Last 6 and 6 in 2018 Report

We've reached the end of 2018.  I had taken on the challenge of working on 6 old and 6 new projects for 2018.  Meredith and Anne set up the challenge last January and I replied.

I only worked on four UFOs and two of them weren't even on my list. In between I made 18 charity quilts, 3 commissioned quilts, a table topper and a placemat for me.

The 2nd and 4th weren't on the list but now they are tops.  I did start three new projects but not ready to share those yet as I haven't gotten very far.

Maybe next year will be better.
Happy New Year!

Getting Ready for the New Year

Shelly Pagliai does a Final Countdown for the year. She says "These last few days of the year are always my last chance to wrap up as many loose ends as possible so I can start the new year off fresh. "  For me, her task really are things I should do to get organized for the coming quilting year, so I'm participating.

 My main work table is part cutting table and part quilting table so that quilts aren't pulling on the needle while I'm quilting.  It does for the most part stay clean, so I can quilt.  You can see the far left end does have some stuff.  I'll work on that.

However, my auxiliary table which I set up to do applique you can see is out of control - lol. I'll put most of my efforts on this to complete first task.  Then maybe I can get back to appliqué in 2019. Fingers crossed.

How about you?  Need some help organizing?  First task is listed here.  You can read about Shelly's challenge at the first link in this post.  And there are prizes!  Join up.

Last 2018 I Like Thursday

A momentous week - Christ is Born! We have 9

days left to celebrate Christmas.  How will you be celebrating them?  I'm keeping up the various creche we have around the house.  Bringing out the panettone to have with tea.  Serving tamales one day this week for dinner.  Admiring last year's poinsettias now growing in the garden -and they bloomed for the Holiday! Answering Christmas letters.  Changing my tree quilt for the nativity scene.

Brought out some Christmas quilts.  Laid out some table toppers.

Enjoyed the family Christmas morns around the country - he's in CO.

Started back to quilting - made a sample block of a kit I want to start in 2019

This used scraps - not the color scheme of the quilt. Think it's going to work out.

How was your week?  Hope you are warm and dry and enjoying the season.  I'm linking to Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays. Visit and see what others had done to fill their days. PS - my brother is in rehab now for PT. We hope he gets to go home soon.  Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for him.

After Christmas Dinner

We're Watching:

Merry Christmas!

Life is hectic here as in many households. I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while, but a family member's accident has happened and is taking time for prayer and visiting and worrying.  It's hardest on my Mom.  My younger brother was hit by a car in a pedestrian walkway, and it resulted in brain trauma. He didn't sustain any broken bones, has two lesions on his brain and was hit from behind. The driver stopped, called 911, and stayed till the police and ambulance arrived.  He's in rehab now and we are very grateful he didn't have to have surgery. Praise God.  We hope he will be home in the next week or so. So much can change in an instant.

I've been doing some hand stitching as I wait in rooms and for answers. The latest donut for my Bliss project is done.

And I've been quilting a bit here and there as I have time.  My 16 year old grandson came over and between us we got the Christmas decoration out of the tall closet and up in the various rooms.  I like to put some decorations in each room even if it's only a basket of Christmas balls. Tomorrow cookies with my other grandson.

Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas and God's blessings in the coming New Year.

LOL - It's a Fake!

Every time I pass that Wisteria I was amazed. What with all the strange blooming in our neighborhood - the iris (way early), the Pomelos - two months ahead of when they should be ripe - the roses, and the Wisteria which usually has flowers from early Spring to June.

My husband accompanied me on my walk the other day. As we were coming home down the lane past the wisteria, I commented on how long the blooms were lasting.

In his understated way, he says, "Dear, those are fake. Don't you see the wires?"  Sure enough, getting up close one can see the green colored wires that are wrapped around the branches.

LOL, fooled again, but they sure look pretty.  Maybe I'll buy some other fake plants. I wonder which of our neighbors did that.  Oh, well.

Some of This; Some of That this Design Wall Monday

Let's start with the destashing:  What with fabric for my last unit on the donut I'm working on for Bliss, a border for the Stars & Stripes sampler, and another baby top, I used 1.3 yards of fabric.  I'm giving 2 yards to St. Anne's, 3 yards to the Guild Friday giving me total of 6.3 yards.  My  new YTD total is  77.04 yds destashed out of the 88 yards needed to meet my goal.  I've passed my 3/4 finish mark!

Here are the last two tops I've made. Second one on my design wall.

Both were made with scrappy blocks using the Bonnie Hunter telephone book paper foundation method. They went together quick and easily. Both are 36" square. Ready to be sandwiched.

I made the first 8 scrap blocks in the first quilt, then taught the ladies of St. Anne's to do them, too.

They made 4 of the second set, and I finished them up.  12 blocks so far for December. Looking at the photos see the second one needs a good 

Lastly, the greetings continue for our 50th.  Look what some friends gave us.  They know I love red.

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday, Let's make Baby Quilts, Oh, Scrap!, Moving it Forward, and Monday Making.  What are you up to?

I Like Thursdays

We're having another rain spell - we are glad and hope it comes more inland and thus avoid the burned out areas near the coast.  Here are some likes since last Thursday.

Wisteria still blooming, and yes, it still has two colors of blooms.

The Bougainvillea is at it again.

Eager readers after story time.  These are third graders.

Quiltywise, I'm still FMQing my SLOL.  This is going to take some time.  I'm linking to Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays.  Check out the fun posts there. Blessings,

Slow Sunday Stitching

Feels like winter outside, and so I'm hanging out in the living room enjoying the warmth and stitching slowly.  I've finished another unit for my Bliss project.  One more unit and I can attach this donut to the center.  Donut you ask?  That's how I learned to add a round to my hexie centers and use one continuous thread.  Learned it from Karen at Faeries and Fibres.

Making some progress on quilting SLOL - got most of the first row done. It's taking me a bit longer as I keep having to change the top thread.  I couldn't find an all over thread that I liked.

As to destashing, between adding a border to my Stars and Stripes Sampler wall hanging and finding a back for my next baby quilt, I used up 1.3 yards of the stash.  That's because I have been quilting more than piecing. My new YTD total is  71.71 yds destashed out of the 86 yards needed to meet my goal. Very little progress this past week.

And that special luncheon last Thursday?  DH and I went out to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary.  It actually was on the 30th, but we both had so much to do that day, we decided to celebrate on Thursday so we could have a relaxing, no time constraint, lunch.  We tried a new restaurant.  The food was very good and there was no rush. It is called Habanero Mexican Grill .

c. TripAdvisor

Time to prep some more hexies.  I hope you have a fun and productive new week. Blessings,

Oh, yes, I'm linking to Slow Sunday Stitching, Sunday Stash and Design Wall Monday.

6 and 6 in 2018, November

Let's see what I have to report going from last to first for November.
Again, I finished a UFO that wasn't on my list, but it was on top of a piece of furniture I wanted to move , so I finished it.  Here's my wall hanging from the Stars & Stripes Sampler by Liz Porter and Mary Fons.

I've still to add three borders which shouldn't take long as they are plain,  and I can sandwich it.  Believe I started this in 2012 when Judy Laquidara had a sew along on her blog.

I sandwiched my SLOL and have begun quilting it.

I added some stars to this block.

This eagle got an eye.

Changed out this block by adding flowers instead of Lady Liberty
since I already had her in another block.

So that's it for UFOs. And I did make some baby quilts and tops this month:

Two done and one to sandwich.  The ladies at St. Anne's will do that. Then I'll quilt it.

So how did you do?  I'm linking to Meredithe's 6 and 6 in 2018.  My goal in December is to work on the new projects I listed back in January.

I Like Thursdays

Here's the big news for us:
It's raining in California - SoCal to be exact! Suppose to rain for part of today.

Thank you, God!

and I really like I'm back to the quilting part of a project:

Now I'm off to get ready for a very special luncheon - I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Be sure to drop by Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays for some happy likes from this past week.

Some of This; Some of That

First the destashing.  Made a baby quilt top using a you-tube tutorial for a half log cabin block.  She used a layer cake to make hers.  I used 20" squares of two fabrics that made the whole top.  Here it is:

Lighting is bad, but you get the idea.

The two Christmas prints.

This came out to 36" square - just the right size for a St. Anne's baby quilt.  Used 1.1 yds total of two fabrics to make this top. Worked on my SLOL quilt and am adding borders. Used only 0.09 for that. Sanwiched my SLOL, too, and used 1.43 yds.  I am now quilting it.  So my new YTD total is  70.41 yds destashed out of the 84 yards needed to meet my goal. 

My Friday finish that I didn't get to post was a preemie quilt.
Quilted:

Bound

and delivered to the NICU

This was a completely scrappy quilt. I used a disappearing nine patch pattern.

What are you up to?  I'd love to come by your blog and see your project - please leave me a comment..  I'm linking to Sunday Stash and Esther's WOW. Lots of goodies there. Blessings,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Much to be thankful for - family, friends and blessings.  We pray for all to be duly blessed.

I'm also thankful for:

a spot of color returned

last of the roses

my meditative corner

Again, Happy Thanksgiving. Be sure to go over to Lee Anna's for I Like Thursdays for more thankful sharing.

Slow Sunday Stitching

While watch an episode of Midsomer Murders, I finished my third round of my 1797 project.

Now what color to pick for the next round?  It may be scrappy as I have to prep 24 of them. Time to start going through the bags.

I'm linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching and Cynthia's Oh Scrap!  Hand stitching is so soothing.

Some of This; Some of That

First destashing:  donated 3 yards to guild; used .5 for my sampler; 1 yard for anotoher baby quilt; 0.59 for the preemie quilt, .04 for the 1797 project plus .41 for my UFO. So I've added 5.54 yards to my destashing giving me a YTD total of 67.79 yds destashed out of the 82 yards needed to meet my goal.  If I can get to 75 yards, I'll be happy to get to 75% for this year.

Here's the baby quilt I finished:

all quilted and bound.  Has a scrappy back. Mom made the top, I quilted and bound it.

I'll show the preemie quilt once I've quilted it.

Then I tackled an old UFO.  

Next step is some pennies I need to make:

This project was sitting on a shelving unit I want to get rid of.  It called to me to get it done.  Hope to finish it by the end of the month.

What have you been up to.  I'd like to know. I'm linking to Esther's WOW, Michelle's Let's Make Baby Quilts,  Finished or Not Friday, Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?and Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays. Blessings!

6 and 6 in 2018 - October

I finished two this past month, and one was actually a quilt I had listed as getting done. I'm amazed.
My new project done was Sweet Land of Liberty (Lori's QAL that started in January):

All it needs now is a bit of embellishment on two blocks and then it can be sandwiched.  With such a busy quilt top, how would you quilt it?  I'm at a loss and welcome all suggestions.

The second finish is also from Lori - a weekly sew along in October where we made a mini quilt.

This one is all done and gifted already to a long time friend.

As to the UFO I was suppose to do this month, I didn't even look at it. It is destined to go on next year's list. How about you?  How did you do?  Would love to hear from you.  Hopefully, I'll be able to make some progress in the coming last months of the year.  I'm done travelling but Nov-Dec are the busiest with life events, so maybe not.  Blessings!

I'm linking to Amanda's Finish it up Fridays , Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop? , Finished or Not Friday and Oh, Scraps as the SLOL came totally from scraps from my stash.

Blessings,

I Like Thursdays

The weeks are going by so fast!  Thursdays come around in a whirl now.
This week I like that my Paint Brush lily (some call it Soap Brush - Haemanthus  genus) is in bloom again!

This plant is in the Amaryllis family.  God made flowers of such variety.

I also liked all the cute costumes I saw at our parish school.  Here's the Pre-K class who I read to each week.  I'm privileged to be the lady who reads to 4 classes this year.  It's so much fun.

I also am thrilled that I finished a quilting project.  Come back tomorrow when I report my finish.
Look forward to viewing your likes at Lee Anna's I Like Thursdays post.