March 2025 Life and Quilt Update

 

Our theme this year, CHAOS TO CONTENTMENT!!!  I don't know about anyone else, but I have lost my way lately.  No drive, no ambition, no love of what I'm doing.  I "think" it has to do with being in a constant state of OVERWHELM!  I have not managed time well and wind up with crunch projects -which are never fun.  I've packed my list of "want to accomplish this month" so full that when surprises pop up that are either fun or an emotional wipeout - there is no chance of completion and then a sense of failure sets in.  Ugh.  After much thought on this and a great deal of chatting with the lady in the mirror - I've come up with this theme for 2025.  If you didn't get a chance to check out the post explaining it all --- here is the LINK to the initial post.  I'm looking forward to the direction this can take us all, but especially myself, if I give it a fair shot.  Sometimes stepping out of comfort zones is challenging, but it almost always allows for growth.  For the month of  March, I am focusing on Controlling My Surroundings.  I am still purging like a crazy person and gathering items for sale, donation, etc.  It's a continuation of last month's physical letting go.  I want LESS stuff and MORE organization.  All of this will help my focus and happiness.  It'll happen.  What can you do this month?

Now, if you are new to this blog, you may be asking, "just what is a monthly update?"  I decided long ago that I just can't keep up with blogging daily.  I just can't.  Sooooo, what happens is I document each day in my life within one post and if something special happens, a separate post takes place.  See, you can stay caught up with a once a month check and then, if you're interested, see the other posts too.  It's a great system for me.  There will be links throughout this update that go to related posts of MINE.  They will open in a new window so that you can keep your place here.  Just click on the hyper-links if you wish.  There are NO ADS.  Never have had them, don't intend to start unless my whole world gets turned upside down.

 In years past, I have set goals for each month that I NEVER was able to reach.  However, I NEED that guideline to follow, so I will continue to do that simply to keep myself on track.  UFO mode is still a part of my life and I have set a definite budget for fabric in order to not create more things sitting around for "someday."  The "hopeful attempts" will change each month and will always show up at the bottom of the update if you read that far - and they are joined by links to the previous monthly updates for the year.

Now, grab a cuppa and sit back for a fun read and perhaps a new idea or two.   (P.S. I format on a computer, so if you are reading on a phone, well sometimes the pictures will be before or after the story.  It is what it is.

1st - Here comes March and the beginning of Spring!  This is always such a renewing time of year - in so many ways.

Since March and Spring are synonymous - well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it - I'm springing the new UFO number for this month and for me that is a quilt called Orca Bay.  Let's all march forward.  Oh, and, wish me luck.

We are starting out the month right.  It's a Saturday full of fun and you can read all about it in this LINK.  See if you can figure it all out just from the pics and I'll bet your interest will be peaked.

2nd - Following up on yesterday's outing - we're heading to the zoo and then some Mardi Gras celebrating to follow.  Here is your LINK to the day.

At the event in Bishop Arts - I saw this flower rack - all crocheted.

My take for the day!  I have a couple at home from last weekend to add to it.

3rd - Monday means a new week and back to the machines.  Another couple of colors and I have the autumn piece down to just the leaves.  Didn't really feel awesome so spent the afternoon doing "nothing."

4th - Okay, I'm feeling much better today and am off to the studio for some applique work first thing.  I'm trying for an hour a day this week.  Hopefully, I can make progress on the mountain of projects sitting on this table.

One piece is finished and ready to bury threads and get sandwiched.

I told myself - "one hour of prep time each day" and that is the hope.  This morning I readied two months of embroidery blocks and am pleased with that.  Didn't take an hour, but I ticked something off the list.

Machine and hand applique for the remaining time.  These Dear Jane blocks are done as a result.  Yay, Me.

5th - Good Morning!!  Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to the studio I go.  More thread colors and I have one more block ready for the next step and progress on others.

Prep work today involves my light table.  I have multiple blocks for my tea quilt to prep out.  I have one per month to do and a second block every other month - there are 18 blocks in total for this one and I'd like to do it in 2025 - at least the block part.  I am pretty behind already, but making progress.  January's two blocks are in applique stage and now I'm working on February and two March blocks.

Two more Dear Jane finished today.  There is a LOT of hand applique in the blocks this month.  This makes the fifth block with it involved.

One block drawn, pressed to fabrics, and cut out.  So many small pieces on this one.

Two items threads buried and ready for next step.  One will get sandwiched and the second needs embroidery.

6th -  My hour this morning has me finishing up another block and getting dang close on an old row by row.

Working on my last few Dear Jane blocks and this happened.  I had VERY little of the light fabric left and ran out while making the piece on the left.  Look close and see how I tiny pieced it together with my little bits.  THEN, I went to sew parts together and realized I had made the center block wrong and used up light fabric where it didn't need to be used.  ARGH.  Find the seam ripper.

Block is fixed (even the tiny pieced one is redone) and my last three Dear Jane for this month are finished.

Here they are in all their glory!!  I only have one month of blocks left and then the sashing begins.

7th - Threads are buried and this block is ready for embroidery.  Moving forward.

I have spent almost all of the rest of the day working on prepping these blocks.  Goodness.  The one with the ribbon around still has much more to do, but I thought I'd applique all the ribbon first.

Out to the machine - and I have the row by row done and ready for thread burying.

The quince in our backyard catches my eye.  It's really full of blooms this year.  It's not the most beautiful plant, but the flowers are pretty.  

Bees are out working.

By the time the day closes, I also have most of the prep done on these two blocks - just a wee bit more on each and then they are ready for applique as well.  I started the craft beer one since I finished my row by row and then when I buried threads tonight on the first one, I discovered a section I missed so it is not done yet, after all.  Sigh.

8th - The weekend has arrived and it's a rainy day.  We did have plans for the arboretum, but with the weather, I'm letting Mister sleep in a bit.  It gives me a chance to work on the blog and start my block for the beer row by row.  I couldn't figure out the sizes for the block from the picture, so just traced it and then created a paper-piece pattern to follow.

Mister wakes and sees the rain.  So sad.  We make breakfast and then it appears to have stopped and the forecast says we have until this evening, so we are outta here for a bit.  Here is the LINK to another Saturday with my love.  We are off to Frisco, TX.

When we return home, I have a couple of packages.  More embroidery items and my shirts for the Arizona trip are here.

9th - It's the semi-annual run around the house and change all the clocks day.  Ugh - someday we'll get rid of this.  Mister and I head off to the Arboretum, stopping for coffee on the way and by the time we get out of the coffee shop, it's pouring again.  Goodness.  A stop at the grocery store and then back home to wait it out a bit.  This gives me some time to work on a few projects.  I get month for my tea block written and pinned on.  This one is now ready for applique and finishing.

Next - the little block I'm making comes together.

And . . . gets added to the row by row big block.  This one is also now ready for applique.

Let's give the Arboretum another try.  It's still cloudy, but not raining.  Off we go.  Here is your LINK.

10th - Monday means back on schedule, hopefully.  Out to the studio for an applique hour and I'm back in with 2 items in my hand.  These are what is left on the table.  Ugh - never ending.

These two came in - one that needs the rest of the pieces ironed on and one that is finished and needs threads buried.

Time is then spent booking flights to MO in July, a balloon ride in AZ in April, and a Texas State Park adventure on the way to Arizona.  Shirts for grandsons are ordered and items have been checked off my list.  That feels good.

Now - how about some quilting?  I get the pumpkin pillow top glued to some batting and settle in.  I am free-hand drawing the lines in the pumpkins and leaves and quilting them down.  This chalk tool is my favorite for the job.

The pumpkins are done and need threads buried.  I still have leaves and vines to do.

So, I have once again buried all the threads to this row by row and think it is finished and ONCE AGAIN, I'm a crazy person.  Just look.  There are no wheels and the cars are not attached.  I KNOW there are more parts for this but I cannot locate them and think they may be in Montana.  Argh.  So much for this one, for now.  This is another example of the chaos in my life needing to be contained.

Threads removed after burying and tying off.  Odd pic, right?

The last thing I do tonight is attached the back of my pillow to the top and ready it for finishing tomorrow.  Fingers crossed.

11th - Happy Tuesday!  While breakfast is cooking, the last parts for this block are ironed on and it's ready for a trip to the studio again.

My pillow is also sewn together and turned.  A few months ago I attempted to make a pillow form to put inside this - I'll bring it back in from the studio later this morning.

After food, its off to applique some more.  I cannot believe how well I'm sticking to this plan.  Today I make progress on several different projects and am happy about it.

Well, the pillow didn't go as planned and instead I pulled stuffing from the horrid form I made and filled up the new pillow.  Next, I ordered those vacuum bags to put all my pillows in for storage.  However, it fits the bench perfectly.  Love it.

Part of controlling chaos in my life is starting the purge.  Today, I worked on cleaning out two drawers, both of which were filled to the brim.  When finished, I was down to just one partially filled drawer.

The next two drawers - coming up.  Not today, though.

January block is done.

Progress being made on Ingrid's Flowers while relaxing in the evening.

12th - I started off the day taking pictures and posting this months sale items before heading out to applique.  Many items were touched and we're still moving forward.

Applique on this was completed and now we move onto embroidery.

While cleaning out drawers, I found this picture and at first was not sure who it was.  Could have been my grandson but it's my sweetie.  Truth be told, if it was next to my own high school picture we would look like siblings.

Another drawer finished - a few more items added to the one drawer, but great progress.  Trash can is pretty full.

Sales started hitting so time spent invoicing and packaging and then Mister took me to Intrinsic for dinner.

YUM!

Finished up my block - March done.

Pressed this out to ready for embroidery to begin.

13th - It's Thursday and this week has been crazy so far.  Off to applique this morning!!!!

Orders from last night are ready to go - off to the post office.

My fourth drawer is done.  Still have everything in ONE drawer.  So amazingly happy about this.

I've pulled out this months UFO project.  Drat, I was hoping blocks were made.

Oh well - the layout works different.  Don't really make blocks.  I'm back with the plan.

February's block is done!  Yes, I am getting back on track.

Tonight's lunar eclipse.  I started out with a clear sky as it began, two hours later - NOTHING.  All clouds.

14th - Friday morning and more applique.  I'm getting close on these projects now.

Today, a large, totally jam-packed drawer was cleaned out.  My Buttercup and Slate fabric remains, but will probably be moved to the studio as I clean out there.

In in interest of transparency, the above drawer held all of the Dear Jane blocks, which are now in a case.  I only have one more month of blocks and then will start the sashing process, so they moved to a current project case now.  They've been taking up residency in this drawer for two years.

More pictures of items added for sale today and got the post up.  Then processed and shipped orders for several hours.  Applique is complete on this one and threads have been buried.  It is now time for embroidery.

Enchanted Christmas block for March is done.

15th - Since it is Saturday, that is my sweeties day and here is the LINK to our adventures riding the rails around Dallas.

Basically a subway at this point.

16th - It's another Dallas Blooms morning, followed by more fun.  Here is the LINK to a beautiful morning.  

Monk Parakeets nesting.

Went to Costco, bought a new printer and home for Mister to get it set up.  I need it for shipping out my stuff - so much for profit, lol.

17th - Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Finally, after weeks of trying, I have completed purchasing and receiving all the Crabapple Hill patterns I was hoping to pick up in September, before the closing announcement was made and our retreat was cancelled.  This is the second pic and my tote is full.  I'm ready for future fun.

My cleanout for today is TWO containers in my room that held neutrals (each one is 12 x 15 x 7).  One is a box and the other a chest. The stack in the third picture is what I kept and some of those may still go.

I then moved to the Wool drawer - cleaned it out.

and filled the chest with what I kept.

Now, for a large drawer in my room - emptied.  It had more neutrals, wide backs, and many, many patterns and stuff.

Once again, for transparency - a few items moved to the other drawer and my Ingrid's Flowers and Enchanted Forest supplies went in there as well.  Wide backs went to the studio.

My four drawers are at this stage right now, but some of those may move as I go along.

Neutrals getting measured for sale, stack of other items being photographed and listed.

18th - I started out the day finishing pictures and posting sale items - was hit hard and spent the remainder of the day packing and shipping.  My neutral sale is down to this and will post again:

This is all I kept - went from this tote being full, a box and a chest, and part of a large drawer.  Pretty happy.

Two more drawers in a dresser - just thread left.

19th -  Out to the studio for some cleaning and purging.  The wide backs came out here and found a home after the shelf was cleaned off.  My large pop-up bags that held strings are folded down and many items are just gone.  The upper tote on the left is my CH patterns and beneath it is my Nantucket Summer and Edyta Sitar fabrics.  That's it.  

Second shelf are projects in process.  Too many still, for sure.  They are two deep.

Back into the house and prepping for another post.  This is my living room - crazy around here.

Some are sale items, some are works in progress, some are keepers - am I going crazy?

Spent the next few hours working on pictures, blog, balancing accounts, etc.  Day to day life still continues.

20th - Time to get back on track - a lot to get done by end of month and still need to keep cleaning and selling.  Applique happened and the last two items are in the house awaiting thread burying and embroidery.

While in the studio, more totes came under fire.  Reds piled everywhere.

Greens before I touched them - 

Pinks and teals before purging - 

This is what I kept.

The entire remainder will be photo'ed and put up for sale - an overflowing tote and full 2 gallon bag.

Additionally, that whole coming to terms thing?  Well, I won't do these so they are being listed too.

Into the house to actually cook something - making homemade pasta and this sauce smells sooooo amazing.

Lunch is served.

I started listing in 3 places and the place blew up.  LOL  So crazy with pricing, invoicing, shipping labels, etc.  I don't think I stopped moving for three hours - place took a hard it.

21st -Made breakfast, cleaned the kitchen, laundry is going, ran to Dollar Tree and Post Office for packaging supplies and came home to package, package, package.  This is what I'm shipping today - the one item lower pic is going to retreat to be picked up by purchaser.  Whew.

Next, more pictures from items that came off the studio shelves yesterday and then I settled into a chair to bury threads on projects.  This one is done.

This one is ready for embroidery marking and finishing.

22nd - Crazy lazy day.  Yes, that is what I did and sometimes Saturdays are just for that.  Mister, meanwhile, has been discovering that we have about 50 years of wax buildup on our kitchen floor and is trying various methods to remove it.  Todays method was acetone nail polish remover and a scraper.  This space took him about 15 minutes.  There is a lot of floor to go.  Mister suggested dinner at The Rustic - let's give it a try.  Overall - it was just okay - probably won't go back.

23rd - It's a flower day -- here is your LINK to Week 5 of Dallas Blooms and some time at the lake.  A few pictures to tease you with. 

Home to get some work on the computer done.  It has to happen now and then.  Check out the violets in the office.  Flowers everywhere and it's glorious.

24th - Monday means back to task day.  Or something like that.  At any rate, another drawer is done.  This one was so stuffed that I couldn't open it.  It contained all the monthly decor for the house that is "quilty".  

They moved into one of the larger drawers in my dresser - one that was emptied last week.  Now I can get to them easier and they are not risking tears each time the drawer is opened.

25th - My first task of the day is my nightstand next to our bed.  WOAH!!  How did all that crap get in there?  Now - I can see it all and one drawer is empty.

It was another selling and shipping day - this is ready for post office.

Before calling it quits - my sock/undie drawer gets a cleanout.  It was another "couldn't hardly open" and a hot mess.  It could maybe go down more, but I'm happy right now.

26th - My bathroom cabinet is getting the purge today.  It was JAM-PACKED and this is how I ended the moment.  I am so happy with myself - it's just dang easy to say - you are outta here.

I've also realized that sewing just isn't going to happen this month.  I am way into this purge and working very hard at it - cleaning things out, taking pictures, posting, selling, invoicing, collecting, and packaging occupy hours each day.  BUT - it's all good and I feel great about the direction I'm going.  Today - reds!!

I've worked through green, red, yellow, purple, teal, and pink tubs - this is what I kept.

Also worked on black and gray.  These are the keepers.

All of this is going into the sale.

Greens - all sorted and ready to sell.  Same with teal and pink as you can see off to the right.

27th - Today - The main bathroom shelves are getting started on - today is the bottom one and it was so full that I couldn't even tell what was in there.  Kind of like the top one still is.  Happy with the outcome.

Yesterday's orders are ready to go.

Yellows have been measured and sorted - ready for pictures.

Purples, as well.

Even the gray is ready.

The rest of the day is spent photographing, posting, etc.  So crazy, in fact, that Mister takes me out for the evening. P.S. - worst nacho cheese EVER

BINGO anyone?

28th - Good morning - I head into the bathroom right away and tackle my second shelf.  Woohoo - this is done. Soooo much shipping from yesterday.  Crazy, right?  Even the stuff at the back is sold - being delivered to retreat in May.

29th - Up super early - got several packages ready to add to last nights totes for drop off this morning. Then to studio to purge a few more bins - tackled orange and brown.   Made the decision to pull posts down tonight and re-took all remaining items pictures.  I'll get back to it after AZ next month.  Started cleaning up the living room - made some good progress before Mister woke up.

Mister made us breakfast and then we headed out for errands - post office, dollar tree, wal-mart, home depot, harbor freight, lunch at Jakes, off to Garland and what turned into a super fun evening. Here is the LINK to our really fun afternoon/evening. 

30th - Flower zoo for Week 6  and I cannot tell you how absolutely incredible the azaleas and Japanese Maples are.  Please check out this LINK  to see the beauty for yourself.  After - just home to get stuff done.  Mister working on his photography project and me trying to line up hand projects for AZ trip.

31st - For the last day, I cleaned out all of the retreat totes and readied them for drop-off.  The items I kept fit in one tote and three are leaving -- woot woot.  I finished sorting through the blues 

and looked at the change in areas already and I'm still a long way from being done.  There is a stack of empty totes and two on the table full of items to sell.

This is my second tote of keepers - 

An idea of the change - these were all FULL before.  I have not got to the top shelf yet and the bottom shelf needs help too.

Under my longarm - there used to be 9 totes.  Now - I have two (but, in the interest of transparency, just past the batting there is my neutral tote, but it was there before as well.

Back into the house and I finished cleaning up the living/dining rooms - ready to CLEAN, cleaned out my ruler bag as I was putting things away, and pressed the pieces for April's tea block into place.  If I can get the applique done, I can finish this one on the road trip.

While cleaning out the retreat totes, I found the nametags and pulled all the AZ ones AND updated and put final charms on them.   Kind of a bittersweet moment.

And that's about it for this month.  I didn't MAKE much, but I do feel as though I'm starting to get a bit more control over the chaos around me.

We're up to April already! It's so hard for me to believe, but this month is good to evaluate how you are doing with finding some contentment. I'm still hard at work, but the contentment feels closer and closer each day. Let the purge continue.

Thank you for reading this far.  If you made it here, kudos to you.  Hope you have a great month and find a way to bring joy into your life.  Stay creative Y'all.

I've tried to make a COMPLETE list here so that I have only one place to look it all up.  I apologize in advance for the boring nature of this to y'all, but it helps me.  I've made quite a few category changes this year - anything to help stay on top of things.

Projects ready to quilt by me:   

Ruby Jubilee - Loaded on frame and ready to quilt

Sophie-Claire - 

UFO's to finish:  *means on UFO Monthly Challenge sheet

*Alphabet project from MSQC 2022 - 

Second Half Moon Rising project from MSQC 2022 - 

BAD blocks as leader/enders - 

*Rhododendron Trail - 

*Sandcastles - set, backing, label, binding, quilt and bind

*Midnight Flight - 

*Daybreak -

Row by Rows - Finished one

*Rachel's Sewing Room - quilt borders and attach all parts

*Desert Sky - 

Ruby Jubilee - 

*Feathered Star BOW - 

*Scrap Crystals - 

*Orca Bay - 

*Periwinkle Squared - MSQC 2022

Pumpkin Pillow - DONE

Halloween quilt with Jen - 

MSQC quilt 2024 - 

MSQC table runner 2024 - 

MSQC wall hanging 2024 - 

Sew Sampler Projects - Made the decision to not do these - sold most of them

Dopp kit

Current Projects:

Dear Jane - DONE for this month

One Block Wonder - 

Looking Through the Lattice - 

Periwinkle Squared - 

Ingrid's Flowers - March blocks finished, April's prepped

Enchanted Christmas - March blocks finished, April's prepped

Teapot blocks - January, February blocks finished, April's prepped for trip

Attic Windows - 

Woolie Mats - 

New for this year: 

Penguin Mug Rugs

Ruler Wrap

Yoyo Pillow

More Rope Trees

Joanna Bag

301 Boxy Tote

Mountain Saddle Bags

Double Flip Bags

Charade Purses

UFO Handwork Items:

Hand Quilting -- 

Stocking - in Montana, will work on there

Links to Previous 2025 Monthly Posts - 

January 2025

February 2025