A Year of Lovely Finishes Goal Met!

This month I have been busy. I don't really feel like I've gotten a lot done, but I actually have finished a few small projects.
I met my February Goal for A Year of Lovely Finishes.
I took this table topper from just a top, to a finish to meet my goal.

I quilted it on the Bernina 730 with the walking foot using Aurifil white thread.

This is the scrappy back from the leftovers.


I also finished up the other sample using the same pattern. I'm not crazy about the quilting, but it's done and it will make a nice gift.

I finished the hand stitching on my EPP quilt and got the binding on it.

I also finished the hand binding on the batik table runner.

Mikaela and I had a mommy daughter day and we picked out some flannel for PJ pants for her and I got them serged up and finished.

I made this Kona tote as a sample for a class I plan to teach.

I finished the binding on my friendship quilt.

I also made, quilted, and bound this juggling summer baby quilt. I'm not crazy about it, but it shows the fabric and a kid will love it.


February had a few more finishes than I remember and I'm looking forward to what March will bring. I plan to QUILT! I have 6 quilts ready and waiting to be quilted, so I hope to get to my dads and get them done. I have less then 3 weeks of my graduate program done and I am beyond excited!!!
March Goals
Finish Seaside bed runner
Quilt SWOON
Quilt Wyatt's Quilt
Finish Free Motion Sampler

Productive Sewing Time & Traveling Stash Box

This week was much better than last week for sewing time. I do not have any finishes, but I got a lot accomplished on a lot of different projects.
I was able to get my center together for the Star Light Star Bright quilt along. I really like how this one is turning out and I'm very happy with my color selections. Hop on over to see all the quilt along instructions at Happy Quilting.

I spent one evening last week working on my quilting sampler. It's a lot harder than it looks, but I had a great time and really enjoyed practicing different techniques. I have a Doodle Quilting book I am following for different ideas. These are Swirly C's.

Flames

Back and forth. This looked a lot different in the book, so it's something to work on.

I recently received a travelling stash box, so I was excited to see everything in it. I took a few things out.

And found a whole lot of things to put in. It was fun playing. Mathew and Mikaela helped me select what I should keep.  I'll be sending the traveling stash box on to its new home, so if you are interested, please leave a comment and I'll pick a winner at the end of this week.

 Stash Box Rules and Regs:

• Be an active blogger -- post about receiving the box and the giveaway in a timely manner
• Update the travel log in the box to let others know where the box has been.
• There is a list of rules and guidelines in the box -- be sure to follow these to keep the box full of quality items and the experience positive for everyone.
• You may take any items from the box just be sure that you are replacing them with quality and comparable items. 
• Ship box to the next person timely -- and communicate tracking information with recipient.
• Shipping is within the US only

Important Things to Remember:

• Please ensure that items in the box are quality. If items in the box are poor quality they should be removed. Items that are being removed can be offered for optional inclusion to the next recipient. Poor quality items can be discarded but this should be done with digression.
• Only include items that you would be proud to own -- this is not a dumping ground for outdated or worn items
• Items should be free of smoke, odors and pet hair
• You must replace all items that you take with items of equal value and replacing with more than you take is welcome.

This has been a bag week for me. I'm teaching the Barbados bag class and worked on it Friday night at Club Sew. I got just beyond where my students are on it. It's a fun class to teach.
This is a sample for a new class I plan to teach. This is the inside. I did the cotton version since we already have a laminate one at the shop. I figure it will be good for one of the guys in my life.

I got this far by last night and just have to put it together with the bias binding on the inside.

Mikaela and daddy made me a chocolate strawberry cake for my birthday. She was insistent that she help put the candles in the cake. There weren't nearly enough and she blew them out herself, but it was fun all the same. She's at such a fun age to help with everything.

Last Week

Last week was a slow one for me! I've been dabbling in a few things, but not getting anything really accomplished.
I did finally get this Scrappy Swoon top together in anticipation of quilting at my dad's last weekend, which didn't happen. It does feel good to have the quilt top and backing ready to go when I do get out there. I have 5 quilt tops and backings ready to go, in addition to a few others for friends.

Last week we got step 5 of the Chromaticity Mystery quilt and I have all my pieces basted and ready.

Last Sunday Mikaela and I had a mother/daughter day and went to the fabric store to pick out fabric for her to sew, shopping, and then to Dinosaur Park.

Star Light Star Bright HST's

I'm totally feeling ahead of the game today. I sewed all my HST's for the Star Light, Star Bright Quilt Along last night. I'm loving the color combo and hope my co-worker loves it as well.

Finish it Up Friday

This week has gone by so slow! I was actually starting to stress about not getting any sewing/quilting time. I didn't teach this week and only had a teachers meeting to attend. When my routine is off it seems like the whole week is off. This is also the 3 year anniversary of my mom's passing, which is always a difficult time for me. I feel more connected to her when I am sewing, so when I'm not able to, it's like I can't be with her.

I was able to pick up the binding for this friendship quilt and get it bound Wednesday night. I went with the all machine sewn binding since I just wasn't feeling it. It will make a nice wall hanging.

I cut out these diamonds for a new sample while I was waiting for Mikaela to fall asleep. She thinks she will miss me sewing, so she has a hard time sleeping. I saved the scraps for her to play with.

I pulled out this Scrappy Swoon to work on and did the ripping. I got one segment sewn back together and back into the quilt last night, so I should be able to finish it up soon. I also have the backing I need to prep and it will be ready for quilting when I get a chance.

I took the stack of leader/ender pieces and cut them up, so now they can go back together as 4 patches. This is for a Briar rose quilt.

This is the binding I used for the friendship quilt. I ended up cutting it at 2 3/8" which was where it broke apart. I had to really watch which direction I put them together and have enough for another small quilt with the diagonal going the other direction.

Mathew and Mikaela are starting to play together more and really enjoy Mathew's 4-wheeler from Grandpa Hugh and Grandma Ann. It's so fun to watch them play together and use their imaginations.


Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it Up Friday

In Hand EPP Monthly Link Up

This has been an amazingly productive month for my EPP. I finished the borders on this quilt and am working on the hand quilting. If you consider working on it being it's in the frame. I'm too scared/nervous to actually start the quilting on it.

I did however finish this table topper. I ended up quilting it with the machine. I was ready to be done!

I started the Mystahhhhry over at Hillbilly Quilt Shop and have the first step done.

I'm done with step 2 too.

And step 3 is done.

Step 4 came out this week, which is to stitch the yellow triangles to the teal diamonds. I'm about a third of the way done with those.


I also worked a bit more on my diamond table runner. It's slow going, but at least I am working on it. I try to do a row a week, which helps with my motivation.

SLSB QAL Flying Geese & Lots of Finishes

This week I set out to get caught up on the Star Light Star Bright Quilt Along. I was able to get them done this weekend and am ready for the next step. I wasn't so sure about the colors, but so far I am really liking them.

I spent Saturday night finishing up a few projects. I quilted and bound this hexie table topper. I am now working on the hand sewing binding part.

I also quilted and bound this one with the machine. I'm not loving it, but it's done. I'm not sure the red thread accented it the way I had hoped.

Sunday I finished up the Juggling Summer Baby Quilt. I hope to teach this one as a class this next quarter. It kind of blends too much for me, but it works and it's done.

I was stitching in the ditch on the straight lines, but needed something for the big open area, so I pulled out the circular sewing attachment and quilted circles in it to mimic the ones on the fabric. This is probably my favorite feature of this quilt. I won the Juggling Summer Candy packs late last year, so I was looking for a way to use them. Mikaela has decided the leftovers should be her "sewing" fabric. She now has some scraps to use instead. She is sewing right along with mommy and the foot pedal on her machine is her iron. I just love her little imagination.

I'm linking up for Needle and Thread Thursday and Crazy Mom Quilts.