2020 350 Blocks Challenge Total

 And so it ends... with a bit of a whimper.  Not having internet at the new house except for my phone puts a damper on blogging, most certainly.  Here I am, on the bare floor of the old house, hoping to pound out a few posts while my toes defrost from the outside work.

This month, I get to count all the blocks for three quilts: the Rainbow Quilt, 17; Spunky’s Owl, 20; and the Morewood Mystery, 270, for a total of 307 for December.

I believe my total for 2020 is 1431 blocks.  This is lower than the last few years, but considering that I moved for most of December instead of quilting, I’ll take it!

For totals I had in years’ past, here are the numbers...

In 2019: 1760

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.

Thank you, Shelly!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

December UFO Report and 2020 Wrap Up

 I began 2020 with 8 projects.  2019 began with 7.  I’ll be ending the year with 7.  I’m so grateful that this UFO Challenge, begun by Vicki Welsh ages ago, to have helped me go from 30+ random projects at various stages now down to a manageable under 10.

 1. Pillow

2. Scrappy DWR

3. ABC appliqué
4. Hand pieced hexagons
5. Temperature quilt

6. Morewood Mystery

7. Strip Twist

December 1: 9 projects

Started: 3

Finished: 1

December 31: 7 projects

I finished the Rainbow Quilt, the Ice Quilt, and Spunky’s Owl.  I started a strip twist.  And there we go.

I don’t have settled plans for 2020 yet, although I do have a list of desired new projects.  I need another king sized quilt for our new bed.  My scraps’ voices are drowned out by the clamoring boxes!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

2020 Quilting Goals in Review

 This year, my goals were: 

1.  Use 40 yards more than I purchase.  I used 80+ more, so met and exceeded.

2. In a continuation of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (because it is so fun to play along!), I have a brick and square quilt, a scrappy log cabin, and Garden Party.  I may make more Garden Mosaic blocks, but I’m not committing to it yet.  I made 12 scrappy quilts total.  The brick and square didn’t happen, but the others did.  

3.  Other quilts on my “future quilts” list includes... a wool prayer cloth for my sister, a temperature quilt, a pink 16-patch, a weighted blanket, a bee fabric quilt, two placemats, maybe a baby blanket, and maybe some Easter skirts and vests.  Several maybes.  I’m good with that!  The prayer cloth never materialized.  Hmm... The temperature quilt is in progress, the pink quilt turned into flying geese and stars, and all the other things happened.  Yay!

I would say not too shabby for the year, especially considering it was 2020.  I’m still pondering 2021, so I’ll be back with another blog about that later.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

December Goals Reviewed

 I always forget to wrap up the year tidily, and then I feel rushed, so I’m trying to do better this year.  Of course, I’ve misplaced my sewing notebook at the new house and we don’t have internet there yet, so it’s complicated!

For December, the goals were plain:

1. Scraps: trim, finish the Ice Quilt and the Rainbow Quilt, start a strip twist quilt from scraps, finish Spunky’s quilt (see what happens when I wait to long to report on my goals?), finish one large hexi star and maybe a small one or two.  Two quilts done, strip twist cut and begun, Spunky’s quilt done, but the large hexi quilt is languishing.  I hope to finish it before the year’s end.

2. Get as close as possible to finishing the temperature quilt.  I hope to give this some attention in the next few days.  It’s coming along.

3. Complete the next step of the Morewood Mystery.  Everything is cut, most things are sewn. My ironing board is finally moving to the new house, which will help!

I don’t have January goals yet, so over the next few days I’ll work on those.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #52 and 15 Minutes

 Not a good week for sewing.  The boxes called for every spare moment, so I rarely sat down.  That brings my numbers down to 340 days of 360 for my 15 minutes of stitching.  I am proud to say I only have five boxes left in my sewing room, and much of that is tax, business, etc., related, and not sewing related.  I’ll be glad when the boxes are done... but first we need to finish packing the old house!

It looks like the year will end on a good note for stash busting.  My net usage is twice my original goal!

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 0 yards

IN YTD: 159 yards

OUT YTD: 245 1/2 yards

YTD Total: 85 1/2 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge Summary

 Hi!  I haven’t touched a sewing machine this week except to move it.  I don’t know where my pictures are, so I think I’ll post links about my Rainbow Scrap Challenges. I apologize that it’s more work for you, but I hope it’s better than nothing.

A rainbow quilt for a little boy...

The Ice Quilt (I love this so much)...

Spunky Owl, a fall collaboration with Spunky.

Courtyard Steps, made from the leftovers from my Lepidoptera Quilt, which I finished January 1 of this year, a previous year’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

A baby quilt, a year late, but just fine...

I quite love the Garden Party quilt I made this year.  It doesn’t have all the rainbow colors, since it was for my brother, but I made a few blocks every month with my scraps until it was done!

I had a pink flying geese project during the pink month.

Then there were some purple blocks for a comfort quilt.  I love how active my scrap bins and stash has been this year, I realize as I go search for these links.  We’ve been growing things!

The (giant) baby, who is almost as big as the four year old, received his fox quilt.  I will treasure the scraps Joyful contributed, and it’s so cheerful on his bed.  Tackling blocks like this, that are fiddly, in companionship with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, makes them so much more palatable..

I’d entirely forgotten that I finished this king sized 16-patch quilt this year, a work in progress over several years of challenges.  It was good time, as we decided to upgrade to a king sized bed in the new house, and this is one of two king sized quilts we have!  I still have the companion baby/toddler quilt tucked away for gifts.

12 quilts from scraps this year.  That’s not too shabby, is it?  I appreciate the incentive to sew brought on by the link up each Saturday.

Apparently I forget quilts after six months, as I had also forgotten this project from yellows, a bee quilt with Spunky.

I finished a pared-down Garden Mosaic early this year from blocks I made last year.  Maybe I should start another and actually make it king sized?

I don’t know what my plans are for next year as I’m currently having a hard time seeing past the next box to pack and the next box to unpack.  I’ll get there, and I hope to have time to be inspired by all of you!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Weeks #50-51 and 15 Minutes

 Oops, last week got away from me.  I haven’t done much sewing, but instead have been packing and moving boxes!

I did finish both the Ice Quilt and the Rainbow Quilt in the last two weeks, so the stash report changes again.

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 14 3/4 yards

IN YTD: 159 yards

OUT YTD: 245 1/2 yards

YTD Total: 86 1/2 yards OUT

I’m please with my stash results for the year.  My goal was to net 40 yards out, and I’ve more than doubled that.  I suspect, next year, as I will be spending lots of time unpacking and adjusting to a new house and property (and I think recovering from a surgery), that I may not have so many finishes.

On the 15 minutes a day front, I managed to sew 13 of 14 days, for 339 days of 353 days in 2020.  I’ve made much more project on the hand pieced hexagons than I imagined at the beginning of 2020.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Detour

 Well... it’s been quite a Saturday with very little sewing. We’re moving!  It’s only a few miles down the road, with more bedrooms, less storage, more kitchen, and more land.  With the pandemic, it does mean we’re doing most of the moving on our own, although my parents and brother have been able to do a tremendous amount of work, socially distanced and with masks.  Good times.

I did finish the rainbow quilt Wednesday night, after the insanity of closing Monday and moving by van for three days.  I’m so happy with this little quilt, and I’m looking forward to giving it away soon.  (This is just 1/4 of it.  It’s late, the lights are out everywhere, and there are messes even if they weren’t.  Forgive me.)

And now I need to go to bed.  I need sleep!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

P.S. I link up each Saturday (usually earlier) to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  We are challenged next week to show all our Rainbow Scrap Challenge finishes.  I wonder if I can pull that together!

Slightly Obsessed

 I must say, after the current craziness of our lives settles down, I’m going to revisit this book,Successful Scrap Quilts from Simple Rectangles, (I can’t get the link box to work right now) again.  It’s basic, but I really love the mindless piecing that turns into something lovely.  It works so well from my scrap box.  This week I have my second quilt, the Ice Quilt, made from it.  I did super simple stitching on either side of the main seams, then an X through each block.  I really like it, but I’m glad to give away another quilt I really like.

The Rainbow Quilt is in one piece.  It needs some dethreading and the backing fabric (red) is soaking in hot water before quilting.  Now I need to decide how to quilt it... and X through each square or stitching on each side of the seams?  I’m leaning toward Xs.

I’ve been cutting more scraps for a Strip Twist quilt (a la Bonnie Hunter) from my 2” bin.  This is working nicely as an easy leader and ender.  I still have no plan for 2021 Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts.  What will you be doing?

There’s much to do today, so I’m off again.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

P.S. This is part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (my link button doesn’t want to cooperate today...)

December Goals

 November goals rolled out modestly:

1. Scraps: trim, complete courtyard steps, piece several small hexagon flowers, and cut one new scrap quilt for next year.  I supposed Spunky’s freestyle quilt fits in here too, but I won’t  have a timeline for it until the mess of scraps disturbs me for too long,  All done, although Spunky’s quilt is a December finish.  I cut two baby quilts (my SiL is having twins!).  I also finished and gave away the courtyard steps quilt.

2.  One more row of the temperature quilt.  It will be longer than it is wide after this!  Done

3.  Make my Christmas apron.  Done.  I like it.  I’ve used it.

4. Maybe sew up the Assistant’s floral skirt or start her pineapple quilt.  Both have been on the “future projects I ought to do” list for too long.  I started her pineapple quilt.  It’s a bit fiddly, so I’m still wrapping my brain around how to attack it.

For December, the goals are still plain.

1. Scraps: trim, finish the Ice Quilt and the Rainbow Quilt, start a strip twist quilt from scraps, finish Spunky’s quilt (see what happens when I wait to long to report on my goals?), finish one large hexi star and maybe a small one or two.

2. Get as close as possible to finishing the temperature quilt.

3. Complete the next step of the Morewood Mystery.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #49 and 15 Minutes

 15 minutes, accomplished.  I had to double check my math today when I checked my notes and saw 339 days gone for 2020.  I finished the points for the next round in the large orange star, so I’m at 326 days of 339.  I plan to continue this habit next year, and the year after, and so on, until this quilt is in one piece or I get too tired of it and need a break!  I am, thus far, enjoying the process still.

On the stash side, I spun off the last of another spool of thread for 21 spools used up this year.  I also finished Spunky’s Owl quilt, so I get to count yardage out.  It was a lovely impromptu project, and I’m glad to have had it for scrap use and to keep my mind busy away from all the worry of the last few months.

I did receive an order from Missouri Star Quilt Company, but I think it was all (mostly?) for Miss G’s Christmas gift.  I need to go back to my order and review.  I may have to admit to fabric in next week!

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 7 yards

IN YTD: 159 yards

OUT YTD: 230 3/4 yards

YTD Total: 71 3/4 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Spunky Owl

 And just like that, I have a finished quilt.  Spunky’s Owl, for which this quilt is now named, is made by Sally of the Objects of Design.  Isn’t he cute?  The quilt is extremely long for the width, but Spunky is thrilled, so 50” x 80” it is.  I’m pleased all the funny shaped pieces I had are used, but we were certainly nowhere near using all the fall colored scraps.  Of course!  The backing is prints of the four Hogwarts school houses (I forgot a picture before I threw it in the washer).  Quilting is a simple meander, binding is more scraps, and it’s done!

I began quilting the Ice Quilt last night, but I’m doing straight line quilting, so it won’t be a fast finish.  Still, maybe by next weekend.

The rainbow quilt needs to more rows pieced before I begin assembling it.  I’m getting close!  It will definitely be a fast finish after Ice Quilt.  I’m always amazed at how fast quilts can come together when I make all the blocks at once rather than strung out over the entire year.

I think, next, I need to plan another scrappy quilt.  I’m debating between a 16-patch, since they are so mindless to sew, and a strip twist.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

P.S. I’m linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this weekend.

November Block Count

 Oh, my, I can’t seem to add my block numbers lately.  I think I’ve finally reconciled my numbers.

Last month, I finished another row of my temperature quilt for 312 blocks and I made all the blocks for a new quilt, totally 90 more.  Thus, my month total is 114 and my year total is 1124.  This may not jive with last month, but I had some math issues!

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

November UFO Report

 1. Pillow

2. Scrappy DWR

3. ABC appliqué
4. Hand pieced hexagons
5. Temperature quilt

6. Spunky

7. Morewood Mystery

8. Blue and white

9. Rainbow

November 1: 7 projects

Started: 3

Finished: 1

November 30: 9 projects

Eh, I started a few things.  Fortunately, I first finished my courtyard steps quilt.  All three new quilts are intended as gifts and are needed/wanted in the near future, it was worth starting all three now.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #48 and 15 Minutes

 Oh, my, my, but the year is suddenly sliding right past me.  Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that the pandemic began?  Of course not, but as we have settled into a routine, it does feel like time has gone faster.

This week, I finished nothing, so my totals remain the same.  I did use up one more spool of thread, for 20 out for the year.

I worked on my hexagons this week every day, for 319/332 days.  I finished round one and two, and tonight I spent some time basting round three.

We had a full day, with honey extracting after finding a hive died, chick rescuing after our guineas attacked them, and later butchering, sadly, because we don’t keep vicious animals on our farm.  That’s not quite how I intended Sunday to go, but so it is!  Now I’m heading to bed.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Quiet Days

 Happy Thanksgiving, belatedly!  We had a quiet, lovely Thanksgiving.  We did an 8x8 meeting (video call) with most of my siblings and my parents in the afternoon and evening, but we also had a great time just celebrating by ourselves.  While our original plan was to drive to Colorado and celebrate (alone) in a cabin, we decided there was too much risk if DH or the Assistant, who are regularly at risk of exposure to COVID, got sick at 8000 feet instead of our normal 1000.  No fun.

The bonus is the hours and hours (more than 20) of time not spent in a car.  I’ve been quite productive with my extra hours.

Spunky wants an owl in her quilt, so I’m constructing one for the last corner.  Then we’ll find a backing and quilt it. The weather is easing into winter here, but Spunky loves the quilt and really enjoyed the collaboration.  I did too.

In the meantime, I completely finished this flimsy.  Wow!  I love how fast these blocks come together once constructed.  As I mentioned last week, the blue and neutral strips were almost entirely from my scrap box, with just a few strips of each required from my stash.  I had no idea I could make such a large quilt from it.  This weekend, I’ll press it, cut the batting, and piece the backing.

Last night, when I didn’t feel like doing the pressing, I cut an entire new quilt.  The little man said his favorite colors are red and rainbow, so I’m making a rainbow quilt.

I need to get busy!  It’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge weekend.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

Katie z.

Stash Report Week #47

I lost track of Sunday.  Oops.

Last week, I finished my Courtyard Steps and delivered it to its intended recipient.  She was happy, and I’m happy.

I forgot to report last week that I ordered a bold of 60” wide Kona for quilt backs.  I’ve gotten tired of trying to match bits of my stash into panels for quilts, when often what I need is roughly 60” wide and I only have 40-45”.  A bit of an ouch, but it’s going to be quite useful.

IN this week: 30 yards

OUT this week:  11 yards

IN YTD: 159 yards

OUT YTD: 223 3/4 yards

YTD Total: 64 3/4 yards OUT

I did remember to stitch for at least 15 minutes each day for a total of 312/325 days.  I’m ready for this year to be over.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Changes

 When Spunky helps me with quilting, we always have interesting developments.  I was in need of distraction this week, so we pushed through a few more “chunks” of her quilt.  I will make another checkerboard section for the top (right) of the quilt, and then I think all we need to do is use up the odds and ends on the left for a final wide strip.  I like it.  She says it feels like fall, which was the original vision, so it’s good.

I also started a new quilt this week.  I had plans for the intended recipient in 2021, but as life does, I could see it would be a great quilt to make now, in this strange interim time of the year.  It’s similar to the purple quilt I made for my SiL earlier this year, but with one round less.  I was able to get about 95% of the strips from my 2.5” scrap box, and only needed maybe 1/2 yard of strips from white and blue to cut the rest.  I’m excited and nervous to see if this quilt looks like I have imagined it.

Next week, with Thanksgiving, I don’t know if I will get as much done as I dream about, but that’s okay.  We all need to decompress from the stress, and while we won’t celebrate with family, we will try to relax.

I finished one more hexagon flower.  Next will be a big orange star, and it will take me certainly longer than the next week.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

P.S. It’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge day.

Stash Report Week #46

 No stash changes.  I didn’t finish my courtyard steps quilt and I didn’t make the Assistant’s skirt, as it was just the kind of week to disrupt goals.

I did work on my hexagons every day, so I am at 305 of 318 days for the year (how are there so few days left?).

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Busy Hands

 I am grateful for a seventh grader who needs Kansas history this year.  We made one more school outing to Lecompton, where we would safely (mostly outside, no close contact) put images to history.  I’m not sure we can go out again, even without contact, as chart for case numbers for COVID is turning into an elevator rather than a slope.

Here at home, we are having lots of outdoor time for Vitamin D, enjoying the chickens, and tidying the farmyard for winter.  Today it’s windy, so we’ll find all sorts of interesting things blown around!

I quilted my courtyard steps in fits and starts.  It was a full week, somehow.  I did a simple meander.  Here is a reality about my quilting: I don’t have the setup or space, currently, for lots of extravagant or intricate quilting.  And I’d rather buy more fabric than branch out to find a quilter (new things are hard for me).  I’m quite happy with it, and I’ll bind it this weekend and next week.

One more small hexagon flower is done this week.  I think that, more than anything else, is an excellent visual representation for all the catch-up medical and other appointments we have had lately.  I baste and stitch these up when waiting.

I made a little progress on my Morewood Mystery quilt, some sewing, some cutting, some pressing.  

I cut two baby quilts, variations on the same block for a set of twins coming next spring.  No, not mine.

Spunky and I didn’t even touch her quilt this week.  Oops!

I feel a bit bereft without a solid leader ender or other project to keep me on task with goals.  Part of me doesn’t want to start another new project (it’s November, it’s busy, I don’t want to get too much done now so that it doesn’t “last” for 2021), but another part of me says, just cut up some scraps and sew!  I have the Pineapple Farm pattern by Elizabeth Hartman out, so I think I need to take this time to wrap my mind around the best way to cut and sort for this. Maybe I can make pineapple tops now?  I should stop dithering and get doing, as the morning will be over before I know it!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

P.S. It’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge time!

Stash Report Week #45 and 15 Minutes

 I missed a day of hand stitching this past week.  That gives me 298 of 311 days.  I did spend time early in the week prepping and sorting squares, etc., so it was still a great week.

On the stash report this week, I completed 5 masks as well as my Christmas apron.  It’s a good thing I finished a few things, as I ordered a rather large amount of fabric.  I found some Pokémon fabric hopefully to entice JoJo to wear his mask when we’re at appointments.  Then, Hancock’s of Paducah had mystery grab bags of Kona solids as well as batiks for sale.  I use batiks in masks, as they are a tighter weave, and I just wanted some new solids to mix in my collection.  My usage is safe for the year as I should finish one more quilt this year (although I do have a bolt for PFD 60” fabric coming, so maybe I need to finish more than one quilt.  Eek!)

IN this week: 26 yards

OUT this week: 4 yards

IN YTD: 129 yards

OUT YTD: 212 3/4 yards

YTD Total: 83 3/4 yards OUT

I finished the 19th spool for the year.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Whirlwind Week

 I drove for hours this week, taking the Assistant to school as her usual ride to school has been quarantined for exposure to COVID (all are well, thankfully).  Add to that appointments, errands, and so forth, and I spend far too many hours out of the house!

Spunky and I weren’t able to make much progress on her fall quilt.  I have hope that next week will see better progress.

I made masks... 5 this week.  I finished my new holiday apron, one that should conceal grease stains quite nicely.

Most of my precious minutes at the sewing table focused on assembling my courtyard steps.  Spunky helped me with the random arrangement, as my attempt to organize it in rainbow order was clunky and awkward.  I even pieced a wild back from some funny chunks of prints and florals that I had no plans for.  I hope the intended recipient will like it.

I did choose and cut fabrics for a new quilt.  A good friend is potentially facing surgery and is having some spinal issues, so I thought a quilt would cheer her up.  Her favorite colors are blues, purples, and pinks, so I’m hoping the current Meadow Mist pattern, the Morewood Mystery, will satisfy.  The pattern clues have been posted once a month since July, but I think I can catch up in the next month and then see where it takes me!  Right now, I have stacks of pieces and parts everywhere.

I’ll be linking to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and hopefully find the time to visit all the other quilters.

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

October Block Count

 It took me far too many days to organize myself for this post for October.  The week was flush with an abundance of appointments, so here I am.

October delivered 59 new blocks, 48 temperature quilt blocks, 2 courtyard steps, and 9 Easy Breezy blocks.  This gives me a total of 1010 blocks for 2020.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

October UFO Report

 Tallying up and reporting my UFOs each month has shown me I’m a much more productive and calm quilter when I finish up the little projects and odds and ends rather than letting them hang on for months and years.  This is the first year, I think, that I’ve steadily kept my projects at under 10.  I tend to stay stuck at this level as three of my UFOs are not projects I care to address anytime soon!

1. Pillow
2. Scrappy DWR
3. ABC appliqué
4. Hand pieced hexagons
5. Courtyard steps
6. Temperature quilt

7. Spunky

October 1: 8 projects

Started: 1

Finished: 2

October 31: 8 projects

I finished off Garden Party and my Easy Breezy blocks but added a project with Spunky.  I’m enjoying it, and I think she is as well!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #44 and 15 Minutes

 Somewhere I’ve counted inaccurately, so let’s try this again... for the past 304 days, I have managed to hand stitch for 292 of them.  Only a few thousand more days to go for this beloved project.

On the stash busting front, I have myriad things to list.  Two thread spools bit the dust, for a total of 18 for the year.  I feel like that’s a little low, but I looked back and saw I was lazy in my spool reporting.  Oh, well.

I finished one more niece apron, an apron for PK, a baby quilt for a nephew, and two masks for nieces.  They were in need of halter strap masks instead of elastic to give their ears a break.  That makes 125 masks and counting.  There are new babies expected elsewhere in the family this year, so my lovely sister splurged and sent me some yellow and orange fat quarters as quilt seeds.

IN this week: 4 yards

OUT this week: 5 3/4 yards

IN YTD: 103 yards 

OUT YTD: 208 3/4 yards

YTD Total: 105 3/4 yards OUT

I finished a number of labor and fabric intensive quilts this year, and it’s certainly reflected in the totals.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Here, There, Everywhere

 Last night, I whipped out the binding on the baby quilt for my nephew.  One more Christmas present ready!

PK saw me making aprons for cousins and pleaded for one of his own.  I had to make up my own measurements from fat quarters, but he’s thrilled, so it’s good.

I finished another hexagon flower, so here’s what I have down for the entire project.  I’m years away from a finish, but I still like it and enjoy sorting my hand dyed fabric for the project, so it’s good.  My hope is that every fabric will be different, even if it does look like some of them are the same in this picture!

Spunky and I dove into the orphan blocks and picked out anything that might “go.”  It feels like too much green at the current stage, but I think it will be fine in the end.

One more row was added to the temperature quilt.  We have clearly headed back into cooler night temperatures.

In November, I definitely need to cut out a new scrap quilt.  I’ll be assembling my courtyard steps, but once that’s done I’ll need more variety to entertain myself when sewing!

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

P.S. It’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge time!

November Goals

 In October, my plans weren’t  terribly exciting, but that’s okay.

1. Scraps: trim, the last of the courtyard steps, one large yellow hand pieced hexi, and finish the Garden Party quilt.  Done, done, done, done!  Although I must admit I am thoroughly appalled at how full my scrap box is this month after making aprons, pillowcases, and more masks.  (Always more masks.  125 so far.  3 more waiting to be finished.)

2.  Finish the one row and make one more for the temperature quilt.  Yes!

3.  Make some Christmas presents.  Some nieces are getting aprons, and others are getting pillowcases.  They are all done.  Whew!  See the note about scraps above.

For November, I’m going to plan like I have plenty of sewing time but promise not to be too hard on myself if the goals don’t happen.  I don’t know what Thanksgiving will bring.

1. Scraps: trim, complete courtyard steps, piece several small hexagon flowers, and cut one new scrap quilt for next year.  I supposed Spunky’s freestyle quilt fits in here too, but I won’t  have a timeline for it until the mess of scraps disturbs me for too long,

2.  One more row of the temperature quilt.  It will be longer than it is wide after this!

3.  Make my Christmas apron.

4. Maybe sew up the Assistant’s floral skirt or start her pineapple quilt.  Both have been on the “future projects I ought to do” list for too long.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #43 and 15 Minutes

 I love stash reports in which I can report hearty numbers out!

I finished two more Christmas gifts with two aprons.  Then, Saturday evening, I rushed pellmell into the last side of binding on my Garden Party quilt (pattern by Bonnie Hunter).  I also realized I had finished another mask in the last month and never counted it.  All told, I get to count 18 3/4 yards out.

IN this week: 0 yards 

OUT this week: 18 3/4 yards

IN YTD: 99 yards

OUT YTD: 203 yards

Total YTD: 104 yards OUT

I did a little fabric ordering this week, but I think my usage this year is quite happy.  Next year, I’d like to seriously challenge myself to a minimum of fabric purchasing, just to see what I can do to demolish some areas of my stash.  I intend to allow myself a little neutral purchasing, maybe a backing or two, and something fun.  We shall see.

Every day this week found me with my needle and hexagons.  I have some organizing and sorted to do, but I think I’m ready to keep stitching away.  282/294

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Yellow Submarine

It’s finally? fortunately? Unfortunately? cold here.  We thought we’d have a freeze last night, but didn’t.  By Monday we should drop to 28 F, so any and all plants in the garden will be done at that point.  Today we added bedding to the chicken coops, put new tarps, filled waters, detached hoses... the regular cold weather stuff.

Spunky changed our new project to a more abstract piece of work, so I’m sewing odd bits together instead of panels for pumpkins.  I have plenty of odd bits to keep us busy for quite a while.

The baby quilt is in one piece and basted.  It will get some simple straight-line quilting next week, so it should be off my list before the end of October.  I took the block idea from Bonnie Hunter’s leader ender project, but since I needed only a baby quilt, this is quite enough of this block for me.

The Christmas sewing (not so secret, but none of my nieces are on social media as they’re too little) is going along nicely.  I finished the first apron.  I have two more cut, and then PK has begged for one of his own.  I’ll make him a small yellow, non-floral one.

Garden Party quilting wrapped up Sunday.  I am not impressed with my own quilting in the blocks, but doing is the way to improve, right?  I do like the border of leaves, and I’m happy with the ombré/color wash from the chain fabric.

I hope to sew more this week with the cold, and Halloween will be quietly spent at home.  I’ve got candy and pizza already stocked as our case numbers are rising, so maybe I can turn on a movie and quilt!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

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

Stash Report Week #42 and 15 Minutes

 I quilted... and quilted... and found myself bored with quilting... and kept quilting.  This morning, I finally finished quilting my Garden Party quilt.  I’m looking forward to binding it this week and counting the yardage as out!

I cut out three aprons for three nieces, so I have great plans for stash busting coming soon.

My high hopes for possibly assembling my Easy Breezy blocks were not attained in the past week.  In fact, today (Sunday), while listening to a virtual meeting of my parents and siblings, I finished everything but one last seam.  As this will be another quick finish, I see more yardage heading out the door!

It was easy to keep my hexagons in front of me this week.  I’m at 275 days out of 282 (how can so many days in 2020 be past?!).  

It’s time for bed, so I should wrap this up and go to sleep planning my sewing for the coming week.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Not Much Progress

 The wind is currently blowing fiercely, so I need to check on tarps and toys this morning.  It’s been a busy week with family, flu shots, and a birthday, so I’m ready for a nap or two (or three!).

My sewing time was divided mainly between quilting my Garden Party quilt and hand piecing my hexagons.  I’m quilting each posey differently, and my brain is out of ideas, so now I’m repeating.  Let’s be honest... new ideas are not my strong suit.  I’m bored, but I’ll get there.

I’m making quick progress on my large hexagon star for this month, so much so that I may start a new one next week.

The other fabric related project has been sorting scraps for a fall/pumpkin quilt.  Spunky wants to help with it, so once Garden Party is done, we’ll start something new.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

P.S. I’m linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this weekend.

Stash Report Week #41 and 15 Minutes

 It’s been a productive week for finishing things.  I finished 3 pillowcases and blanket for PK’s stuffed animal.  Small projects are so great for stash busting!

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 3 1/4 yards

IN YTD: 99 yards

OUT YTD: 184 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 85 1/4 yards OUT

On the hand stitching front, I made great progress on my yellow hexagons, so I’ve done hand workouts 268/280 days for 2020.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Working Away

 Three days until Miss G turns 6.  She wants a unicorn case.  Monday, I’ll try my hand at it.

In simpler news, I finished my last courtyard steps blocks.  I had hoped to lay them out this week, but school and appointments kept me busy.  I went back to the neurologist for more medicine adjusting.

The last Easy Breezy blocks are done too.  I know some people work on them all year, but I need a baby quilt, so this is it.  I think the arrangement works.

Finally, I started the quilting of Garden Party.  So far, I’m doing boring but necessary straight lines through the chains and around the border.  This gives me time to think about the next part.  I am not a skilled free motion quilter, but I try new things to keep learning.  We shall see.

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

P.S. I’ll be linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

Stash Report Week #40

 Here we are, with a few minutes less daylight each day.  To be honest, when we get to fall, I am eager for dark to arrive earlier and earlier; I am tired of the outside work and ready to have a longer evening inside.

I made a pillowcase this week.  This year, I’ve decided pillowcases for the littler nieces and nephews and aprons for the older will be our gifts.

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 1

IN YTD: 99 yards

OUT YTD: 181 yards

YTD Total: 82 yards OUT

I asked my daughter how long my current stash would last me if I purchased nothing new.  I was pondering Bonnie Hunter’s comments about her own too-large stash and how it will be hard to use it up in her sewing lifetime.  My goal has always been to have a modest but working stash.  It’s definitely expanded over the years as our income has grown, but I think it’s still exhaustible.  The Assistant thinks 2, maybe 3 years; I suspect more like five.  I wonder if I have the discipline not to buy fabric for a year or two and see what happens.  Hmm...

I was able to settle with my handwork 6 of 7 days this week.  BJ is hard to get to sleep and hard to keep asleep at night, so my preferred window of time hasn’t worked as well.  Still 261/273 days for the year isn’t bad.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

 We had a field trip this week, to the end of the Trail of Death and the place where a saint lived in Kansas for a year.  It was a good trip, although a long day that precluded any quilting except for a few moments of hand piecing.

The best quilting accomplishment this week was pressing Garden Party and ekeing out enough of my shades of green fabric to make an ombré flow on the border.  Binding will be another story.  It really does lay flat, I promise, but it is on a slick wood floor and the kids were “helping” by walking over it repeatedly.

My Easy Breezy blocks are going to be done soon.  Playing with block arrangement is a pleasant activity when I have a few moments.

I’m very happy with the three rows of the Temperature quilt I finished in September and the first few days of October.  It’s fascinating to see how we warmed up out of the blue fabric range, but we’ve already dipped back down into it.  It gives me a different perspective on our weather.  Another year, I’d like to do something with the precipitation and sky conditions, but I think I have to plan a little more on that.

I’ll be trimming fabric this weekend and hopefully organizing my last courtyard steps blocks.

I link up each Saturday to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

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