Categories
goals quilting scraps sewing

Hexie Quilt

I haven’t worked on my hexagon quilt since last fall when we were at the cabin. I love to do handwork while we are relaxing in front of the fire.

I need to add some border pieces to get the part I have been working on ready for more…

The canoe was the best background I could find!
Joining piece…I love minions!
One Hexie star in the row…

Once I add 16 more joining pieces…and that should take awhile…I plan on adding a piece using this pattern made from my own fabrics:

I love this pattern from Pinterest! My fabric will probably be even brighter…with a black background to make it pop even more!

Well…Time to go! Lots to do!

What hand work have you been doing lately?

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
goals quilting scraps weather

Quilting Life 2023 Mystery BOM

I told you a couple of weeks ago that I would share my participation progress in some sew alongs. To find this block of the month, google “Quilting Life 2023” or click here. This block of the month is run by Sherri McConnell.

Blocks for this year are available in 12 inch and 6 inch. So far, the pattern is on one page (for those of us who like a paper pattern to look at). Video tutorials are also available on YouTube.

The pattern is available on the first Monday of every month. Please check the website for availability after the fact.

I am making both size blocks.

Progress so far…

I am using as much scrap fabric as possible, especially since I organized!

I also have a few spring pictures to share:

Forsythia in neighboring yard
Volunteer white peach blossoms…growing in the compost

Now on a sad note…I am tired of deleting spam for pharmaceuticals, porn, and whatever is being sold or talked about in Russian etc., so I am turning off active comments. Please e-mail me directly.
I love to hear from you!

To wrap it up this week, I hope you are having fun making…maybe participating in sew alongs. Hope you weather is making spring flowers appear! What are you working on/ seeing in nature this week?

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
goals tranquility

📚Library Update

Our house is a modified A-frame. The loft above the living room is our “library “. Years ago, we built in bookcases on wheels (so there is storage behind the shelves, if needed). We added books…and then more books. Until it looked like this:

A miracle has happened!

Notice the shelves are hidden by bins, baskets and bags of books. Nothing was accessible. What a nightmare! It was no big deal…we were both so busy teaching that neither one of us had much time to read for pleasure. That all changed when we retired in June.

While we are awaiting the arrival of our first granddaughter, we are trying our best to stay busy. It took 3 days to transform this space. That kept us busy. Always be careful what you wish for!

First step, bring all of the stuff blocking the shelves downstairs to the living room…and sort, sort, sort.

Large bins are by author of multiple books. Small bins (not pictured) are sorted alphabetically by author.
Small bins are on the counter.
Look at the beautiful shelves!

To finish this project, we bought 3 mighty mover dollys (from Harbor Freight) for under the large, now sorted, bins. They can be easily moved from place to place to access any book in the room.

Example dolly…12” x 18”

What project have you been putting off? I am so glad this is finally completed! No more shame over this space ! 😁

Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Later,

Categories
goals quilting tranquility

2023 Goals

Goal 1: Quilt top finishes

After my last post evaluating the goals from 2022, I have decided on the goals for this year.  I am continuing to use my little green book.  I am expanding my sewing days into a tiny calendar with specific tasks that are completed listed on the dates. That way I can feel like I am accomplishing more.  I am also using a 3 ring notebook to keep track of sew alongs, reorganizing challenges, etc.

Time to finish up some tops that I have made for people that I love. I printed off a “list” organizer for just this purpose…maybe that will help. This step always seems like work to me.

Goal: Turn a quilt top into a finished product every month…or at least 12 for the year.

On the machine…

Goal 2: Blog more

Last year I had a goal of 2 blogs a week. Sadly, I did not meet this goal. I would like to write more patterns. I think my blog will help me do just that. By setting this goal so low, I will feel that I have accomplished great things if I write more!

Goal: Publish 1 blog articles a week.

Goal 3: Sew for my own happiness

Last block from book

I am keeping the same goal. I did not meet the goal last year, but I was working from January until the end of May, plus cleaning my classroom out getting ready to retire. I think that I can easily meet this goal this year.

Here are my revised list of tasks that I count as sewing:

  • hand sewing (applique, binding, English paper-piecing)
  • machine sewing (quilting, piecing)
  • hand embroidery
  • machine embroidery
  • writing patterns
  • reading patterns and/or quilting related books
  • ironing/ pressing
  • cleaning/ organizing my sewing area/room
  • cutting fabric (Accuquilt or other)
  • sorting fabric (scraps or other)

Goal: Complete a sewing activity from the above list at least 80% of the days in the year…that is 292 days.

Goal 4: Read to self

I met this goal easily last year. I am not ready to increase it just yet, but I think I can meet it again!

Goal: Read at least one book a month…or 12 books in the year.

Goal 5: Read Aloud

I am keeping this goal. We are currently reading Love and War by John Jakes. This book should keep us busy for quite a while. This is the second book in the series. We usually only read a chapter or two during a read aloud session…15 to 30 minutes a day.

Goal: Read to each other at least 2 days a week.

Accountability

I am going to continue to use my little green book. It is numbered and set up. I also have a small calendar from the dollar tree and a notebook. Writing information down keeps me accountable.

So what do you want to accomplish this year? What habits help you maintain some calm in your life? I love to hear your thoughts!

Later,

Lorrie

Categories
goals quilting rainbow scrap challenge

Out with the old, in with the new

I set 5 goals for this year…and I did manage to keep track for most of the year. If you would like to read my original post, it is here: Jumping on the Resolution Bandwagon. After our spring break in April up to the end of May, my head exploded as my husband and I were preparing for retirement for both of us. I had 32 years worth of elementary teacher crap that I had been using, keeping and hoarding that I had to share with others. I found a home for all of my treasures…not just in a trash can. The people who accepted my gifts may have trashed them, but I don’t care. I left my classroom vacant and ready for the next teacher. Here is my synopsis of my 2022 goals:

Goal 1: Quilt top finishes

I love making tops. I have made more of these this year! Somehow the quilting seems like work. I know that I could outsource this part, but as a new retiree, I can’t afford to do that. This goal should have been easy to meet. I started out so well…then nothing.

An example of a new top…made with 6 inch blocks…256 blocks to be exact!

Goal: Turn a quilt top into a finished product every month.

Summary: I finished a quilt in January 2022. One quilt for the whole year finished. That is 8%. I can do better than this!

Goal 2: Blog more

In 2021, I wrote 5 blog articles.

Goal: Publish 2 blog articles a week.

Summary: I wrote 37 articles. If I count weeks that I published twice a week, I met 27% of my goal. I did a better job writing, but need to rework this goal.

Goal 3: Sew more for my own sanity

Goal: Complete a sewing activity from the list at least 80% of the days in the year…that is 292 days.

Here is my list of activities:

  • hand sewing (applique, binding, English paper-piecing)
  • machine sewing (quilting, piecing)
  • hand embroidery
  • machine embroidery
  • writing patterns
  • ironing/ pressing
  • cleaning/ organizing my sewing room
  • cutting fabric
  • sorting fabric (I have been collecting fabric for retirementl and I am a scrapaholic.)
  • reading something related to quilting

Summary: I completed some “sewing” on 220 days this year. Remember that I temporarily lost my mind for 6 weeks while preparing for retirement. I met 60.2 % of my goal for the year. I was working from January until the end of May while I worked towards this goal. I think I can increase the amount of time sewing based on the list of tasks.

Goal 4: Read to self

My library still looks like this picture…maybe worse. I have added new books. Some from school, more from my wonderful mother-in-law.

Goal: Read at least one book a month.

Books, books, and more books…I need a librarian miracle to organize this mess.

Summary: My goal was 12 books this past year. I read 16! That is more books than I have read to myself in any given year in the last decade. I have been reading a lot my entire life…articles, aloud to children, to teach reading to children, etc., just not entire books or novels. I met this goal 133%! I do have to admit that I read extras on some months and part of a book one month and finished it the next. Life does not always operate by the calendar!

Recently, we watched the movie Equalizer. The main character promised his wife that he would read the books on the list of 100 books you should read before you die. Just something to ponder. How many have you read? I also found a more modern list of 100 books, too.

Goal 5: Read Aloud

Goal: Read to each other at least 2 days a week.

Summary: Out of 52 weeks, we read aloud twice at least 40 weeks. That is 77% of the weeks this year. I don’t know what happened during the retirement preparation weeks. We did read some, maybe. The even better news is that 56% of the weeks we actually read 3 or more times.

This is one of my favorite activities. It is one of the best ways to “unplug” that I know about. Going for a walk is another way. It would be great to combine the two, but the seating is not always good when you are out and about.

Rainbow Scrap 2022

I have started the rainbow scrap challenge for the last 4 years. Yes, I said 4 years. Because I was working, and traveling, and life sometimes ran me down, especially during shut downs, etc., I never made it more than 2 or 3 months.

This year I completed the color challenges for January, February, and March. I chose fabrics for April…but we know that life interfered. In retrospect, I completed more this year, but still fell short of my goal. I used the crazy quilt 6 inch block from Accuquilt. I made 10 of each color.

Red example block

Accountability

I used this great blank book to keep track.

I calculated and tabulated. Now it has 2023 added!

Have you evaluated your goals from 2022? Are you revamping those goals for 2023? I will be back with my new goals, slightly modified and updated, soon!

Later,

Lorrie