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.