Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all!  

At the beginning of the year I always like to take a look back at my year in quilts.  It gives me a sense of accomplishment when I am also looking at my UFO list! LOL 

Now this is not a complete list of everything I worked on this year, but they are some of my favorites.  When I take the time to look back I realize that I did get a lot of quilting accomplished in 2016!

My final finish for 2016 was this mini Christmas table runner or candle mat.   I enjoyed doing the big stitch quilting on it and happy to take it off my APQ UFO Challenge 2016 list.

Do you remember this list posted last January?  This was my UFO list from the All People Quilt UFO Challenge.  As you can see I got quite a few done on this list.  It was helpful to write it down..great for commitment, and to have it hanging in my studio all year as a reminder.
Some of these finishes are in the photo collage above. YAY!

Some of the unfinished projects from the 2016 list have made it onto the 2017, and that's okay.  Here is my completed APQ UFO Challenge 2017 list.  You can join the party by clicking here.
Gracie is going to be keeping count and watching to see that I stick to the list!  I think she is saying, "Com'on Mom, I know you can do it!", or she is saying, "Seriously, all this in 2017??"
Either way, it will be fun!

 
I hope you enjoy this first day of the new year.  Good health and happiness for everyone in 2017.  Thank you so much to my blog friends and followers for all your support, kind words, and following along on my quilting journey!

Happy Stitching!

Deb

How Can it Be April Already?

I am not sure where the rest of March went since my last post... Eek!  A lot has been going on...  I guess I need to give you an update!  Work has been busy.. .but I suppose no one wants to hear about that! LOL

Let me start off with my March finish for the APQ UFO Challenge 2016 and the OMG (One Monthly Goal) link up.  I was able to get my Audrey's Flowers quilt totally pieced together.  Ta-Da!!!

I really struggled on what fabric to use for the setting triangles and the border.  I had originally purchased this fabric from one of my LQSs.  The ladies there were very helpful.  I liked it, but something about it bothered me.  I finally realized that the tan fabric looked too formal for my style of flowers and the border was too 'solid'.

I finally decided on these two fabrics... pulled from my stash.  The tan is much more primitive, like my flowers and the border has that same tan in the small flower.  Done!  This choice felt so much better!

I also never shared the awesome time or all the wonderful quilts that Dawn and I saw at the AQS show in Lancaster two week ago... where does the time go?

Or some of the great fabrics I picked up for the vendors there!
The show was great and it is always a treat to connect with quilting buddy!

It looks like Dawn is already looking forward to next year's show - I know I am!

Another finish for March!  I finished the wool Colorful Daisies candle mat just in time for Easter!

I totally forgot that the linkup for the OMG challenge closes BEFORE the end of the month.. so I need to get better at that!  My project for April is Stars in a Time Warp.  I am eager to get these blocks sewn together!

Happy April!

Happy Stitching!

Deb

My March UFO Challenge

This is my March UFO project for OMG (yes, I have joined the One Monthly Goal 2016 Link up over at Red Letter Quilts) and the APQ 2016 UFO Challenge.  This is called Audrey's Flowers, named after the quilt that Audrey of Quilty Folk made called Happy Flowers.

My quilt is a little different with four flower blocks joined together as seen above...

And a circle appliqued in the middle.  Shhh... this design element helps to hide any mis-matched stems...

 and reduces the bulk in the center of the block.

This is an earlier photo.  I now have all the blocks completed and just have to sew them together, along with some setting triangles... and a border. 

So I am looking forward to working on this quilt this month.  It just feels like Spring with all those flowers!

I started this quilt toward the end of 2014.  You can see the original post here.

I am linking up at OMG - One Monthly Goal 2016 Link up.  I am very excited to head over there to see all the other March projects that other quilters are working on!!  I know some of my blogland friends are linking up as well.   You should stop by too!

Happy Stitching!

Deb

APQ UFO Challenge - February Finish: Not what I had planned

If you remember back to my post Jan/Feb I told you that my project for February was to machine quilt my Bachelor Buttons quilt.  

You remember this, right?  Welllll... it did't happen.  I just couldn't get the motivation to work on it.. and I knew if I forced it, it could be a disaster.  You know how us creative types are when we are forced to work on something we don't want to do.... results are not usually good.  

So instead I just chose a different project from my challenge list.   That works, right?  Progress is progress in my mind. Besides, I really want to get the binding on this quilt. 

I squared up the quilt and cut out the binding. 

I chose this pink print from the Papillon collection by 3 Sisters.  Other prints from the collection are in borders.  Love the little butterflies!

In no time I was at the sewing machine sewing on this binding.  It went on in a jiffy. 

Soon I was done and ready to get started on hand stitching that binding down.

Today I will be doing some Slow Sunday Stitching, linking up at Kathy's Quilts.  Stop over to see all the Sunday stitching going on.  She as a great project she is working on!  Love the red work. 

I even started pinning down the binding on the Liberated Logs quilt this morning. I am going to try to stitch down this one on the sewing machine.  We'll see how it goes. 

Lucy decided I needed some help with stitching the binding... or maybe she was just photo bombing my quilt! 

One last note.  I stopped by Jo-Ann Fabrics yesterday and picked up this great little folding Ottlite.  I am finding I am having more trouble seeing, especially stitching at night.  The compact (and pink!) light originally sells for $89.99 and it was on sale for $19.99.  I great buy and no, I don't get any compensation from Jo-Anns!  I think the sale is on until March 2. 

Happy Stitching!

Deb

Have You Heard About the APQ UFO Challenge?

I rarely make New Year resolutions...but this year I decided (deciding is not truly a resolution, right?) not to participate in any challenges.  I was giving myself the year off from anything that was going to keep me to a specific schedule of quilting 'To Dos".  After all, I had plenty of current projects to keep me busy for a full year without jumping into any new challenges......  Famous last words, right?

My girlfriend Dawn told me about the All People Quilt UFO Challenge 2016.  She had joined and suggested maybe I wanted to join her.  Now, I had just gotten a number of UFOs out of my studio and I was feeling... well, a little self-righteous.  I have never had this few UFOs sitting around waiting to be quilts.  I told  her I really didn't have many UFOs (hmmm), but checked out the challenge anyway.  

My completed UFO challenge list.

You can check out the details here, but what I like about this is there is less pressure to FINISH something each month and more focus on just committing to WORKING on one of your UFOs on the list.  That certainly is less daunting and will help put at least a few stitches on some projects. 

My stack of projects to work on in 2016

On the first of each month, APQ will draw a number, 1 - 12.  That number will correspond with the number project you work on that month.  At the end of the month, fill in your progress and you can post pictures for everyone to see using the hashtag #APQResolution.  Easy Peasey!

So as you can see above, I have taken the plunge.  Most of the projects (in part or full) are pictured above. Some you may know, some you may not. Some are small projects, others are much larger.  Some are just needing the final touches before completion - maybe just a binding, and others are not even started. :-)

Would you like to join me?  Grab a cup of coffee and let's get stitching!

Today I will be working on the binding on the green baskets quilt. Linking up at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Stop back often to see my progress.  I will post on this at least once a month!  Or you can follow me on Instagram at quiltingartist.

Let me know if you are joining and I will follow your progress too!

Happy Stitching!

Deb