best of 2023 blog posts

Happy New year - I am looking foward to corned beef and cabbage and hopefully a little quilting

 The most viewed blog posts for 2023 were finished quilts. I finished 28 UFOs this year, and, I have a page at the top of the blog listing them.

The top post views for the year is scrapbox chevron in first place

It was followed by my uneven nine patch. I used the leftovers from my circa 1880 quilt, that was part of a swap with quilty friends.

Sea swept was the next on the list.

Also very popular is my page at the top of the blog of my collection of quiltville mystery quilts. I have done 21 of the quiltville mysteries. And, then, I decided to stop and finish more UFOs.

I finished fair and square this year

I am linking:

design wall monday 

oh scrap

sew and tell

monday musings

meadow mist best of 2023

One monthly goal

I can't believe it is February already. We have been ill at our house for a spell. I am not feeling very perky. So, As I choose my one monthly goal, I need to keep it easy and still moves my quilting ahead. I decided I would add my rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy for 2020 to the finished pile. I used this pattern row x row . I  started in Jan 2020 with the color of the month. I had the top ready to quilt november 2020. But I have a backlog of quilts that need quilting. My goal for February is to completely finish it.

I did count and decide what I wanted to do with my psp blocks. I have 67 which would be fine for a 7 x 9 layout, but, I am putting them  aside. They are officially a UFO, now

The new color for February scrap challenge is aqua/ teal.  Time to start cutting the scraps in those colors for my projects..... if I get a spurt of energy.

wednesday wait loss

I am linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

Whoop Whoop

creations

peacock party

from bolt to beauty

put your foot down

oh scrap sunday

One monthly goal

May goals

It is a new month ( finally). Time to focus on 3 UFos for the month of May. I want to make a top of the unicorn quilt I started 2 years ago for my Granddaughter. I am winging it for the pattern. I have a unicorn panel and I want to make it bigger.

I think I made birch trees last year as part of the rainbow scrap challenge, and it is ready to quilt.

I have another quilt in the "to be quilted" pile that I want to quilt this month. It was a block of the month with a quilt shop called stars and stripes.
I am working on the unity mystery quilt and the old world mystery quilt, too. And with the new month, there should be a new color for the rainbow scrap challenge.

I'm linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

Whoop Whoop

peacock party
oh scrap
from bolt to beauty
UFO busting
one monthly goal
phd 2020

to do tuesday

Last week's to do
1. start quilted twins mystery
This was an adventure- In all this house of fabric, I couldn't find enough brown or gold for the constants in this mystery quilt. I started looking online for any suitable fabric. I didn't see any that thrilled me. I wasn't going to risk going out. Then, Joann fabric sent a coupon for curbside pick up. hmm. It took 2 attempts, but I found what I wanted. I was very frustrated in the end, but I have the fabric. That is as far as I got.

2. start quiltville mystery - unity - nope
3. sort and stash scraps from the living room - I sorted and I stashed this batch of scraps for another day. I don't know how it migrates all over the house. But, the living room is not it's home..... yet. - done

4. choose monthly goal for April - I want to quilt 2 quilts in the large pile of finished tops. - done
5. sew April rainbow scrap challenge. I have country roads, and wonky houses and stars started - done

next week's to do:

1. sew rows of improv into a top

2. april rsc shine, wonky stars
3. quilt sparkle punch
4. cut quilted twins mystery

I am linking to:

to do tuesday

chameleon color linky
PHD 2020
favorite finish

One monthly goal finish

January is almost over and time to take stock of my goals for one monthly goal at elm street quilts.

 So my first goal for January is to really open, and read, and plan on making this quilt.( editya Sitar flower boxes). I may have to learn a new technique and organize a little differently.
I did open and read the instructions and I took all the fabric and ironed it. I didn't go any further with it.

 I have ordered the backing, and as soon as I can, I want to finish Bonnie Hunter's sister's nine patch from one of her earlier books.
I finished this huge quilt, and even, showed it at guild last night. It is 94 x 94 and has 1740 pieces and used 20 3/4 yards of fabric and scraps. I made all the 9 patches in 2013. I free motioned baptist fans, and, put the binding on by machine. It has a red on red print on the back.

It can be found in Bonnie Hunter's book  adventures with leaders and enders.
There are 12 quilts in that book, and I have finished 2, and have 2 in ufo.

I hope to have all the blocks sewn for Bonnie Hunter's sand castle quilt, and keep current with the clues for frolic mystery.
I have all the blocks done for sand castles, and have started webbing the top. I have all the clues done for frolic except the reveal clue, despite the confusing instructions.

Time to think about a new month and see what I can get done.

I am linking:

midweek makers -

boms away 

Oh scrap

One monthly goal

phd from quilting gail

sand castles

I have really been encouraged by the comments from my post yesterday. How lovely to know that there are others like me, loving scraps and fabric. Thank you so much. Now, I need to figure out a way to get it stored better, and keep it off the floor, because, I am getting clumsy enough, I could break myself. tee hee.
I have developed a system for sewing the sand castles blocks together, that I am surprised when I have one done so quickly. Here is the last batch.

sand castles is a Bonnie hunter pattern in the book string frenzy, I started it here and here and here.

Last week's To do Tuesday
1. cut new spikey pieces to go with what I have already cut. I have been sewing these as leaders and enders for sand castles quilt. I cut a bunch of them awhile ago to use a new block loc template, but, now that I am making them, I see I need more light outsides. Did not get done and I have had to get creative with the leader enders.
2. cut small shirt pieces into useable sizes. Did not get done, I was busy cutting frolic
3. Christmas hooray - it was nice but too quiet
4. Quilt one of my quilts - I didn't like any of my options for the back, so I ordered one and it hasn't come.

So I was great at making the list, but my follow through needs a little adjustment.

To do Tuesday
1. finish cutting frolic
2. sew frolic clue 4
3. quilt one of my quilts
4. start January one monthly goals

I am linking to:
to do tuesday

chameleon color linky
oh scrap

2020 quilt goals

I have been thinking and thinking about next year's goals. I have spent at least two years working on ufos and I have finished more than I thought I could. But, I am wishing to do something new. I've noticed I went crazy with new, so we will see. I was trying for a top 10 for the year, and next thing I knew, I had 20. I am going to leave it that way, and see how I do. It is 2020 after all.

1. editya sitar baskets - new -I bought this in Utah after my daughter - in - law's passing.

2. double wedding ring - ufo - I think I have one maybe two more seams to do.

3. houses from swap - ufo
4. jamestown landing - ufo
5. circa 1880 - ufo
6. stella cyranna - ufo
7. portage lake - new
8. blue ridge beauty - ufo
9. 1/2 square x mas tree 2012 - ufo
10. hanging lanterns - new
11. just for fun - new
12. black sheep - new but last year's goal
13. gobble gobble - new
14. swinging checkerboard - new
15. scrappy sandwiches - new
16. fairy tale - new
17. ode to joey - ufo
18. big sky bear - new
19. impressionist - new
20. norwegian snowflakes - new
21. show off - new
22. radio waves- new

8 out of 22 are ufo

Yes, I have added two more. sigh....
I want to do more charity quilts this year and I have two new rainbow quilts, and two, that I need to do again this year.
I had 16 finishes last year and all but 3 were ufos.
341.50 yards used.
I need to severely limit fabric and scraps coming into my house. But, I don't want to do that. sigh... I can't think of a goal that I think I will keep. I have thought about saying no more scraps, but I like them more than fabric. Fabric is so expensive... but, there are some great deals that are hard to resist. How do you manage your purchasing. I have enough fabric to make quilts until I am 200. I plan to give away fabric, until I start sorting, and once I touch it, I am smitten. sigh...

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

planning party 2020

PHD

garden party

I have a corner of garden party together. I am very thrilled with how it looks. That is why I am a scrappy quilter. I love how a quilt with disparate fabrics can look like they were meant to be together. If I wax philosophical, that is how great human relationships are created. Enough, deep thinking, scrappy quilts are just fun.  I started sewing this quilt 6 months ago, and I have made great progress.

I have already been thinking about 2020 and what I want to accomplish. Thankfully, this year has been about a great fabric upheaval, and sorting, and a bit of organization. I hope next year will be about settling into the new storage, and finding what I want to make. Especially if the fabric part of quilting is easily accessible.
I start rehab for my back today, and that could be the end of my energy for a time.
I am happy with my finishes totals for the last years and I want to continue.
I really like the rainbow scrap challenge, but I am not sure what I want to make with that, yet.
 I have a new rug hooking project gifted by someone who isn't in love with the project anymore. I am still working on the snowmen rug, so I won't start it right away.

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

Main crush Monday

Oh scrap

finish along goals

I finished 4 quilts for the 2019 finish along in the second quarter. I have plenty of goals leftover for the third quarter.  I will be having back surgery in the next week, so I don't know how much that will effect my sewing and blogging or for how long.
I am working on the binding for allietare, and, I have sugar mountain ready to put on the long arm.

I have a few more garden party blocks, and

another batch of 50 -4 patches for sand castles.

My list for the 3rd quarter:
1.wiggle time
2. allietare
4. sweet land of liberty
5. unicorn
6. good fortune
7. crazy 6
8. countryside cottage
9. sugar mountain
10. jelly mystery
11. melba applique
12.on ringo lake
13. scrappy twirl
14. soul searching

I am linking to:

creative compulsions

needle and thread Thursdays

TGIFF

Finished or Not Fridays   

Whoop Whoop

peacock party

offwall friday

Oh Scrap

beauty pageant

boms away 
finish a long