…and just like that, 2018 is over and we’re into 2019.
I hope 2019 is a good year for me and ALL OF YOU!!!
You all know I’ve been busy working my way through my ENTIRE sewing room. As I’ve been doing that I’ve come up with a few sewing goals/plans for the new year. I thought I’d share them with you….
1-Make a baby quilt for Kalissa’s baby. She wants one like Carver’s. His was this….
I am super excited to making another one. It’s been a bit since I played with shirts and a bit since I played with crumbs. I have a bit of a tutorial on how to make this on the blog. You can find it here. This is my VERY next project so if you want to sew along with me…feel free. Once I get this all pulled out it shouldn’t take a crazy amount of time.
2-Immediately after or while I’m working on Kalissa’s baby’s quilt, I need to get going on a baby quilt for Kelli’s baby. This one will likely be a conglomeration of Lori Holt things. I like the farm blocks she’s done.
I have several of her books…(haven’t made a thing from them). I think I’ll be making the animal blocks and then will wait until the baby is born to actually put them all together. Kelli isn’t finding out if it’s a boy or girl. Either way it will be a farm quilt but I might border or work in more blues if it’s a boy..or pinks if it’s a girl. The quilt isn’t a surprise for Kelli so we’ll like chat about and see.
This project is “out of my box”. I’ve told you all that I don’t like blocks of the month or tedious projects…this one will likely be a lot like that, but it’s entirely different if it’s for a new grandbaby. I can do most anything for a grandbaby.
3-Speaking of BOM’s. UGH. I have to finish both of the two that are here. Slowly they are coming along and I’m getting to the point I just need to DO IT and they’ll be done. I’ve hated these and don’t want them taking up space here.
4-I have the goal to try to get caught up on my machine quilting. Along with my cleaning and reorganizing the sewing room, I have a goal to get on task and current with my projects. Getting caught up on the machine quilting is part of that. Who knows if it will happen…I do know I am conscious of it and want to make a change. I want to feel a little more guilt free when I sew.
Here are my quilts that need machine quilting. I think there are about eight there. If I really push I do think I could get caught up..I just need to find the energy to push through it all.
More than getting caught up, I don’t want to have any MORE added to the unfinished stack in 2019 so as I finish sewing a quilt top, I either have to machine quilt that one OR do one in the pile.
5-I want to start the black and white striped recycled shirt quilt that I’ve been collecting shirts for. The quilt is in this book…(catch the blog post here if you missed it)
This is the quilt….
I have enough shirts now. I finally got through all my shirts so I can confirm that there are enough to get going on this. The quilt, as shown, is throw sized so I’ll have some calculations to work on before I get too deep into the quilt.
6-This just might be the year or the shirt quilts. Now that I got my shirt fabric all organized I’m feeling more inspired to use the fabric. I don’t have to dig to find what I want. It’s all right at my fingertips. One of the first quilts I want to make Bonnie Hunter’s Oregon or Bust quilt. I want mine in blues and oranges….just like the one belowThis is Mary’s from Country Threads.
I love the orange and blue. I need a couple more orange shirts yet. As I was organizing shirts I pulled a bunch and put them in a bag so they are ready to grab and use should I ever get the time. I’ve assessed and have this quilt on my brain!!
7-I want to completely finish Bonnie Hunter’s Mystery quilt right away–my Hunter’s Star quilt too. I want these done and out of the sewing room. I like them so far…I just am trying to finish more projects as I go. I’m okay with UFOs but I’m learning I like things a little less chaotic!
8-I need to finish up the Double Wedding Ring quilt. Tutorial pages for that here.
It shouldn’t take long if I would only concentrate on it.
9-Keep at the sewing room and don’t let it get out of hand!!
10-Stay on my fabric diet. As before thrifted or auction fabric is all “legal”.
That’s all I’m putting on a list at this point. I don’t want to get a to-do list and then not enjoy the process. Happily, except for the BOM quilts, I’m super excited to make or complete all the quilts I’ve talked about.
Where are you sitting with the new year? Do you have a few things on your quilting list? Share. I’d love to hear about it.
I’m looking forward to a new year!! New and fun quilts are just beyond the horizon.
On a side note:Â This came up in my Facebook feed.
The first three words that I saw were LOVE, YOUTH and HEALTH.
Hmmm.
Love-yep I predict lots of that
Youth-well I’m surrounded by kids all day
Health-hmmm. Does that mean good health or health problems. I guess I’ll tell you more a year from now!
I hope 2019 is awesome for you. Thanks for hanging out here with me.
Your list for 2019 has me starting my own. I am reading “Decluttering at the Speed of Life” and I would like to use many of the ideas in the book to clean my sewing space and make it more usable … and that starts today. I have four quilts in the binding pIle – I would like to finish. Finally, I would love to make my first shirt quilt … and I believe it will be Bonnie Hunter’s “Jaxon’s Nine Patch”. Have a wonderful 2019 and good luck on your goals!
You need to be careful with quilting with your shoulder. Perhaps it’s time to think about selling your long arm and start having all your flimsies be quilted by Carla. I’m sure someone would be thrilled to be able to purchased a good working used long arm. This would free up space in your sewing room and give you more time for the sewing you enjoy. Have a wonderful New Year, blessings to you and your family.
I’m still in the process of finishing my list. First and foremost a good Bible study. Then, I want to get into my stash and actually start using it but first I have to cut it up into usable pieces – I’ve been collecting all year for quilts and now I need to use them! LOL!
And I forgot to say have a Happy and Blessed New Year to you and your family!
Beauty is on the second line and that can be for all the wonderful quilts to come! Happy New Year.
First three words I saw were: Popularity, Honesty and Friends! Sounds good to me.
I’ve just cleaned out my sewing room and determined that I need to make up three lots of Sunshine Guild Lotto blocks into quilts, probably three. Then I have parcels of various blocks I’ve done over the last couple of years which need working at. I also want to make sailing ships blocks for the RSC monthly quilting project. Could continue working on some of the packs of RSCs mentioned above, making more by following the colour of the month.
What a list! I am amazed at all you do.
For your farm baby quilt you might consider some blocks from Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day “Fun on the Farm” BOM. She gives a free block pattern each month and also sells kits. Check out the cute cow here:
https://www.quiltinaday.com/shoponline/freepattern/219406
Wishing you all a healthy Happy New Year!
I have a list as well. Just in my head. I have a languishing UFO BOM, Ripples and Reflections! It will be done this year! Or bust.
Jo, I know it’s expensive, but you may want to consider computerizing your longarm.. or buying a new set-up. If you look at the expense over several years, it feels more manageable. I love sitting and sewing while the machine is handling the quilting for me. (Mine was less than $10,000 for the whole thing — longarm, computer, 12′ frame– used of course.) Also, I see your three words as that you’re going to love (love) your healthy (health) new grandbabies (youth). Keep up the great work! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Jo! You accomplish so much already, I’m sure you will have success with your goals. Speaking of baby quilts, I think I have some fun fabric you might like. Talk later…Hugs!
Happy New year to you and your family. I hope it’s a year full of family, fun, good health, and good food …I am also tackling reorganization of my sewing room. That’s going to take a LOT of time and I think I’ll start it tomorrow morning
I saw love, youth, and time. Interesting…. I don’t have as much quilting ufos as I’m fairly new to quilts. But, I have fabric in my dresser that should be enough for about 5 quilts. Then, my youngest bought me Every Last Piece by fellow Michigander Lynn Harris! So whatever scraps I generate will be combined with what I have already to make some of her lovely quilts. My goal then is rather simple. Use the fabric I have. Don’t buy any more. Use up scraps. All the while finishing up my yarn ufos. I have vowed to not buy any yarn or fabric unless I need it for a specific project. I don’t want to hoard anything. I simply don’t have room and hoarding stresses me out lol
You have inspired me to try getting a handle on my stash & sewing room! I have to sew in my dinning room because I cannot even get into my sewing room. I have quite a few tops that just need to get quilted (I do not do my own!), so would really like to whittle them down. I am only doing one BOM this year, so hopefully will be working on a couple quilts that I have “in process” that got pushed aside to make room for all the BOM I’ve done in the past. I too love Lori Holt’s books, but have not used them very much. I have made several of her Christmas Blocks, but have done nothing with them yet. So, altho mine is not on paper, I have a sort of plan for 2019. Here’s hoping I can follow through and handle it! Thanks for putting this bee in my bonnet!!!
Jo, your #3 jumped right out at me. Seems like I remember you being gifted with UFOs that you’ve passed along for charity and other quilters finished them and even added their own touches. Why don’t you pass along YOUR UFOs that you hate? It WON’T be a black mark in your “permanent record” that you didn’t finish those quilts, but it will free up time for the projects that bring you joy to work on.
Love, success, experience. Those are the words I saw. Happy New Year, Jo! I always have some kind of list going. Yours looks achievable for a whole Year. Hit those BOM quilts hard and you will love your year! The Lori Holt blocks are fun once you get rolling. I did some where I worked and then came home and made my own. I have long had a long arm and quilt for others. I keep trying to cut back but I think that unless I simply stop taking customer quilts, they will keep coming. Sooo I have a stack of my quilt tops too. If you get decide to sell, let me know. My used long arm and I have worked together for more than twenty years!
The Farm Girl Vintage blocks are fun! I know you like little pieces, but I’d start with the 12 inch blocks. The big barns are better than the 12 inch one IMO. And I’d do a house from one of her other books – the farmhouse one in FGV is very fiddly. Let me know if I can help with any of it.