"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11 (NIV)

Saturday, May 30, 2020

Goals - June 2020

thankful for all of the work that I've had lately, both the FT job (even if I'm not getting paid again) and the commissioned sewing).   One of these days I'll even manage to get something done for myself

Completions for the last few weeks -
  1. 50+ more masks have been made and delivered
  2. Interfacing for comforter repair tested and ordered/received
  3. Blocks 2 and 3 for the mystery Quilt - Completed
  4. Kona Gray fabric ordered
  5. Three jumbo (36" square) placemats - Completed
  6. Two custom bowl cozies - Completed

Goals for the next week or two -
  1. Iron 60" interfacing to the commercial comforter
  2. Stay up to-date on the mask orders
  3. Get purse started for CN for grad present
  4. Make quilted pocket for JD
  5. Make custom mask for LT
  6. Make masks for sale at market by LT
  7. Trim FF scrappy blocks to size
  8. Start quilting wall-hanging for Kitchen

Commission To-do's for June -
  1. Custom mask for LT
  2. Custom belt pocket for JD
  3. Rework of commercial comforter
  4. Mask orders as they come in
  5. Teddy Bear Quilt - Start quilting on this (money supposed to be coming in stages for it)

Coming and Current Commissions-
  1. Pincushions for sale - make and list
  2. Repair blanket/quilt for KA - materials on hand
  3. Owl Quilt for TK, 50" by 70" - final fabric on order
  4. Scrappy Tan/Blue quilt for KM - gather fabric for quilt
  5. Memory quilt for MF
  6. T-shirt quilt for TA from her Dad's t-shirts - materials on hand
  7. Memory bears for TA from dad's shirts - materials on hand
  8. T-Shirt quilt for CA from his shirts - materials on hand
  9. T-shirt quilt for CA from her shirts - materials on hand

2020 gifts -
  1. Pillowcase(s) for triangle support pillow for PN - For Christmas
  2. Purse for grad gift for CN

Possible Future Commissions-
  1. T-shirt Quilt for friend in an online group (no due date, waiting for shirts and specs)
  2. T-shirt quilt for a friend at church (no due date, waiting for shirts, specs)
  3. Men's Shirt alterations (multiple, not sure how many at this point) for AJ
  4. Hem dress and alter jacket for CJ

Possible Commissions/Sales-
  1. Airplane quilt - need to make sample blocks before getting back with friend to see if she's interested
  2. Music Quilt - long time possibility....rumblings about it happening again - Designed, waiting on down payment
  3. Quilt tops that are for sale (Wolf + more)
Other projects that need to be done -
  1. Keep up with blocks for this years F2F swap (June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, (Nov - done))
  2. List items for sale on Ebay or other fitting site
  3. List fabric "Sets" for sale on FB - In Process, lots more to go
  4. Ship snail quilt out for quilting - Needs to be boxed up and sent to SN for quilting 
  5. UFO Alphabet quilt #4 - Quilt, bind and finish
  6. Prep t-shirts for my own t-shirt quilt - t-shirts are all together (and have been for several yrs) but need to back with interfacing and get ready for quilting (doing quilt as you go).
  7. Downsize quilting fabric stash - Started, lots more to go thru
  8. Find place to donate clothing fabric - One email sent, waiting on response.  More to send
  9. Get website set up so that I can sell what I'm making and my quilts - started need to finish
  10. Continue looking for and applying for new, paying jobs

Gratitudes:
1. For being able to continue working from home

2. For having been able to pay off three bills (2 student loans and a card) in spite of everything going on 

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Masks and Stash-Busting

One of the things that I had decided to do at the first of the year was to downsize some of the stash.....but had not thought I'd end up making a dent in my stash the way that I have this year.


Like many quilters, I've been busy making masks as a result of the pandemic.   They've been traveling to both coasts and lots of places in between.  there are two basic styles, altho several different patterns, for the masks that everyone is making.   Because elastic has been at a premium, I've been using t-shirt yarn for ear loops and ties.

 Pleated - with either ear loops or with ties.














And fitted - these I customize the fit by adjusting the side length to fit the wearers.


Current total of masks made is 310 masks made from cotton.   Each one takes roughly 1/8th of a yard of fabric.  So that means I've used almost 40 yds of fabric for them.   Mickey Mouse has been the most popular 'type', but lots of dog and cat prints as well have gone out of here.

I don't know how many more people will want to order, but I'm hoping to stay current on on future orders.

In the meantime, I'll actually have time to start working on other paying projects.

Gratitudes:

1. For the income that the masks brought in

2. For the stash that allowed me to make all of the masks.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Scrap-Happy May

This has been one of those months when I haven't done a lot of quilting because of commissioned projects that took precedence over everything else.    first up was using the backs and sleeves of some t-shirts to make t-shirt yarn.   this yarn has been / and is being used in making medical masks.

Lots of fabric remnants have also been going into the many masks that I've been making.








I did manage to finish making triangles using the scraps of Fairy Frost fabrics to make the blocks.  These used up the remaining blue and purple scraps that I had.

 I've also started sewing the setting triangles to the pieced triangles.  These blocks square up to 4" unfinished.  More of the same fabric I've been using in the pieced triangles is what I'm using for the setting triangles.











Take a look at what everyone else has done this month -

Kate Gun, TittiHelĂ©neEvaSue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy,  Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira (Me!), SandraLindaChrisNancyAlysKerryClaireJean,
Joanne, Jon, HayleyDawnGwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline,
Sue L, Sunny and Kjerstin


Gratitudes:
1.  Being current in paychecks for the first time in over 6 months

2. For the commissioned work that has enabled me to pay off 3 bills this month

Monday, May 11, 2020

To-do's May 2020

Hmmmm, been a while since I've looked at the to-do list.....oops..........

Completions for the last few weeks -
  1. Owl print quilt for sister of TK - Finished and Delivered
  2. Wedge support pillow pillowcase - Completed 
  3. April, May, and March F2F blocks - Completed and mailed off to recipients
  4. Quilt for SN - finished and mailed off
  5. School Auction Quilt - finished and delivered today
  6. 256 masks and counting have been finished and delivered

Goals for the next week or two -
  1. Test to see if interfacing will adhere to the commercial comfortor repair
  2. Get the three jumbo (36" square) placemats made
  3. Finish the two bowl cozies that have been custom ordered
  4. Make blocks 2 and 3 for the mystery Quilt
  5. Start the setting blocks for the mystery quilt
  6. Get the Kona Gray fabric needed for the commissioned owl lap quilt
  7. stay up to-date on the mask orders
  8. Get purse made for CN for grad present

Commission To-do's for May -
  1. Jumbo placemat #1 - KM
  2. Jumbo placemat #2 - KM
  3. Jumbo placemat #3 - KM



Current For Sale projects & Commissions-
  1. Pincushions for sale - make and list
  2. Repair blanket/quilt for KA - commercial quilt received, plan of reworking it decided on, no due date
  3. Owl Quilt for TK, 50" by 70" - Owl fabric has been ordered
  4. Scrappy Tan/Blue quilt for KM
  5. Memory quilt for MF
  6. T-shirt quilt for TA from her Dad's t-shirts
  7. Memory bears for TA from dad's shirts
  8. T-Shirt quilt for CA from his shirts
  9. T-shirt quilt for CA from her shirts

2020 Christmas gifts -
  1. Pillowcase(s) for triangle support pillow for PN - For Christmas


Possible Future Commissions-
  1. T-shirt Quilt for friend in an online group (no due date, waiting for shirts and specs)
  2. T-shirt quilt for a friend at church (no due date, waiting for shirts, specs)
  3. Men's Shirt alterations (multiple, not sure how many at this point) for AJ
  4. Hem dress and alter jacket for CJ

Possible Commissions/Sales-
  1. Airplane quilt - need to make sample blocks before getting back with friend to see if she's interested
  2. Music Quilt - long time possibility....rumblings about it happening again - Designed, waiting on down payment
  3. Teddy Bear Quilt - This needs to be quilted (either for the original order or sold to someone else)
  4. Quilt tops that are for sale (Wolf + more)
Other projects that need to be done -
  1. Keep up with blocks for this years F2F swap.
  2. List items for sale on Ebay or other fitting site
  3. List fabric "Sets" for sale on FB - In Process, lots more to go
  4. Ship snail quilt out for quilting - Needs to be boxed up and sent to SN for quilting 
  5. UFO Alphabet quilt #4 - Quilt, bind and finish
  6. Prep t-shirts for my own t-shirt quilt - t-shirts are all together (and have been for several yrs) but need to back with interfacing and get ready for quilting (doing quilt as you go).
  7. Downsize quilting fabric stash - Started, lots more to go thru
  8. Find place to donate clothing fabric - One email sent, waiting on response.  More to send
  9. Get website set up so that I can sell what I'm making and my quilts - started need to finish
  10. Continue looking for and applying for new, paying jobs
  11. Purse for Caroline for Graduation - same type as 2 Christmas's ago, just larger.

Gratitudes:
1. For being able to work from home the rest of the week (guess who's forgotten what it  was like to actually get up at 4 am....)

2. For the safety of those that I know working in the healthcare field