PHD in 2020

Continuing in the spirit of setting goals for the new year, I'm going to take a stab at joining Quilting Gail's PHD in 2020 challenge.  The challenge is choosing which 12 of my "PHDs" to include!  I have sooooo many UFOs (no way I'm counting!) and quite a few projects that I really want to start.  So, here we go:

1. Good Fortune (2018 Bonnie Hunter Mystery)

I'll start off easy - this one just needs to be loaded into the longarm, quilted, and bound.  Should be a no-brainer to get this one done.

2. Frolic! (2019 Bonnie Hunter Mystery)



Up until 2019 I had a fairly decent track record of finishing the previous year's mystery before starting a new one. I will try hard to get back on track and finish this one off before November when the next one is launched.

3. Afternoon Delight 

This is not mine - it's a picture borrowed from The Quilt Show (TQS) - but this is a pattern I have owned and wanted to work on for years. I purchased mine when I took my first class with Sue Garman. Now that TQS is doing it as their BOM for 2020, I am inspired to get mine started.  So far all I have done is take all the patterns out of their packages, put them in a binder, and selected some fabrics for it but I am considering that a start.  I will try very hard not to let this become a long-term addition to the UFO collection.

4. Maggie Macguire's Garden

Another recent start that I want to keep pushing forward this year. I have one of the many stars completed, and a second in progress. Still a long way to go on this one....

5. Dresden Star


All of the Dresdens are finished and just need to be appliqued onto backgrounds and assembled into a top.  I think I have one block completed so far.

6. Clamshells

While I recognize that I am getting way too ambitious with the handwork projects I am adding to my list, I really would love to get this quilt together. I need 12 of these panels to make a queen-sized quilt and so far have 4 completed and 1 in progress.  I have quite a few additional clamshells basted to prepare my next panel.

7.  Starlite Skies (Primitive Gatherings 2017 Pieced SBOW)

This one is ready for quilting, but will be my first foray into doing custom work.  I have a couple of tops I have purchsed on eBay that I plan to practice with, but I definitely want to try my hand at doing custom quilting in 2020.

8. Hazel's Diary


I have the center and one of the eight blocks completed with another one in progress. Six more blocks shouldn't be that tough to complete, right??

9. Star Penny Mat


I couldn't wait to get this one laid out, but once it was it ended up being set aside and (it was seriously fun to lay out!).  I just need to start stitching those pennies...

10. Triangle Gatherings

 

I have all of my blocks completed and actually started setting them but ran across another setting that I absolutely loved, so I plan to take apart what I have done (it isn't much) and start over with the different (and far more complicated) setting.

11. Circa 1880


I have 92 of these little blocks completed but need 564 for the pattern's version (roughly 76" square), more if I decide to go bigger. Still haven't decided yet.

12.  Square Deal (Primitive Gatherings 2019 Pieced SBOW)



Adding this one because I have made good progress on it (6 of 12 weeks' blocks completed) and really want to get another one of the SBOWs across the finish line before I start my 2020 collection.

I could go on...and on, and on... There are so many projects that I want to work on!  It will be interesting to see just how many of these I can push across the finish line. The first status update is set for Jan 15.  Will I have anything to show by then?  We shall see!

Welcome, 2020!

It’s hard to believe that my break has come to an end already!  I somehow didn’t manage to cross off very many items on my vacation “To Do” list.  The sewing room is still not organized, the pictures still aren’t hung in my office, and, other than making some progress on my Frolic! Mystery quilt I have very little to show for my time off.

I was very happy Tuesday morning when I found myself completely caught up on Frolic! - or so I thought.

I opened up Facebook and saw the “surprise” clue that Bonnie posted that morning.  Really?!?  That feeling of satisfaction lasted less than ten minutes.  So I was back at it on New Year’s Day, making flying geese.  I only managed to complete about a fourth of the new clue so far.  I will have to play catch-up this weekend.

As it is a new year, it is time for my annual attempt to set project goals and hold myself accountable. While I have not as of yet succeeded in meeting those goals, I haven't given up trying (yet).  I will start by linking up with Elm Street Quilts' One Monthly Goal.  While the obvious goal for January would be Frolic!, I figure I will be working on that anyway so I should choose something else that I want to move forward.  I finally received my first BOM shipment for Maggie Macguire's Garden and have finished my first flower:

I've made a start on a second, but I am slow at EPP.  I need to figure out how to pick up the pace a little.  My goal for January will be to finish at least a dozen flowers. 

The biggest challenge will be to avoid getting distracted by all the shiny new projects popping up everywhere.  I've seen at least three that have piqued my interest in the last two days....

Falling Behind

As usual, I’ve fallen behind on the mystery.  I’ve been busy with shopping, baking, wrapping, cooking (I feel like I’ve spent the better part of the last week in the kitchen) and then various family festivities and haven’t had much time in the sewing room.  My vacation time is winding down too quickly -  I have so many things I want to do! I finished up step three today and started cutting for step five.  I figure I will stick with the half square triangles while I’m on a roll and then go back and catch up on step four.

I finally finished my monster log cabin quilt right before Christmas.  I thought I finished it the week before but then laid it out for a picture and discovered a block turned the wrong way.  I had to remove the binding, pick out the quilting, rip the seams, turn the block and appliqué it back in place, re-quilt the spot, and reattach the binding. Luckily it was on an edge or I’m not sure I could have done it.  I had to repair the quilting on my regular machine which was no easy task given the weight and size of that beast.  So the quilting is a little wonky but it’s unlikely anyone could find it without knowing it is there.

I’ve acquired a couple more antique quilts in recent months and am looking forward to receiving my belated Christmas gift of a display ladder from my daughter.  It’s supposed to arrive in a couple of weeks and I am really excited about displaying more of my quilts out where I can see them often.  It seems a shame to have them all hidden away in the basement.

I had fun sharing a few of them at our last TAS meeting.

I will be back in the sewing room tomorrow, hopefully getting caught up on mystery clues and thinking about what new projects I am going to start in the new year - there are so many that are calling my name!

Frolic! Week Two

I love it that the first two clues of this year’s mystery have been easy!  I didn’t have a lot of time to spend in the sewing room this weekend but still managed to complete the second clue. It doesn't make for a very exciting picture....

And this picture didn't work well at all, but I ran across this pattern when I stopped by Nola's over the weekend for help with another rug.  I couldn't resist - it's so cute!  I want to finish a couple of other rugs in progress before I start any others, but I'm adding this one to my list for 2020.

I'm anxiously awaiting the start of a new BOM, Maggie Macguire's Garden, through Homestead Hearth. Here's the picture of the quilt from their website:

I stumbled across the pattern when a friend from Australia posted it on Facebook, and the shop was able to connect with the designer and get it set up as a monthly program. I can't wait to get started on it!

Frolic Time!

I know we won’t be doing the link-up this year but figured I would post my Quiltville mystery quilt progress anyway since it gives me a reason to post (I haven’t been getting much accomplished lately).  In spite of a late start due to holiday festivities, I did manage to finish all of step one of this year’s mystery, Frolic.

I decided I should break out and actually use my Accuquilt this year.  I figured out how many feet of strips I would need of each color, pressed all my fabrics, and ran them through the cutter. It was only when I started sewing the first two strips together that I realized I had somehow cut neutral instead of purple (my substitute for the raspberry).  So it was back to the cutter for more strips.... hopefully all those neutral strips can be used somewhere else!

Once I had the correct fabrics these little four patches went pretty quickly.  I’m using several pieces from a  Laundry Basket fat quarter bundle for my blues so there are going to be lots of polka dots in this one.  


I worked on binding my monster quilt this evening - I’ve been working on it every night for a couple of weeks - and finally turned the second corner.  I might even get all 39 feet of binding finished by Christmas!

Until next week.....

Sapphire Anniversary Exhibit

I had been looking forward to seeing the 45th anniversary display of blue and white quilts at Houston ever since I heard it was planned a couple of years ago and it did not disappoint!  The exhibit was stunning!

It was pretty awesome just to sit in the chairs along the front wall and take in the exhibit from a distance.







The quilts were a mix of new and old. I loved this antique quilt from the late 1800s. This pattern is quickly becoming my favorite of all designs, rivaling my obsession with baskets.

There were quite a number of antique quilts in other exhibits also, many of them appliqué. These are just a few:

This new Baltimore album was made by a Japanese quilter. The colors really caught my eye - it was absolutely beautiful and so unique!



And then there was this version of the 365 quilt that I started a few years ago. I really liked this version.



I was excited to see that hand piecing stamps are coming back - I found two vendors selling them this year.  I know there are a lot of Cindy Blackberg followers (including me) happy to see new stamps out there.

I also found an Australian shop that makes mylar English paper piecing templates. She demonstrated how she prepares them with glue and they pop out very easily when the block is complete.  I purchased a couple of different shape sets that I am looking forward to trying out.

As usual I came home with way too much stuff, including fabric and patterns I don't have enough years left to get to. It was a great trip, though, and I can't wait until I have some free time to try out my new toys!

Irene's Visit

Irene Blanck came back to visit our local chapter of The Applique Society this week on her way to Quilt Market.  We always love having Irene here and I never get tired of watching her demo her techniques - it's always a great refresher!  She had several new projects to share with us this year, including the quilt she is holding in the picture below. The quilt, named "Class Action", is made from fabric she collected from many of her students and friends last year. The inspiration for the quilt came when she was teaching a class in Toowoomba and fell in love with some of her students' fabrics. She collected little hexie-sized chunks of fabrics from those students and many others in 2018, recording the names of all who contributed. 

The quilt has a long label down the center of the back that lists all of the students who contributed. We are on the list!



Her binding on the quilt was very interesting - I don't think I've seen this done before.  She prepped the hexies and joined them in a chain and then lined them up with the ones on the front, whip-stitched the edges together (trimming the batting to fit) and then appliqued them to the backing.



I was especially excited to see Irene's latest project - I love baskets!  Everyone in the class loved it too and we are already planning for Irene to return next year to teach it.



The borders she designed for the quilt are outstanding!  The corner blocks are baskets also.



I didn't get a lot of sewing done during the class - I spent more time visiting than sitiching - but I did make a little progress on my Auntie Green quilt.  I'm looking forward to having some time to stitch on it this weekend. Next week I am off to Houston, and I am anxiously awaiting the color reveal for this year's Bonnie Hunter mystery.  Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner!