer Scrap Quilt (Kevin the Quilter): Continue as leaders and enders project 

Still lots of 4 patches left to make.  This was definitely the right UFO to tackle as a leaders and enders project.  

That's my list for this week.  Linking up with The Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday.

Before I sign off, Grad Girl and I want to wish My Guy a very happy birthday!

He's off today and we have some adventures planned to celebrate.  

Computer Time and a Bit of Hand Stitching

Last week's maladies definitely hampered my progress on all things quilty. Some days, 15 minutes was really all I managed to accomplish.  But there was still progress.  Both design walls are completely empty at the moment. Chocolate Marshmallow goes up next. I did work out the final setting in EQ on one of the days I didn't make it to the sewing room. 

  

This may or may not be the final block layout. I need to get the blocks up on the design wall and play a bit before that's a done deal.  Chocolate Marshmallows was started in 2014. It was a BOM quilt along over at Sea Breeze Quilts.  I've not been able to find the block patterns, I need to check with Amanda to see if they are still available.  At any rate, the plan is to get moving on this project next.  

There's been good progress on getting the binding stitched down on Rhododendron (Bonnie Hunter).

I turned the third corner last night.  Another 40 to 50 inches of stitching left and this will be a finished quilt. That should be doable today.  I'd like to be able to count it as a finish on my PHD report for September.  

The planned finish for October is just waiting for me to start on the the hand stitching. 

Diatom (Quilting Jetgirl) is a wedding gift for one of Grad Girl's friends. I'm hoping to have it finished before I go visit her later in October.  

I have lots to keep me busy this week.  Linking up with Design Wall Monday and Patchwork & Quilts.  

Stitching Stuff: Week 39 of 2024

This last week went fast!  We were gone over the weekend and then I didn't feel well the first couple of days we were back. A combination of autumn allergies and a massive headache. I got my Covid and flu boosters Thursday morning, so I was moving pretty slow yesterday. I managed to get in my stitching time, but pretty much let everything else go. 

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/Sept = 28/28 days
• 15 minute days/2024 = 272/272 days
• Success rate = 100%

It's been such a good year on the stitching front. It's been very motivating to have maintained the 100% this long.  So even when I didn't feel very well, I was motivated to stitch, even if was just 15 minutes.  I've made such good progress on my projects this year. All the sewing time really does pay off. 

I've not made any progress on the scraps or fabric pressing recently, mostly because we just haven't been home a lot on the weekends recently.  I'll get back to it eventually.  

How are you doing at fitting in some stitching time with the change in the season?

  

1. Frédérique 2. Gretchen 3. maggie f 4. Julie in GA

5. Quilting Gail 6. DonnaleeQ 7. Melisa- Pinker n' Punkin Quilting 8. Bonnie in Va

9. Amanda 10. Lea Anne's Twinkler Quilt 11. Andrée at Quilting & Learning

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