2021 Goals In Review

 Looking back over my goals, the list wasn’t long: 

Stash: I’d like to use 100 yards more than I take in, and buy no more than 20 yards.  Sigh.  No.  I wrapped up the year with a net usage of 34 1/2 yards OUT.  I did buy more fabric than 20 yards (but less than my 100 yards in.  There were many gifts from kind friends and family).  My hysterectomy and recovery, homeschooling, and settling into a new house all disrupted my sewing mojo.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Modern Vintage, hand pieced hexagons, cork fabric farm quilt. Modern Vintage is done, I made excellent progress on my hexagons, and I didn’t finish the farm quilt, but made great progress.  I didn’t totally empty my 2.5” scrap box (a goal I added later), but it is only full strips, triangles, squares, and bricks.  I have plans for it.

Other quilts: twin quilt, placemats, 2020 temperature quilt, strip twist, pineapple quilt, star quilt in blue and grays.  I did not finish the Star quilt but everything else is done.  I lost steam in the organization, but as I now have an intended recipient, that quilt is on the list for 2022.

Hey, those were reasonable goals, and I did well.  I’m looking forward to 2022!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

How did I

2021 350 Block Challenge Total

I knew my sewing life felt a little different this year, but it wasn’t until I sat down with the numbers here and got a lovely visual of just how different it has been.

In December, I finished 33 blocks: 8 farm blocks, a pillow quilt block, and 24 blocks for a mystery quilt.  That brings my 2021 total to 762, a little more than half the blocks of the previous year, and lower than any year other than the first.  We had our big move, I was homeschooling 4 children for the first time, I had major surgery, and BJ’s autoinflammatory disease kicked my behind.  Maybe that number is just fine as it is!

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

In 2020: 1431

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.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

2021 Wrap-Up UFO Report

I began the year with 7 unfinished projects.  Four of them (1-4) are still on the list but that was the plan.  They aren’t projects I’m in a rush to finish.  I did add the pink hexagons to the list, which probably should have been on at the beginning of the year, but I had forgotten.

My goal for my UFO list has been to keep it under 10.  It looks like I’m rolling into 2022 in fine fashion.

1. Double wedding ring

2. Pillow

3. ABC appliqué 

4. Hand hexagons

5. Split Star

6. Farm quilt

7. Pink hexagons

8. Rhododendron Mystery

December 1: 9 projects

Started: 0

Finished: 1

December 31: 8 projects

I have great expectations that the split star, farm quilt, and mystery quilt will be off the list by the end of 2022.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

December Goals Wrap Up

 Later this week I hope to write a full report of my 2021 goals, but I also want to take the time to wrap up my December goals.

1. Scraps: trimming, make four hexagon flowers, work on the farm quilt (more blocks or four patches), and maybe empty the bag of 1.5” triangles.  Four hexagon flowers done and one has its brown ring as well.  I made 8 farm blocks and sewed at least 40 into 4 patches.  I didn’t empty the triangle bag, but the bag is much lighter than it was!

2.  Next step on the Macaron Mystery.  The quilt is a top, quilted, and the binding half sewn on.  I had a sneak peek, so once I finished this month’s step, I plowed ahead with the blocks, etc.  By the end of the year, it will be finished and given away.

3. Keep up with Bonnie Hunter’s Rhododendron Mystery.  My older sister is finishing her basement, so she needs a bedroom or family room quilt.  So far, so good.  I’m on step five.

4.  Masks.  Masks have finally shrunk after all their washings, so it’s time for some new ones.  I think I finished 12 this month.

5.  Christmas pillow.  I made a large blocks to make a cushion cover, and now it’s time to quilt it and get it on my front porch!  Done!

I’m looking forward to 2022 as I scheme and dream!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #53 and 15 Minutes

On the 15 minute front, I worked on my hand piecing each day.  This brings me to 345 of 359 days of the year.  Hurrah!

Another spool ran out this week, for 24 for the year.

I picked out my Christmas present this year.  (Bless my husband.  He once gave me turquoise feathers, thinking he had ordered turquoise feather fabric.). The grab bags of Kona solids were fun because they were easy to wrap without studying too closely, so the gift was still a bit of a surprise.  It does mean more fabric in for the year, but I will end the year having used more than I bought, even if I am far away from my goal of 100 yards net used for the year.

IN this week: 10 yards

OUT this week: 0 yards

IN YTD: 100 1/4 yards

OUT YTD:  125 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 25 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, my quilting friends.  I’ve finally cleaned up the joyful chaos of the morning (gift opening, Mass, and a big lunch), so I’m sneaking in some sewing time.

My cutting table is a mess.  In the background you can see my Christmas present (grab bags from Hancock’s of Paducah.  I do shop well for my husband!).  I dumped my scraps that need trimming in order to tidy them up for the new year.

My Rhododendron mystery has taken what little sewing time I had this week.  I still have dozens to go, but my box of pieces to be pressed is filling up.

And my scraps that have accumulated this year.  These (above) were sewn together from triangles that filled a gallon bag (below) at the beginning of the year.  I did have to cut neutrals, but the bag just keeps giving colored triangles.  These lovely 1.5” tidbits will become a quilt next year.  What quilt?  I don’t know.

 Merry Christmas or happy holidays, whatever you may believe and celebrate.  I hope the day is joyful and peaceful!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #52 and 15 Minutes

 Another spool bit the dust this week, leaving me with 23 used up for the year.  I usually use between 20 and 30 spools in a year, so this is on par.

I ordered some fabric for a new project.  My older sister requested a tree skirt in blues and white with lots of sparkles. Yay!

The hand stitching is running along splendidly, with the fourth flower finished for the month.  I even started on the brown round now, since I’ve done four flowers.  I’m enjoying the unexpected swiftness.  Also, at 338/352 days is great.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Busy

I have great hopes this week of actually replying to comments (I’m sorry.  Again.  I love your comments.). We have two days of school and one school concert to survive next week, and then it’s break.  We are all well and grateful.

I finished two more star blocks (winter and summer) as well as the numbers for our address.

 

I was also able to sew some 6” blocks into four patches, which means I can start planning layouts and cutting stashing soon.  I will regret the background with yellow dots, however.  It has distorted more than any other fabric in the quilt and is giving me fits.  Any scraps remaining after this quilt is finished will go in the garbage, and good riddance!

My other sewing this week has been for Bonnie Hunter’s Rhododendron Mystery and Meadow Mist’s Macaron Mystery.  Part of me wants less demanding sewing to do, but I’m also grateful for easy to sew pieces as time allows.

Christmas baking has taken many hours this week, which is fine and lovely.  My laundry room has become storage central for all the goodies, and I’m pleasantly shocked that the little people haven’t opened any containers yet!  Today we hope to assemble cookie trays for the “neighbors” (out in the country, that term is a little more loosely defined) and then they can enjoy!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

 

Stash Report Week #51 and 15 Minutes

 On the hand stitching front, I’ve done exceedingly well.  331 days of 345 for 2021, and another hexagon flower finished.

I did finish 7 masks this week, my 22nd spool of thread, and still managed to take in more fabric than I used up.  I won three delicious yards from Vicki Welsh and bought two yards for a quilt for my sister.  Such is life.

IN this week: 5 yards

OUT this week: 1 1/2 yards

IN YTD: 86 yards

OUT YTD: 125 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 39 1/4 yards OUT

Clearly next year, I need to do a better job of using fabric and less shopping (or receiving; I have some lovely family and friends gratefully to thank for some of this!).  Fortunately, I have two larger quilts in process and plans for plenty more!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stars

 It felt like a busy week, but here, at the end of it and looking back, it doesn’t feel terribly accomplished.  I finished another bundle of masks (wintery ones), the next step on the Macaron Mystery, and the next step of the Rhododendron Mystery.  I suppose it was the endless flying geese that made the week feel busy!

I also made two more farm blocks, Autumn and Spring Star (Lori Holt).  25 more small blocks and 2 large ones feels like so many blocks, but I know I’m roughly 7/8 done making blocks.  I think it’s because this time of year lends itself to finishes rather than progress that makes it feel so far to go.

I’m finding it difficult to ponder plans for next year.  After two years of upheaval and chaos in the year, I’m hesitant to built lofty dream castles… but if I commit to nothing, I will find that equally unsatisfactory.  Certainly the triangles as leaders and enders will move to block stage next year, and the farm quilt for a few more months at least.  What glorious blocks or quilts are you dreaming about?

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

P.S. Check out the Rainbow Scrap Challenge here!

Stash Report Week #50 and 15 Minutes

 My fifteen minutes a day was a breeze this week.  I had plenty of time to stitch between errands and appointments this week.  In fact, I finished one green flower, basted all the hexagons for another, and partially stitched it together.  I have only missed 14 days of the last 338.  Whew!

While it won’t look like a large stash move, I did finish a baby quilt, five masks, and a pillow cover for our porch.  Also, I didn’t buy anything.  I have looked, particularly at neutrals and Christmas fabrics, but I don’t have much appetite for the prices.  That’s probably good for me.

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 4 1/4 yards

IN YTD: 81 yards

OUT YTD: 123 3/4 yards

YTD Total: 42 3/4 yards OUT

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Rearranging

 Ah, here we are.  A finished farm block, mediocrely pressed.

The house is slowly being rearranged for Christmas.  This week, I wrapped the porch cushion in red snowflake fabric and whipped up a Christmas block for a porch cushion.  I hand quilted it throughout the week and sewed up the cushion today.

I’m a bit tardy today in posting.  I received my booster shot yesterday, and, whew, my immune system reacted!  I continue to feel pretty tired, but the fever is gone.

Earlier in the week I finished the letters for another farm block.  I may rip it apart and fix the spacing, or I may not.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Finished Quilt: Baby Mountains

 It’s finished!

My younger sister is expecting her sixth baby (fifth living).  She has very specific tastes which are generally not my tastes.  This is totally okay with both of us, but it’s challenging to make a quilt that will interest me and fit her aesthetic.

Let’s be clear; she’s delightfully not demanding and appreciates the work of a quilt as she is a skilled photographer.  She knows what she likes.  She ruled out all the quilts I have already finished.  As I pulled various fabric collections, none pleased both of us.

Then I found this gradient hunk from Vicki Welsh.  Ooh, I knew this was promising. The yellow is quite in my sister’s realm of favorite colors.  She agreed.

I pulled as many coordinating solids as I could muster.  After a few pictures to my sister, we eliminated probably half of them.  In the end, we settled on eight fabrics.  Then, pattern.  Aha!

My sister lives in Colorado.  Mountains.  How about scrappy mountain majesties by Bonnie Hunter?   We both were charmed by the idea.  Maths ensued; how many squares could I cut from a 1/4 yard?  How many squares did I need?  How large a quilt could I make and use this gradient as a backing?  (In the end, I made too many blocks, so six extras are kicking around.)

The blocks were a matter of hours.  Then, how to arrange them?  Matching colors?  Some darks and some lights as the mountains?  Mixed?

In the end, here’s my decision.  I’m a fan.  While it might be hard to tell, there are purple, deep red maroon, brown, oranges, blue, and green.  The straight-line quilting kept the focus on the mountains and kept me from wrestling with the bulky seams in some places.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

December Goals

It’s time to review my November goals and set my December goals!

Goals for November were…

1. Scraps: trimming, make a large pink hexagon star, sew some farm blocks and sew small blocks into 4 patches, and finish the 16 patch quilt.  Done!  Well, I did not sew blocks into four patches.  I keep thinking I will make that happen, and I simply don’t.

2.  I’ll work on the next step of the Macaron Mystery.  Done.

3.  Finish the fancy sewing for my brother.  I can do it!  Yes!  Done, shipped, received.

Bonus goal: started and finished the baby quilt for my sister.  The baby is due in March!

Second bonus goal: quilted and finished my snowflake banner.  I intended this to be a December goal, but the weekend after Thanksgiving was splendidly productive.

December goals are first and foremost: stay healthy.  So far, we have avoided COVID and stomach bugs.

1. Scraps: trimming, make four hexagon flowers, work on the farm quilt (more blocks or four patches), and maybe empty the bag of 1.5” triangles.

2.  Next step on the Macaron Mystery.

3. Keep up with Bonnie Hunter’s Rhododendron Mystery.  My older sister is finishing her basement, so she needs a bedroom or family room quilt.

4.  Masks.  Masks have finally shrunk after all their washings, so it’s time for some new ones.

5.  Christmas pillow.  I made a large blocks to make a cushion cover, and now it’s time to quilt it and get it on my front porch!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.