2019 350 Block Challenge in Review

I made 30 more 16-patches, to bring my total to 1760 for the year.

For totals I had in years’ past, here are the numbers...
In 2018: 1677
In 2017: 1125
In 2016: 1007
In 2015: 1400
In 2014: 794
In 2013: 1057
In 2012, north of 180.  Between terrible morning sickness and moving drama, I lost count.

These totals are part of Shelly at Prairie Moon Quilt’s 350 Block Challenge.  Although I didn’t manage to keep my totals accurately the first year, I’ve certainly enjoyed participating since the beginning of the challenge in 2012.  This year was a new record, thanks to the 900+ Garden Mosaic blocks I made.  Cheers!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

2019 UFO List Wrap Up

I began 2019 with 7 projects.  I’ll be ending the year with 8.  Five of them were on the original list and will roll into 2020.  I’m good with this, as some of those projects are just not on my radar right now!

My new project for the month is two placemats, for a new baby and a baby lost 39 years ago by my mom.  My sister and I try to represent our entire family at the table, and my would-be big brother or sister needs a place, so I have a larger table runner planned.

December 1: 8
Started: 1
Finished: 1
December 31: 8

1. Pillow
2. Scrappy DWR
3. ABC appliqué
4. King sized 16 patch
5. Hand pieced hexagons
6. Garden Mosaic
7. Irish Chain
8. Placemats 

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report 2019 Finale

I ordered fabric and I’m counting it for this year.  The plan is to have big pieces on hand for backing. Additionally, my lovely younger sister gave me a yard of luxurious Art Gallery fabric for Christmas.

IN YTD: 96 yards
OUT YTD: 126 yards
YTD Total: 30 yards OUT

Yeah!  Victory for my stash busting goals!  The last great stash busting year was 2015, when I used 121 yards more than I purchased.  Seeing as I only used 126, I would be hard pressed to use so much.  That tells me I’m getting my stash to a size I can use well without it growing too much year to year.  My 2020 goal will be to use 40 yards more than I purchase, as I have a few piles I’d like to fit onto my cart.

Next year, I hope to add a report on my hand quilting goal of 15 minutes a day in 2020.  I have an Irish chain on the frame in the living room, and we need the space back!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at the End of the Year

What a year, eh?  I am hoping for a few lazy days at the end, with plenty of sewing and less cleaning and laundry, but we’ll see.  The last week didn’t involve much sewing, just some hand quilting and one little table topper flimsy for my mom, which needs embroidery from my sister before I can finish.

I am very pleased with my goals for the year.
1.  I met my goal of 30 yards out for the year.  I’m currently sitting at 49 1/2 yards out, but I ordered about 19 yards on clearance for backings for next year as I don’t have many pieces of large yardage.  I am pretty sure over the last few years I’ve failed at stash busting after I succumb to good sales, but this year I was able to behave myself!
2.  While I didn’t use up all my 2.5” scraps (because do the scraps ever get used up?), but I made good progress with all my scraps.  I finished 9s and stars, one Garden Mosaic quilt, two Great Granny Squared quilts, and the SoScrappy Sampler.  I will finish another giant 16 patch quilt with cool colors (the blocks were all made as leaders and enders), another Garden Mosaic quilt (probably baby sized), and Lepidoptera.  Today I have a goal of basting Lepidoptera.
3.  Of the new projects I chose at the beginning of the year, I finished 8.  One more is being hand quilting, another is waiting for basting, and the last two were laid aside.  That’s pretty successful!

I’m looking forward to the new color announcements for 2020 so I can jump into cutting and sewing something new!  Thank you, Angela,  for all your years of hosting.  I do so enjoy this challenge for making use of my scraps and trying new patterns and techniques!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis
katie z.

Stash Report Week #51

I finished one more quilt (and quite reasonably and probably the last) for the year.  I’m thrilled with it.  So thrilled, in fact, that I may make these blocks again next year and make another.  I really like them!

I am also really quite tickled with my numbers for the year.  I am getting the stash under control!

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 12 1/2 yards

IN YTD: 76 yards
OUT YTD: 125 1/2 yards
YTD Total: 49 1/2 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Garden Mosaic: Insanity

I began wrapping gifts, realized I had gifts for all the teachers but one, and hatched a crazy idea.  What if I could finish my Garden Mosaic quilt by Thursday night?

Then Monday was a snow day, and I didn’t sew at all.  Thursday, my email was hacked, BJ screamed for an hour, and at least 10 other incidents sidelined me, but I managed to finish the flimsy, baste it, quilt it, sew on one side of the binding and... the race was on.  Finally, about 8:30 pm, I finished the binding, undid all the pins, and threw it in the wash.  I repeatedly considered giving up, but it was for JoJo’s teacher and he would have been so disappointed if he didn’t have a gift to take also.  And it was the first teacher quilt this year not to bleed like a stuck pig.

Whew.

I love it.

Can you see the one block turned the wrong direction?  And it’s square... there’s nowhere to hang it for a straight-on photo.

I didn’t make a full-size Garden Mosaic quilt, as that would have finished 96” square.  My slightly scaled down version is 72” square.  I’m very, very pleased with it.  I have enough blocks for another quilt, maybe more baby quilt sized, and I plan to quilt it in straight lines.  The next one will be full of darker blocks instead of these brighter blocks.

My oldest gave her teacher a quilt and reported she cried with happiness.  This is what keeps me making quilts for teachers.  Last year, one of my kids told me their teacher said they were always jealous of the other teachers who received quilts.  I like to bring happiness!

I hope to browse all the other rainbow projects this weekend!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report #50

Well, well, well.  What happened to Sunday?  Or rather, what happened to Monday?  Ice and a snow day!  I haven’t done much of what I planned, so I hope to get back on track on Tuesday.

The stash report writing failed to keep my attention yesterday as there were no finishes for the week.  I had hoped (foolishly) to finish one more quilt this week, but it’s highly unlikely I can knock it out by Friday morning.  Off I go!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Feeling Slightly Crazed

Concerts, plays, and baking are keeping me busy!  Today is PK’s birthday, I’ve been occupied with birthday preparations this morning and time escaped me.

My sewing centered on my Garden Mosaic blocks this week.  There are many pins involved!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S.  I am hoping your week is a little less crazed.  Be sure to take a moment to view all the inspiration projects this weekend.

12 Things: Irish Chain

Another month has rolled past, and I think I’m finally getting into a groove with the hand quilting.  Kate’s 15 minutes a day goal had me thinking: it takes me 20 or so minutes to hand quilt half a block.  If I could do that every day, I could knock out this quilt without too much strain or stress.  For 2020, I think I’ll set a goal of 15 (or so) a day for hand work.  After I wrap up this Irish Chain (which will be late in 2020), I’m going to try working on my hexies for 15 minutes a day.  They have waited for too long, even after I ordered more fabric to make the entire quilt!

I rolled the quilt again (maybe twice?), so here’s what I finished and where I am starting again today. I know, it doesn’t much different, but it’s progress!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #49

Eek!  Week #49 means Christmas and the end of the year are unbelievably close.  I have no changes to the stash this week, despite my moaning to Joyful that I wanted to stress shop for fabric!  I behaved myself and bought no fabric (and let’s be honest, I didn’t find anything I really wanted, so it’s okay).

I’m hoping for one more finish before the year ends and maybe, if the stars align and all that fluff, two small placemats.

IN YTD: 76 yards
OUT YTD: 113 yards
YTD Total: 37 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Waiting

‘Tis the season of preparations!  Thursday afternoon I had a moment of “where did I leave my brain?” when I couldn’t find the gold coins for the stockings for the feast of St. Nicholas.  It turns out my oldest hid them for me (a necessary thing, as Miss G is quite the snoop at times), so no wonder I couldn’t find them!  All is well, as we found them in the end.

Last Saturday evening, I did indeed finish the binding on the second Great Granny Squared quilt.  I wanted to soak, wash, and dry them before taking pictures, but, alas, the transmission died on my washing machine during the Sunday post-Thanksgiving guests laundry marathon.  The replacement transmission arrived seriously damaged, so we’re (fingers crossed) going to have a functioning machine on Monday.  So here they are, unwashed and in poor lighting.  I forgot to take them outside yesterday, and it’s frosty today!

Finishes are quite satisfying, but I think this next flimsy ranks up there as well.  Despite cutting mistakes and piecing mistakes, I made it!  I even pieced the backing and will cut the batting this weekend.  The Assistant requested this for her collection, but I think we’ll tuck it away for college.  We have a little or two who has trouble with nail polish and sharpies, even though we hide them!

I’m having more headache free days, which is lovely, so health issues are in general improving!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S. I link up each Saturday to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

November Block Count

November was short on new blocks as I began finishing quilts.

37 blocks for the month: 2 Lepidoptera and 35 16-patches for a total of 1730 for 2019!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

December Goals

In November, I wanted to...

1. Irish Chain is still on the list for my 12 Things project.  I would like to quilt 12 chain blocks this month.  I think I did finish 12 chain blocks.

2. Scraps: It’s time to assemble!  I have trimming, the last two Lepidoptera blocks, and some 16 patches as leaders and enders.  After that, if I feel really lovely, I can finish the Tiny Tuesday sampler, 2 Great Granny Squared quilts, Lepidoptera, or even the 16 patch quilt!  Plenty done, plenty left to do.

For December, I would like to hope I’m past all but the biggest health hurdle.  So recovery, but still slow, and with Christmas only three weeks away, a busy month!

1.  I want to quilt 12 more chain blocks for my Irish Chain.  I’m having some trouble with numbness in my back from hand quilting, so I don’t really want to overdo.

2.  Ah, scraps.  Trim, finish Lepidoptera, and maybe a Garden Mosaic quilt are in my future.  After that, the 16 patch blocks should get finished this month, so maybe I’ll tackle this lovely, large quilt soon.

3.  I may make two more placemats for my mom’s collection.  My newest nephew was born, and my sister (who embroiders the names) and I discussed we should make something for the sibling my mom miscarried between said sister and I.  I have plans, but I’m not in a rush. These are to be lovely.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

December UFO List

November 1: 10
Started: 0
Finished: 2
November 30: 8

1. Pillow
2. Scrappy DWR
3. ABC appliqué
4. King sized 16 patch
5. Hand pieced hexagons
6. Garden Mosaic
7. Irish Chain
8. Lepidoptera

November turned into a great month for decreasing the list!  I eked out three finished quilts, finishing off two projects.  The Tiny Tuesday blocks are all finished, and the Great Granny Squared blocks bloomed into two lovely quilts.  Now I need to wait for my washer to be repaired before I can soak and wash them.  (It’s going to be a long week with no washer for 9 people!)

I’m very pleased that I will roll into 2020 with less than 10 projects.  Whatever new things I start, I’ll have space for them.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #48

I finished TWO quilts this week!  It was late Saturday night when the last stitches went into the binding of the second one, but I can, with a clear conscience, claim both were finished in November and in time for this stash report.  Additionally, as long as I don’t push anymore buttons on fabric websites, I’ve met my stash goal of 30 yards out for the year.

I did find backings a little hard to rustle up.  Next year’s purchases, like some at the end of last year, definitely need to focus on 4-5 yard cuts or extra wide backings to help with this.  I have plenty of stash, but the pieces are generally a yard or less, and I prefer only one or two seams for backings.

Maybe one or two finishes may be expected before the end of the year, but I’m not going to worry if not.  This was a good week even if I haven’t touched the machine or my Irish Chain quilt since Tuesday!

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 15 yards

IN YTD: 76 yards
OUT YTD: 113 yards
YTD Total: 37 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Finished!

This has been a lovely week for sewing.  My 16 patches in green, blue, and purple are done.  Next month I’ll make the teal ones.

One Great Granny Squared quilt, roughly 6 foot square, is finished.  The binding on the second is 1/4 done, and will hopefully be done by the end of the day.  I’m pretty happy with how they look, although I think if I made them again I would starch them after pressing, before cutting.  They had a bit of fullness when sewing on the sashing.

One neurologist and one ultrasound on a lump later, I have the answers of nothing fatal or more serious than some horrible migraines.  Now if I could just manage the stress in my life (ha!), I might be better off.  Fortunately, headache days are decreasing.  All that’s left is physical therapy for my remaining issues, and I might eventually feel human again!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S. I’m looking forward to browsing all the block collections this weekend!

Stash Report Week #47

No changes.

Binding is awaiting hand stitching, so I have high hopes of a finish (or maybe even two!) before next stash report.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Preparations

How’s the weather where you are?  We finally had a few fall days, but now we’re back into winter!

This week, I hustled through the first of two quilts made from this year’s Great Granny Squared blocks.  It’s quilted and the binding is machine sewn on, waiting for next week when I can sew it down by hand while visiting with family.

The second is sewn into rows and, if between visits to new doctors next week, I can get it pieced, basted, and quilted, I may have two bindings to finish while family is here!

I’m making slow and steady progress on the Irish chain, aiming for hand quilting half a block a day.  It may take me all next year to finish, but finish I shall!

The sixteen patches were waylaid this week, but next week I should be able to finish all the greens, which will leave me only the teals in December.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S. Visit all the rainbows!

Stash Report Week #46

Ah, a finish, a finish!  I’m within striking distance of my goal of 30 yards out for the year.  It has been a good incentive this year to, after my one splurge, delete all the sale ads.  I have more than enough fabric to keep me busy for quite a while!

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 6 1/4 yards

IN YTD: 76 yards
OUT YTD: 98 yards
YTD Total: 22 yards OUT

Now it’s time to make stash plans for next year.  I really do want to see a decrease in my stash so that everything would fit back on the cart, including large pieces or collections of this, that, and the other.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z,

Fabric Allsorts

I am so pleased that, this week, I finished the binding and washing of my Tiny Tuesday Sampler.  Thank you, Angela, for organizing the sampler!  One of the great things about making this quilt with Vicki’s fabric is knowing the fabrics won’t bleed.  The one and only spot I found, faint as it is, was next to the red heart block I made out of commercial fabric and never remade.  This quilt is now destined to sit on our chair and a half, for kids to snuggle under when watching movies.

The next joy of the week is completing the final Lepidoptera block.  A minor mishap was easy to cover up.  I even spread out the blocks on the storage room floor so I could get a feel for the final quilt.  While I have little intention of repeating this quilt any time soon, the end result compensates for all frustration!

Since the binding wrapped up Monday and the Lepidoptera blocks are intense enough to need frequent breaks, I worked on the first of my two flimsies made from this year’s Great Granny Squares blocks.  I have the binding picked out, the backing fabric cut, and most of the top pieced together.  I’m looking forward to having it together!  (I did the winter rearranging of furniture, which I should not have done alone, so now my design wall will have computer screens in it!  We have no TV, so I had to adjust for furniture to see the computer while not blocking the stove so we can use it)

As I’ve been assembling quilts from Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks, I realized I don’t love to sew sashing.  Of course, three quilts with sashing are in the queue!  Next year, I will choose blocks that can be pieced without sashing.

Friday, I spent some time in front of the stove pondering next year’s plan.  I wish I knew that my healer would resolve itself by next year, but that’s still a mass of question marks.  Given the uncertainty, I’m trying to keep my plans simple enough that I won’t “fall behind” if I’m unwell or doctor’s visits hold me up.  (I do see a new doctor next week, so positive thoughts and prayers would be most appreciated.)

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S. Please visit the other rainbow scrappers to be inspired!

What Would I Do...

...if I weren’t afraid to mess up quilts?

I would try more new-to-me quilting designs.  I am a mediocre quilter at best, although I can rock a meander!  So this week, after many delays, I settled in to quilt my Tiny Tuesday sampler.  My intention is to do one motif for each color, so eight different motifs.  I’m on pattern number 5 and running short on ideas.  I don’t particularly want frequent stops and stars, marking or rulers, or anything incredibly dense.

Early in the week, I knocked out the penultimate Lepidoptera block, a lovely (and lovely small) fuschia butterfly.  Last up, next week after finishing the sampler, will be an emerald one.  Assembly of this jigsaw puzzle has me a little hesitant, but I think the fabrics will cover a world of mistakes.

In health news, there’s not much to say.  I am grateful that the headaches, while still with me, are less debilitating, and beyond that, zero progress.  I think I’ve settled on a doctor who will listen to me, and I’ll call to schedule an appointment next week.

Let’s go visit some other rainbow quilts, shall we?

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

November Goals

In October, I wanted to...

1. For my 12 Things project: Make progress on the Irish Chain.  I need to either baste or load it on the frame.  Loaded and quilting begun!

2. Scraps: This month is black or brown, so I'll trim, make Garden Mosaic blocks, Great Granny Squared, Lepidoptera, and Tiny Tuesday.  Goal met!

3.  A teal and red quilt for someone recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Done and delivered.

In November, I am still moving slow with recovery, so I’m going to lay out some ridiculous goals but the later goals are really to just remind me what I can do next if I “run out” of goals!

1. Irish Chain is still on the list for my 12 Things project.  I would like to quilt 12 chain blocks this mont.

2. Scraps: It’s time to assemble!  I have trimming, the last two Lepidoptera blocks, and some 16 patches as leaders and enders.  After that, if I feel really lovely, I can finish the Tiny Tuesday sampler, 2 Great Granny Squared quilts, Lepidoptera, or even the 16 patch quilt!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

12 Things Update

For three months now, my Irish Chain in hand dyed fabric has been my project for my 12 Things for 2019,  Alas, this means I’ve abandoned (or, really, failed to start) a few projects this year.  That’s okay; there’s always 2020.

I actually have made good progress.  The first turn has been made on the quilting frame!  I’m quilting straight lines through the chains, and I’ll figure out a motif for the other blocks later.  My goal for the month is to quilt another 12 chain blocks, which should get me at least two, maybe three more turns in.  This is one wall of our living room right now, so I’m grateful DH is patient with me.  6 blocks down, 56 to go.

I imagine it will be nearly 2021 before I’m done with this beauty, and it’ll be worth every minute.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #44

No changes.  I’m currently halfway to my goal for the year, as I disrupted my totals massively this summer by buying two sets of 1/2 yard cuts.  I did assemble a flimsy this week, did some planning for two more, and plan to start one of my last butterfly blocks tomorrow!  It’s definitely the time of year for finishes.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z,

Quick Work

When all the water freezes, I batten down the hatches for winter.  Of course, today it was over 60 again, so it’s not quite winter yet.  My chicks are getting big enough that they need to be moved out of my shed, so I’m trying to make repairs to an old coop before the beastly cold returns!

On the sewing front, I’m pleased to have finished another round of Garden Mosaic blocks.  I need to play with a few to decide how many more I need.  I think the most I would need is about 125, but maybe less.  I’ve seen two different numbers of blocks for the quilt, so I’ll need to refer back to my picture downstairs.

The rest of my sewing time, brief as it was, focused on a very cheerful project.  I love these blocks!  Since I made the blocks from my stash of hand dyed fabric, I dove back into it for 2” strips for sashing.  I know it’s not a “perfect” color wash, but I was using what I had.  I did choose to make the quilt wider than tall so several kids can sit under it and examine blocks.  The backing, for which I had initially considered some rainbow layout, is going to be blue with snowflakes, as I have a long enough piece that I only need one seam.  I’m still tired (nope, no answers, but the headaches currently don’t require daily ibuprofen, so there you go), so plain Jane will do.

I’m looking forward to a flurry of finishes over the next few months: Tiny Tuesday sampler, 2 Great Granny Squared quilts, Lepidoptera, and (big maybes) either the 16 patch quilt or Garden Mosaic.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S. Be sure to check out all the rainbow projects this weekend!

November UFO List

October 1: 10
Started: 1
Finished: 1
October 31: 10

1. Pillow
2. Scrappy DWR
3. ABC appliqué
4. King sized 16 patch
5. Hand pieced hexagons
6. Great Granny Squared
7. Garden Mosaic
8. Lepidoptera
9. Tiny Tuesday
10. Irish Chain

I started and finished a quilt for a woman from our church who is undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.  I’m looking forward to a few finishes this month, so maybe I’ll drop below 10 projects to end the year!

October Block Count

It turns out there were plenty of black, grey, and brown scraps for Garden Mosaic blocks, so there are plenty of new blocks this month!

7 Great Granny Squared
144 Garden Mosaic
2 Lepidoptera
7 Tiny Tuesday blocks
and 36 rows for a quilt
for a total of 196 new blocks, making it 1693 blocks for the year!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #43

No changes this week, but I am making very nice process on making a few flimsies.  Take, for example, my rainbow sampler blocks.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

The End of (Tiny) Things

This week, I had a good time creating or finding new blocks for my remaining Tiny Tuesday blocks.  The Assistant suggested an egg, so I made a teal one with a brown background.  Next, Spunky informed me I needed a caterpillar, so I made a bright green one on green leaves.  I know it blends in too much, but that’s what caterpillars do.  I may add a little black to it... or I may not.  Next up was a chicken.  I had to take someone else’s idea, thanks to Mr. Googlepants, and draft my own for a 4.5” block.  Last up was the green ”T” block that, with strategically placed black dots, may become a dog. That’s it.  Now it’s time to play with sashing ideas!

Next up, I made good but incomplete progress on my Garden Mosaic blocks.  I finished 80 blocks, but didn’t finish any black ones.  I guess I’ll tackle those next week.  I still haven’t decided what to do about these blocks.  I suspect I’ll make four smaller quilts, as I don’t need a large one, but I still have time.

On the health front, I consulted a midwife friend, who had some excellent suggestions that I’ll be taking back to my doctor.  I have hope that we’re finally making progress and, given the right medicine, I may finally feel more like myself again!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Stash Report Week #42

I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the reality that there are ten weeks left to the year.  I have been on low power mode for so much of the year that I feel a little cheated on 2019.  Ah, well.

I finished a quilt this week.  It was a quick one, no planning of colors, mostly using scraps, simple quilting, quick wash, and done.  It feels good to have a nice quilt done.  I was pleased that, other than cutting 10 or so strips from stash fabrics, the entire rest of the quilt came from the 2.5” bin.  I had a mini mission to use up this box in 2019, and while it’s not empty yet, I made good progress.

After the hiccup of two bundles of fabric this summer, my numbers are recovering well.  I’m over halfway to my goal of 30 yards out for the year.  I have tentative hopes of finishing two quilts from my Great Granny Squared blocks as well as my Lepidoptera quilt, the sum of which will easily bring me to 30 yards out for the year.  Somehow, the thread has also been vanishing rapidly, so my total used is 19 spools.

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 6 1/2 yards

IN YTD: 76 yards
OUT YTD: 91 3/4 yards
YTD Total: 15 3/4 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

A Long Road

I had “scheduled” dark brown triangle sewing for this week, but a number of things, quilty and otherwise, took up my time this week.  We had a partially rained out pumpkin patch trip, some unproductive physical therapy, the daily headache of varying degrees, and a few boxes of onions to dehydrate.

I finished the quilt for my friend.  The quilting is just stitch in the ditch along each row, so it was the work of a few hours.  I soaked the backing twice, and it turned the bathtub a different color each time!  (Thanks again, Vicki, for directions!). It’s washed and dried without incident, so I’ll deliver it this weekend.

I basted my lovely Irish chain and even began the quilting.  If (big, giant IF) I quilt a “chain” square a day, I can have it off the frame in a little over two months.  I still have no idea what I’m putting in the light diamonds, but I’m open to suggestions.  My hand can’t stand quilting for long, even since I broke it, so this is a long term project.  I love it, so it’s all good.  This is taking up space in our living room and my DH has fabulously not said a word.  I was afraid to have it as a temptation in the playroom, and I’m hoping seeing it daily will keep me engaged.

Two more Tiny Tuesday blocks, in yellow and orange, made it to the wall.  I have tentative plans for 2 more, which leaves me looking for ideas for the last three.  We’re almost there!  I have plans for my sashing, but only time will tell if I have the right fabrics.  I need time to spread out my collection of gradients to see.

I finished 64 Garden Mosaic blocks, in brown, but never turned on the iron.  This coming week, the iron will be required before I can make any more progress.  Maybe today, Saturday, I’ll get to it!

In the prolonged saga of health news, I’m at a standstill.  It looks like a daily headache is in the cards for me for the foreseeable future, as it’s probably due to postpartum hormone drops (in addition to lack of sleep, allergies, stress...).  Physical therapy has done what it can for my other problems, so I think I have to wait out a recovery period of six months or so before I find a new OBGYN who will take my concerns seriously and not just say “give it time.”  Yes, I’ll give it time, but I also know this is not normal so... there you go.  I sew instead of lifting or pulling weeds!

I’m hopefully (after a walk) going to see everyone else’s lovely blocks this weekend as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

I Might Be a Little Tired...

...but you already knew that.  There are really no new health developments: I still have a low grade headache 90% of the time, I still can’t lift heavy things, and I’m slowly healing.  I’m doing “all the things” I can, so there you go.  A certain two month old has decided to cut two teeth (gulp) and staying up in the night.

It’s a good thing “all the things” includes sitting down to sew instead of doing too much housework.

Oh, the triangles I stitched together this week!  I haven’t pressed any of them, but I have nearly all my grey, black, and brown triangles sewn for Garden Mosaic.  I only have half a stack left!  Anticipation is beginning to run high for the assembly stage.  Will all my scraps work nicely together, or will I find handfuls that don’t go with the rest?

In between other things, I made all the rows for the new quilt and sewed together most of them.  The

recipient told me her favorite color used to be red, but now she’s leaning towards teal, hence the colors I chose.  I considered red fabrics for the back, but instead found a funky purple and red batik.  I think I’ll soak it after I piece it to take care of bleeding issues but still avoid manhandling a heavy wet quilt.

My main mission this week focused on my Lepidoptera blocks.  Of course I cut the first one back to front, putting dark where light should be and vice versa.  It’s still lovely.  The tan one had less variation in shade, making it a tad muddy looking.  I still like it, and it was one of the fastest to sew up as all the colored strips were 1.5”.  This leaves me with two last butterflies to make, a brilliant fuschia and an emerald green.  I fervently hope that, when the time comes to add the various filler bits, my butterflies are all close enough to the correct size that assembly isn’t too complicated.

Are you already dreaming and scheming about next year’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts?  I think I need to use my ombre scraps in something delightful, and I still have too many 2” strips.  Things that make me go, “hmmm...”

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S.  Saturday means time to visit the Rainbow Scrap Challenge beauties!

Stash Report Week #40

I’ve resisted shopping for fabric, so at least I haven’t “damaged” my numbers.  There are no finishes, but there are several hopeful developments.  My Irish chain is a flimsy with batting cut and backing pieced.  I finished my Great Granny Squared blocks, and they will make two lap quilts.  Additionally,  the quilt I planned for a family friend is cut, rows planned, and 24 rows sewn.  All in all, it was a good week!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

Autumn Weather, Autumn Shades

The last two days have been blissfully chilly, requiring jackets and rain boots and open windows.  It was a perfect beginning to a month of black, brown, and grey sewing.

I’m still muddling through “all the headaches,” but I am getting better, not worse, so I spent some afternoons sewing this week.  My PT added “epidural headache” to my list, but since she worked on it and this didn’t require new medicine, I’m glad to understand another piece to the puzzle.  All the scary medicine is over for now, and even the sinus headache Friday afternoon didn’t stop me!

First up, I finished another 60+ Garden Mosaic blocks.  I have less than 300 to go, and since I spent Thursday evening and Friday morning cutting my brown and black ones, I may have less than 200 at the end of the month.  Then I must decide if I’m making the giant quilt.  I don’t need another giant quilt.  Do I donate it to some fundraiser for church?  Give it away?  Make several smaller quilts?  I don’t know yet.

Please excuse the lighting,  It was bedtime, and this was my rare opportunity!

The two remaining seams on my Irish Chain quilt, made from fabric dyed by Vicki Welsh, took me all week.  I wanted to press each large section first, and that felt too daunting a task for much of the week.  Now I only need to press the final seams and decide how I’m going to quilt this beauty, which is certainly going on my bed.

Thursday and Friday were particularly good days for progress on my Great Granny Squared blocks.  The last one, still under my needle, will bring my total to 50.  I do believe I’ll make these into two lap quilts, which will end up about 72” square each by the time I add sashing, which will take care of two quilts for teachers.  Don’t worry; I have no intention of finishing them before Christmas, unless I feel so much better than I do now.

I did start a new quilt this week.  A woman in our parish was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and she’s close enough to our family that quilt would be appropriate.  I’m sewing together squares and bricks into rows.  I only had to cut a few new strips of teal from my stash; all the rest came from my 2.5” scrap bin!  There won’t be much pinning, and it works well in between other blocks, so it’s a low-stress, no-hurry kind of project.  I refuse to set goals for how fast it’s going to go, so it will be done when it’s done.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,
katie z.

P.S. Be sure to see all the other beautiful projects this weekend!

September Block Count

Against all odds, the block count for September turned out to be pretty cushy!

I had 187 new blocks:

• 5 Great Granny Squared
• 104 Garden Mosaic
• 2 Lepidoptera 
• 4 Tiny Tuesday
• 72 Irish Chain

This brings my total to 1497 for the year.  Woohoo!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

October UFO List

September 1: 10
Started: 1
Finished: 1
September 30: 10

1. Pillow
2. Scrappy DWR
3. ABC appliqué
4. King sized 16 patch
5. Hand pieced hexagons
6. Great Granny Squared
7. Garden Mosaic
8. Lepidoptera
9. Tiny Tuesday
10. Irish Chain

The list is still the same, as I added and finished the stocking last month.  I don't see the list shrinking this month either, but maybe before the end of the year!

from the room of Zana's Ninis,
katie z.