Last post for 2017

2017 is coming to an end

in just a few hours.

It's been a year of Good,

Bad and downright Ugly.

2018...what does it hold for me?

I hope more time with the family,

more time to create and 

more time to learn.

This is my final quilt for 2017.

It's my first (and only) jellyroll

quilt. It was made for my

son-in-law's birthday.

The front is cotton...the back

and binding is flannel. It will be

warm, but using flannel binding

 was a bugger. I will

not do that again.

In 2018, I plan to do a 

different Service-Charity-Comfort

project each month. For

January, I am starting off

with knitting hats for local

hospitals for the February

Little Hats-Big Hearts project

I have also joined in the 

Dresden House block SAL

at Persimon dreams  

I am ready for a challenge to

get me out of my comfort zone.

For today's 

Slow Sunday Stitching.

I am going to put some more

stitches in my Christmas 

Nativity (that I did not finish)

What plans do you have for 2018?

Christmas Eve 2017

Merry Christmas, Blog World.

I hope you are having a happy and safe

Holiday, wherever you are celebrating.

I finished the binding on the two

quilts I am giving for Christmas.

First one...to my daughter

Years ago, she asked for a Fall themed

quilt. "No problem" I said....

Then I made one for my daughter-in-law,

who has a Fall time birthday.

Then I made one for another daughter.

Then I started this one for my daughter,

but it sat and sat....unfinished.

I think she will be surprised.....

Next up, my Husband....

The pattern is Town Square from

the The Midnight Quilt Show

The original pattern had the background

done in white, but I did not have

enough white, so black was used instead.

I love a crazy pieced backing,

that also uses up scraps, so this

is the solid backing of his quilt.

I cleaned out my box of

solid cottons. I can even put the

lid back on the box!

For todays 

Slow Sunday Stitching

I will be finishing one last

quilt binding for a birthday

gift quilt. Pictures to follow

next time.....

As the New Year is quickly

approaching, I am ready to begin

some new chapter-adventure in Life.

I want to learn something new...

get out of my comfort zone....

maybe make a fool of myself...

What are you going to do in 2018?

In the home stretch for Christmas sewing....

I am down to the last few days of

Christmas sewing time.

The pressure is on....

The result of last weeks goals:

I finished

binding on V's quilt

knitting W's hat

This week's goals:

18-24 December

Finish binding on W's quilt-DONE

Tie B's fleece blanket

Knit M a hat

We will be delivering the kids-Grandkids

Christmas gifts over the weekend.

My daughter already gave me my

Christmas...she knew I would 

purchase it by New Years, so she

wanted to get it to me early.

It's a new (to me) style of planner

called Commit 30.

You plan a goal for each 

30 day-month time.

I am looking forward to a year

of challenging myself in my

Art and Landscape quilts.

Do you have any creating goals?

Sabbath dinner with the Family

Once a month, we get all our

children and their children

together for a family dinner.

I LOVE IT!

I grew up far away from my

Grandparents, so I only saw them

once a year. I love having the

kids just a car ride away.

Tonight, they are all going to

exchange Christmas gifts

and eat dinner and talk.

It is going to loud and crazy and

I LOVE IT!

I finished the binding on some

quilts this week. I can not post

a full photo of either quilt,

because the quilt has not been

gifted yet.

This is a little bit of my Husbands

Christmas gift. 

It is called the Town Square Quilt 

The link is

Angela Walters Midnight Quilt Show

Angela made it with a white background,

but I did not have enough white fabric,

so I used black. 

I do not do much traditional block

piecing anymore, so this was

a fun quick project to use up scraps.

Today, I hope to get in some more

binding stitching on one last

gift quilt, but I still need to finish 

up decorating the house for the party.

I also need to make my 

UFO Challenge list for 2018.

So many projects to choose from...

SO MANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What are you working on?

Back to what worked in the Past

For a few years, I use to post a

weekly to-do/goal list here at

my blog of what I wanted to sew

Somewhere, somehow, I stopped

making that list and created by

deadlines...usually at the last minute.

Back to a Monday posted list for me!

This week: 11-17 December

Finish the binding on V's quilt-DONE

Finish the binding on J's quilt

Finish the binding on W's quilt

Finish tying B's camper quilt

Finish knitting W's hat-DONE

Yup....I better get busy!

Change...it's a comin'.....

Normally, I set goals in the Fall

when my Husband goes back to

School and the weather turns cool.

I have never been a New Years

Resolution kind of girl, but...

This year, I am feeling the

need to major changes and

reorganization in my Life.

I have already decided to

participate in the 2018 UFO challenge

at Patchworktimes.com

You make a list of 12 UFO projects

you would like to work on...can be a

combo of different arts...knitting...

quilting...sewing...whatever...

I am thinking of also doing the
scrappy quilt challenge at
Persimon Dreams

I have my Trip around the World
hand sewn quilt top that
is almost at the quilting stage.
I could have it done by December 2018!

I also want to find some Art Quilt

Challenges to enter during the year.

Do you have any blogs or websites

I could visit for challenges?

Another change is my Health.

Without going into too much detail,

I need to get healthier...especially

my Liver...lose some weight would

be nice too. I have started with

a program at a local Hospital, but

need to keep progressing forward!

Lastly...my 10 year anniversary

is coming up as blogger.

I want to do something to celebrate,

but am at a loss to know what o do...

Any suggestions?

For todays Slow Sunday Stitching

I am still doing binding on 

Christmas gift quilts. I am getting 

another quilt on Tuesday from my

quilter, so it just keeps going on and on

(and on..........)

What are you working on?

Plans for 2018

I am ready to start making plans for 2018

What do I want to create?

Where do I want to go and explore?

How do I envision the next year?

I definitely need to finish some WIP,

both in quilting and knitting. 

I am going to join Judy at

Patchworktimes.com

with her 12 month-12 project list.

You can list any 12 projects...knitting,

quilting, sewing, whatever.

Each month Judy will choose a number

1-12, and you do that number off your list.

I am also planning a big trip in the Summer

to see family and attend a wedding. I am

also going to see two friends...one I have

not seen in years!

My Weigh to Health program is still 

on-going thru July of 2018. I have stalled

out on weight loss, but I am recommitting

to getting healthy again.

What are you looking forward to for 2018?

Art quilt Challenges for 2018-2019

I am challenging myself to enter one

or two art competitions in the next 

year. Of course, it would be nice to

win, but more important, to challenge

and push myself.

I want to share some of the contest

info I have found for 2018-2019. If you

have a quilt challenge that is open

to residents of the USA, being

held during 2018, please let me know

American Icon Art Competition:

USA

http://sausalitoartfestival.org/american-icon-art-competition/

Sacred Threads:

USA

http://sacredthreadsquilts.com/html/callForEntries.html

Sewing and Quilt Fest of New Jersey: 

New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania 

https://www.quiltfest.com/register/the-quilt-sewing-fest-of-new-jersey/tri-state-quilt-competition-2018/tri-state-quilt-competition-2018/

New Quilts from an Old Favorite:

2019 Theme-Oak Leaf & Reel

https://quiltmuseum.org/education/contests/new-quilts-old-favorites/

International Quilt Fest 2019:

Blue and White Quilts

http://quilts.com/enter-a-quilt.html

Tis the Season to create...and sew...

I love Christmas!

I enjoy the Celebration of

Christmas with family and

friends and food with it all

wrapped up in Happiness and Love!

Here is a photo of the completed

Three Wise Men Dolls I posted

about back on 12 November. All

stuffed and sewn up.

I will be displaying them at our local

Creche Festival this weekend. I

love seeing all the Nativities from

all over the World together.

My friend, Nicole, lived in England

for a few years and shares her

experiences with her friends.

This weekend, we went to her

home to make Door Greeters or

Pine Swags

.

She provided the fresh cut Pine

branches and we brought items

to decorate. I added Pinecones

(from Nicole), bows and a 

Christmas Ornament...it

says "A Savior is Born".

Beyond fabric and thread, other

creating endeavors are usually

out of my comfort zone, but this

one was fun (and a little pokey 

on the hands)

Today, for my

Slow Sunday Stitching

I will be finishing miles and

miles of binding on quilts. I

do not have any photos, because

the future quilt owners may read

my blog. 

What are you Stitching?