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Sunday, December 31, 2017

2018 Quilting Goals


 

2018 New Year’s Goals

 

 

1.      Give more of my quilting items away.  It is always nice to give a gift; it makes a random day very special – both on the giving and receiving end.  Since I appreciate all of my friends, I will show some love through the mailbox.   So if I ask for your snail-mail address, you will know why.

2.     Don’t fret so much if something doesn’t turn out just as I want.  Finish it and move on.  I am working on the triangles for the Jane Stickle quilt right now, and must remember this.

3.     Blog more than once a week.  The Design Wall Mondays have me programmed now to blog every Sunday evening, for publication on Monday morning.  There is lots more going on than what’s on my design wall.

4.     Make a list of quilts I’d like to make.  It’s in my head, but I’d like a paper list to add to, cross off, eliminate, tweak, etc.

5.     Eliminate  guilt when I start something new.  I will work on what is fun and if a UFO doesn’t get finish now, it will get finished later.  Quilting (on new-old-whatever) and not guilt, is what I’m aiming for.


6.     Five is enough.  Make no more than five goals, is what I say.  Happy New Year!

Monday, December 18, 2017

Design Wall Monday - December 18, 2017

Here's a pillow that I made last year, and we are enjoying it in the living room this year:












This pillow is from the magazine American Patchwork & Quilting, December 2014.  Picture is of the cover of the magazine with the pillow on the right side near the top:



Here is another picture of the pillow, designed by Tina Lewis.



The pattern has small felt dots for the snow, and I used small white buttons that I had, which was easier.  I also changed the wording to "Merry Christmas" instead of "Season's Greetings" as that is my usual greeting at Christmas.

I would like to give this pattern away as a little Christmas gift to one of you.  If you would like to receive this magazine with the pillow directions, here is what to do:

(1) Link to Design Wall Monday, as usual, and

(2) Provide a link back to this exact post, somewhere within your blog post.    By that I mean your link should refer people to:

http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2017/12/design-wall-monday-december-18-2017.html 

and not just

http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com

Christmas will be here in one week!  I will be skipping Design Wall Monday next week (December 25th), as I will be celebrating Christmas with family, and nothing will be happening on the design wall.  I will post again on the first day of 2018.

The winner of the magazine will be announced in my first post of the new year.

Looking forward to seeing what you are working on this week:





Monday, December 11, 2017

Design Wall Monday - December 11, 2017

December is happening faster than I can keep up with it.  Christmas will be here in two weeks!  Even though I'm behind in my Christmas decorating, I did manage to work on a baby quilt for a baby due in January.  Here are pictures of the front and back:



The binding is half finished, and I will finish it today.  I free motion quilted it with some loopy circles, and I think if I practiced free motion quilting enough, it would be fun.  This was my first attempt.  Baby quilts made in 2018 will be free motion quilting practice.

Here's the back of the baby quilt, with fabric from my Mom's stash.  She made a lot of baby quilts, and I always like to use up her fabric in baby quilts.



Also, as promised last week, here's results of setting the timer for 15 minutes for cleaning up the mess that overflowed out of my quilt room.  1st, bar area:



2nd, table area:



Also, the floor in the quilt room is now clean, but the ironing board and rotary cutting area are still being worked on.  Progress is being made.  More 15 minute drills will happen this week.

I have an old book, "Your Household Guide", full of household hints that was sold as a fundraiser by the V.F.W. Auxiliary in Ithaca, Michigan many years ago.  It is fun to read some of the old hints.  Here's one hint under the "sewing" category:

"Recipe For A Rosebud Quilt:  Take 16,450 pieces cut size of a milk bottle cap; turn edges carefully and gather toward center, fasten securely; results should be size and not unlike a tiny forget-me-not blossom.  Join seven of these small flowerets, six surrounding a center one all a different print, harmonious is one small rose.  Continue until you have sufficient roses for a good-sized bed spread.  Fasten roses securely together and you have one of the most beautiful bed coverings imaginable."

Let me know if you make this quilt....lol

What's on your design wall this week?  Looking forward to seeing your links, and please remember to link back to this blog post somewhere within your post.  I appreciate it.




Monday, December 4, 2017

Design Wall Monday - December 4, 2017

Reality has me wanting to clean up the quit room for a fresh start.  I posted some pictures of my quilt room on my blog two years ago......(Here) .... if you care to see what it looks like when it's clean.  But allow me to show you some pictures of the sad state of the room right now:


Ironing board:



Floor right now.....it appears someone dumped a basket to look for something specific in it......who would have done that?  Yes, it was me.  


Plus, I have projects spread out on a table outside the quilt room, in the family room.  Overflow....?


Also, the family room bar counter space has been taken over by my quilting projects.  This is a drinks bar, not a library.....These two areas are not part of my quilt room.



What to do....what to do....How to fix this mess?  As we all know, tackle it a little at a time, each day this week.  I am setting the timer for 15 minutes daily and will put things away until the bell rings.   I will report back to you with pictures next week to show you the results.  Anyone with me on daily 15 minute cleanups in our quilt rooms?

I hope your week will be productive.  What's on your design wall this week?  My design wall is empty right now, but I will be sewing my Jane Stickle columns and rows together soon, and it will be going up on the design wall.