January ReCap and February Goals

Fabric in for January

My two annual goals are:

1. Have a net loss of 100 yards of fabric from my stash.

2. Finish six UFOs

   ✒ a. Temperature 2021--pin basted and ditched quilted started in January

    b. Temperature 2022-2023

    c. Martha's House blocks

    d. Positively Grows

    e. Maze top

    f. Butterfly number four 

My January goals were:

✔1. Pick the fabric to set the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks from last year.

✔2. Prepare the fabric for a Santa tree skirt.

Fabric out for January

✔3. Participate in the Alphabet Sew Along through Modern Quilt Studio.

✔4. Layer and baste the Temperature quilt for 2021.

✔5. Catch up with the Old Town mystery.

✔6. Work on the project for the book "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate

✔7. Make a patriotic star block for the CCQ guild block contest.

✔8. Attend the Zoom Triangles class with Maria Shell.

✔9. Finish the blocks for the 2024 Temperature quilt.

✔10. Get Rita's Temperature quilt into a top.

✔11. Choose the backing fabric for Rita's Temperature quilt.

Piece the like batting scraps together in February

✒12. Continue with the PT for my knee. I have a goal of 120 degrees flexion and 0 degrees extension. (I did get to 120 degrees with flexion; but am two degrees short on extension. I am walking about 1/2 a mile daily. . .not fast; but, I am tolerating that distance.)

✔13. Pre wash the Sweet Tooth mystery fabrics.

✔14. Pre wash the 2025 Temperature quilt fabrics.

✔15. Make a sample house and tree block. Now, I'm thinking the blocks are going to make a quilt too big so I'm rethinking my plan.

✖16. Complete the August bonus lesson and the September embroidery lesson. (The reason I am not making progress on this goal is because I can't sit comfortably to use two laptops and participate in the lesson. One laptop contains the software, the second laptop contains the tutorial. I'm not giving up. I will complete those lessons!)

Cut out a tree skirt from these fabrics

Fabric Summary:

Fabric in this month: 8 yards    

Fabric in year to date: 8 yards

Fabric used from stash this month: 6 yards

Fabric used from stash year to date: 6 yards

Net loss/gain this month: +2 yards

Net loss/gain year to date: +2 yards

The six yards is the fabric for my RSC project this year. The additional yards were free. . .I just couldn't turn that blue batik with snowflakes down! Gertie, my inner squirrel, is congratulating me because I didn't bring eight yards of fabric into the stash. . .only two! 

Stitch these fabrics following
the Sweet Tooth mystery

My February goals are:

1.Catch up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.

2. Document layering and basting the Positively top that I made in 2023.

3. Write a tutorial about how to pin baste a quilt.

4. Get the "Love Makes A Family" project to a top.

5. Catch up with the 2025 Temperature blocks--I'm contemplating a block size change.

6. Figure out a legend for the 2024 Temperature quilt.

7. Cut out the Santa tree skirt.

8. Continue progressing with clue nine of the Old Town mystery. I'm at the sewing parts together into blocks stage.

9. Piece the leftover batting chunks together.

10. Complete the August bonus lesson and the September embroidery lesson.

11. Continue with the PT for my knee.

12. Continue quilting my 2021 Temperature quilt.

Linking up to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.

Sweet Tooth Mystery Fabric Preparation--post one

Goal number 13 on my January list was to pre-wash the fabrics for the Sweet Tooth Mystery that Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle from Modern Quilt Studio are hosting. Clue one will release on February 14. There are 22 half yards of transparency watercolor fabrics and one background fabric. 

The fabrics

After I had pre-washed the fabrics for my 2025 Temperature quilt, I started pre-washing the fabrics for this project. I spent about a week on this task. I'm looking forward to this mystery project. I'm working hard to make progress on a quilting project (2021 temperature quilt), a piecing project (Old Town) and a design project (Love Makes a Family) so that I'll feel like I can work on the clues without feeling guilty!

Background fabric for Sweet Tooth

Once I had finished pre-washing these fabrics, I began pre-washing the tree skirt fabrics which was goal number two on my January list. My oldest niece is getting married in July. I often give a quilted tree skirt as a wedding gift. These fabrics represent the backing, background and maybe the Santas. I'll cut the pieces next month.

Bottom three fabrics pre-washed

I'm back to using what I have left of the Stay-Flo starch. Since posting about alternatives, a couple of my friends who have some Stay-Flo but aren't planning to use it offered it to me. It will be a while before I will need to make my own starch. At least I know I can and that I like the results!

Marie Shell book

Earlier this month I attend a Maria Shell workshop on Pointless Triangles. My friend, Rosanne, shared the workshop information with me. It was a great way to see Maria's techniques. I did purchase her book "Improv." It's been available for a long time. Although I didn't make any samples of her various triangle methods, I am inspired to try. She made it look so easy and doable. At $35, the workshop was also so affordable! Maria will offer another workshop in this format in July with the topic of using scraps. I plan to attend that workshop too! Attending the workshop was goal number eight on my January list.

2024 Temperature quilt days pieced

I also finished the piecing for my 2024 Temperature quilt which was goal number nine on my January list. What a good feeling that is! Next month, I'll figure out the legend!

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.

Rita's Temperature Quilt Is FINISHED--post 5

 Goal number 10 on my January list was to get my friend Rita's Temperature quilt into a top. I did! It measures 78 inches by 84 inches. The border fabric was in her project box. I hope Rita's plan was to use it as a border! I also cut and prepped enough strips so that it will be the binding at well.

Finished top

Goal number 11 my January list was to choose the fabrics for the quilt back and make it! In my stash, I had 3 3/4 yds of a Christmas fabric. Rita loved Christmas. She kept at least one decorated tree up in her home year around. To honor her love of Christmas, I pulled out that fabric and pre-washed it. 

Pieced back

In Rita's Chilhowie project box there was a yard of green fabric which I paired with the leftover border fabric. It was just enough to become the back! The back measures 84 inches by 90 inches.

Trimming all the loose threads from the back

After I had pieced the back, I started removing the loose threads from the back of the quilt. This always takes more time than one would think. Once I finish, I'm always surprised at how many threads I trimmed. I'm also impressed with how clean the back of the quilt is.

Snipped threads

The raveling of the seams happen as the top grows. Starched fabrics ravel less with handling. Rita pre-washed her fabrics because she and husband had an allergy to the chemicals in the fabrics. She didn't starch her fabrics because her husband had an allergy to the starch. I also used no starch because I don't want to flare his allergies!

Backing, batting, quilt top ready for the quilter

I've cut the batting. I've prepared the binding. Thursday, I delivered the backing, batting and top to the quilter, Tomme. Tomme and Rita worked together on a number of charity projects. Tomme offered to quilt it. Rita would have like that! I picked a Christmas design for the quilting in yellow thread. 

Quilting design

Tomme quilted it on Friday. I picked it up yesterday. Tomme had trimmed the quilt and trimmed all the scraps into useable sized pieces. What a treat to bring the quilt home and move directly to attaching the label and binding! What a treat to have the scraps already trimmed!!!

Scraps from the back

I made a label and on purpose, I have the angel flying upside down. Rita is letting us know that she is doing well hanging out with all of the other angels!

Label

I used six yards of fabric to finish this quilt. This brings my total of stash used so far this year to six yards. It is my first finish of the year. I hope to be able to deliver the finished quilt to her husband next week. This morning, I'm running it through the wash.

Finished back

It is so pretty finished. I'm awed that all of the fabrics came from her stash! 

Finished front

Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.

Patriotic Block

Some of the fabric selection

Goal number seven on my January list was to sew a patriotic block for the Clark County Quilters guild show in March. This year, the block contest is to make a 12 and half inch block patriotic block using red, white and blue fabrics on a light neutral background. A Quilt of Valor group will make the blocks into quilts for veterans.

Pattern pieces

I chose an Entwined Star pattern by Wendy Russell that I saw on Pinterest. I cut out the pieces and while piecing them together, I decided that the two red fabrics were too close in value so I replaced one of the reds with a bright blue fabric. Initially, I planned to use it; but, thought the two reds would be okay. Gertie, my inner squirrel, wanted to use the bright blue fabric all along. She was right and she delighted in telling me so as I cut into the bright blue scraps!

Finished block

I like how it turned out. It is an interesting block to make. For once, I didn't make any stitching mistakes. The block went together easily and measured 12 and a half inches. Gertie, my inner squirrel, thought I should make a second block. She reasoned that I had already cut one of the fabrics and a quarter of the background fabrics. I acquiesced. 

Finished second block

Now, I need to mail the blocks to the chairperson who is collecting the blocks! Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday!

Temperature Quilt 2025--post 1

The palette

Goal number 14 on my January list was to pre-wash the fabrics for my 2025 Temperature quilt. I'm using Superior Solids by Benartex for my palette. I started pre-washing a few fabrics each day on January 4. By January 14, all were washed, starched, pressed and ready for service. Pre-washing is my least favorite activity in the quilt process. We have chlorinated tap water. I found that if I don't want surprises like fabric bleeding later, pre-washing is worth the effort. Pre-washing 27 fabrics takes time!!! It is also a task that I'd rather not do!!!

Green, Cocoa and Khaki were the colors that bled enough that I needed to treat the fabric. I used synthrapol to stop the bleeding.

Layout for the house sample block

To starch my fabrics, since concentrated liquid starch Stay-Flo is no longer manufactured, I've been using aerosol cans of Niagara spray starch. I would rather use the concentrated liquid starch. I have learned there is a product called Linit Starch that seems similar to Stay-Flo. When I use up my current supply, I will have to order some to try. 

In the interim, I searched the internet for homemade starch recipes. I found several. I tested GeekyBobbin's recipe to make starch from household cornstarch. I found that cooking it in the microwave for about a minute and adding two cups of room temperature water after the cooking worked best. Stirring it several times as it cooled was also important so the starch didn't develop a "skin" on top of the liquid. I understand the product will spoil and to prevent that adding a tablespoon of lemon juice was recommended. So far, I've used all of the homemade product in a couple of days so I haven't need to be concerned about the product going "off!" The concentrated products contain preservatives. I could add some lemon juice and refrigerate it if I wasn't going to use what I had made in a couple of days.

Cooking it for a minute and adding lemon juice were steps in other homemade cornstarch recipes. Adding the two cups water was my own addition,

Layout for the tree block

Goal number 15 on January list was to make a sample house and tree block. The pattern is from Materialgirls.com. I used scraps to make the blocks. Both blocks are supposed to measure 5.5 x 7 inches unfinished. I plan to designate the low temperature of the day in the roof and the door. The house will represent the high of the day. The background will represent whether it snowed, rained or was dry that day.

Finished sample blocks

Size wise, the house block was spot on. The tree block was a little big. I'll pay closer attention to seam allowances when I make those blocks. My plan is to use the trees as filler blocks when a month has less than 31 days. I also plan to use the tree block to separate the months. When I ordered my fabrics, I didn't think about the background for the filler trees. I'm wishing that I had ordered a background fabric for the tree blocks. Gertie, my inner squirrel, is telling me to order it; but, I'm trying to stick to my shopping ban.

Updated palette

Okay, I could order the fabric because I would start using it within 30 days; but, I haven't finished anything yet this year so I would only be contributing to my stash. I could use another solid fabric from my stash. It is a heavier fabric; but, it would work. Hm m m. . .I believe I will use what I have so I can begin making blocks!

I liked my sample blocks. Neither were difficult to piece. Next, I needed to determine the layout. . .as in how many blocks per row and how many rows in the project . This is going to be a big quilt. If I make a layout of 21 blocks across by 18 blocks down, the quilt will be 105 by 117 inches without a border. I will need 378 blocks for that design. The year will use 375 blocks. I'll need to make an additional three tree blocks. Rather than have three blocks on the last row, I'm planning to start the project with one tree block.

I hope my planning efforts will pay off because I don't want to encounter surprises as I work on the project! Maybe next week, I'll start piecing the blocks.  Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.

Temperature Quilt 2021 Layered and Basted

Some of the trimmed threads from the
back of the quilt top

Goal number four in my January list was to layer and pin baste the 2021 Temperature quilt. I last posted about it here in February of 2022 when I finished the top! Last Sunday was THE day. I spent hours trimming the threads on the back of the quilt. Gosh there were a lot of them. I didn't trim them all; but, I trimmed the majority of them. I trim because I don't want a dark thread shadowing behind a light fabric.

Smoothed waiting for pins

After placing the backing and the batting on the table, I laid the freshly pressed top on the batting. I patted and smoothed the top into as square a position as I could. I had forgotten how bright and colorful this top is! 

Pinned and ready for quilting

I pinned. It was good practice for my knee to stand. My knee didn't like standing. I plan to continue doing activities where I am standing to encourage my knee to tolerate standing! At work, I stand about 45 minutes of each hour.

I hope to spend some time this month quilting in the ditch and around the circles. I will also quilt around the embroidery. I have a plan to enhance the embroidery of the months. The rest will come as I quilt. I'm not planning intricate designs as the piecing and the color are what needs to be accentuated.

Back of the quilt

I so look forward to finishing this project this year!!! Finishing this quilt will also meet a part of the annual goal that I set for myself to finish six quilts that have been hanging about the studio for a long time!!!

Eventually, I will gift this quilt to my oldest granddaughter to mark her tenth year. She will be 13 in May; but, I think she will get a kick out of being able to see what the weather was like when she was ten! We made a big deal out of being a decade old!

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.

Old Town Clues 6 through 8--post 4

Some half square triangles

Goal number five on my January list was to catch up with the Old Town Bonnie Hunter mystery. The last day that I sewed on this project was December 22. When I wrote my goals, I had finished clue five. Bonnie had released clues six, seven and eight. Since the publication of the post, she also has released clue nine which is the reveal.

For my purposes, I wanted to complete clues six, seven and eight this month. Clue nine is going to take some time! Bonnie always packs a lot into the reveal! I'll work on that after I get caught up on some other projects on January list!

Little flying geese

Clue six was to make a bunch of red and neutral half square triangles. The cool part of this step was that I had already cut all but four of the neutral fabrics! This happened because as I cut fabric for the other clues, this piece was leftover!

Cutting the red fabric wasn't time consuming. I even had a few strips precut which is always a bonus! It wasn't long before clue six was stitched, trimmed and bagged!

Adding units to the hour glass from a previous clue

Clue seven took some time! We made a whole bunch of tiny geese and then stitched them to the hour class units that we made in clue three. Again, I had a lot of the wings precut because these were the leftovers from working on previous clues. I liked how the fabrics in this step were all scrappy.

Once I stitched the geese units, I added them to the hour glass units. Of the last ten units I stitched, I turned nine hour glass units the wrong way and I needed to employ "Jack" (the seam ripper) to remove a whole lot of stitches. Gosh, these were fiddly trying to not loose points!

Larger geese

Clue eight was again making more geese! This time, the units were larger. I spent Friday during a Zoom Sit and Sew session cutting the fabrics. I even stitched a few units before the day ended. Today, I will finish sewing, pressing and trimming the units.

I am pleased with my progress! Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.

Love Makes A Family -- post 1

Multicolored scrap bits

Our book club is reading, "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate. I knew I wanted to include the word, Love, in my project. I also knew that I wanted to incorporate the leftover multicolored scrap bits from the opportunity quilt that I will share in April or May.

In the book, Rill, a young girl, tries to hold her family together; but, they are all taken to the Tennessee Children's Home Society to be adopted. Georgia Tann operated the home. She single handed corrupted the adoption system. My heart wrenched at the crap the kids endured.

A couple other books that are related to the subject matter follow "The Baby Thief" by Barbara Bisantz Raymond is the untold story of Georgia Tann. "Before and After" by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate provides real life stories of children who lived in the Children's Home.

The scrap bits represent the chaos Rill encountered. I knew I wanted at least the word "Love" in the project. Saturday, I listened to Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle share their knowledge in My Word a mini quilt along. 

One of the words

Bill is a college professor who is a graphic design specialist. He teaches a class in typography. He also calls himself a nerd when it comes to typography. 

He developed a unicase alphabet meaning some letters are upper case while others resemble lower case; but, the letters fit well together. The lecture that you can listen to in the link was so interesting. There is a part two as well; but, I've only linked to the first part of the quilt along. In part two, Bill and Weeks answer questions.

The quilt along was free. All Bill and Weeks asked was for those who participated to purchase the pattern and to use the alphabet according to the pattern. I had a blast making the letters. Then, my little squirrel, Gertie, decided I needed to make a phrase. 

Auditioning background fabrics

Once I had constructed the phrase, I decided I needed to pick a background color. I tried a variety of fabrics before settling on a red fabric leftover from Indigo Way. A yellow was a close second. I may incorporate a few yellow strips to signify the courage and bravery that Rill exhibited.

The background or field fabric of the words is a light purple and the works are eggplant purple. I don't want to use those colors anywhere else in the project. I also don't want to use white or black because Tann was a master at treading in the gray areas of the law.

In the end, I pieced the phrase, "Love Makes A Family." Rill experienced love from her mom and dad as weak as from her adoptive family. Of course, she loved her sisters and brother.

Progress after piecing the phrase

I played around with different configurations of the words before settling on three lines. My next step will be to decide the size of the project. At that point, I will remove all the extra bits leaving the words. 

I will employ Irene Rodrick's technique of dancing with the wall which means placing a piece on the wall before stepping back to see if it "fits." Once it "fits," I leave it and work on another area. I'll be working in an "improv" format.

While I had planned to work on this project again this week, I might not get back to it until next month. Goal number three on my January list was to participate in the quilt along. Goal number six was to work on the project for the book, "Before We Were Yours," by Lisa Wingate. I have a good start!

Linking to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.

December ReCap and January Goals

Contemporary Lone Star in its new home

My December goals were:

✔1. Finish quilting the RSC project. (Even better, I actually finished the project!!!)

➖2. Complete making the blocks for the 2024 Temperature quilt. I need to make the blocks from the 22 through the 31st. 

✔3. Continue with the clues for Old Town Mystery which is Bonnie Hunter's 2024 mystery.

✔4. Watch for Modern Quilts Studio information release to sign up for the alphabet sew along and the Sweet Tooth mystery. Sign up when it is available!

✔5. Order the fabric for the Sweet Tooth mystery.

✔6. Finish the legend on Rita's Temperature quilt.

Scraps for the alphabet project

✖7. Complete the August bonus lesson and the September embroidery software lessons. I had several starts; but, it is still uncomfortable for me to sit and work on the laptop.

✔8. Order the fabric for the 2025 Temperature quilt.

I didn't meet all of my December goals. Overall, I made progress on projects. I'm really happy to have completed
the RSC project. It was a good month!

Fabric pull for Shell project

I haven't made an annual goal for myself for a number of years. After seeing how little fabric I actually removed from my stash last year, I decided I need to be more proactive with the removal process. At the end of May, I initiated a shopping ban. I wrote about the ban in a post here. I've done okay with following the ban. While I have purchased a few fabrics that I didn't use within 30 days,
they are destined to be used soon in projects. It wasn't as difficult for me to follow as I thought it would be. Of course, there were many times I was tempted to purchase; but, I didn't!!! I will continue following the shopping ban. 

Fabric pull for letters

My two annual goals are:

1. Have a net loss of 100 yards of fabric from my stash.

2. Finish six UFOs

    a. Temperature 2021

    b. Temperature 2022-2023

    c. Martha's House blocks

    d. Positively Grows

    e. Maze top

    f. Butterfly number four

My January goals are:

1. Pick the fabric to set the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks from last year.

2. Prepare the fabric for a Santa tree skirt.

3. Participate in the Alphabet Sew Along through Modern Quilt Studio.

4. Layer and baste the Temperature quilt for 2021.

5. Catch up with the Old Town mystery.

6. Work on the project for the book "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate

7. Make a patriotic star block for the CCQ guild block contest.

8. Attend the Zoom Triangles class with Maria Shell.

9. Finish the blocks for the 2024 Temperature quilt.

10. Get Rita's Temperature quilt into a top.

11. Choose the backing fabric for Rita's Temperature quilt.

12. Continue with the PT for my knee. I have a goal of 120 degrees flexion and 0 degrees extension..

13. Pre wash the Sweet Tooth mystery fabrics.

14. Pre wash the 2025 Temperature quilt fabrics.

15. Make a sample house and tree block.

16. Complete the August bonus lesson and the September embroidery lesson.

No way will I accomplish the entire list; but, I will make progress!! Linking to Cynthia at Oh Scrap and Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts.

2024 Reflection

Happy New Year!

Miss J with her Farm quilt

Today, I'm taking a look back at 2024. I finished eight projects. You can see them on this page. Finishes dearest to my heart were the two quilts that my granddaughters had a hand in making. 

Miss K and her string quilt

I stretched myself taking a couple improv workshops and working with solid fabrics. I embraced Irene Roderick's technique of dancing with the wall and look forward to playing more with this type of piecing. I did finish two improv quilts.

"Play" an improv quilt

I used parts from a past Saturday workshop to make a small project for the book, "The Year of Less," by Cait Flanders. Reading that book empowered me to make a better effort of reducing my stash and reducing my treasures in general! While I didn't make great gains in stash reduction this year, I will make significant gains next year. Since February, I've followed my shopping ban. It hasn't been as painful as I thought it would be!

Lime Sprinkle

I did participate in three mystery quilt alongs--Indigo Way with Bonnie Hunter; Stars Like Spaghetti with Alycia at Quiltygirl.com and Secret Agent with Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle. Indigo Way and Stars Like Spaghetti will be awarded as Quilts of Valor. I was able to use my stash to totally piece the Stars Like Spaghetti top.

Stars Like Spaghetti

I did use a lot of my red and blue scraps for Bonnie's mystery. One blue fabric I had picked up at an estate sale at least 20 years ago. I petted it often; but found I either had too much or too little when I went to use it. While I could have used a little more of it in Bonnie's project, I made it work! 

Indigo Way

Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle delivered such a fun mystery which they titled Secret Agent. I am intrigued with achieving transparency effects which is what drew me into the project. I quilted it with an all over design on my domestic machine. The all over design was a first for me to do on my domestic machine. I also used the leftovers to piece most of the back. It is a two sided quilt!

Transparency

I also participated in making a group quilt from musical themed blocks Clark County Quilters guild members had made. I look forward to sharing that project in this blog sometime after March. I loved working with the other members in the group--there were six that began and five that finished.

Transparency back

2024 was also a repair year for my body. In April, I had my right knee joint replaced. In July, I had cataract surgeries on both eyes. (I love the brightness of the colors now. White still seems iridescent to me!) In October, I had my left knee joint replaced. I'm not as "recovered" as I had envisioned from the knee surgeries so at times, quilting just wasn't comfortable to do! 

The last day of December (yesterday), I had a manipulation procedure to break up the scar tissue in that knee. Breaking up the scar tissue would allow me to improve my range of motion and to lessen the pain I am experiencing. Coming out of the procedure, I had intense pain. Childbirth was four times easier! I also had non stop vomiting which mostly translated to dry heaves for about six hours. This morning, I feel more stable. Let's see how many PT exercises I can accomplish throughout the day. Time will tell if the procedure worked!

Miss A making blueberry muffins

Our London daughter made several trips stateside so we were able to play, squeeze and hold our precious youngest granddaughter in person! All in all it was a good year.

Linking up to Alycia at Finished or Not Friday.