January 2018 Quilt Update

Welcome to the Monthly Update.  What does that mean?  Well, it's just little ol me trying to recap what took place during the month so that I can keep track.  I kind of use it like a journal.  Please sit back and enjoy a peek into a month of my life.

Any links that you click in this post will open in a DIFFERENT window, allowing you to continue reading this without losing the page.

So . . . . If you have followed me in the past, you know that I have set CRAZY goals each month and it's tough when they just don't happen.  I think goals are wonderful - believe me, without them I fear my lack of  movement.  The thing is -- I just don't want another year of unattainable goals making me feel stressed.  I have a busy year ahead with lots of surprises, family happenings, and retreats.  Those items alone give me PLENTY of deadlines to deal with.  As a result, I am introducing the new goal section - hahahaha, its' the same, only reasonable and more defined.  I also want to keep the variety in life going - this will reflect that.  Let's hit the ground running . . . or not.  How about a hot drink and a good read?  See, life is good.

We don't have any previous 2018 monthly update links but when we do, they will be located at the end of this entry.  I hope that you make it that far.

Oh, I moved all the goals to the bottom of the entry.  It makes more sense and that way, you'll either have to cheat and peek ahead of time or just read and see how it goes.  I'm hoping for the latter.

1st - It's New Years Day and with that I would like to wish every person reading this a Wonderful New Year.  I truly hope it is filled with incredible experiences and that you enjoy each moment.  I certainly intend to.  Intend.  Now that's an interesting word isn't it?  Isn't there something about the road to Hell and all that?  Well, I do INTEND to enjoy each moment.  To use the minutes that we are given and not just throw them by the wayside.  To fill my life with laughter, fun, and a sense of accomplishment.  To that end, I will be battling UFOS!!!!  That's right.  I AM going to reduce the stack.  I am not silly enough to believe that I can eliminate it in one year, but a small dent would be pleasing.  The best I can offer to go with that is not to add to the stack.  Therefore, if something is begun --- it will be finished.  No new UFOS.



I have revamped my goal lists and feel much better about them.  I feel they are attainable.  Let's see how this month goes and then I'll decide if I need to tweak it a bit.  My day is being spent with the person I adore most -- my sweetheart and part of enjoying the moments is appreciating our time together more.  Therefore, I am off to do just that.  Tomorrow is another day.

2nd -  So, being the crazy person that I am, I wanted to stretch myself a bit this year.  Don't ask why I felt that was important -- I believe I prefaced this with something about being crazy.  As a result, I accepted a teaching position with Rocking Bobbin Quilt Shop and will be teaching some fundamental classes throughout this year.  Oh, those poor beginners.  Me?  Well, here goes anyway.  We have selected a few items to present as classes and I'm now working on the samples.  As I mentioned at the end of last month, the pattern has a few ??? and I'll try and work through those with my fingers crossed.  Building templates, cutting and starting the sewing process is the challenge for the day.  Come a long and peek at how it's going.  Yes, I'm in the house sewing as it's blessed cold out in the studio.

As I near the end of a chain, my instant thought becomes, "where is a leader/ender?"  As I look to the left, I spot a box under my bedroom dresser.  Yes, that is how SAD the UFO situation in this house is.  They are EVERYWHERE.  Pulling it out, I find that it is Talkin' Turkey and I have quite a few parts already made.  This will work perfect as leader/enders.  As for the main project, well I have lots of bunched up little blocks. Hmmmmn.

Keeping at it and not letting anything deter me, by the end of my session, I have four place mats and a table runner sandwiched and ready to quilt.  Yes, the little bunches did lay flat after other pieces were attached to them.

Now, how to quilt these?  I decide on straight lines and walking foot.  Bring on the painter's tape.  Yep, you read that right.  If you haven't made the hardware store your friend yet, you are really missing out on some great supplies.  Spacing the lines 1" apart, I just sew along side the tape on both sides and then pull it up, stick it to the cabinet, will use again on the remaining place mats.

I manage to finish one place mat (well not the binding)before calling sewing done for the day.  I hope they like them at the shop.  It's definitely a little more modern than my usual fabric selections, but still fun.

A wee bit of time painting and I'm starting to see some progress -- I think.  Oh so much touch up work ahead of me.  If only I could hold my hand still the first time around.

3rd -  First things first.  All the place mats are quilted and bound.  Yes!  Are they perfect?  No.  I am coping with my sister being diagnosed with cancer and have been sewing through tears yesterday and today.  It's keeping me busy and helping to calm my mind.

I'm already cutting for another set of classes AND it also happens to be the mini-class for February's retreat.  Oh I LOVE the fabrics and colors of this.  So, sew, pretty.

Some would call this supreme mess making.  I guess I would have to agree.  I am kind of taking over the house with this dang weather.

4th - A quick trip to Rocking Bobbin to deliver the place mats, napkins, and napkin holders that were all completed yesterday.  Now to finish the table runner and we will be set to advertise for the Served With a Twist class.  Woohoo.  One set of classes under done.  I have to admit -- I do like the way this runner turned out.  Pretty colors.

Okay, now I have to put the fear away and move forward on these dang BOM kits that are stacking up like firewood.  Have I shared anything about these?  Well, even if I have I will again.  How far back do I have to go?  Hmmmn.  It all started at the November 2014.  Really?  Oh wow.  I was hosting my first retreat and Sharron Evans attended.  She was working on one of these and I thought, "Oh, my," but at the same time I've been intrigued ever since.  Then, in September 2016 she brought it to the beach to work on again.  That kind of scared me as it was taking a really long time, but I was still interested.  Two months later, in November of 2016, I was fortunate to attend the Houston International Quilt Festival for the first time.  I came across the Whim's booth and that was that.  They had a wall hanging entitled Rachel's Sewing Room and offered it as a block of the month.  I decided to go for it and collected those kits each month with perfection.  I never opened a single one.  Suddenly it was November of 2017 and I was once again in Houston.  I swore to stay away from that booth, but failed miserably and once again signed up for Rachel's Christmas Cards.  So now I have even more kits piling up.  This is the year.  I am going to stay on top of the Christmas one and tackle one block a month of the Sewing Room.  Here goes nothing.  I get all the little squares laid out and just let it sit and Mister moves a few now and then for me.  That's enough fear for one day.

5th - Another morning visit to Rocking Bobbin and the table runner is delivered.  I have finished cutting the second bit of fabric and still love it to death.  This is totally kitted up and ready to go for the upcoming day retreat next weekend.

Next, I kit up the heart centerpiece that is for another mini-class at February retreat.  It will go to the day retreat too.

Now what?  Oh, I know.  I have a bit of time and want to pull the batik fabrics for the upcoming quilt-a-long starting February 1.  I have taken a vow of no new fabric this year unless required to finish something so off to the bin I go.  It gives me a chance to clean out the bin (much needed) and see just what all I really have.  I think I'm good except for the outer borders.  I'll be able to pick something up tomorrow in Waco at the shop hop and still stay good.

During the process of making the Served With A Twist set for the shop, I remembered that last year (right after Christmas) we did a group sewing day at Rocking Bobbin and I purchased some fabric that I wanted to use for fall place mats and table runner.  While in the studio, I hunted down the fabric and decide to make another set for myself.  It'll definitely be a different color combination and that's good for the students to see as well.  Can I pull it off with these fabrics?  Time will tell.

6th - It's a Girl's Day!  Woohoo.  We have been planning this since last November and I didn't think today would ever arrive.  Lori is at my house bright and early and we are off to Waco for the day.  You can follow along with all of our antics by clicking on this Shop Hop Link.

My treasures from today.  Still being good.  Mister and I talked about neutral fat quarters and I'm running low on whites so those are allowed and I limit myself to just half a dozen.  I pick up a patriotic fat quarter needed for an exchange I am in, black/white for February second retreat, and the batik for the border on the quilt-a-long of Texas Tumbleweeds.  No extras and no fluff.  I did find a few fun patterns though so maybe some more stash will be used that way.

7th -  It's a sweetheart day.  I spend some time blogging about yesterday and now we are off for coffee.  White Rock Coffee always has art from students in the area and I spot this one today.  Wouldn't it make a fun quilt?

A quick trip up to Irving to visit Mom with a delivery of her new walker.  I even manage to remember to take a pen and fill in the label on the quilt I gave her for Christmas.  She has washed it all up and it's just so soft.  Nice.

Once we are home again, a few brush strokes to the nativity and I'm done for today.

8th -  Wow --- one week already gone this year and I haven't checked a single thing off my list.  I'm already starting to reevaluate but won't change anything until next month if need be.  There is a baby on the way and he arrives in March.  That means I REALLY need to get my act together and complete the myriad of items I have planned to make.  I pull out the tricot and pattern that I hunted down last month and start in marking it for quilting.

From paper taped to the floor and then covered with tricot --- to this.  A wonderful train.  Yes, I'm just an artistic genius.  Hahahahaha -- not.

I finish cutting for heart centerpiece kits and the fall colored table runner and place mats.  My stack for the weekend continues to grow.

Okay, back to my fear project.  I have pulled out the fusible and pattern pieces.  It's time to start cutting tiny, tiny, bits.  Thankfully, I have some perfect scissors with super sharp tips.  Oh goodness.  This is quite an undertaking.

9th -  It's a foggy, foggy morning.  Dallas is being inundated with the flu AND a terrible cough that just persists.  I have been so lucky so far and avoided it all.  My sweetie??  Not so much.  He has been coughing since right after Christmas and hasn't been to the office since then either.  I want him home and not being exposed to anything else.  With that thought in mind, I call Sherri to see if we should stay home from the retreat this weekend.  It turns out she has the flu.  Oh no.  Well, that confirms it for me.  I was around her this weekend and my hubby is off to the doctor on Friday.  I'm staying home and missing out on the fun.  So be it.  First things first, all my envelopes for this years birthday fat quarter exchange get addressed and stuffed.  I am ready.

Now, let's put this heart centerpiece together since it's not going to the retreat.  I get all the parts made and call it good for today.

A wee (and I do mean wee) bit of painting.  I bet you can't even find the new stuff.

10th -  I am back to On Ringo Lake and with semi-decent weather, can spend a bit of time in the studio.  The result is 15 more blocks to add to the stack.  Woot woot.

A quick heart centerpiece finish and I have a TA-DA.  Triple Woot.  I really like it, even with the subtle fabric change.  I know a more dramatic change would have really looked nice.  I wonder if I should make these in black and white for the second February retreat.  Oooooh.

And, drum roll please, all the tiny bits are cut out for the Whim's block.

11th -  Another trip to the studio this morning nets me 12 more ORL blocks - the stack is growing

and I even managed to find fabrics for black/white heart centerpieces and for the upcoming baby gifts.  Whew.  Now to order the required hardware.

I try and stops the shaky feeling and start sewing my watercolor squares together.  Ohhhh.  This is fun.  I LIKE using this grid.  Wonderful.  Before I know it, I have completed my square AND . . .

created some lovely leader/ender parts as well.

At this point, I make a quick trip to JoAnn's for some paint and brushes.  Oh -- I was soooo good.  I didn't even look at anything else.  In and out.  Just like that.

12th - Incredible feeling today.  My time in the studio has netted me all of my required ORL blocks.  That just feels so good and here is your CLUE 8 LINK to follow along with my fun.  Can I get a hallelujah?  I even manage to work some Nifty Thrifty blocks as leader/enders too.  It's a good day.

Mister's doctor appointment tells us that he doesn't have the flu which is AWESOME!  I am still safe.  While he is there, I finish the Whim's block.  What do you think?  I have also ordered the pen I need to finish the eyes.  Wow, what a lot of tiny pieces.  Now, my brain has moved into --- how the heck do I get them to stay put?

My evening's entertainment is to get the tricot quilt on the frame.  That means moving furniture everywhere to find an open area.

Mission accomplished and it's now ready and waiting for those first stitches.

Meanwhile, the crazy redhead in the house has started on the second Whim's block while sitting with Mister and watching a show.

13th - Today is a Red Hat Event and I'm super nervous.  I have stayed away from the retreat in the hopes of staying well.  Do I dare stop in for lunch with the hatters?  I decide to go for it and cross my fingers that all are well and keep my distance from everyone no matter what.  We have a great time and you can follow along with a click to THIS LINK.

Two hours later, I am home again and SCRUBBED.  Please, please, please, no germs.  I am never worried about getting sick but after last February, I do not want a repeat so am being a little more cautious this year.

Out to the studio quick and I have all my sashings for ORL ready to go.

A few more brush strokes -- I really need to get this done.

And the rest of the bits cut out.  That's it for today.

14th -  I am spending the day with my sweetheart.  A little gold paint on the nativity (seriously not enough to even attempt a picture), some blogging, and balancing the retreat books occupied my time at home.  Our time away???  We went to see The Post.  Loved it.

15th -  TWO WEEKS GONE!  I want the year to SLOW DOWN.  Enjoying life is paramount as it races past us.  Breath, walk, smell the roses - for lack of a better cliche.  My sweetie is STILL working from home as he can't kick his cough to the curb.  It is fun having him around, though, and the house will sure seem crazy empty when he finally returns to the office.  I am in place mat and table runner mode once again and am taking my room from Mischief to Mischief Managed.  Yep, channeling Harry Potter today.

The pictures make the place mats look crazy busy but in the real world, they really aren't.  Why is that?  Napkins are made and the place mats are to the point of quilting.  I'm calling it enough on them for today.

Now, for some hand quilting on the tricot train.  Hey, it's a start.

And, my second watercolor block is laid out, and then stitched.  Oooh, the stack of Talkin' Turkey blocks is growing.  They are almost ready for the next round to be added to them.  I could actually make progress on this just as little leader/enders.  I DO need to make some more string blocks for it, though, so I think it's time to pull out another machine and set a goal of a few a day.  I said I THINK - and that's what I'll do about that for a few days.

16th -  It's Dallas Snowmageddon.  Yep, here is what we have to show for it.  The city freaked out, as usual and now it's just disappointment running amok.

My place mats and table runner are quilted, binding attached, and stacked while they wait for me to settle into a comfy chair and stitch away.

The black/white heart centerpieces are next in my vision and soon they are cut out AND the small ones are stitched up.  Now I can sit and do small, handwork of stitching and cutting while Mister and I enjoy the evening watching a show or two.  I even take a bit of time to start on the building of my sewing basket block.

17th -  A morning of hand stitching the binding for the place mats and table runner lets me enjoy the end of Christmas season.  The tree and decorations come down this weekend and I'm a bit sad over it all.  It's the perfect way to spend the morning and early afternoon.  When I'm finished -- I can say TA-DA.

Back in December, I ordered some fabric from Missouri Star Quilt Co. to end out the supplies of another quilt I hope to finish this year.  It arrived today and for once I am glad that my orders always take so long to arrive.  I had fun petting the pretty, new fabrics.  Ooooh.

A bit of time with my iron and my second watercolor block for the month is done.  Guess what?   I get a Done on my list above.  Woot woot.

To end the day, a little bit of time on the black/white heart centerpieces and I'm really liking the way they are turning out.  They are pinned and ready for the final stitches, but I'm done for today.  My book is calling.

18th - With a check mark on the list, I am excited.  Can I get another one?  I lay out the beginning of my first additional beach block.  I bet those who know me can figure out what it will say.

Now, I need to get back to ORL.  It is still too cold in the studio so I run out and grab the fabrics so that I can cut all remaining parts.  It doesn't take too long and soon I am ready to move to the next step.

I also have managed to pull out a wall hanging that can get quilted at the same time as they new baby quilt (when it gets webbed) so I cut the first pieces in order to get it put together.

Some hand quilting happens AND I finish up the black/white centerpieces.  Again, I really like these so much and they will definitely add to our Black and White - A Black Tie Affair upcoming retreat.  I have purchased some candle holders to go in the centers but they are FULL of sticky labels.  Ugh.  Tomorrow, tomorrow.

It's getting late but Mister is STILL working.  I get a bit of a start on tomorrow's project, quitting about the time I recognize that a few are backwards.  I'm tired and it's enough.

19th - The morning is spend sewing my table runner and place mats to the point of sandwiching them for quilting.  I LOVE them so much.  This is the most fun pattern I have followed in a long time.  The group at retreat are going to have a blast working on these.

Some more work on the tricot quilt happens and I am actually rolling this baby up pretty small now.  There just isn't too much left.

A quick trip to Rocking Bobbin to pick up fabric for a future class -- one that scare me.  Honest.  When I get home, I discover that my love has cleaned the candle holders for retreat and they are ready to photograph.  Oooooh.  I wish the pictures were better cos this really looks cool.

20th - So, I've been a bit quiet about all the reading I have done since Christmas.  For as long as I can remember, I check out for a few weeks each winter to JUST READ.  This morning, I finished the end of my series and am ready to reenter the real world.  Twelve books in twenty-six days.  I've enjoyed then and feel spiritually fed and ready to take on the world again.  Perfect.

We are out of the house this morning.  I KNOW.  Let's not all fall over from shock.  I'm still super careful as the flu is rampant here, but a stop for coffee and breakfast before picking up some bird see at Home Depot leads us into some fun antiquing.  Yep, I did a post all about it and you can find everything in THIS LINK.

After lunch, we are back home again and I feel the need to get at least some small thing accomplished.  That means quilting up one place mat and trimming it to see how that will look.  Not bad and I continue on and almost finish all four but run out of bobbin.  Not gonna fill it tonight.  Moving on.

A little more hand quilting and I'll finish out the night by dragging all the totes down from the attic.  My sweetie gets all the outside stuff down and I manage to get everything packed away except the trees and stuff in the living room.  Whew.  Tomorrow the rest comes down and the boring house will stare at us.

21st -  Even with it being Sunday and having my sweetie around, I manage to finish quilting the table runner and remaining three place mats.  While trimming, I am amazed at the amount of waste in these triangles.  I believe if my ORL could use black setting triangles, these would be big enough.  I guess they will be set aside for the perfect time to use them.  Now to tackle this house.  Two hours later all remaining decoration are down and put away.  Whew.  However, the OMG this house looks empty syndrome is setting in.  I put in a little time quilting on the tricot project and pull out the wool nativity set, grab some sheep and start in on the French Knots while sitting with my sweetheart.  That's it for today.

THREE WEEKS are gone.  Just like that.  I think I need to step up the pace a bit this week so I jot down a bit of a guideline for the remaining January days.  Now, the big question is as to whether or  not I can follow it.  Tomorrow . . .

22nd -  I rise this morning with a determination that is pretty crazy.  I REALLY would like to knock a few things down on the list.  First up, attach the binding on my place mats and table runner.  Check.  Onto ORL.  Today's task is to get the large aqua setting triangles cut out and sewn together while working on the letters of my beach block.  ORL is going to be the leader/enders today and hopefully a two birds with one stone type thing will happen. Check. I even manage to get three more letters than I planned on finished.  I have SURFSI ---- Not to bad and I can even start to read them without using a camera.  That's a step in the right direction, even if I can't hold the camera still and my picture is blurry.

Now moving on to the tricot quilt.  I put in an hour and it's getting dang close now.  Whew.  Moving right along --- I am switching genres and taking on the ceramic nativity.  There WILL be completions today.  I have listed finishing two pieces.  It's time to paint.

Guess what?????  I am on cloud nine as I finished FOUR pieces.  Again, my camera wiggles (yes, it's not MY fault) and I have a blurry picture but I am quite please with the pieces.  All they need now is to be sprayed but that will happen when all the remaining figures are complete too.  My last tasks for tonight are to bind the table runner and work on my little wool sheep while Mister and I watch a show.  Success and I am thrilled that I not only tackled all on my list for today, but clicked a few on the next day off too.  Can I keep this up?

23rd - It's day two of my list.  Oh I know -- big deal.  But hey there -- I did good yesterday so don't go raining on my little parade here.  The absolutely first thing I do is settle in and spend an hour on the tricot quilt while the laundry is going.  Lo and behold, that hour is enough and it is OFF the frame.  Oh yay!  I can see the den again.  A few stolen minutes even allow for the hand quilting supplies to be cleaned up and put into new containers.  The trunk that our treats came in for Christmas is just perfect for this and serves two roles - that of organizing my stuff and of finding a place for the trunk.  Yep, it's a great start.  I'm now off to the living room to square this sweetie up and prepare to close the edges.  With a little help from my sweetheart and lots of rulers, painter's tape, scissors, and a marking pencil -- it is accomplished.  (Yes, there is one line not quilted --- it's a mistake line and will iron out.  I know I've said that before but someone will still ask.)  Doesn't it look oh so soft?

Now for some machine time.  I am to add the triangle tips to ORL, sew the corner triangles for ORL, and make the rest of the letters for my beach block.  In the process, I even manage to get a couple more Talkin' Turkey leader/enders worked on.  Yes, the aqua triangles were leader/enders for quite a bit of this, but even they came to an end before I was finished sewing.  Be finishing all the letters, I am a two days ahead on this task.  Nice.

Technically, I have finished everything on my list for today except binding on the place mats and working on my little wool sheep.  I'm saving those for this evening and thus I have time to work ahead for the week.  My Nifty Thrifty back only needs one seam --- easy peasy and I even use some of the same fabric to make the binding too.  It is now ready for the frame and some quilting.

I guess I've stalled long enough.  Leaving the machines behind, paintbrushes get picked up and in a couple of hours three more figures are ready to spray.  Whew.  I know I can't keep finishing them this quick but it sure feels good right now.

The evening is spent binding 3 of the place mats and finishing my cute little wool sheep.  I think these are my favorite of the whole month and it makes me excited to work on the rest of the pieces.  Most will be done in March while up in Colorado for a week.  Thus ends day two of the big push.

24th -  Here we go again.  I am up early and starting in on the list.  All of my beach blocks are put together but that is as far as I can go until next month when I make the string blocks that go around them.  I like it to this point though.  It truly is finished except for one seam.

I'm still feeling ambitious so after a mad dash to the studio,  I have all the ORL fabrics I had set aside and I'm going to use a bunch of the odd teal/brown/corals to make the back.  I LOVE doing backs this way as I just move and add and move and add until it is one big piece.  This one went through several rearrangements, but it's in the done column and the label even got a start as leader/enders for this.  Along the way, I even found some strips that were cut for binding for a different quilt and then somehow misplaced and found after that project was finished.  It will work for this just fine.

It's back to the painting table for me.  Several (by this I mean THREE) hours later I have three kings at the spray stage.  Ugh.  What a lot of detail work to clean them up.

I want to just sit and not move for a bit but one place mat just keeps looking at me.  Nagging me.  Well, fine.  Soon, my set is complete and I get a check mark for today.  Oh that feels so good.  I am now ready to teach this class at retreat and I have to tell you --- learning mitered corners was so much easier than I thought it would be.  Binding was a breeze.  Yay, another skill in the book.

It's time to start thinking about retreat projects and my list is oh so long.  I will be there for 10 days so hope to accomplish quite a bit and actually need to as most is for a baby that is less than two months from arrival.  One of the projects is the diaper bag that I bought in Houston last November.  The shop put English directions  in the bag but today I have discovered that I have two page twos and no page one, which is the diaper bag.  Great.  A search online doesn't help either and my emails are returned.  Okay, plan B.  The panel directions are in Portuguese.  My daughter-in-law is from Brazil and both her and my son are fluent in Portuguese.  It's time to call in the reinforcements.    Also --- the mailman delivers my fabric for the block challenge due in September.  Oh my.

Evening time with my sweetheart allows me to pin the edges on the tricot quilt.  Another step accomplished and I'm ready to move forward on it now.  It's been a great day and I think these daily plans are a good thing.  Perhaps I'll keep them after the big push this month.  We'll see.

25th -  A last minute decision yesterday has me off to Harry Hines and the fabric warehouses to meet up with Paula and Rocky bright and early this morning.  After breakfast, we hit up four stores and had a great time together.  I was so good - just a few neutrals, a zipper for my bag project, some lace for retreat and a backing for my coffee quilt.  All necessaries and not against my own rules.  It feels so good.  If you'd like to peek in on our fun, here is the WAREHOUSE TOUR GUIDE LINK.

Once I return home, I settle in to paint for a couple of hours on my camels.  No pictures and they still are a long ways from being finished.  For a break, a trip to the studio and an hour of time nets me a loaded Nifty Thrifty quilt.  Hooray.  After that, I started stitching the edges on the tricot quilt and pretty much give up.  I'm tired today and I have not tackled everything on my list.  Oh well, I have a few things further down already marked off so hopefully it will all come out in the wash.

26th -  I slept until 8:30 this morning.  I feel better than yesterday afternoon so am hoping today will be better.  A bit of time blogging so ya'll know what I'm up to and then FOUR hours of painting.  What do I have to show for that?  The details on the camels and I'm calling them done and ready to spray.  Wow.  I need to move around a bit.

I'm off to the studio to see if I can get a bit of quilting in before the day is too far gone.  It goes soooooo well that I just keep plugging along and the hardest part today is literally taking the time to pull threads off the top so that I can quilt.  I do one row at a time and have soon amassed quite a lovely little nest.  Ugh.  Recycled shirts really do make a mess when you work with them.

Things go so well, in fact, that in about 2 1/2 hours, I have a quilt coming off the frame.  Wow.  I get it trimmed right away and into the house for binding to be attached tomorrow morning.  I usually do it out in the studio right after removal from the frame, but I seriously have a mess out here since I've been grabbing and dumping when the weather was poor.  It's time for a studio clean up but that will wait until after retreat now.  Hello Nifty Thrifty.  You are going to belong to my sweet new Imprezza.  Every car needs a quilt, right?

For the evening, I paint on the last two pieces of my nativity and have them to the point of detail work before stopping.  Tomorrow is another day.  Settling onto the futon, a quick finish to closing the edges on my tricot quilt and it is in the done column.  (Yes, it's backwards but I haven't ironed the marks off yet, hahaha.)

27th -  It's the WEEKEND!   Hooray.  I love spending time with my sweetie and we are planning on some time with his mom today.  But first . . . I manage to sew the binding onto Nifty Thrifty before we leave.  While we are out and about, another antique stop happens.  Are you curious?  Well, here is your LINK.  I find so many cool irons and assorted other goodies --- restraint is just so hard sometimes.

Once we return home again, Mister puts Stoker on to watch and I bind away.  Nifty Thrifty is coming together and I have to admit that I love it oh so much.  This is a true UFO.  I started cutting TWO of them in July of 2014.   In May of last year, we had a Quilt-A-Long for this pattern in our Facebook group and I thought that somehow I would finish them.  In fact, I was so excited that I put this one together before the Quilt-A-Long even started -- saving the second one to work on with the group.  How do you think that went?  Yep.  It is still waiting to be made into blocks, but this one is finally being finished.  Next month --- the second one will join it.  I am putting this one in my new car and that will be it's official home.  The second one will go in Mister's car.  Yes, they even have homes.

TA-DA --- UFO Complete!!!

28th -  The plan for today is to enjoy an exhibition that is about to close at the DMA.  That means we are up and outta the house in time for coffee and at the museum when it opens.  It's a beautiful day out and waiting until the doors open is actually delightful in the sunshine.  My camera is out and life is good.   To follow along with us, here is your LINK.  A little lunch and it's back home for the two of us.  That makes it sound early, but in reality it is already almost 4 p.m.  Where did this day go?

I settle in, determined to finish painting on my nativity set and woohoo --- that is achieved.  The shepherds are finished and all that is left is to spray the finish onto each piece.  That will have to wait until Tuesday which is supposed to be above 50 degrees AND have low humidity.

Now --- it is time to start prepping for retreat.  I have SOOOO many projects to cut and kit up.  Within no time, I have created an absolutely award winning mess.  My man will certainly be happy when this is all cleaned up and he has a neat and tidy home for ten entire days.  Wow, what a mess and the sad part is --- this is only one room.  I have messes in at least two more.  Ugh.  A few emails before bed and that's it for this girl today.

29th -  I missed the WEEK FOUR moment yesterday so I want to scream it today.  Woosh -- this month has flown by.  I am spending the morning prepping projects for retreat and I feel as though there are a ton of them.  I'm really in bag mode this trip.  I think I only have one baby quilt and one wall hanging in addition to leader/ender Nifty Thrifty #2.  EVERYTHING else are bags of some sort.  Wow.  Can you say, "Out of my element?"

Additionally, I have literally made my sweethearts worst fears come true.  ALL flat spaces are covered in our house.

For my afternoon entertainment, I work for 4 hours on setting ORL.  Geez.  I do manage to get halfway though so that's good.

30th -  A bit of a change today.  I am starting with ORL and don't stop until the setting is finished.  In fact, I instantly head for the studio and load it onto the frame.  That's as far as I will get this month, but it's dang close and will be finished next month.  Woot woot.  What to do, what to do?  At least I have some time to think about it.  I know -- sometimes quilts have languished here for a very long time, but I need this frame as soon as I return from retreat.  That means this one will not have to wait too long.

It is over 50 degrees and we have super low humidity.  That means it is time to spray the nativity.  Yay.  Mister helps out by setting up a work table for me and within mere moments, the first coat is on.  It dries super fast and I just keep working in the studio pulling fabrics for retreat projects in between coats.  I sure thought I was more ready to go than I am.

The last coat is dry.  Into the house it goes.   I can't really put it away until it cures for a bit so a quick set up and we will get to enjoy it for a bit.  Well, at least my hubby will.

The rest of my day is spent cutting, cutting, cutting.  One project after another.  At some point I start dinner and it's super fun to be cutting something other than fabric.  The evening finishes out with bookwork, office cleaning, and some blogging..  This month is about in the books.

31st -  I am almost afraid to write about today.  I started at 4:30 this morning and it is now 8:30 in the evening and I'm sitting down.  What a crazy, jam-packed day.  Why on earth do I leave so much for the last minute.  I had a whole month and now it is gone.  Whoosh.

I started out cutting projects for retreat (yes, still) and moved right into packing, errands (bank deposits, gas, lunch with Stephannie to pick up name tags, and lots of stops on the way home as I pick up various little bits that I have discovered I need) and then more packing, laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning up the obnoxious mess I've made this month, and more packing.  I even finish the binding and label for ORL - you can follow along on this wonderful setting and fun in this ORL Reveal LINK.  The car is loaded and all I have left is my suitcase (which is not packed as I write this) and my sewing machine (which is not clean yet).  I need an Underdog Super Energy Pill.

I think, at the beginning of this VERY long post I mentioned that I wasn't going to be pressured with goals.  In all honesty, I accomplished a lot and yet never felt that pressure up until today when I realized I had nothing ready for retreat.  I have no one to blame for that but myself.  It was a great month with a lot of variety and fun.

 As always, thank you so very much for checking in with me again this month.  I do this for ME and appreciate you so much for peeking in now and then.  Since it is for me, I keep it ad free and hope for it to stay that way.  It's just a way of holding memories tight.  Check back in now and then (or sign up for email notifications and you'll never miss a post) and please check out the link to OUR QUILT BLOGS at the top of the page for many of the quilt groups are starting to restrict the posting of blogs into the groups.  If you want to still have a long monthly read and time for your tea, join the group.  Thanks for sticking around this long -- I am grateful for everyone who reads each month.

Personal Goals:

REPLY TO COMMENTS:  This is a big one for me.  I want to stay on top of it and will work very hard to do so.  It may not happen the day of the comment, but I will be fairly current.

UFO for this month:

Nifty Thrifty #1, backing, binding made, quilted, and bound - DONE

Current Projects:

On Ringo Lake - blocks, set, backing/binding/quilted and bound - Ready to quilt, loaded on frame
All Retreat Projects made and ready to teach - Done
One Month Class Projects made and ready to teach - Month One Completed, Month Two Completed, Month Three cut out and started
New Baby Items Cut out and ready for retreat - Patchwork Quilt (ready to sew), Diaper Bag (waiting on translation - got, lol - cut and ready to sew) , Stroller Bag, Backseat Babysitter, Changing Mat, etc  All cut and going to retreat.
All project for February retreat prepped and ready to go. All but one cut and ready to sew.

UFO Monthly Items:

2 BOM - Whim's - Done
One Beach block - Done until string blocks are finished next month, then can attach words to each other

Handwork Items:

Tricot Baby Quilt -Done
Wool Nativity - one item completed Sheep Finished
Finish Painting Ceramic Nativity Done

Links to Previous 2018 Monthly Update Posts:

There aren't any yet.  Don't ya love new years?