February 2020 One Monthly Goal Finished!!!!

My February 2020 One Monthly Goal is finished!  You can see my original goal here.  I finished putting together all of the blocks and sashing pretty early on in the month.  I only had about 5 blocks to finish.

Then I laid out the quilt, and started to sew the top together.  My original goal was to only get three rows put together.

Well, I did more than that.  I was able to complete my stretch goal with more than a week to spare as I was able to get the whole quilt put together.

The only thing I am missing is a border.  I am trying to pick it out, put it on, and prep the binding.  I will be quilting it after baby comes and I start to heal, as right now my bump will get in the way of the quilting machine when I need to lean over the rails.

Now it is time to think of what my March OMG will be.  I have a few ideas I am tossing around.

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Elm Street Quilts

-Christina

15 Minutes of Stitching - Week 8 2020

Let us see how this last week went.
Days spent stitching in the week: 7 out of 7
Days spent stitching in February: 23 out of 23
Days spent stitching in 2020: 54 out of 54
Success Rate: 100%
My week runs Monday through Sunday.

I found time each night this past week.  I even started thinking of what project(s) to work on that would be great to do during my hospital visit after I have our child.  With that thought, I might have a problem.  It does relax me, if that counts?  It also depends upon if I have the time that I'm not resting as I know Grandparents will be visiting a lot during that time.  The drive to finish some outstanding things this year is strong still, and I'm excited to see what I am able to accomplish.

This past week I had no fabric come in!!!  That is great news.  I had some fabric get used up.  I will slowly decrease the gain that I have created at the beginning of the year and my goal is to come out with using more by the end of the year.  We will see how well I do with that.

Fabric out this week: 0.46 yards
Fabric out, in 2020: 7.45 yards
Fabric in this week: 0.00 yards
Fabric in, in 2020: 66.06 yards
Fabric difference in 2020: gain of 58.61 yards

I hope everyone had a great week!
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Life in Pieces

-Christina

Design Wall Wednesday

This last week I was able to get to all of my quilty goals, which feels amazing.  I was able to complete putting this quilt top together.

I was then going to stay stitch it, but after measuring and thinking on it, I am going to add a decent border around the edge of the quilt to make it just a little bigger.  Now I need to go find a green fabric that will tie it all together, and think about the binding that I want to use.  A different color, like blue or should I finish it in the same green?  I might buy some extra fabrics so I can audition them.  What do you think I should do?

I then pulled out another UFO that is a semi fast finish.  It is the Christmas table runner I started over two years ago, and "gifted" to my grandparent-in-laws.  I hope to finish it for them soon to give to them.  This past week I was able to sew the blocks together, and added two of the three borders.

My goals for this week are simple.  The first goal is to finish the top of the Christmas table runner.  I need to sew on border 3, and then I would like to layer it and prep it for quilting.  The quilting will be simple with wavy lines, but I think it will look great.  Unless I do straight line quilting, which is also an option.

My second goal is to work on my niece's ISpy quilt.  I would like to make progress on 50 blocks.  They are all prepped for the next round of sewing, and then iron them.  My stretch goal is to prep them for the next round of sewing.

My third goal is to continue working on the house.  This will always be a goal, or at least until we are fully settled in.  Who knows how long that will take.  The big goals for the week are creating and sending out the invites for our BBQ and baby shower, catch up on washing dishes, putting away Christmas and working on our front yard.  A stretch goal is to work on cleaning up the table, with the final goal of finishing this project.

I hope everyone has a great week!
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Love, Laugh, and Quilt
Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

-Christina

15 Minutes of Stitching - Week 7 2020

Let us see how this last week went.
Days spent stitching in the week: 7 out of 7
Days spent stitching in February: 16 out of 16
Days spent stitching in 2020: 47 out of 47
Success Rate: 100%
My week runs Monday through Sunday.

I'm still on the 100% train.  I know in a few months this trend will change, but that is okay.  I love making progress on a long term UFO.  I am motivated to move some quilts to the finish line this year, and I'm excited to be working on it so early in the year.

This week on the fabric front, I bought fabrics I need for a quilt-a-long that started late last year, and will be going on for the whole year.  I hope to get caught up, but first, I had to get the right Kona Solids.  I was not able to get them all, so some online ordering will need to happen, but that is okay.  I think this next week I will have more out then in as I plan to work on a table runner, and maybe even use up some scraps on something new I planned out by just playing around.

Fabric out this week: .13 yards
Fabric out, in 2020: 6.99 yards
Fabric in this week: 9.81 yards
Fabric in, in 2020: 66.06 yards
Fabric difference in 2020: gain of 59.07 yards

I hope everyone had a great week!
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Life in Pieces

-Christina

Design Wall Wednesday

Within the last week I was able to get a totally unfinished quilt top into a 80% put together quilt top.  To get that much done in a week is amazing to me!  Yes, the bigger blocks help it go together a little quicker than smaller blocks, but it still feels great.  I was able to get my goal and stretch goal completed before the end of the week, which feels amazing to be able to do.  It helps I blocked out a good chunk of time on Saturday, while my husband had friends over.

We also make some progress on the front yard, and have a plan of attack so maybe we will be done with it before the baby comes.  We are going to try!  We attacked the corner, and removed a wall of roots, and the brick wall that was part of the planter bed.  This week we want to fully remove it, and start digging it out to get it to the level it needs to be.

My goals for this week are simple.  The first goal is to finish working on my February One Monthly Goal.  My goal is to sew rows 6 and 7 together and finish the quilt top.  Once the quilt top is completed, I need to stay stitch around the whole quilt as there will be no border to hold all of the seams together.

My second goal is to pull out a long term ufo, the Christmas table runner.  Last month I was able to get the blocks re-done, and my goal is to get them sewn together, and start on border 1.  My stretch goal is finish border 1 and 2.  The picture below shows the stain from some Pepsi that was spilled on it, that is why I have to re-do stuff, as I took it apart and replaced the two pieces that were effected by the spill.

My third goal is to continue working on the house.  This will always be a goal, especially as we prepare to have a family get together at our house, get ready for baby, and continue making our house a home for us.  I really am going to finish putting away Christmas this week.  I just need to move some boxes and label a few more, and then I'm done.  I would like to caulk some floorboards to help prevent critters from coming in, work on transferring closet items back to our new closet, and work on the outside, including vent replacements (keep the critters out), front yard and the orange tree.  My stretch goal is to work on cleaning off the table and put things away around the kitchen.

I hope everyone has a great week!
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Love, Laugh, and Quilt
Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

-Christina

15 Minutes of Stitching - Week 6 2020

Let us see how this last week went.
Days spent stitching in the week: 7 out of 7
Days spent stitching in February: 9 out of 9
Days spent stitching in 2020: 40 out of 40
Success Rate: 100%
My week runs Monday through Sunday.

Wow!  I can not believe I have yet to miss a day, and we are in February already.  I have the motivation to find a little bit of time each day as I am moving some projects that much closer to the finish line.  They are real tangible items!  Now if I could set 30 minutes aside, 15 to work on my current project and the other 15 minutes to work on taming my scrap situation that would be wonderful.  One thing to remember, I will get there!

This week I fought temptation, but I bought some new fabrics on clearance and some to round out the look I am going for on a project.  That is okay, I was able to move some fabric out this week, and I'm proud of it.  I do not know if I will break even this year, but I have a few more purchases to make before I am cutting myself off for a long time.  Or until the end of the year, unless it is something I need to finish a project.  Positive thoughts and I am moving things to the done pile this year, which feels amazing!

Fabric out this week: 1.07 yards
Fabric out, in 2020: 6.86 yards
Fabric in this week: 6.63 yards
Fabric in, in 2020: 56.25 yards
Fabric difference in 2020: gain of 49.39 yards

I hope everyone had a great week!
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Life in Pieces

-Christina

Design Wall Tuesday

This last week was very productive.  I did not realize how close I was to being done to layout the quilt I'm working on.  I finished all of the blocks, plus made the sashing.  I learned that I had to make one triangle square in the end, but it was not bad.  I then was able to clear a space in our sunroom (okay, more like piled stuff in another area), and laid out the quilt top.

Here it is.  I found one block that was twisted, so it is already on the repair table being fixed this week!

I also found some time to cross stitch, and I have gotten pretty far on a famous saying from Harry Potter.  I hope to hang this in our kid's room, as I know they will always be up to no good!

My goals for this week are simple.  The first goal is to continue working on my February One Monthly Goal.  My goal is to sew rows 1 through 3 together before the end of the week.  My stretch goal is to sew rows 4-5 together.  If I work diligently on it, and not run into any hiccups, then I believe I will have a finished quilt top by the end of next week.  That would be amazing to have my One Monthly Goal finished early this month!

My second goal is to continue working on the house.  This will always be a goal, especially as we prepare to have a family get together at our house, get ready for baby, and continue making our house a home for us.  I really am going to finish putting away Christmas this week.  I just need to move some boxes and label a few more, and then I'm done.  I would like to caulk some floorboards to help prevent critters from coming in, work on transferring closet items back to our new closet, and work on the outside, including vent replacements (keep the critters out), front yard and the orange tree.  I want to pick out our crib/nursery set.  My stretch goal is to work on putting items on our registry, work on the guest list, and work on the kitchen.

Wow!  I feel like that is a lot, but if I put my mind to it I will be okay!  I hope everyone has a great week!
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Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

-Christina

February 2020 One Monthly Goal

I am really excited for my One Monthly Goal this month.  It is something that has been outstanding for over 5 years, and it was meant to be a present 5 years ago.  I am ready to get it closer to being finished, and a finish this year would be fantastic!

My goal for the month is to finish all of the blocks, and sashing for Ring of Stars.  In addition to that I am going to lay it out and sew three of the seven rows together.  My stretch goal is to get the quilt top put together.

I think all of these things are doable.  I am going to have to be careful laying out the quilt, on the ground, and then picking it up as I get further along.  But, I believe if I do a little bit each day and not over do it, I will be just fine.

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Elm Street Quilts

What are you working on?

-Christina

15 Minutes of Stitching - Week 4 and 5 2020

Let us see how the last two weeks of January went.
Days spent stitching in the week: 14 out of 14
Days spent stitching in January: 31 out of 31
Days spent stitching in February: 2 out of 2
Days spent stitching in 2020: 33 out of 33
Success Rate: 100%
My week runs Monday through Sunday.

Finding time has been easy each night these last two weeks, especially since I have not been reading before bed, instead I have been stitching.  It helped that I have made a self imposed deadline too, which I was able to meet.  By spending 15 - 20 minutes a day, I can see progress being made.  I wish I could carve out a little more time for stitching on the weekends, but right now I will take what I can get.  I feel like this might be a great year of finishes, which will be nice as I have a few very old things looming over my head.

Week 4 of stash watch was great in the in, as I did not have any in fabric, and made progress on finishing some things up, so I was able to have a decent amount of fabric out.  Seeing these numbers helps me have hope that I can know that gain of yardage down to very little or 0 by the end of the year.  With some careful planning, and care not to buy much this year I think I can do it.

Fabric out this week: 3.98 yards
Fabric out, in 2020: 4.76 yards
Fabric in this week: 0.00 yards
Fabric in, in 2020: 33.63 yards
Fabric difference in 2020: gain of 28.87 yards

Week 5 of stash watch was not so hot in the fabric in department, but I had a little chunk go out during the week.  It was a lot of little things, but that amount is better than nothing.  I got the motivation over the weekend to work on some outstanding projects, and I'm planning on when I am going to quilt them already.  When I do that, a large amount of fabric will go out for the backings and bindings.  I'm excited to see what the year has to bring, especially on the stash watch front.

Fabric out this week: 1.03 yards
Fabric out, in 2020: 5.79 yards
Fabric in this week: 15.99 yards
Fabric in, in 2020: 49.62 yards
Fabric difference in 2020: gain of 43.83 yards

I hope everyone had a great week!
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Life in Pieces

-Christina

Design Wall Tuesday

It is a new week, and I ran out of time to post last week.  So time to catch up.  I was able to finish the binding on this cute little guy, and wash him.  It is now all fluffy and ready for its new owner.

I also finished this one up, as it was a Christmas present for my best friend.  It has been sitting for over a year to finish it.  All I needed to do was fix the knot in the thread, and then tie off for the binding.  I was also able to wash it, and it has already been given to its new owner, who loves it dearly.

Over the weekend I had to come up with my One Monthly Goal for February, as it is a new month!  How did January fly by so quickly?  I pulled out a UFO, that I am ready to get done.  It is a wedding gift, that is about 5 years late.  I was able to complete a few blocks, and will continue to work on it this next week.

My goals for this week are simple.  The first goal is to work on my One Monthly goal and finish all of the blocks for the wedding quilt.  I only have three left, and work on the sashing part.  My stretch goal is to finish all of the sashing so I can start to lay it out.

My second goal is to continue working on the house.  This will always be a goal, especially as we prepare to have our baby shower at our house, get ready for baby, and continue making our house a home for us.  I really am going to finish putting away Christmas this week.  I have sorted all of the boxes, and organized how I want them to be.  I then found some random items, and they just need to be put away in the correct boxes.  I want to create a list of things we are going to accomplish around the house before our baby shower, and pick out our crib/nursery set.  My stretch goal is to work on putting items on our registry, and work on the guest list.

I hope everyone has a great week!
Sharing at:
Love, Laugh, and Quilt
Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

-Christina