Tag: One Monthly Goal

One Monthly Goal…It is truly a miracle

I am not sure how I managed to finish my One Monthly Goal, but I did.  This is the quilt WaterMark_2018-04-21-19-28-17top given to me by Nanette.  I love it.  I quilted dog bones, free-handed it.  That was a bit scary, but it came out all right.  I used a festive multi-watermark_2018-04-21-19-26-10.jpgcolor thread.  I love multi-color threads.  I don’t know why.  I am weird.

So, the back, come crazy dog fabric.  I had a friend give me whole bolt of this stuff.  It is sort of odd, not exactly fleece and not exactly flannel.  Just weird, but perfect for my dog quilt.  Yes, this is my dog quilt.  I have already used it while lounging on the couch.  Warm and cozy and extra special since the top was made by an extra special friend.  I have plan to make another quilt like this and donate to a dog rescue so they can hopefully raise some money.

Seems that family is on the mend.  Kev is getting better and my sister’s prognosis no longer seems as bleak as it once was.  A long way to go, but there is light.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

My One Monthly Goal

So, for my one monthly goal, I am going to finish my hugs and kisses wall hanging, in entirety.  Thank you, Red Rooster Quilts, for giving this to me, block by block every two weeks.  I also need to thank them for allowing me to deposit my paycheck at their store every two weeks when I went to get my “free” quilt block.  I would love to see the statistics on their sales and see the benefits of this way to get more money from us quilters.  I don’t blame them, I love the shop.  I would imagine that people may have went more often and bought things they really did not need (not talking about myself, no I am not). I think of the 26 weeks, I only went three times and walked out with nothing, and that was likely due to being short on time.  And yes, should they do this again, I will fall prey to their clever marketing schemes.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, it is about a mile from where I work.  So, when the nerds start getting on my nerves, I must go to a happy place. $$$

So, last week-end, Lynn and I had our own Sew in. She brought this beautiful quilt she had done.  She had such awesome quilting.  I asked how she did.  She told me she traced her design on freezer paper, ironed it on and then follow along.  Sounded like something I needed to try, which is why you see the freezer paper all over my Hugs and Kisses quilt. Hoping it makes my quilting less scary. I had a picture on my phone, but some how bunches of my photo’s keep disappearing.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

One Monthly Goal Finish

Seriously, how can January be over?  As I get older, I do not understand how time passes so quickly.  I feel like the holidays were last week.

I actually completed my One Monthly Goal. Not only did I complete, but I did a “New” (new for me), all over FMQ design.  I guess I can call it the “Linangle” design (lines and Angles).  It is not perfect, but it is not that bad either.  The only major weirdness is the binding.  I did not have enough fabric to do all one color,m so I used what I had.  Looks a little wonky because of it.

Now I am going to have to come up with a new one monthly goal for February.  Likely to be more quilting.  I am working on a secret piecing project.  More on that later.

I don’t have any plans for this quilt yet.  Will likely just store until the right time comes along for me to give it away or donate to charity.

I really enjoy the “One Monthly Goal”.  It is a strong motivator for me to get things done.  I can not say I am going to do something and then not do it.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

I Think my Quilting is actually improving.

So, this is my One Monthly Goal project and I decided to not do my normal boring meandering.  This is an all over pattern, but I was surprised once it was all done that it did not look to bad.

I always get nervous when I try something that is outside my norm on a quilt.  I mean there is the potential of totally screwing up a top that you spent time putting together.  I am certainly becoming less intimidated.  So, I actually had the angled meandering done a quilt before, but I paid for it.  I did not like it all.  They kind of did a crappy job.  Mine is actually better and I did not have a long arm.  Just me and my Bernina free motion quilting. As I was quilting this, I did not think that I would like it.  I thought I may have done to much quilting, but once it was complete, it did not look to bad.

I really think that I am Super Klutz.  I almost titled this post “Fat Girl Falls Down Part 3”. Saturday morning, I decide to go out to the hot tub.  Step up get one foot in and the steps slide out and I fall straight down, one foot still in the hot tub.  This time I am straddling the edge.  It hurt so bad, that I could not move.  I actually chose to fall in.  Seemed way better than falling outside the tub, considering it was ten degrees.  I survived.  I have the blackest bruise I have ever seen, somewhere you really don’t want a bruise.  I am starting to think the hot tub is trying to kill me.  It is supposed to be helping me.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

I am still here and I managed to finish my One Monthly Goal

Ok, It still needs ironed.  I will get to that.  Honestly, seems like a miracle that I finished anything thing, let alone my One Monthly Goal.  This month has been crazy.  I had the flu and I managed to get shingles for a second time.  So, for a good two weeks, I laid around and did very little.  When I get sick I am not allowed to take my Rheumatoid arthritis medication, so then there is the added effects of that.  I am feeling better, finally.  Not 100%, but on my way.  I feel like I have been away from my blog forever.  I have missed seeing everyone’s wonderful work.  Need to get caught up on my reading.  I truly believe, if not for the One monthly Goal, I would not have finished a thing this month, including my I wish you a merry Quilt Along Top.

So about my holiday quilt top.  I needed to use up my snowflake fabric, so that is what I used for sashing.  Not sure how I feel about the top.  Need to look at it a while longer before I decide.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has a wonderful 2018.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Block #12 I wish you a Merry Quilt Along

Wow, time flies when you are having fun.  My twelfth block of the I wish You a Merry WaterMark_2017-12-09-22-17-55Quilt Along is complete.  I went a bit off the directions with my display of the lights.  It is windy outside and my lights are being blown all different directions.  I kept with all my snowflake themed fabric. that I have collected over the years.  I never thought that I would use them.  Just always liked snowflake fabric.  This quilt already looks festive and it is not even completed.

Now to figure out how to put them all together.  Since completing the top is my one monthly goal, I should figure it out.  I have a couple of ideas.  Just not sure on which one aI will settle on.

I certainly do wish everyone a very festive and happy holiday season.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My One Monthly Goal…Safari Madness

I managed to get my One Monthly Gwatermark_2017-11-28-18-08-02.jpgoal completed.  It is a miracle since I have been struggling doing any quilting.  Totally felt like I lost my quilting mojo.  So I think that I have appropriately named my quilt Safari Madness.  I chose this name because, well. I was so annoyed about the three camels being all together , RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.  Whew.  Got that out, feel better.  Then there are the Zebra’s.  Here I chose to pebble the grass.  Totally was not thinking.  Duh.  THere is also the weirdness of one set of zebras looking the opposite direction.  I had nothing to do with thawatermark_2017-11-28-18-07-20.jpgt one, but did not notice til someone pointed it out.  However, my original intent was for this to be for my future grandchild (could be ten years, could be thirty, who knows?).  Just in case I never get to know this grandchild at least they will know that their Grams loved them ( I quilted the word love all around in the green border)  and was slightly goofy(three camels in a row and pebbles in the grass).

This was really the most quilting I have ever done on a piece.  I am not unhappy with it. I will not shy away from quilting, even designs a little more complex.  It looks not to bad from the back also.  I a, glad not that it is done that I don’t totally hate it, especially after all that work.  Happy Sewing.  Happy Quilting.WaterMark_2017-11-28-18-10-21

Are you Kidding me? My November One Monthly Goal

I feel like such an idiot.  So, I was working along about six weeks ago, quilting away.  I was going way outside my comfort zone on this one.  Then, I suddenly noticed a huge mistake.  I have no idea how I could have overlooked something so glaring as this.  Do you see it?  OMG, I was so mad at myself that I put this quilt away and refused to look at it.  This kind of careless stuff frustrates me so very much.  I have no one to be mad at but myself.   I have come to the decision that one of my alternate personality is not to bright. I should name her.   I opt for Ninny (AKA Nincompoop).

In case you didn’t notice, there are 3 camels in a row.  Just saying that, makes me mad. ARGHHHHHH.  What was I thinking?  I looked at this over and over and managed to miss this?  Jeez.

Anyway, I should still finish it, even if it is just for quilting practice.  The quilting is about half completed.  I have decided to make it my One Monthly Goal for November.  I plan to complete it including the binding and then hide it for eternity.   Ho Hum…

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

One Monthly Goal October Finished – My OSU Puppy

Whew…..I kept putting it off…..

While I know it does not seem like much, one block, it was too me.  A block with over 50 pieces, crazy.  Now I think I need like 17 more.

I was totally scared to attempt this, however, I ended up finding it quite enjoyable and challenging.  Maybe those two things go together, enjoyable and challenging.  Either way, my  One Monthly Goal is Finished for this month and now I need something for next month.

The instructions for this quilt come in a booklet, which I really like.  For some dumb reason, it felt less daunting, just turning a page to move on.  There were some complications.  For this quilt, there are dogs facing left and dogs facing right.  I totally got this confused on multiple occasions.  I made the left one and eventually put Post-its over the pictures and instructions for the right facing block because I am not capable of not looking at it.  Covering those pictures and instructions with Post-its, worked.  No more issues after that.  It is a cute block.

So, since there are so many pieces, there is a lot of cutting.  Accuracy is totally important.20171022_194657_resized  There are many small pieces one inch by one inch for some.  I did find a useful tool for all this cutting.  It is a lifesaver, especially for me with Rheumatoid arthritis.  It is a weird looking ergonomic cutter by Martelli.  it even says on the package designed for arthritis and carpal tunnel, etc.  It made a world of difference.  I barely needed any pressure to cut, which was awesome.  Some days when my hands and wrist hurt, I avoid cutting with a rotary cutter.  I won a $25.00 gift card for Amazon at work and this was only $14.99.  I will not use anything else whenever possible.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

One Monthly Goal for September – WooHoo!

I had serious doubts as to whether or not I could actually get to 15 blocks.  Finished #15 on Saturday.  This is not necessarily the order I will use when I put them together.  The last 15 will contain some specialty blocks, I think.  Meaning, not just books on a shelf.  I was considering doing a could of photos in frames on the shelf.

So, it is likely that I will put this quilt away for a while.  Partly because I am tired of it and partly because my daughter Haley hurt my feelings when she told me that my blocks did not look like books on a bookshelf.   Too Bad she didn’t wait until I put them all up on the design board before she chose to run her mouth.  It could easily become a 10 year project.  I hate getting my feelings hurt.

All the same, I finished them.  I do love the the One Monthly Goal.  It really is a great motivator to get things done.  It has nothing to do with prizes, but more of finishing what I said I would finish.  I have to come up with something for next month.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting