Get It Done - January's Review / February's Goals

Let's see how I did with January's goals.....

January's 4 goals were:

1)

To make a donation quilt top  out of these 25 9 patch blocks. It will be something easy like just adding sashing. I made these blocks from left over bits from a quilt I made my niece when she got married almost 6.5 years ago.  This might go to Ronald's House for a teen.

Finished this one. I actually had 28 of these 9 patches. I was able to make three quilt tops. Easy and simple and get it done was the goal for these blocks. Margaret's Hope Chest is requesting quilts that are 36 x 50. I was able to make two quilt tops that measure 38 x 50, each top used 12 blocks. The third quilt top is a baby one that is going to Ronald's House, it measures 39x39.

2)

To sew down the rick rack on all these blocks - around 35-40 of them. I did sew them down the center, then decided that I had better sew them down along each side as I didn't want it to curl up when washed. This quit has been waiting for 5+ years. I saw the quilt at a county fair and loved it so much that I searched all over for  the fabric so I could make one. Not sure if I still like it, but I hope to finish it this year. Not sure where it will end up. Maybe I will fall in love with it again.

Got the rick rack sewed down on all 37 blocks!

3)

Sew two rows on my scrappy apple core quilt, I only have two rows sewn together so far. I have all the pieces cut out. I have made a few lap size donation apple core quilts in the past and my mother asked if I would make one for her bed. Maybe this will be finished in time for Christmas.

YES! Got this one done!

4)

I was in a swap a few years back and never did anything with the blocks. I am going to put them together with sashing and call it finished. I think there are either 25 or 30 blocks. This quilt will be a donation.

I  think I feel more comfortable only having three items on my list, but I will try for the 4 as Judy suggested for the first month and see how it goes.

Just couldn't get interested in doing this one. I will put it back in the drawer and maybe later in the year I will get to it.

February Goals:

1.  Sew two more rows on my apple core quilt. There are 22 apple cores in each row. Only 18 more rows to go.

2.  Quilt and bind these three tops

3. Do something with this basket, this bag and this box of scraps. A lot of these scraps are left over pieces from backings.

I will probably cut them into charms, 2.5 inch strips and squares, and add some to my collection of strings. There might be a few pieces that might be fat eighths and I will fold those and put them with my fat quarters. I am thinking 6 hours will take care of this mess.

4. I will spend 4 hours and  make some blocks for Alycia's Block Drive 

I think I will be able to get these goals finished by March.

You can read about some goals other quilter's have set at Judy's blog......

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January 27, 2013 Stash Report

These past 12 months we have lost too many family members - 

Feb. - we lost our 5 year old Irish Wolfhound, Riley, she just didn't wake up one morning

April  - we lost my BIL, Max, to cancer

June -   we lost my sister, Margaret, to cancer, she fought so hard
July - we lost our cat, Harry, to kidney failure, we only had him for 3 weeks. We inherited him from my sister, she didn't realize that he was sick as she was fighting for her own life

August - we lost our 8 year old Irish Wolfhound, Dixie, to cancer
Jan 2013  - we lost our  14 year old Welsh Terrier, Paddy, to cancer
My favorite cousin, Ray, is losing his battle with cancer - we are just waiting for the phone call.....

Sometimes life just sucks......

I cry every time the Iams (dog food) commercial comes on that features Rocky (he is an Irish Wolfhound) and his mom. Irish Wolfhounds are giant lap dogs, so loving and gentle, but no doubt about it, they would protect you 'til their last breath. Very loyal companions. Rocky looks just like our Riley. Did you know that Irish Wolfhounds have hair, not fur. These are the perfect dogs for those who have allergies, they are hypoallergenic. My DIL and two grandgirls are highly allergic to all dogs and cat, but had no problems when around our Wolfhounds.

See the commercial on you tube  



I made this QOV and it is going to Alycia.

The pattern is by Carrie Nelson - "Blue Skies". This one was fun to make. It is about 65x81.  It would also make a fun kids quilt. I ran out of the background fabric (beige with tiny red stars) so I decided to carry the cornerstones out to the edge of the quilt. I really like this quilt. The binding is a red, white and blue stripe.


I have been successful on  goal #1 so far this year. I wasn't even tempted to drive by the quilt shop to see their new window display!

Used since last post - 9.92

Used YTD - 40.28

Bought last year came this year - 41 - should have counted this in last years totals

Bought this year - 0

Bought YTD - 41

Used YTD -  0.72 in the red -   another  week I should be in the black again....

Quilts finished in 2013 - 5

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

2) Make 12 QOV
1 - 

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House

1 - 2

4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

6) Learn to paper piece

Other finished quilts

1- 2

January 20, 2013 Stash Report

How do you decide what quilt to work on or start? I wake up each morning thinking something like "today I want to make an I Spy quilt". Then I look for a pattern and get started. Some days I decide that I want to use a certain fabric, pattern, make a QOV, work on a older quilt, etc...

This day I decided I wanted to make an I Spy quilt from a pattern I have never used before. I found "Fine Print" by Crazy Old Ladies (2009) and decided it was the perfect union.

The pattern called for 16 rows of various sizes of squares, I ran out of different fabrics so my quilt is only 15 rows. I like how the prints go from small to large. It took me longer to cut out the fabrics than to piece the top. It finished at 48x64 before washing. This quilt will be going to Ronald's House. The binding is black with multi colored dots. I didn't use any picture twice, had fabrics I was able to cut numerous pictures from, like 4 different dogs from the same fabric.

This next quilt came about when I woke up thinking I wanted to make a quilt using this blue fabric. This quilt's pattern is called Peppermint Sticks. It is from the book "Spring Cleaning" by Atkinson Designs.

The blue fabric actually has little pink flowers on it.  Great pattern to use up a lot of bits of fabric. Measured 52x66 before washing. It is going to Sarah's Church's Ministry. The binding is pink and white stripes. The blue was left over from a backing. I had some bits of pinks and cut up some fat quarters for the rest.

I kinda want to join the quilt a long at Open Gate Quilts. I have the fabric picked out and I even picked the fabrics for the first blocks. I want to make it to fit our bed so I will need 49 blocks - four of each pattern + one. I guess I am trying to talk myself out of making the quilt, must be working as I haven't made any blocks yet.

I tossed all the ads from Joann's, the catalogs from Keepsake Quilting, Hancock's and Connecting Thread into the trash without even looking at them - doing good with that goal - still have 49 weeks to go - hope to keep it up.

Used since last post - 12.88
Used YTD - 30.36

Bought last year came this year - 41 - should have counted this in last years totals
Bought this year - 0
Bought YTD - 41

Used YTD -  10.64 in the red -   another couple of weeks I should be in the black again....

Quilts finished in 2013 - 4

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

2) Make 12 QOV

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House
1 - 2
4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

6) Learn to paper piece

Other finished quilts
1- 2

What's Cooking - Curried Shrimp with Spinach

I am not crazy about shrimp but Bill loves this dish and so I make it once a month. Maybe Judy would be able to substitute crawfish for the shrimp!



Curried Shrimp with Spinach

Ingredients -
2 lb shrimp - peeled and deveined
2 T coconut oil
1 onion chopped
2 t curry powder
2 t tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups spinach - chopped and tightly packed - I use fresh, I think frozen would also work , squish out all the juice first
sea salt sand pepper to taste

1) cook onion is oil for 4 minutes - add salt and pepper to taste

2) add curry powder and cook for one minute

3) place onion/curry powder in blender, add tomato paste, chicken stock and milk and blend until smooth

4) pour mixture into a large pot and bring to a simmer

5) add shrimp and spinach and cook for about 5 minutes, until shrimp are just cooked - cooking longer will make the shrimp rubbery

6) serve over rice

1/13/13 Stash Report

41 yards of fabric bought before Jan.1st. Most are backings for QOVs. Love how the fabric comes packaged from the Fat Quarter Shop.

Used since last post - 17.48
bought last year came this year - 41 
Used YTD - 23.52 - in the hole - ugh 
Quilts finished in 2013 - 2

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

2) Make 12 QOV

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House
1
4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

6) Learn to paper piece

Other finished quilts
1

What's Cooking - Carrot Banana Muffins -

This recipe is one of our family's favorite - great-grandma to grandkids love them. Found the recipe online a few years back and can't remember where. Had a hard time getting a good picture.

Carrot Banana Muffins

ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
2 t baking soda
1t sea salt
1 T cinnamon
1 cup chopped dates
3 ripe bananas
3 eggs
1 t apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

put eggs, bananas, vinegar and oil into bowl and mix until well blended

add flour, soda, salt and cinnamon and mix some more

mix in dates, carrots and walnuts

I use a large scoop and silicone cupcake pans ( no need for liners or spray)

Bake for about 25 minutes - we like them well done so we bake them for 35 minutes

They will still be really moist so after waiting about 10 minutes before removing them from the pans we turn them upside down to help them dry out a bit more. They are pretty dense and don't rise very much.

Makes 10-12 muffins

We usually make a double batch and freeze some.

Stash Report 1/6/12

I got the pattern for this quilt from http://zanyquilter.blogspot.com/p/patterns-for-sale.html and started it two weeks ago.

It uses 1 layer cake, 2 charm packs and 1 jelly roll. Simple to put together.  This one is going to Sarah's Ministry. It looks really good on our lawn

This next quilt will be going to Ronald's House. 

I had some I Spy blocks, framed them in pastel colors and then added the black polka dot sashing and border. 


Used since last post - 17.48
Used YTD - 17.48
Quilts finished in 2013 - 2

Visit Judy's blog to see what other quilters are up to......

Goals for 2013

1) I am planning on staying out of quilt shops - there is not one thing I need. No patterns, no thread, no batting, no fabric, no rotary blades, no rulers, no gadgets, nothing. If I don't have it then I do not need it. There isn't any reason for me to visit a shop in town or online. I guesstimated how much fabric I have and I will never come close to using it all. The folks who get my quilts don't know if the fabric is brand new or 6 years old, they only know that someone out there in the world cares enough about them to make them a quilt. I will be unsubscribing to all emails from quilt stores, if I don't see it I won't be tempted.

2) Make 12 QOV

3) Make 12 quilts for Ronald's House
1
4) Finish 5 quilts that I have already started

5) Make 5 quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest

6) Learn to paper piece

Other finished quilts
1