August Already!!? A 13 in 2013 Update

My friend Krista asked me yesterday how I was coming on my 2013 WIPs and I had to admit that I've kind of lost track.  (Love that girl for reminding me!)

Since it's August 1st, it seems like a good idea to figure out where I am if I want to achieve my goal of finishing 13 WIPs in 2013.  I had a look back at my New Year goal-setting post, and I am proud to say that I have made some progress.  I have finished 6 quilts goals so far in 2013, although it only counts for 5 goals, since one bunch of blocks made two quilts.

So, here are the finishes:

1.  Fairy Tale Friends - February, 2013

2.  Jelly Roll Race Quilt - March, 2013

3.  Granny Squares Quilt - April, 2013

4.  Anthropologie Knock-Off Duvet Cover - April, 2013

5(a).  3x6 Bee Blocks Quilt (#1) - June, 2013

5(b).  3x6 Bee Blocks Quilt #2 - June, 2013

And even though I'm not sure I will finish my GMFG quilt in 2013, I've made amazing progress on it so far.  It could happen.  Maybe...


So that's the scoop of quilts on the original list.  I've finished a few others this year too!

The Lark Swoon quilt for Amanda.

The Madrona Road Challenge Quilt.

Krista's Reverse Rainbow Chemo Quilt...

And too many other quilt tops, bags, pouches, fabric baskets, and swap items to count.

So it's time to set a goal for August, isn't it?  And I really need to finish at least 2 quilts this month to actually reach my goal this year, don't I?  What shall it be??

First, I think I'm going to work on the Citrus Quilt.  I've had so much help with this recently, it will be fun to get this one done.  I have a whole basket of blocks in there just waiting to become a quilt.  (And hopefully my photos of the finished quilt will be better than this one!)  This will be my August goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes.

And then, if I have the chance, I think I will try to finish the Fresh Cottons Basket Quilt. 

So there you have it.  August goal(s).  I hope August is full of lots of quality quilty time. 

Don't you?

Lark Weekender Bag - Take 2

I finally got the room in some kind of useable shape, and since I was so behind, I decided to delay the "decorating" and get to work.  This is the second Weekender Travel Bag made with the bonus HSTs from the Lark Swoon quilt I made for my daughter - and I still have enough HST's to make a couple more bags - or something else (which is more likely!)

I decided on chevrons and pinwheels this time, with echo quilting on the chevrons and straight line quilting everywhere else.  The piping is the black texty print from Madrona Road.  Love that fabric - will probably cry when it is gone.

 Pinwheels on the pockets - green on one side...

Blue on the other...  And lots of dots.

 One of the things about making a bag for yourself is that you can add all the little features you want to suit your needs.  One of mine was to add a strap so that the bag will fit over the handle of my roll on when I travel.  Hated covering up the cute little pinwheel, but the pinwheel was done and quilted before I remembered I wanted to add the strap and I

wasn't. 

ripping. 

it.  

out.  

Sorry little pinwheel.  The good news is that it was my least favorite one...

I added a zipper pocket to the outside in addition to the pocket on the pattern to stash stuff I need to have handy, but don't want to lose.  I'm thinking maybe cell phone and wallet here.

I chose some Denyse Schmidt fabric I found on sale at Joann's for the lining, which was great because since I had surgery on Thursday, I didn't feel like driving across town to the drug store.    Then, I added an elastic strap to keep my computer case corralled inside.  Still need some wide velcro to make this work, but the guts are there.

So that's my new bag!  It will be my sample for the class I'm teaching at Derrel's in August - the 15th and 22nd.  If you want to do a whole cloth Weekender as shown in the pattern, you can just come to the second session.  For a quilted bag, you will want to come to both sessions.

And then I think it may become my favorite travel bag.

March Recap

I never feel like I accomplished as much as I wish I had, but there were a few finishes to report in March.

I finished my Madrona Road quilt using Ali's heximetry pattern.  Every time I see it, it reminds me of the quilt in this picture that Ali made and sent to Britton on the occasion of his arrival...

which was taken the day the quilt arrived.  Their mommy had no sooner put the quilt on the floor and placed newborn Britton on it in anticipation of a photo session, than his big sister had to lie down next to him for a chat.  I love this picture, and these children, and the quilt as well.

And here's another photo of our {then} new little guy {and the quilt, of course}.

Britton was a year old yesterday.  Look how far we've come!

... But I digress...  we were talking about March finishes, weren't we?  Let's see - Madrona Road...

And Jelly Roll Race...

And the wonky Hexie Scrap Basket...

And the little Selvage Pouch...

 And a {sorely needed!} new ironing board cover...

Leona's mug rug...

A table runner, napkins, market tote and pouch for my partner in the Wish List swap....

And my sister's Music Tote.

So, there were a few accomplishments.  And let us not forget that I had my first experience with a long arm, which was a blast!

So, that about wraps up March...  In addition to the Lovely Year of Finishes, I'm linking up with Richard and Tanya's Link a Finish Friday (even though this was posted on Thursday) because they said there were no rules.  =)


Here's to April!

Madrona Road

I finished my Madrona Road quilt just in time for the "Reveal" at the ECMQG meeting on Saturday.  This not-working thing has its advantages.  The pattern is Heximetry by Ali Winston.  I added scrappy MR borders, but I have to admit that I liked the clean lines in the original pattern.  Still, I'm not displeased with it.

I got carried away cutting 3-inch squares for the border, but they were perfect to widen the back just enough.  I like the effect.

I echo quilted the hexagon shapes throughout.  And I didn't realize until I took the photo that I forgot to remove my water soluble pen markings.  I need to do that.  Please pretend they aren't there, OK?

Voila!

13 in 2013 - March Goal {and a Recap}

I am feeling pretty good that I managed one completed quilt so far this year (not counting Swoon) - the first from my list of 13 finishes in 2013.  But apparently I'm too late to enter it in the contest for A Lovely Year of Finishes on Flickr.  Oops.  Oh, well.  The finished quilt should be reward enough, shouldn't it.

My Jelly Roll Race is my goal for March.  It is about half quilted, so it should be a do-able goal for the month.  Now that I am a victim of the economy and not working I have a lot more time to finish projects.

I'm also working on my Madrona Road Challenge quilt.  I recently joined the Emerald Coast Modern Quilt Guild (see this post) and apparently they didn't get their fabric in time to do the national challenge, so our deadline is this Saturday.  I didn't get the fabric Michael Miller distributed, but I had already purchased a FQ bundle from my favorite little fabric shoppe (yup!  Westwood Acres) and so I decided to join in.  The pattern is "Heximetry" from Ali Winston (a2w) and Ali originally made it as a baby gift for my sweet little grandson Britton.  It's a really fun pattern to make and even the Y-seams aren't that tricky.  I added a scrappy border to make it just a little larger, and it's coming along nicely.  My Madrona Road yardage got here just in time, so quilting on this little guy is
underway.

 And I've got one more row to add to my GMFG, and then the half-flowers for the sides, and I think it will be done.  I'm debating sending it out and having it quilted.  What do you think?

And finally, here's a peek at what I was doing on Saturday.  My Little Apples quilt went on a road trip to the Emerald Coast Quilt Show.  He wasn't made as a show quilt, so I didn't have any expectations, but it was fun to see him hanging there with such beautiful masterpieces.  Sadly, I got there after most of the festivities were over, and they canceled my demos because most everyone had gone home, but it was a nice quilt show.  I enjoyed looking at all the lovely quilts and checking out the various vendors (and I was very proud that I didn't buy anything - it probably helped that I had just gone to A&E before I left for Destin.)

So that's what's been going on in this neck of the woods.

What's on your list?

Fun Mail - Indulgence

I received another wonderful package in the mail late last week, this one perhaps even more eagerly anticipated than the rest!  It came from none other than Westwood Acres, BD#1's little fabric shop, and was filled-to-bursting with yummy fabric goodness.  I was totally self-indulgent and while I felt a little guilty, I couldn't help but just sit for awhile and pet all these lovely bundles of color.

Here's what was in my box:

The Birds and the Bees, by the fabulous Tula Pink.

Chicopee by the ever-so-talented Denyse Schmidt.

Out to Sea (boys)...

And Out to Sea (girls), by the playful Sarah Jane.

Field Study, by the incomparable Anna Maria Horner.

And finally,

A lovely bundle of Madrona Road, by the delightful Violet Craft.


 With apologies to my dear daughter for messing up her lovely and precise stacks of fabric, I proclaim...

Ahhhh,  I'm in fabric heaven!

Oh, for more time to play with this yummy cotton goodness...  But for now, I have to go to work so I can perhaps buy more fabric one day.