Final 2017 Progress

Made progress on several more projects while out here in Phoenix.

Got the sections for my mini swap quilt for the Modern Quilt Guild.   Will press and trim them to their 2.5" size once i'm back home again.


















Put these 6" blocks together.   They were one of my many UFO's and as best as I and friends can date them, are from a swap back in 1998.  I've got 5 more blocks, 4 of which will be used for the corners of the first border.   Remaining border will be the same WOW that I used for the corners on the top and bottom rows.   And then a final border will be a green 30's print.

 And I finished off this small Cross-body purse that is my last Christmas gift for the year.   It will be mailed off with the other gifts for my friend and her family this coming week.

Gratitudes:

1. Wonderful weather while I was out here.

2. Hopefully an ok forecast for when I'm driving home (once back into Texas)

2018 Goals and To-Do's

I don't normally do yearly goals or resolutions, but do make myself lists of all that I would like to accomplish in the foreseeable future.   For me these normally break down into at least five different categories.

Non-Quilty

• Look into finding and getting Tableau training
• Email to Sharing Committee re: missions and status / to-do's
• Make word doc copy of missions application and send out to committee

Quilty

• Applique sweatshirt for D - pattern printed, needs fabric pulled
• Stretching Art Challenge Quilt - Due in February, layout has been sketched and material obtained
• Tablerunner for QuiltMaker - Finished piece due to QM by end of Feb.
• Tablerunner for QM, pattern pieces/sizes - due first week of Jan to QM
• MQG mini swap quilt - Due in February, PP'd sections made, need to be assembled
• Wedding quilt - Binding and Label
• Wedding Quilt - Make backing
• Send the Wedding quilt off to be quilted
• 2018 BOM - Make the blocks in a timely manner
• Start working on next block (for Vol.18) for submission to QuiltMaker
• Scrappy Wolf - in process of cutting 2.5" squares needed for quilt
• Scrappy Deer - pattern chosen
• Finish Hankie Butterfly quilt (quilting and binding) - Send out to be quilted
• Complete the Regatta QAL

Commissioned Sewing

• Appliqued T-Shirt for D (commission) - Materials have been pulled and templates printed.  
• Follow up on possible t-shirt quilt commissions (2 of them)

UFO's

• Complete 30's Baby Cakes blocks quilt top and donate for sunshine auction
• Put together top with 30's Granny's Choice 9" blocks (12 blocks)
• Put together top with Aqua & Brown Swap blocks, set 1, 11 blocks
• Quilt one of my 2015 mystery quilt top

Design

• Get needed information together for my pattern that QuiltMaker is publishing.  Due to them ASAP (will be sent off the first week of January)
• Publish the final bear pattern for the 2017 BOM
• Write up pattern for Calico Lion, Block 1 for 2018 BOM
• Write up pattern for Sherry Bear 
• Write up patterns for the military bears (5 individual patterns + 1 combined pattern) and publish on Craftsy
• Write up patterns for the quilting bears (3 individual patterns + 1 combined pattern) and publish on Craftsy
• Write up snail quilt pattern and publish on Craftsy

Gratitudes:

1. For safe travel to/from Tucson to visit friends

2. For The blessing of time with friends and family

Arizona Shop-Hopping, Part 3

Part three of my shop-hopping ...... all shops here in the Phoenix area.

First up was a stop by the west-side 35th Ave Sew & Vac.  Almost everything I bought was on sale.  The two fruit fabrics were the only ones not on sale.  Those will be used in "lemon meringue" pie and "key lime" pie potholders.  the upper left fabric is a beautiful plum with gold tracing on it.  The bottom is an ombre that goes from dark to light.

 Then there was a selection of wonderful tans and creams for my background fabric stash.





















Next up was a brief stop at Three Dudes Quilting.  More for the background stash.   Love the one that is in the upper left with the ladies silhouettes.

Then came one final stop at SAS.  Didn't find the batiks I was looking for, but did find more for the background fabric stash.  The piano and cardinal prints have plans already percolating for them in my head.

Meanwhile, notice a theme behind my purchases?   LOL

Gratitudes:

1. That the dog who I'm pup-sitting didn't get sick when she used my bra for chew toy (and chewed a chunk out of)......sigh.......

2. for this beautiful weather!

Arizona Shop-Hopping , Part 2

I tend to shop ahead for gifts, esp. since the BD's in my family start back up in February.   As a result I like wandering into stores like Tuesday Morning occasionally to see what kind of goodies I can find for gifts. 

Well, I wandered into one out here in Phoenix and what I found was goodies for me.    First up was a spice blend that I really like on my roasted veggies in the morning.   I had found one in TX at a Ross, and then found them out here....4 more are going home with me.  =)

But the best goodies - were these precuts from Benartex at a great price (all less than half of retail).   I could have chosen from about 6 different charm squares sets, several different jelly rolls, and the "honey bun" roll (1.5" strips). 

What I came home with were these two charm squares, both blue based that I've got ideas for.   And all three of the "honey bun" rolls that they had.   These are all Kona solids and 41 different colors that are reminiscent of the colors in 30's repro fabrics.   I'm thinking I'll use one of them in this Regatta quilt/sew along and the other two....well I've got ideas for them as well running around in my mind.  Now mind you, I won't get this started before about April, but that's beside the point - it's on my to-do list for next year.  =)

So what is the most unusual place that you've found fabric before?

Gratitudes:

1. Allergies have been controllable with just an occasional pill while out here.

2. The blessings of friends who have allowed me to stay with them for 10 days.

Arizona Shop-Hopping, Part 1

I admit it.....I like to visit the shops here in Arizona when I'm out here.   I miss having the variety available out here when I'm living else where.

First up was a trip to SAS.   SAS is a store that sells fabrics by the pound as well as by the yard.   And the types of fabrics runs the gamut from quilt shop quality cottons (nowadays) to upholstery and leather remnants.    Here I picked up a blue I couldn't resist, and 4 different prints for my scrappy backgrounds.   Also found a variegated cotton thread for a great price, a zipper for a belated gift and a pkg of extra wide bias binding.

Next up came a stop at the Bernina Store in Prescott Valley.    Nice fabrics but nothing really caught my eye.Did get a tan tonal FQ for background use, and a 1/2 of an owl print that I'm planning to make potholders out of for a gift.

Just across the highway and down a bit is Cloth Plus in Prescott Valley.   When I headed down the street to the store I really wondered about it because there are houses on one side of the street, and industrial type buildings on the other.   However, once in the store I found a really nice selection of fabrics.  I picked up 4 different ombre fabrics and 2 FQ's for backgrounds.

And I also found this gorgeous ombre and batik that I'm going to use to make the mini quilt I need to get made for a modern mini swap that i'm in.

Once I left Prescott Valley, it was onto Cottonwood AZ and the Quilt and Sew shop.   Lots of nice fabrics and a large selection of sale cuts.   As you can see I found quite a few that just had to come home with me.   The zebra print will find a home in one of the blocks for my 2018 BOM.  Also bought their 2017 row-by-row kit, and they gave me a free mug.

The final quilt stop on my tour of Northern AZ shops was the Quillter's Store in Sedona.  They had their usual great selection of fabric, but it was the sale bins of $1 FQ's that caught my eyes......and yes there were a big bunch that had to come home with me.....32 to be exact.   Lots of batiks as well as some others.

And finally from the day that I drove into Phoenix, I made a detour in Tucson to stop at The Quilt Basket.   Bought their row by row pattern, a panel that will find it's way into mug rugs, 3 half yds for backgrounds (notice a theme here?), and finally the color of Kona that I need to make the bias strips for the pie potholders that I've been making.

Gratitudes:

1. Time with family and friends here in the Phx area

2. Beautiful weather!

On The Downhill Slide.....

..........for putting the wedding quilt top together.   I managed to get 2 full rows put together today in spite of having to take apart 15  or so of the star point blocks and resew the solid half to the correct side of the points.   Had to get three more blue fabrics as well because it seems I couldn't count when I was cutting the star centers...........   I haven't counted the number of different fabrics in the quilt yet, but will do that.

I'm now 80% of the way complete and only have the final row & border to go.   These will all be done as blocks and I'm hoping to get them done this weekend.

Once this is together, I'm hoping to be able to send it off for quilting......but haven't had too much luck yet in finding a quilter to do it for me.

Gratitudes:

1. I'm not having to deal with the cold, rainy weather back at home.

2. Reconnecting with long time friends back here.