October Recap and November Goal Setting

Flying geese for lone star border; small handwork 
project; temperature quilt square and log cabin
block with embellishment projects

While I don't where October went, I made good progress on my October goal list. To recap, the list was: 

✔1. Turn two kitchen towels into four gifts. 

✔2. Finish the charity baby quilt.

✔3. Work on another small hand project.

✔4. Piece the back for Frolic and get it to the long armer.

✔5. Piece more string blocks.

✔6. Finish the Santa tree skirt.

✔7. Piece the top for the "Tea" quilt.

✔8. Continue glue basting the butterfly.--I spent about 20 minutes gluing.

✔9. Keep up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and the Temperature quilt.

10. Begin a new baby quilt.

Pieced string blocks

✔11. Work on the fourth flannel quilt.

✔12. Begin collecting fabrics for the next Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.

✔13. Determine the borders for the lone star top.

✔14. Help Gertie with her special post. The squirrel party was fun. The packages are on their way to the recipients. 

I made terrific progress on this list. I attended a virtual retreat which began last Thursday and ended Sunday at one PM. I "engaged" myself in a project between the hours of 8AM and 10:30PM Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday, I stitched from 8AM to 1PM. I did take a long break on Saturday to attend my granddaughter's last soccer match of the season. I made up the hours by starting my day earlier in the studio. 

Machine quilting sample on Tea quilt

Dedicated and productive sewing time was key to moving projects forward. Having the quarterly and monthly goal list to refer to as I'm working on a project was helpful. Finally, participating in Leanne's (Devoted Quilter) 100 day WIPS Be-Gone 2021 challenge has helped. I've been curious as to what I could finish in 100 days. So far, I've finished four projects and am close to finishing a fifth.

I also helped 56 people earn their American Heart Basic Life Support CPR certificates this month. I quilted the last charity quilt on Thomas the longarm. A member submitted a bid for him to the board which the board accepted. In four months, I quilted nine quilts for the charity group. 

For November, I plan to:

1. Finish the "Tea" quilt.--I have the handwork on the facing, label and sleeve to complete.

Block of Temperature quilt. . .OMG embroider the months

2. Piece the borders for the lone star top.--I have made the flying geese blocks.

3. Make a special gift for a granddaughter's birthday.--I purchased a couple of patterns and in the next week, I'll narrow my options.

4. Figure out the layout of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.--The oldest granddaughter has taken an interest in putting these blocks into a top. 

Flannel quilt block parts and potential scrap fabric

5. Machine Embroider the months for my Temperature quilt. Once the embroidery is complete, I'll add the section to the appropriate block. This is going to be my one monthly goal. I also plan to keep up piecing the blocks.--This project is the one I've thought about since last March; but, I haven't moved past the thinking stage. I am linking to Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal November Link-up  Click the link to see what other people are planning to complete. Thank you, Patty, for hosting this event.

String block layout possibilities 

6. Work on the fourth flannel top.--I started four different flannel tops from Martha's scrap in March 2020. I've finished three of them. Two went to the passage quilt program and one will be a birthday present in January. 

This fourth one, when finished, will go to a graduate who finished high school last June. I was working on other projects and wanted a break from stitching on flannel. He'll be home for the holidays so it would be a good time to get going on this project!

7. Work on the hand stitching project.--Last month, I started it.

8. Finish Frolic.--I dropped it off at the quilter's on October 19. It is likely that by the end of the month, she will let me know that she is finished with quilting it.

9. Keep up with the Bonnie Hunter mystery.--She released her colors last I Saturday. How many of your are planning to join the Rhododendron Trail mystery? If I stick with her colors, I'll be buying most of the fabric. If I choose to go with my own color way. . .I'll still be buying fabrics. . .ARGH. . .the fabric selection is my least favorite of the process!! Gertie is ready for a shopping trip!

10. Finish the log cabin embroidery project.--I am stuck with the edge treatment and a back. . .or, do I want to send the block to be the center of the CCQ's next charity quilt that tickets are sold on to benefit a charity. . .decisions, decisions!!

Continue glue basting this project

11. Piece the string blocks into a top.---At the retreat, I put together a layout and started the webbing process. For now, I'm calling it Strings--Another Line.

12. Work on a new baby quilt.--More to come on this project.

13. Actually spend some time each day that I'm in the studio glue basting on the butterfly. I began this project in 2018. . . it has been a WIP way too long!

14. Continue the piecing process on the churn dash block project.---The youngest granddaughter is sewing the rows together. 

Again, it is a big list. My goal is to list eight items each month. . .but, Gertie slips in a few more projects. She is such a cheerleader! Perhaps, next year we will do a better job of streamlining our list. Gertie tells me that I can always dream!!!