2014 To Do List

As stated in my last post, my 2014 word is FOCUS. I have too many unfinished quilting projects, also known as UFOs.  I am focused on finishing these … so I can justify starting new ones!

Here is my list:

Ready for ME to Quilt (flimsy finished, backing prepared)

1.   “Autumn Leaves”  (Quilters Club mystery sewn in 2011) - COMPLETED

2.      “Halloweenie” (Connecting Threads 2013 mystery; had extra fabric so made it bigger). Need to prep the backing and deliver to longarmer.

3.      2012 Craftsy Sampler (lots of FMQ which is a bit daunting). Needs more 'oomph' in the border. Considering adding more white space between blocks and multi-color band, then finish with white outer border, then binding in medium brown.

Ready to be Longarm Quilted 

1.       “Chunky Churndash” (design by Bonnie Hunter) begun in 2012 for a bedspread.  COMPLETED

2.      “Bittersweet Beauty” (Quilters Club 2012 mystery) COMPLETED; gifted to cousin.

3.      “Bright Bali” (design by Kim Brackett) assembled in 2013. COMPLETED

Finishing Touches Needed (border / backing)

1.        “Crabapple Trees”  (adapted from Bonnie Hunter design, destined to be a wall hanging) begun in 2013. Checkerboard border is done, but needs outer border and backing.

2.      “Celtic Solstice” (Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt of 2013) needs borders & backing HUBBY wants larger size, so need many more blocks and border pieces!!! As of now, need 4 more stars, 11 more chevron blocks. Am switching the border to orange diamonds rather than arrows (saw great example online).

3.      “Sweet Dreams” (former Quilters Club mystery) sewn in 2011, need to piece a backing.

4.       “Mother Earth” (adapted from Mary Koval design) begun in 2013 needs borders, backing on hand

5.       “Beginnings”, my first quilt circa 1988, need to change the ugly corners and select backing.

Blocks Finished, Need to Assemble

1.       “Royal Flush” (Baubles & Beads design in purple) sewn in 2013, backing on hand (inspiration http://babyboomerquiltingbee.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-tiger-by-tail.html)  COMPLETE

2.       “Red Cross” (Greek cross in red and gray) sewn in 2013, backing ready (inspiration http://www.okcmqg.com/2013/01/win-red-cross-charity-quilt.html) QUILTING HAS BEGUN

Make More Blocks

1.       “1860s Revival” (goose & goslings block with retro zigzag setting; started in 2013) need 8 more blocks, toile backing on hand BLOCKS DONE - Need to assemble

2.      “Blueberry Hill” (Bonnie Hunter Jamestown Landing design) started in 2013, assemble remaining 11 rows and  border; need to decide on backing. Need 50 more string blocks, about 50 more Broken Dishes blocks, then it's time to begin the border.

3.      “Colorado Sunshine” (Bonnie Hunter's Floribunda design) started in 2012. Need 7 more blocks and a bit more border; need to decide on backing. Will use soft green between center and checkerboard border.

4.      “Pine Trees” (old Dimensions pattern now missing) started around 1988, need to count blocks and plan the finishing touches, need to decide on backing

5.      “Queen of Hearts” (disappearing 4-patch in red/white) started in 2013, need many more blocks, backing on hand

6.      “Lady of the Lake” (Bonnie Hunter design “Lady of Lake Erie”) need many more blocks plus backing

7. "Cocoa Craze" (Mocha Swirl pattern by Kim Brackett) NEW 2014 PROJECT. Need to find backing and send to longarmer.

8. "Sly as a Fox" (Quiltmaker - June 2014) NEW 2014 PROJECT; Ready to quilt!!!

 

9. "Broncos at the Crossroads" in blue & orange (Carolina Crossroads design by Bonnie Hunter) - Began Sept 8 2014 - Delivered to Longarm Service - Oct 21. Talk about power sewing! Back from longarm service Dec 11. Need to finish the binding and it's done!

.

Gathering Fabric for Future Quilt (start only after finishing up several of the above quilts)

1.      “Road to America” (Bonnie Hunter design “Old Tobacco Road” in red/white/blue)

2.     “Smith Mountain Morning” (Bonnie Hunter design) – it’s not too far away, so maybe I will visit the actual site for inspiration and motivation

3.      “Double Delight” (Bonnie Hunter design)

4.      Kaffe Fassett 6” roll “Fire”; border with shades of teal

5.      Bright Christmas fabrics for Anita’s Arrowhead blocks

6.      Jewelbox blocks sewn in bright batiks and cream – started
7.    Carolina Crossroads (Bonnie Hunter design) - blue/orange combo
8.   Texas Tumbleweed (yet another Bonnie Hunter design)
9.   Bonnie's 2014 Mystery Quilt Grand Illusion (began Nov. 28) - started
10. Moth in the Window (Bonnie Hunter block) in plaids and solids.

Whew!  I finished 10 quilts in 2013, so hopefully I can do the same volume or better this year. Wish me luck!

Celtic Solstice Clue 5

Clue 5 arrived on Friday for Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice. After a couple hours flying to feed my soul, I was able to feed my creative spirit in some sewing. And playing with the blocks.  Check out my latest guesses.

Then the right side of my brain clamored for attention.  If Bonnie designed a straight set, a 75 x 75 quilt will have 625 of those little 3.5 inch squares. That means we have 112 more to go.  If Bonnie designed a diagonal set....we need a lot of triangles. [I didn't want to work hard on those calculations today).

When Monday comes, I will link to Bonnie's Monday link-up page....
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2013/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

Bonnie asked us to blog about what we are learning or experiencing as we work on this mystery. I learned to follow Bonnie's instructions carefully, especially her advice about maintaining a perfect 1/4 inch seam. I finally cut up an old credit card and scotch-taped it to my machine bed. When cutting fabric for clue 5, I tried the Inklingo suggestion of a 3.5 x 4.25 rectangle, but I quickly learned pinning two pieced triangles to the blue rectangle was more trouble that it was worth. Back to the traditional method for me!  By the way, Sally Schneider calls this particular block "Mary's Triangles". See my Eye Candy post; this reminds me of my daughter's Fish quilt.

On a higher note....hubby and I did some flying on Saturday. A group of us planned to pop in to N40 Sky Manor for lunch. I called up a buddy and got him to join us in loose formation. Two Cessna 170s. What a sight!  We stopped off at 9N1 VanSant to see if the Stearmans were out. Only a few brave motorcyclists were huddled around the shack. Too bad - it was a beautiful day, just a bit of bumpy air.  Then we hopped over to Sky Manor to learn that the restaurant was closed. We opted for Plan B and returned home to drive in town for Mexican food. Yum! Hopefully next time I will remember to use my camera and share the aerial views.

In the meantime, check out the group of us who flew a P-51 this summer. It was an awesome experience!

Holidays and Celtic Solstice 4

I am happy to report more progress on Celtic Solstice, finishing clue 4 last night. The rich greens and oranges look beautiful together. I can't wait to see the finished result! Check out the progress of other quilters who linked to Bonnie's website.

Before

After

Many of my fellow quilters have posted guesses on the final design. I figure Bonnie will have two more steps before we will really know what she designed for us.  Thankfully this step was easy enough to finish so I can FINALLY wrap presents.

Links to my favorite guesses:
http://piecenquilt1.blogspot.com/2013/12/celtic-solstice-part-4.html
http://www.talesfromparkdrive.blogspot.com/2013/12/snow-day-sew-day-celtic-solstice-clue-4.html
http://www.intrepidmeredith.com/2013/12/celtic-solstice-mystery-quilt-part-4.html

Congratulations to my daughter for swimming well at last Friday's swim meet! It was a treat to be allowed to come to one of your meets and watch you swim. You had banned me because I cheered too loud for you? That's silly!  This time I kept my mouth shut and urged your father to cheer instead.  So can I come to the next one?  I will only yell a little bit. Maybe.

On a higher note, my family enjoyed a wonderful Christmas party with fellow pilots at our local airport. Santa arrived in an airplane, giving all the little kids a fun treat. Who is behind that beard?  Why, it's my favorite flight instructor!

It's Bonnie Hunter time!

Like every other quilter in the free world, I am participating in Bonnie Hunter's 2013 Mystery called Celtic Solstice.  Thank you, Bonnie, for giving us so many FREE patterns and mystery quilt programs!  

And thank you for making Step 3 easy to complete so we can go back and catch up on the first two steps.  As you can see, I am using Bonnie's suggested colors and color arrangement. Only a handful more pieces to sew and I am caught up.  Until the next step. Below is a link to Bonnie's linky page for this quilt.

Celtic Solstice Step 3



I looked around the house and found that I have completed (or nearly completed) two quilts based upon Bonnie Hunter designs and am working on FIVE more including Celtic Solstice [not counting the handful of Sisters Choice blocks from two years ago]. 



Star Struck

Chunky Churndash



Crabapple Trees

Blueberry Hill



Colorado Sunshine



Lady of Lake Erie

1. Star Struck - completed

2. Chunky Churndash - ready for quilting

3. Crabapple Trees - wall hanging, needs final border and quilting

4. Floribunda (aka Colorado Sunshine) - need 22 more blocks

5. Jamestown Landing (aka Blueberry Hill) - 1/3 done

6. Lady of Lake Erie - many more blocks to go

7. Celtic Solstice Mystery quilt - completed step 3

After I finally finish the above quilts, I want to start on Smith Mountain.  And Nifty Thrifty, Pfefferneuse, Roll Roll Cotton Boll, and...  Can you tell I like Bonnie's designs?

Oh wait, I also need to complete several other quilts in progress (1860 Revival, Red Cross, and Royal Flush). And maybe I should put together a couple more baby quilts. My new nephew Sammy may need a third quilt from Aunt Sandy. Or my daughter may need a fourth quilt. I will have to post pictures of her three beauties.

On a higher note....It's winter and the weather hasn't been the best for flying. I work full-time so the weekends are my chance to "escape the bonds of earth". But several of my other pilot friends have been flying.  Congratulations to Jimmy on passing his commercial pilot checkride! Congratulations to Carl, my hubby, on his third solo! [Just don't damage my airplane.]