May UFO Report

 The list began and end with the same number of projects, but I finished four projects and started four projects (3 were both started and finished this month).  The four finishes were the strip twist (Golden Maknae), a jewel pattern sample, a diamonds envelope, and a placemat.  The strip twist was already started, but the other three were new.  I also started another Christmas tree skirt.

1. Double wedding ring

2. Pillow

3. ABC appliqué 

4. Hand hexagons

5. Pink hexagons

6. Boxes

7. 16 patch

8. Tree skirt

May 1: 8 projects

Started: 4

Finished: 4

May 31: 8 projects 

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

June Goals

 It’s hard to decide how to balance ambition and attainability for goals.

May has reasonable goals.

1. Sew with orange scraps: the last hexagon star, boxes, and 16 patches.  Trim the scrap box.  Done.

2. Finish the purple strip twist quilt and give it to the teacher’s aide for the kindergarten class. Done.

3. Start the silk project.  Started and finished.  I don’t love it, but it’s done.

4.  Make a red jewel pattern “test” for what I think will be my next long term hand project.  I made my jewel pattern test - I think I will make it into a pillow cover, but it’s done for now.

June goals are a little scattered.

1. Scraps: I’m supposed to use blue scraps, but I already used them earlier in the year, so I will trim, begin assembling the hexagons, make teal boxes, and yellow and red 16 patches.

2. Finish the placement.

3.  Make a tree skirt (this is take two) for my sister.

4.  The current, interim hand project is wool mug ornaments.  I’m kitting up one at a time and they’re nicely portable.

Beyond that, June has travel and absences, so I won’t add much more.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Stash Report Week #21 and 15 Minutes

 I hand stitched every day this week.  This morning, I finally laid out all my hexagon parts!

I finished two pillowcases for my sister, but need to count the extra fabric in as well as two yards of white I bought for my 16-patches.  My solid white/creamish stash has been wiped out.

IN this week: 3 1/2 yards

OUT this week: 1/2 yard

IN YTD: 22 3/4 yards

OUT YTD: 41 1/4 yards

YTD Total: 18 1/2 yards 

I need to use some more stash before I can begin my next dreamed-of hand project.  Fortunately for me, I have a stash of wool for ornaments that I intended to make the next travel hand project, so I still have something to keep me busy.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Happiness in a Box

I have one more box block to finish, but the 12 finished ones are quite happy.

I finished (gasp) my last large hexagon star.  I know I have been slowly working on this since 2018 (or perhaps earlier).  The main pieces are done, so in June I’ll settle on a layout and begin assembling the rows.  Once the main part is done, I will puzzle out the partial stars and rosettes to fill in the edges.  It feels so strange to empty the bag I’ve used for ages to carry my hexagon supplies in my purse.  The next carry-along project will be some wool mug ornaments that I have thought would make lovely gifts for nieces and nephews.

Today I’m off to a Japanese culture and anime conference with my two oldest girls!

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

Stash Report Week #20 and 15 Minutes

 The handwork continues to keep me busy, for 140 of 140 days this year.  So many days have passed!

I also finished my jewel pattern piece, so I get to count the yardage out this week.  I may turn it into a pillow cover, but haven’t quite decided.

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 1 1/4 yards

IN YTD: 19 1/4 yards

OUT YTD: 40 3/4 yards

YTD Total: 21 1/2 yards OUT

I also have 12 spools used for the year.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Unexpected Progress

And just like that, there are 13 new 16 patch blocks done.  My orange stash is certainly small!

I think I’m going to start on my yellow or red 16 patches, just to keep things moving.  I have plenty of handwork odds and ends to keep me busy with handwork, but it feels wrong not to turn on the machine at least once a day!

In four days, school is out for the summer.  My kids seem to be more anxious/wild/unregulated at the end of this year, so I’m a little worried about a rocky start to summer.  I think we all need some decompression time, so hopefully extra rest and outside time will get us squared away.

There are errands and chores to be done before I can relax for the day!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

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

 

Stash Report Week #19 and 15 Minutes

 My stash report remains unchanged.  I suppose I could count my jewel pattern as fabric out, but I have I be last side to stitch down so I won’t.

This is my first attempt at the jewel pattern, and while I knew the background was a lot of fabric, as I had no idea 40” of fabric would yield a square only 18” across.  It’s been interesting to assemble.

On the 15 minute front, as I finished one hand-work intensive project as well as the points to my hexagon quilt, I had no problem with my 15 minutes a day on handwork!  That leaves me at 133 of 133 days for 2023.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Orange Squares

 I finished my purple quilt!  I wrote a post about it here.

I have most of my orange squares in four patches and hope to sew up the rest today.  This stack is definitely smaller than previous colors, so I may run out of orange before the month is over.

We had Boy and Cub Scouts camp out here overnight, so the Saturday is starting a little differently than usual.  They did a great job cleaning, etc., but we still had a few dishes and a bathroom or two to clean.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Finished Quilt: Maknae

It feels strange to have this quilt finished.  I’ve been focused on hand work projects, so this slipped into existence in the odd corners of time between the craziness of spring.

The varieties of purple and the chaos of yellow backing are all from my stash.  It’s a bit of a play on a theme - Maknae means youngest.  I’ve worked my way through BTS members for inspiration, and the youngest is called the golden Maknae as he is good at everything he tries.  So, a yellow backing for the riot of purple quilt seemed appropriate.  I have one last quilt in the series to go, and while I have an inkling, it’s going to take more planning than I usually go through for quilt.

This quilt finished roughly 67” x 75” and already has an intended home with an aide at school who loves KState.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

 

April UFO Report

April was a good month for finishes, with two small quilts checked off the list and only one added.  I finished the two small optical illusions and added the strip twist.

April 1: 9 projects

Started: 1

Finished: 2

April 30: 8 projects

1. Double wedding ring

2. Pillow

3. ABC appliqué 

4. Hand hexagons

5. Pink hexagons

6. Boxes

7. 16 patch

8. Purple strip twist

Stash Report Week #18 and 15 Minutes

 My 15 minutes of hand stitching every day continued this week, for 126 of 126 days.  There are, currently, three hand work projects lying in my sewing room, and I also had a binding to complete this past week!

Thanks to the binding, I have a finished quilt.

IN this week: 0 yards

OUT this week: 10 yards

IN YTD: 19 1/4 yards

OUT YTD: 39 1/2 yards

YTD Total: 20 1/4 yards OUT

Unfortunately, my next long term hand work project idea involves a massive amount of background fabric, so I may be destroying my numbers for the year.  Since I want to use hand dyed fabric, it makes sense to buy it all at once so it matches, but… it’s a lot.  Maybe I should finish another large quilt before I dive into such a thing.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

Long Days

 May has too many things.  This weekend is first communion for Miss G and Sunday we have a potluck and display for a class I’ve been teaching after school this semester.  Anyway, I should write this post quickly and get on with preparations.

I finished quilting my strip twist and, if I can find a bit of quiet today, I’ll finish the binding.  I think it’s about half done.

My orange squares and rectangles are sorted.  They make a dismally small pile, but that has always been the case with orange.  They will be cheerful pops of warmth in the final quilts!

The floor of my sewing room is a mess, so I will spend a few minutes putting away piles and oddments before the day gets too busy.  Happy May!

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

April Block Count

 I have already made 544 blocks in 2023!  In April, I made 90 blocks for a strip twist quilt, 14 new boxes, and 32 16-patches, for a total of 136 new blocks.

from the room of Zana’s Ninis,

katie z.

May Goals

 April goals… I don’t even remember what they were.

1.  Sew with purple scraps: one (not purple) star, boxes and 16 patches.  Trim the scrap box down.  Done and dusted.

2.  Finish Optical Illusion #3. Also done.

3.  Finish Optical Illusion #4. Done, with irritation to spare!

4.  When the optical illusions are done, start a hand project with silk.  I couldn’t figure out how to tackle this one just yet.  Now I’m waiting for a piece of blue silk, so I can stall a bit longer.

5.  Purple quilt from stash.  Quilting this week, so not quite done, but good progress made.

May goals are going to be pretty moderate.

1. Sew with orange scraps: the last hexagon star, boxes, and 16 patches.  Trim the scrap box.

2. Finish the purple strip twist quilt and give it to the teacher’s aide for the kindergarten class.

3. Start the silk project.

4.  Make a red jewel pattern “test” for what I think will be my next long term hand project.

a handmaid of Mary,

Katie Z.