Design Floor

This week on my design floor/bed, I have several things working.  I need to finish repairing this beautiful handmade rug to return to its owner next weekend.

I want to finish cutting out the mystery quilt by Cora's Quilts called Gathering.  I have about 25% of it cut out.

I would like to cut out and start to put together a table runner for a bridal shower in two weeks.  I have an idea for quilting already.  I just need to get cracking.  I procrastinate a lot...or I just get too busy with other stuff...?

Last on the list is working on my next two Sweet Tooth blocks.  The strips are starched, I just have to iron and start cutting them out to them put them together.

Lots to do this week, but with a positive attitude and the time I can give to each project, I know I can make progress, even if it is a little.

Linking up to Patchwork Times and Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making.

-Christina

Slow Stitching

Today Kathy reminds us to slow down and put some stitches in our long term projects.  The projects that I've been working on are not necessarily long term, but they are slow going and progress has been made.

I have been working on this cross stitch.  I officially started it on January 6, 2017 and I have only made it a little ways.  I hope to put more focus on it after I finish the next two projects.

I have made significant progress on this lovely knitted shawl.  I have turned a corner, and I am slowly decreasing.  I like to knit on this while watching TV on the weekends.  We are currently making our way through Fuller House season 2, but we just finished Victoria on Masterpiece PBS and it was beautifully done!  We can not wait until season 2 comes out (fall).  Of course we are also watching Amazing Race as it comes on each week.

Another knitted item I am working on is this beautiful and simple baby blanket for a co-worker.  I can not wait to watch it progress.  I have not tried knitting with this in front of the TV, but I am still memorizing the pattern.  After a few more repeats, I might be able to do it.  If not, it will be my project to take with me as I go places and/or take time to just sit down and relax!

I hope everyone is having a relaxing end to the weekend.  I am linking up with Kathy's Quilts for her Slow Stitching post.

-Christina

Sweet Tooth Progress

This past weekend I made some progress on my Sweet Tooth quilt by Jaybird quilts.  I have 2 of 3 blocks for Block 5 done.  My points are not perfect, but I think it turned out pretty well, and it lays flat!  The hardest part about each block, is not the sewing, but the cutting because it can take a long time for each block.  I tried to divide up the cutting time instead of doing it all at once this month, and I was able to focus better on it.

This week I am going to be working on this beautiful handmade rug!  I'm fixing it for the owner as her dog chewed not the side, but in the middle of all places.  I have to fix the braiding, darn the strips back together, and then sew it back up.  The rug is so big and bulky that it is hard to work with.  I see a good arm workout in the future.

One last photo to share with everyone.  This is the Carlsbad Flower Fields, with a beautiful backdrop of the ocean.  My Mom and I went last Friday and this was one of the pictures I took.  If you are in the area, I highly suggest it just for the pure beauty of it, and they have fun activities for kids, plus a tractor ride (I love it even as an adult)!

Have a great rest of your week!  Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts and Bee Social.

-Christina

Q2 2017 Finish-A-Long Goals

It is a new quarter of the year, and not much was accomplished the first quarter of 2017.  Here is to a new quarter where accomplishing more will happen.  So without further ado, let us see what is on my list.

1. Table Runner for J&B's wedding (took place in Early December)

2. Baby quilt for my Cousin's son who was born in the middle of January.

3. Knitting a blue shawl - deadline long past, but will use in my office, especially when it gets cold/drafty

4. Knitting a purple shawl - same thing as above

5. Cross stitch Marriage record for C&T (late present)

6. Wedding quilt for C&T (late present, at least they know it is coming)

7. Handiwork (something I have been trying to catch up on for the last year, I just need to use one of my off fridays and sit down and do the minor repairs on most of the items)

8. Make rugs, this includes ripping what I've done out and restarting as I found a different pattern I want to use (belated Christmas gift..we won't say how many years late)

9. Charity Quilt top for Prayers and Squares at my Grandmother's church

10. 2nd Charity quilt top for Prayers and Squares at my Grandmother's church (I started these before I got married, which means they are about four years old.  I just found them in one of the last boxes I still have to unpack)

11. Wedding quilt for D&D (late present, at least they know it is coming)

12. Quilt for one of my Grandmother's (shhh, it is a surprise for her)

13. Mom's quilt (this one is even older than 10 and 11.  I got the kit in college and got frustrated with it because my 1/4 inch seam was off and I was doing a horrible job at cutting.)

14. Wedding quilt for N&B (this wedding is this year, 2017, shhh, it is also a surprise)

15. Christmas Table Runner  (this was going to be a present, but Christmas Eve my cat decided to play with my soda on the table and spilled some on it, so I could not gift it due to running.  I tried to remove the stain, which did not work so it is all taken apart to replace what was stained, and now it is time to put it back together)

16. Second Christmas Table Runner (still to be finished for a Christmas present)

17. Bonnie Hunter's En Providence Mystery Quilt (I've printed all of the clues and my fabrics picked out, I just have to actually start on it.  I do love the reveal, and I'm considering making it just a tad larger to fit on a queen size bed)

18. Knit scarf for my husband.  He saw the scarves I made for my grandparents for Christmas, and wants a few scarves.  As a result I am going to get this one done, and have the other two made for next winter.  It is made with a simple pattern.  Knit stitch about 30 stitches across and then 70" long.

19. This quilt is from Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and I plan to make it for charity.  I hope to participate in the Hands 2 Help that she is hosting, but I do not know if I will get it done in time for the deadline this year.  I am making it with orange and browns, and I just picked out the fabrics today.

20.  This is another pattern from Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and I plan to also make it for charity. I hope to participate in the Hands 2 Help that she is hosting, but I do not know if I will get it done in time for the deadline this year.  I am making it with purples and greens as the latices, and I just picked out the fabrics today.  It is going to be gorgeous I think.

21.  The last quilt is a mystery quilt a long with Cora's Quilts called Gathering.  The fabrics are gorgeous and I can not wait to see what pattern is revealed.  Week 3 was just posted, and it will be finished middle of June.  As long as I stay on top of it, I might actually get it done!

22.  A table runner for N (see 14), who's bridal shower is in the early part of May.  This is also my One Monthly Goal (Elm Street Quilts) for April.  The fabrics are blue, green and browns and going to be gorgeous.  The pattern is by Cora's Quilts!  Fabrics are starched, time to get to sewing!

Wow, it is a really really long list, but if I can knock a few of these things off the list and/or even make progress on these things I will be very happy.  I can not wait to see what everyone else is planning to make progress on.  Linking up to Throw a Wrench in the Works for the 2017 Finish-A-Long.

-Christina

April 2017 OMG

I was unable to accomplish March's OMG, which was to make a table runner for a newly married couple.  I will eventually get this done (hopefully the next month or so), but I need to turn my attention to get a present for an upcoming bridal shower finished.

My April 2017 goal is to make this table runner in blues, greens and browns.  I have all of the fabric picked out and starched.  I just need to iron, and cut the fabric, sew it using the pattern, layer it, quilt it and then bind it.  Even the binding is already picked out!  I think it is doable, as long as I do not get distracted with other projects and/or books to read.

One additional thing I would like to try and work on accomplishing is to get caught up with my Sweet Tooth quilt blocks.  I am in a club called the Breakfast club at my local quilt shop, and we are working on Sweet Tooth from Jaybird Quilts.  Each month for six months, we are to make the next two blocks, however many you need for the quilt size you are making.  I am making a Queen, so I need about 3 of each block, I have either 0-2 done of each block so far, and I want to get caught up this month.  We meet on the third Saturday of every month, and we have to show our completed homework, and I want to be all caught up by next month.

Wish me luck!  Focus is the word.  I am linking up with Elm Street Quilts for April's OMG.

-Christina