Quilt Diary: New Year’s Resolutions-Self Care

Holidays were full of family, friends, celebrations, and hockey.  As for most of you, there was not a lot of time to sew in the past two weeks.  I am sure no one is surprised.  Just got home tonight from a hockey weekend in Anaheim.  I really thought I would have plenty of time to write my blog and get started on some of my new projects.  (lol – such an optimist). Where to start? 

The natural place will be goals and resolutions.

It has become a trend to have a watchword for the year.  Mine is Self-Care.  What that means to me is doing more things for myself.  As is typical with most of us parents, we have a tendency to do everything for our kids.  Employees are usually all about their employer.  I began this Self Care Campaign a few years ago.  I am still getting used to being “selfish”.  It is definitely a tough transition to change one’s mindset.  I like to think I am getting better.  For instance, this blog was one of those self care moments.  This is about expressing myself and what makes me happy.  Quilting is definitely a self care moment for me as well.  I find a great deal of stress management with quilting as well as artistic expression of my soul.  This year I am adding financial planning for my retirement in the next 3-5 years if not sooner if I can swing it.  What is your 2020 watchword?

Now onto goals (or challenges as I have decided to call them).

Challenges

All People Quilt Resolution 2020

With the pile of tops and partial projects, I jumped at the chance to join in on the #apqresolution.  December 31st found me making my list of twelve projects for 2020 that I would be randomly working on.  I actually put some thought what should be on the list.  Most of the projects are multi years old but not all.   My current WIP list is somewhere around 50 items which is not all inclusive.  I only list series as one project and I am missing projects that I haven’t come across in a while.  Each year, I find another WIP and add to my list.

Anyway, the challenge is a random drawing between numbers 1 and 12 to see what project you will work on for the month.  Nothing says you have to finish it, just work on it.  January is #2 this year which is my 2010 New Year’s Eve quilt.  How funny is that?  I have to finish quilting and binding to have a completed quilt.  In 2019, I added borders and did all the stitch in the ditch. I will update here on the blog and post progress pictures on Instagram throughout the month.

One Monthly Goal with Elm Street Quilts for January

To help with the above goal, I will this year make them in conjunction with a specific progress goal.  January I will finish quilting my NYE quilt.  I will be linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.

One Thing with Amy weekly goal on Instagram

To continue on with the theme of NYE quilt, this week’s goal, starting tomorrow 1/6/2020, will be to quilt two rows on this quilt.

2019 Finishalong Wrapup

Fourth quarter found me missing the linkup and what a demotivator.  I guess I wasn’t the only one so 2020 will have a slightly different format which will come out some time next week.  Here are my finishes for fourth quarter 2019 anyway:

1.  Jack ‘o Lantern Wooly Mug Rugs
2. Caitlin’s Kitchen Table Fall Tablecloth

   

3. Caitlin’s Patio Table Fall Tablecloth
4. Halloween Placemats

   

   

   

   

5. Turkey Wooly Mug Rugs

Not a bad quarter at all when I am looking back at it.  The next post will have the upcoming projects for first quarter 2020.  I have updated my lists.  I will need to decide which ones will be the focus for the quarter.  Let’s move on to actual sewing.

Sewing on the Go

Wooly Mug Rugs (Wool Hand Applique & Embroidery)

I was able to get my last two projects cut and fused the week after Christmas. I am also making a deliberate decision to focus on the Snowmen first.  Here are the current progress picture.

Ruby’s Garden Quilt (English Paper Piecing)

Nice steady progress on this labor of love project.  I finished up block 6/83.  I was able to prep the next two blocks (7 & 8).  I have picked my first random fabric to add to the mix.  A Liberty of London fabric.  Prepped a few hexies with it  Blocks 9 & 10 will incorporate this lovely fabric.

Lost and Found Quilt A Long hosted by Paperpieces.com (English Paper Piecing)

Debated whether to have this here or in the SAL section.  I decided it really should be the hand work section as it is highly unlikely I will be able to keep up with the two per month.  This SAL started this week.  I was able to print out the blog instructions with time to decide on fabric and even cut it before we headed to SoCal for hockey.  This project is using Kaffe Fassett fabric.  Interesting enough, I can’t find the actual instructions on their website.  The link comes only by email. Click here to access the SAL page.  Click on Month One link to see instructions. I wonder if they meant to do that.

To follow on Instagram seach #lostandfoundquilt and/or #paperpiecesprojects  Here are the first two blocks fabric picks:

Farmer’s Wife 1920 Quilt (English Paper Piecing)

Finally finished up Block 36: Flower Garden Path. This weekend found me starting Block 37: Flower Pot.  My goal this month is to finish two blocks (now that I have multiple epp projects going on I don’t want to lose focus on this SAL).  That will be blocks 37 & 38.  On Instagram it is #fw1920eppsal if you want to check out what everyone is doing.  This was originally a Gnome Angel sewalong that she abandoned.  Starting in 2020 she is restarting this but as a Marti Mithell template SAL.  I am NOT participating but some of you out there might like to.  Click here for more details.

Sew-A-Longs and Quilt-A-Longs

#adventscrapalong2019 hosted by Marianne Jefferey

I finished all the blocks.  This quilt has gone on my APQresolution list as #1 this year.  I loved using Basic Grey’s Kringle and Klaus fabric with random yardage to supplement my jelly roll.  Check out blocks 18-25.

#QP2019sewalong hosted by The Quilters Planner

December was supposed to be assembling the quilt top.  Didn’t happen.   I added it to the list of APQresolution list for 2020.

#QP2020sewalong hosted by The Quilters Planner

I’ve purchased my fabrics for this year’s sampler quilt.  I went with the “fresh” colorway.  I look forward to starting this SAL this month.  Next step will be to cut the January block and post between 15th & end of the month.

#SugaridooBerninaQAL hosted by Sugaridoo & Bernina

I was able to finish up month one for the QAL a few days before the next month release.  Here is Row 5:

Cosmos Mystery Quilt hosted by Cotton Cuts

Clue 6 arrived this past week.  It is on the list to sew.

#365blockchallenge hosted by Kathryn Kerr

I am embarassed to say that I have been working on this year challenge for the past two years.  I started it in 2018 and I am only on May 14th.  I added a personal goal for the month of January to squeeze in 10 of these blocks.  We will see if I am over reaching with 10.

Applique Update

A-Door-naments

I made some progress on this series in the past two weeks.  I was able to layer, baste, and turn November – Leaves.  All that is left is top stitching the edge and outlining the leaves for my “quilting”.

Laid out and fused both December (Rudolph) and January (Snowmen) earlier this week.  One night when working black thread, I even machine appliqued all the eyes and mouths on the snowmen.

A Year in Words

I was able to finish fusing Give Thanks.  Need to sew the pieced blocks to the applique block then it will be ready to layer and applique.  Halloween just needs one more color (lime green) after all the black thread love, then it will be ready to layer and free motion quilt.  Meanwhile, I pulled out Winter (skipping Christmas momentarily) and fused the applique block and cut all the blocks for the pieced section.  Progress is being made.  That’s all I could ask.

Blooming Series

December and January are still in the drawer.  October Pumpkins got a little black thread love.  Just have olive green left for the vines and leaves.  That same color is what is needed to free motion quilt both April – Pansies and November – Leaves.  I feel a green day coming soon.

Under the Needle

I spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day working on some miscellaneous projects.  My biggest finish was binding the Halloween placemats on NYE.  I was thrilled to finish this long time project.  They look fantastic.  I am currently setting aside working on the napkins, instead I have been focusing on the Halloween mug rugs and Halloween potholders.  I cut the innards on NY day and finished quilting the potholders.  I love how they are turning out.  Just need to bind the potholders.

While I was cutting potholder innards, I whipped out the blue and black pinwheel potholders and the Ohio Star sunflower and black potholders.  They are basted and ready to be sewn.

Wrapping up this addition with…

I wanted to leave you with a photo of my grandpuppy on Christmas Day as he was getting his stocking stuffers.  Speaking of stocking, anyone have a good stocking pattern?  I would love to do personalized stockings for 2020 Christmas.  If you made it this far, thank you for sticking with it.  Blogs seem to get longer with the distance between posts.  I need to get back to either weekly or twice weekly posts so they are shorter.  Hope all of you enjoyed the holidays and look forward to hearing from you.

Happy New Year!

Peggy Stockwell