Saturday, June 28, 2014

June Goal Accomplished, and Then Some!

I decided to make it easy on myself when I set my June goal (Goal #18 at Fiber of All Sorts) since I haven't accomplished much so far this year.  Not only did I accomplish my goal of getting a baby quilt top put together, but I put two tops together AND finished both quilts!  Two things helped motivate me -- going to a retreat, and the fact that both babies had already been born. 

I wish I could remember where online I first saw this idea.  It's the easiest baby quilt ever!  Starting with 5" squares I made the star......


















......then surrounded it with more squares.























I had bought some great backing fabric at Hancock's of Paducah with help from my friend Shirley.  I just love this Michael Miller fabric, "Monster Mash".  Can you see the little baby monster?  Too cute!
















I basted both quilts at retreat and started hand-quilting one of them.   I had some great colors of quilting thread from which to choose, and with Angela's help decided on purple.  (Yes, I do have a problem with decisiveness!)
















I got both quilts hand-quilted in 10 days, so I am now suffering from a flare-up of tendonitis, but it was well worth it.  I just love these quilts.
















The quilts are on their way to their new owners, baby Grant and baby Seth.   

















Now I am wondering if I can get the next baby quilts (for twins due in the fall) actually finished before the babies are born.  What a concept, huh?

Since I completed my goal I am linking up with A Lovely Year of Finishes.


Sunday, June 1, 2014

June Goal for "A Lovely Year of Finishes"

It's difficult to believe that it's already June and time to set another goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes.  I'm glad there's plenty of year left to get something done, because so far I'm not doing well with goals at all this year.  I did complete my January goal and my February goal, but life interrupted.

While working on my February goal, my sewing room was torn up so new flooring could be installed.  When that was finished I decided to have the room painted.  Then for about six weeks I was faced with deep cleaning and getting things put back in order - not just the sewing room, but the entire house.  Looking back I realize that I never shared photos of my completed and improved sewing room.   So I'll do that first.















































It's pretty awesome.  Yesterday, I spent some time in my sewing room for the first time in a long while.  It was so nice.  Just me and Michael Buble, and James Taylor, The Mamas and The Papas, and Jackson Browne.  Sigh........















I did a lot of cutting. 






























I had fun with the fabrics, and got two baby quilts cut out.  















My goal for June is to get a baby quilt top put together for a new great-nephew. It's a pretty simple pattern.  So it should be doable.  Especially since I am going to retreat this month.















So, here we go again.  I am linking up to Fiber of All Sorts for their June Goal Setting Party (I am #18 on the list), and then I'm going to look at some of the other goals there.