January Quilt Update

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Goals:  LOTS of travel this month so not going crazy here.

Graduation quilt for Jill made - Yes
Mystery Class blocks made - Yes

Double Delight - Clues 1, 2, 3, 4 - Yes 
Easy Street (ES) Clue 8 -  Still needs borders
Old Tobacco Road (OTR)  - Clues 4, 5 - nope

Pillow for February retreat - YES
Round Robin finished and in mail - YES
Retreat kitted up and projects all prepared for - yes



1st -  Happy New Year!  For the past four years this day has been looked forward to by me with excitement and nervousness.  Not only does the mystery reveal usually come out today, but I have a class with Bonnie Hunter again.  Today it is Mad City Mama and I am using as many 1 1/2" UGLY strips as I possibly can.  I manage to complete two blocks with many other parts as well.  If you want to read about this oh so wonderful day, please click on THIS LINK.

2nd - My year is off to such a great start.  Yes, I have another day in Plano with Bonnie Hunter.  I know, I know --- you are all very jealous and it's completely understandable.  Today is our Crabapples class and I have to tell you -- I think it's one of my favorite tops so far.  I absolutely cannot wait to continue on this one.  These little trees are just so cute and I have managed to collect LOTS of great panels for the back.  Oooooh.  To read about the day, here's your LINK.

3rd -  Oh goodness.  I must have been a very good girl lately because I have been invited to hang out with my mentor, Bonnie, for another day.  What a true blessing.  It's also another day with my friends and I have perma grin.  Since it is a repeat of my first class last week - the mystery - I still can't show you much as it's a BIG secret, but just believe me that you WILL want to do this one.  It's gonna blow you away.  Even though there aren't any hints on the post, you can see more about the day HERE.

4th -  So sad, my trips to Plano are over and we do not have Bonnie on the schedule for this again.  Our little tradition has come to an end and it sucks.  Yep, that's me being blunt.  Not a happy girl about that part at all.  Oh well, onward and upward.  The Facebook group is going to do one of her mysteries starting next week.  Double Delight has been selected and so I am petting the fabrics I have pulled for it today.  Since I am doing the UFO challenge this year, it all has to come from stash and fortunately I am able to do just that.  In fact the only piece I have even bought recently is the blue from a shopping trip with Kelly and her mom.  Way to go me.  Now to go and pack - I'm off to Montana tomorrow.  I also kit up clue one of Double Delight and take it along with me.  One can hope.

5th -  It's a flight day and the only crafty thing I have managed to do is some crocheting on the plane and at Rhiana's after arriving.  The plan is to make a scarf from this yarn.

6th -  I have a bit of free time today and want to check out a couple of the quilt shops up here in Billings.  The goal is to look and not buy but I'm pretty sure that will be tough to do.  However, keeping in mind my UFO goals and challenge -- no fabric that is not needed to FINISH something I am working on.  Here goes nothing.

I stop at two shops, one of which has some of the most amazing vintage machines I have ever seen in one place.  Crazy.  PLEASE go to this LINK and enjoy the eye candy provided.  In the meantime -- here is a picture of the Florence I found.  Oh my.  

7th -  Two more shops today and a few fun things are found.  I LOVE these placemats.  The post showing all the wonder of today's shops can be found HERE.  I know this post seems link laden but there are just too many incredible pictures for one post.  That happens when I travel.

8th - I was invited to my daughter's first grade class for an art project today.  When I arrive I am put to work helping them paste and tie their project into a wonderful quilt for me.  This is one STORY you will want to read about.  So very sweet and encompassed two of my loves:  turtles and quilting.

9th -  The last of my shop hop fun in Billings today after a brisk walk in the cold Montana air.  I found a lovely little shop once again filled with vintage ladies.  Feast your eyes RIGHT HERE.  Don't you just love this sign?  Isn't it the truth?


10th -  I have a few minutes today to finish up the white scarf.  My first finish for 2016 and it's not even quilty.  Hey -- at least it's a finish AND a UFO as the yarn has been around for quite awhile waiting to be used.  That's my logic and I'm sticking to it.

11th - After a wonderful pedicure, my daughter-in-law and I stop in at Barnes and Noble to pick up some fun things for the grands.  As I am wandering the store, I notice this table FULL of adult coloring books and supplies.  I've been reading how this is good for reducing stress and am considering getting some for Mister -- for he sure is a good candidate right now.

12th -  Home again, home again jiggety jig.  As usual, it's a rest day for me but I do manage to get out all of my treasures from the Montana shop hop.  I tried to stick with patterns for the most part but did pick up some fabric that is needed for the January retreat project and a few panels for the back of my Garden Party quilt.  No extras except one fat quarter bundle of "sewing" fabric.  It will get used though in upcoming retreat projects.  I feel okay about all of it.

13th -  My day disappeared in a whirl of bookwork, blogging and just catching up with laundry, etc.

14th -  The house will be filled with quilting sisters tomorrow so today I am focusing on putting ALL of Christmas away and setting up for a fun day ahead.  It takes me until around noon (starting at 8 a.m.) to get Christmas put away with the exception of the outside decor.  Mister will handle that when he gets home.  Now to get the room together for tomorrow.  Where oh where am I going to fit FIVE ladies?  Ideas come to me now please.  After a call to Allison for additional tables, we will make it work.  Whew.

15th -  It's a Mad City Mama Day!  Well at least that was the plan but people are working on all different types of projects.  I even have Double Delight clue ones as leader/enders.  Allison, Valerie, Lee Ann, and Janet are over and I am thoroughly enjoying myself.  Another three blocks get put together (mostly because I had LOTS of bits ready to go) and now I am up to five of the buggers.  Still a long way to go but I am making a definite dent in the ugly strips.  For more details of our day plus pics of the yummy food, click HERE.  (Chocolate covered fruit being enjoyed below.)

16th -  Ms. Stephannie is over today for some cutting and kitting of projects.  I am a crazy person though and really have no idea which way is up.  Kit, kit, kit.  I am leaving for Colorado tomorrow and am not near ready.  Oh my.  To read a little bit about our day, here is the POST.

17th -  Flight day!  I am off to Telluride for the next week of fun and snow.  Lazy girl on the flight and nothing to show for it.

18th -  With everyone except Raef (he is not feeling well) off to either work or school, I have a day in the mountains pretty much all to myself.  What to start on first?  I know -- I need to prioritize.  The Round Robin MUST go out before I leave for retreat at the end of the month so I focus on that first.  I would love to show what I do, but I'm afraid it's a secret until the completion of the Robin.  At that time, I will have a post on all the quilts in the group and what I do on each one.  Suffice to say, I get my round on and am pretty dang happy with what I have come up with.

Now onto the next project.  The February retreat has a Valentine pillow exchange and I LOVE the pattern I found in Montana so want to make two of them.  I know that I have to make at least one and have it ready to go so although I draw and cut iron-on for two, I will focus on finishing one first.

19th -  I spend the entire day in Telluride today.  Time at the coffee shop, lunch with Amanda, and picking up the grands after school.  Yep, it's a great day.  My evening is spent ironing on and cutting out the pieces for the pillows.

20th - Home again today with Ryan who is having his turn not feeling very well.  My morning is filled with ironing the pieces into place for both pillows and then making a sandwich and hand stitching everything into place on the first one.  Then a backing is made, borders and binding attached and it's almost there.

Grabbing a pillow of my daughters and doing a test stuff --- voila -- all my pillow needs now are some heart shaped buttons when I get home.  I LOVE IT.  I'm going to add a heart button to the hat, the heart in his hand, and the bib on his overalls.  Will also write on the mailbox before I gift it away.  I spent a LOT of time with Ryan watching funny videos while stitching.  He, determined that my pins needed some segregation.  Almost too funny when you find out that he is color blind.  He did an amazing job.

21st -  Part of my day is spent at the house and part in town.  I do get the strips sewn for clue 3 of Double Delight and then subcut into ready to sew parts.  All the info on clue 3 can be found in this POST.

22nd -  I only have the morning today as Caleb is skiing and needs to be picked up around 11.  I do get the nine-patches sewn though.  Woohoo.  My late night is spent starting the clue 2 square in a squares.  Sew, sew, sew.  I'm starting to wonder about Bonnie's statement that these only took her a few hours.  Hmmmm.

23rd -  Today I focus on finishing the clue 2 units for Double Delight.  Trim, trim, trim.  Caleb thinks they look like chocolate donuts.  Too cute and he is pretty dang accurate.  Sprinkles and all.  I AM caught up.  Woohoo.  Good thing too cos it's time to clean up my little sewing area here in the mountains and prepare for the trip home tomorrow.  Turns out, I will be back next month and Mister will be here for part of the time as well.  Awesome!

24th -  Flight day and I manage to make a second scarf out of brown yarn this time.  At least I am a bit more productive this flight.

25th -  Today I am on a mission to find something that will hold our name tags at retreat and I know I need to order it TODAY to even have a chance and getting it delivered down there in time.  It seems that I hit a road block each direction I turn and then my sweetie comes to the rescue.  Soon we are off to Home Depot and return with what we hope will be a wonderful solutions.


While I start cutting strips for the January QAYG project, Mister gets to work and keeps at it even after dark.

26th -  Today I am working at getting a prototype of the QAYG table runner made and Mister is back and forth between working from home and making the stands.  I cannot believe how thankful I am to him.  He has a great plan and we will have fun painting them at retreat.  I see colorful quilt blocks everywhere.

He gets them all finished and the best part is that they stack beautifully.  A definite bonus.  Such a simple but effective design.  Meanwhile, I finish the table runner but am not thrilled with the outcome.  Will try again tomorrow morning.

27th -  Pressure?  Me?  Oh heck no.  No pressure at all today.  I only have to make another table runner AND pack for 11 days of retreat.  Easy peasy.  It's official.  I AM CRAZY.  No use staying in denial any longer.  I hit the ground running upon waking and have the runner done by noon.  Zoom, zoom.  THIS one I like and I feel a bit -- just a tiny bit -- readier to teach it.  Ugh.  I've done a small tutorial (well kinda a step by step without giving measurements) on this POST.  I hope you give it a try if you haven't before.  I sure learned a ton.  Now to load the car.

28th -  With an early start, Mister and hit the road around 6 and have me down at the center just shortly after 7.  After helping unload the car, he is on the road again hoping to get to work on time.  I get to setting up for my ladies that arrive in a about 3 hours.  It will take me all of that to get the room and my own station set up.  I'm not going to go into detail here on the rest of the day, only what I work on.  For the complete wonderful weekend story, you can settle in with a cuppa and click RIGHT ON THESE WORDS.  Roberta has brought her GO Big and I am blessed to be able to cut the circles for my graduation quilt for Jill -- nursing hats and words everywhere.  I get the circles sewn and turned before calling it a night.

29th -  Today's focus is on finishing the Nurse Quilt.  When not running amok teaching the QAYG table runner, I get circles sewn together and groupings attached to each other slowly.  By the end of the day, it is finished!!  Yes, check it off the list and say Hallelujah.

Once that is finished, I put together some of the A and B blocks for Double Delight clue 4 and 5.  I'm ahead of the clue posts and loving this one a great deal.

30th -  It's time to start a new project.  I spend time working on my A and B blocks, then cut for my birthday surprise for Mister.

31st -  The morning and most of the afternoon are spent between saying good-bye to friends and working on my center of the koala quilt.  By the time it's dark and we are down to four of us, I have a flimsy.  Then I move onto making a back and a batting for this.  Yep, scrounging up batting scraps again.

What a blast this month has been.  I have enjoyed every minute of it and leave you with this thought:  I AM STILL AT RETREAT!!!!  Oh the fun stuff that February will bring.  See ya next month.

Thanks for checking up on me this month.  Check back in now and then 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 appreciate all of you who read each month.