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Sunday, January 14, 2018

Planning Ahead: 18 in 2018

18 in 2018 is being hosted by Lynette on What a Hoot! I am in!  No prizes. No sponsors. Just personal motivation. I love this.

I am really counting on this list to keep me focused. My Quilting ADD has to get under control. I have promised myself that I will not be distracted by all of the fun-looking BOM's that come along in 2018. (I am already vacillating, however. The Patchwork Barn BOM project from The Quilt Show is very tempting.) I plan to allow myself to take on some Fat Quarter Shop projects as they come along. I had a lot of fun doing several of those projects last year.

I have selected projects that I am very excited about, some that will be fast finishes, and some that are problems that need to get worked out. I hope to actually finish some of my older projects that have now matured to the point where they are ready to be finished.

Big Projects:
1. Halo Medallion Quilt - designed by Sue Garman. This was the 2017 BOM from The Quilt Show.

The remaining steps are: design custom quilting for each area, load on long arm, trim, quilt, add binding,and label.
Finished March 13, 2018. 
Hung at APQS Show in Grand Rapids, Michigan, August, 2018.

2. Audubon's Christmas Quilt - designed by Kathy McNeil. This is my big project for the year.
https://shop.americanquilter.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1200x1200/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/a/u/audubon-640r.jpg

I am sure you have all seen this award-winning quilt. I have purchased the full pattern set. I have purchased an iQuilt class through AQS taught by Kathy McNeil to help me along the way. I have begun to purchase some of the fabrics that I plan to use. The fabric search will be time-intensive. There are not many quilt shops near me and I do not want to buy fabrics for this project online. I really want to know what I am getting.

The steps in this project are: fabric search, template preparation, applique each block, quilt, bind, label, add hanging sleeve.

 Nearly finished:
3. Wanna Build a Snowman? by pattern by Dana Michelle.
This wall hanging has been fully quilted and is off the machine.
The remaining steps are: trim, bind, label, add hanging sleeve.
Finished 1/16/18

4. Double 9 Patch from Fat Quarter Shop.
This is off the long arm, fully quilted.

Remaining steps are: trim, bind, label. Easy-peasy.
Finished 1/15/18

5. Double 9 Patch Table runner - using left over blocks from project above, I created a table runner.
Three blocks are set on point with setting triangles filling in. This is quilted in the same pattern as the quilt above.

Remaining steps are: trim, bind, label. Another fast one to check off the list.
Finished 1/16/18

8. Red and Cream BOM from Fig Tree Quilts
I can't believe that I never took a picture of the assembled flimsy. Here are a couple of blocks.
I finished the blocks and assembled the flimsy in October or November, 2017.

Remaining steps: load on long arm, quilt, trim, bind, label.
Finished April 22, 2018. Finishing details here.

9. Red and White - 2017

10. Star Crossed from Fig Tree Quilts. Sewn in 2017
I bought this as a kit from Fig Tree Quilts.

Remaining steps; load on long arm, quilt, trim, bind, label.
Find finish details here.
Completed September 23, 2018. 


11. Sherbet and Creams by Fig Tree Quilts
This was a mystery project from Joanna. I made some changes to the pattern. I made smaller circles and squares at the intersections. I preferred to have more of the curves visible. 
Remaining steps: load on long arm, quilt, trim, bind, label.
Finished 11/27/2018
Find finish details here.

12. 2015 Designer Mystery BOM from Fat Quarter Shop
I think this is too large to hang for display, so I will finish it for a bed.
 Remaining steps: load on long arm, quilt, bind, label.
Finished May 26, 2018. Gifted to granddaughter. Finishing details here.

13. Vice Versa BOM from Gen W Quilters
 I think this was from 2014. I never quilted it because I was not confident enough. This really needs a modern quilting plan.


Remaining steps: design quilting plan, load on long arm, quilt, trim, bind, label, add hanging sleeve.

14. Twirl Quilt by Fig Tree Quilts


I didn't take a picture of the assembled flimsy.
Remaining steps are: load on long arm, quilt, trim, bind, add label.

15. Wild Card

Believe it or not, I still have many additional tops that need to be quilted. I will allow myself to chose one that I feel inspired to quilt.
Steps: load on long arm, quilt, bind, label.

 Challenging Projects:
16. Diamonds in the Sky - by Tula Pink

This is an English paper piecing project. While I love the fabrics and Tula's fabrics and design, I really hate English paper piecing. I just don't have the mojo to complete this by hand. I discovered an iQuilt class taught by Karen K. Stone called English Paper Piecing by Machine. This is the perfect solution for this project. I need to get this out of the tote bag it is stored in and get it finished.

Remaining steps are: complete piecing, assemble flimsy, load on long arm, quilt, trim, bind, label.


17. Zoo Nouveau by Ann Myhre. This was a summer sampler project from The Quilt Show. I have a good start on this, but I was not satisfied with my work on the Frogs and Traveling Snailsmen installment. I am not happy with the colors of the textile paint I used. I could only find a few colors at Michael's. I need to practice paint mixing so I can come up with better colors. I plan to paint over the part I have already done.
Remaining steps: repainting side sections, complete the remaining sections, assemble, label, add hanging sleeve. Finishing Details here.
Finished 2/18/18

18. Pumpkin Patch Lane - 6 installment BOM designed by Arlene Stamper and Melissa Harris.

I finished one installment, but wasn't happy with the machine applique my sewing machine produced. I used monofilament on the top and regular thread in the bobbin. Top tension set at zero. The bobbin thread kept getting pulled up to the top. No matter how good a job I do with the zigzag, the bobbin thread really ruins the look. I have all of the project parts. I have to get up my mojo to solve the bobbin thread problem. 
Finishing details here.
Gifted to granddaughter.
Finished 4/14/18

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Halo Medallion Installment #12

I actually completed the Halo Medallion flimsy on December 22. I didn't post it then because we were preparing for some traveling.


I am thrilled that I was able to keep up with this project throughout the year. The next step is to plan the custom quilting. This is much too special for an edge-to-edge. This is very high on my priority list.

Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, January 5, 2018

Double 9 Patch Quilt Along

It is time for another fun quilt along from the Fat Quarter Shop. This one is the Double 9 Patch.

I chose Kona solids for this project. I had quite a few in my stash. I only needed to buy more Kona White for the background and a backing fabric.


Here is a single block. I used a dark gray (can't remember the correct color name) for the feature fabric in the center of each block.


They went together pretty quickly.


The top was assembled in a couple afternoons of sewing.


Progress on the long arm: