June UFO List

May 1: 10 projects
Started: 2
Finished: 1
May 31: 11 projects

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

I started and finished one baby quilt, and then started another.  This brings me above my desired 10 projects, but I’m making progress.

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

Stash Report Week #20

Alas, the baby quilt is not quite bound, so the stash report is unchanged.  Next week I will have a finish for certain!

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

Threadbare

It’s been three years since we’ve had a spring such as this, with apparently endless rain.  Just Friday, we had 2” in less than an hour, so when the girls and I returned home from an errand, I couldn’t drive in our driveway since a log covered it.  Our neighborhood road flooded again, twice yesterday.

Before the downpours and tornado watches, we spent Friday morning outside trimming bushes, tending chickens, and cleaning the barn.  I had to change clothes after, as my clothes were soaked from the bushes and trees shedding rainwater.  The to-do list is slowing getting shorter, even as the weeds in the garden continue to grow taller.

By the time outside duties were done, I was exhausted.  (Did I mention it was also the first day of summer?  I had a few kids with attitude this year, but they’re going to have to get used to chore lists.  We have things to do!) Sewing?  Nope.

The evening brought lost power, tornadoes south of us, water in the basement, and rushing flood waters.  Since we have well water, we scrambled to wash dishes, etc., when the power returned in case it was lost again later.  Finally, near bedtime, I sat down to sew.  I ironed the first corner of my 9s and stars quilt.  I’m quite pleased with the sashing, as the dark green blends nicely.  I did foul up the construction of my setting triangles, which I intended to extend beyond the cornerstones, but it’s all good.  Everything else is ready to sew together this weekend.

My Garden Mosaic blocks are two short from being done for the month.  Somehow, I lost a stack of triangles and didn’t find them again until after I’d put the walking foot on my machine.  I’ll finish them in a few days.

The big work of the evening was to begin quilting my baby quilt.  I still don’t love it for its original intention, but I’m going to finish it for some other baby.  My finished quilt stash is a bit slim at this point!

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

P.S. There are orange delights to see this weekend!

Stash Report Week #19

Ah, stash reports.  There is no change again this week.  I have blocks to assemble into flimsies this week, but with the end of school, more bad weather, and a dental “crisis” for the Assistant, I have no idea how much stitching is realistic to expect.

Fortunately, I’m shopping even less than I’m finishing quilts, so slow and steady is just fine!

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

Bundles of Blocks

This week was a week for block construction.

All 41 blocks for my nine patches and stars are finished.  I laid them out wrong in the first place, but then I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why my block count was so wrong.  If your rows are the wrong number, the math doesn’t work!  I picked out dark green sashing and tan setting triangle fabric.  This is going to be great!

Next came the blocks for a baby quilt.  Part of me wants to throw the whole stack away.  The bias is such a mess, despite my caution.  At least they are done,  I think I have a plan for the leftovers and offcuts.  They look better in the photo than in person, so maybe they are redeemable.

Finally, I worked on my Garden Mosaic blocks. These didn't quite make it to "bundle of blocks" status, but most of the triangles are sewn and pressed, so I made good progress.

I'm late posting today because this morning and last night were scrambles to mow, till, run drip hose, and plant seeds before the thunderstorms set in.  DH is wrapping up mowing, and Spunky and I accomplished the hose and seeding.  Whew!  It is currently pouring.

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

P.S. Check out the glorious orange projects this weekend!

Stitching Up a Storm

I sewed, and I sewed, and I sewed some more.  I mucked out a leaky basement and repaired the sump pump outlet on the house.  I sewed.  It rained.  We prepared as a tornado passed a few miles south.  It rained.

Did I mention it rained here?  We had over 13” from Monday to Thursday, generally in 2-4” dumpers within an hour or two.  At one point, our road and both ditches were completely filled/covered, and the culvert is exposed on our driveway.  The roads are a little rough.  At one point, our sump pump ran every 3 minutes, and since its outlet is right next to the foundation, that night ended with water in the basement.  Fortunately, water leaked into only unfinished space, so the kids and I cleaned up and diverted the outlet elsewhere.  My tomatoes may all be drowned, but all the other plants look okay.  That’s life in the spring in the Midwest!

In between storms, I kept busy with my sewing.  Without any ripping required, I finished my two Lepidoptera blocks in what felt like record time.  I’m so excited to be at the halfway point in making the blocks!  Some of them are a trifle wonky, but sashing at the end will square up a multitude of angles, so I’m pleased.  I can tell my piecing has improved.  (Although, I think it’s safe to say I will not make another of these quilts!)

I used the strip sets for the baby quilt in between butterfly pieces, and I hope to sub cut them all into block quarters before the weekend is over.  I am disappointed in the pattern I chose, as there is a ridiculous amount of fabric waste.  I hate having a pile of awkward trimmings left over, so I hope I can make use of some of them on the back.  This book will make its way to Goodwill when I’m done.

My nine patch and star blocks are coming along nicely.  I took a gander back at the inspiration quilt and realized I don’t have quite enough block pieces prepared.  I sorted through my scraps today, and once I finish with the block pieces I have already sewn, I’ll make a few more sets to round out my blocks.  This is definitely not their final arrangement; I’m slapping them up on the wall as I finish them.

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

P.S. Be sure to check out all the lovely orange inspiration this weekend.

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Stash Report Week #17

Happy dance, happy dance.  This week, I finished my quilt for March, now called “All That Glitters.”  I was thinking of golden honey with that phrase.  Keeping on track with finishes means I am comfortably ahead of my goal for fabric out for the year, as long as I resist sales emails.  Really, I’m trying to save my purchases for the new V and Co. ombré collection coming out in July.

IN this week: 0 yards
OUT this week: 10 yards

IN YTD: 36 yards
OUT YTD: 49 1/4 yards
YTD Total: 13 1/4 yards OUT

Slim Pickings

It turns out my orange scraps are not particularly numerous.  In fact, in my 2.5” scrap box, I only found enough scraps to make one Great-Granny Squared block.

After the single block, I moved on to assembling my “nine patch and stars” block.  I have 42 to make in total, having made all the block components in the last two years.  It won’t be a quick finish, however, as the next step will be sashing, cornerstones, and setting triangles.  I have to decide if the setting triangles will be colored or neutral, and if colored, which color?  I like these blocks so far.

I also remembered to frame out my aqua Tiny Tuesday blocks, so I'm all set on those again.

Now it's time to mow, after weeks (it feels like!) of rain and dandelions everywhere.  I'm only DH's assistant, but I'm going to get my part done before the day is much older.

Be sure to revel in some bright orange sewing this weekend!

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

May Goals

In April, I wanted to...
1.  Finish a Sister’s Choice quilt using my bee fabrics.  Done!

2.  Given time, start an Irish chain in very soothing blue greens.  Bwahaha.  Nope.  I’m changing the plans on this to baby quilts next month, which are might smaller than an Irish chain for my bed.

3.  Scraps: trim up the bucket (it’s full this month), and in aqua make Garden Mosaic blocks, Great Granny Squared blocks, the Tiny Tuesday sampler blocks, one large Lepidoptera block, and 16-patches in aqua and blue.  I don’t have a lot of separate blue scraps, so I think I’ll try to use them all this month.  The pile is smaller than the greens of last month.  Done, done, and done.

In May, I would like to...
1.  For my fifth project on my “12 Things” list, I’ll be making a baby quilt (or two, depending on how it cuts up).  This was my July project, but I’ve spent the last few months pushing really hard to finish my projects, and I need a slower month.

2.  If there is time, I’ll start on some market bags for Christmas.

3.  Scraps: trim up the (much emptier) bucket, make orange Garden Blocks, make one Great Granny Squared,  2 Lepidoptera blocks, my Tiny Tuesday blocks, and make my warm 9-patches into blocks.  I’m not sure I’ll get all 42 done, but I’d like to make good progress.

I find I have spent a significant amount of this year unwell or with unwell children, and my more complicated quilts might have to wait for another year.  I am so tired lately, and planting season only gets crazier, so that’s all there is!

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

Finished Quilt: All that Glitters

My "12 Things" project for April was a quilt made from my bee fabrics.  We keep bees, I'm apparently dangerously allergic, but they are so lovely to see flitting around.  I wasn't sure what to do, and I still don't love my block choice, but it is what it is.

I chose the Sister's Choice block.  I still have some 10" squares and a fat quarter or two whose print were too large to work in this quilt, so I see another bee quilt in my future.

The quilt is roughly 62" x 84", quilting with an all-over gold in a loop and wandering meander, imitating the flight of a bee.  I don't think bees really wander as much as people think, but really are checking out the directions of other bees or the scents on the air.  I backed it in a green with gold flecks and bound it in the yellow border fabric.

Next up, since I'm tired of finishing a quilt so close to the deadline of the end of each month, I'll be making a baby quilt or two.

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