OMG Success and Weekly Goals

YES! (I'm shouting this!)  I finished my OMG for February with one day left.  Kind of close to the wire but I've finished it.  And I really like it.  As I say when Pat asks where the quilt is going "It's living here for a while."

I pieced the back because I just don't buy fabric in big hunks.  I did find a 3 yard piece of orange leaves but that wasn't going to be big enough.  I had a few plus blocks left over so I decided I would make a few more and put them in the middle of the backing.  I didn't get around to finishing the backing until Saturday afternoon.  That's important because on Wednesday last week I was paying attention as I was looking at Bonnie Hunter's quilts -- front and back.  She often pieces her backs from extra blocks or old left over blocks.  But I noticed she didn't split a bigger piece of fabric and put blocks in the middle.  LIGHTBULB moment for me.  It would be hard to get the quilt top lined up in the middle of the backing.  

My way of dealing with it was to attach the blocks to the wof.  I had an extra wof piece that I realized would be perfect to split down the middle and sew end to end to give me another piece to make the backing wide enough.  I did mess around a little bit while trying to place the top to the backing on the long arm.  I would have preferred a bit more orange on the right side but, yep, it takes a bit more fussing than I wanted to do at the time. 

Here's a close up of the quilting. 

I bought a new design specifically for this quilt as I wanted to enhance the fall look of it.  I used Maple Sugar by Apricot Moon.  I used So Fine thread on the top in soft orange.  I chose to use a different thread in the bobbin.  It was Essential Pro, Pumpkin by Connecting Threads.  I used some of the Pellon 80/20 cotton/poly batting that I bought on Friday. I even got a label made and inserted between the binding and the back of the quilt.  DONE. 

Tomorrow I plan to bind the doggy Alphabet Challenge quilt.  I'll have two finishes for this month along with a couple of pillowcases.  It should be a good month for fabric usage. 

Since I skipped the goals on Monday, here's a look at my goals from last week. Wednesday may be a good day to list them.  At least I might get into the habit of doing two (or more) blogs a week. 

February 19, 2018

Prep for + attend Bonnie Hunter’s Jamestown Landing class (Whoop! Whoop!) √

Attend Bonnie’s lecture √

Attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show √

Finish hand sewing on Alphabet Challenge almost done!

Put borders on Taps Quilt Need to figure out outer border – not enough fabric

Make 3 pillowcases 2 are done

And here's what I'm working on for this week. 

February 28, 2018

Finish quilting Plus Quilt and bind it

Finish embroidery and bind Alphabet Challenge

Work on Jamestown Landing

Design Outside border of Taps Quilt

Make a pillowcase or two

Work on T Shirt quilt

After I get the next binding on the rest of the goals should be easily reached. Plus, I have NOTHING going on this week for the most part.  I'm going to be reading, sewing and surfing the web.  (Ok, I'll probably continue to seek genealogy info -- I'm looking for info on my Great grandmother on my dad's side.  They lived in Montana -- Anaconda and Butte at various times.  Anyone have any hints on how to find out more from Montana? I'm using Ancestory for the time being.) 

I'm linking up with To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wips on Wednesday and Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal Finish.   I'll have to come back to link up one of these. (Hopefully I'll actually remember to do it!  Yep I did!) 

That's it for me today.  I think I'll do a little surfing now. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meandering 2 - 26 - 2018

What a week!  I try to post a blog at least twice a week but that sure didn't happen last week.  It was a wonderful week but I'm ready for a slower pace this week!

First up was Bonnie Hunter's Jamestown Landing class.  I had a lot of the units ready to go so I was ahead of the game.  I was making string blocks in the morning with everyone else.  I had less than half of them done so it made sense to me to work on them.  

My featherweight in the midsts of sewing.  For once my area stayed fairly organized and neat. Well kind of neat

In the afternoon while Bonnie was teaching how to make the half triangle squares I sewed some together and made the broken dishes unit.  Since I am a stickler about ironing I really only got one block together.  However I did continue to make the units.  

Here are some of the finished blocks.  Mine is the light turquoise in the middle.  It amazed me how it really went well with the other colors. 

I got a kick out of these quilty looking shoes.  Sorry it isn't a great photo but I thought they were fun. 

Wednesday evening I went to Bonnie's trunk show.  I know I've seen many of the quilts in books or online but there is just something about seeing them in person. I'll try to remember to share a picture or two in upcoming blogs. 

I was able to sew on these blocks several times this week but not enough to make all that much progress.  I laughed at the one block I made on Thursday.  It was wrong by one turn of one piece.  Sigh. I've put this away for a few days so I can get some other things finished. 

Friday Mary and I went to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt show down in Hampton, Virginia.  We go for the day and enjoy the quilts and the vendors.  I had quite a shopping list and was ready to spend some money if I could find what I wanted.  In the end I was disappointed.  One thing I like to do is get my long arm thread at the Superior booth.  Turns out this year they had really cut back on the colors of So Fine thread they carried.  I had 6 cones I was interested in and they only had 2 of them.  The discount applied to 3 so I didn't get any of them.  Now, I'll have to find another source, hopefully one whose price is lower than Superior's online list price with reasonable shipping costs. 

I did buy a roll of Pellon batting that I've already cut off a hunk to use.  I like Pellon's bats, especially the ones with some poly in with the cotton.  I was able to buy a roll of 80/20 cotton/poly.  Getting it to Mary's car wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be!  

Saturday was a fast trip to Maryland to see Natalie play basketball.  She can't shoot but boy does that girl have hustle!  She's in a kindergarten league. It was a lot of fun to  watch the girls try to play basketball. Amazingly some of them can actually shoot baskets.  Natalie, not yet.  But with her hustle she'll probably be able to eventually. 

Sunday we stayed home.  Phew, I needed a day of rest.  Except I didn't.  I loaded up the backing for the Plus quilt and started quilting it.  I finished 3 rows (or was it 4?) and finally quit as I was tired. Here's a sneak peek.

This quilt, finished, is my One Monthly Goal.  I am really trying to get it finished by the end of the month.  And I am hoping the Alphabet Challenge quilt is completely done too.  Hopefully I will succeed! 

Usually I post my weekly goals on Monday.  I think I'll move them to a different day of the week.  Hum, now which day makes the most sense?  I'm still thinking about that so for now, my goals aren't going to be posted.  Just know that I am still working on them, diligently! 

That's it for me now. With any luck I will remember to share my purchases from the last week. I'm looking forward to spending a bit of time cruising on the Internet this week since I didn't do much of that last week!  I'm linking up with my regular Monday linky parties: Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving It Forward, and Main Crush Monday. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 2 - 19 - 2018

Progress is being made on the Alphabet Challenge quilt.  I've got one more "word" to stitch on the top border and then it is on to the bottom border.  

Once the top and bottom borders are done I can bind it and call it done!  Hopefully by the end of this month.  

Big thanks go out to our granddaughter, Natalie, for buying us flowers yesterday.  We had a quick lunch with them and then off to watch her big sister's basketball game.  Then we zipped home (note -- you NEVER can zip home traveling on I 95.  It was a mess for part of the way.) Then we met my best friend from high school for dinner.  We've been in touch infrequently but whenever we get together we have a great time.  They live about an hour north west of us.  It was so much fun to catch up and remember previous times together.  

You might notice I'm not sharing much on the quilting front.  Yes, I've been working away but lots of what I've been working on are half square triangles and string blocks.  You've heard about them -- a lot. You've seen them -- a lot.  I'm closing in on the 840 (or was it 860?) I need to make.  I think I just need to make another 150 or so.  I still need 100 of the string blocks. Not my favorite but I am plugging away on it.  And, surprise!  Tomorrow is the class.  Hopefully I will take some pictures to share from it and the Bonnie Hunter lecture the next night.

And, then there is the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival on Friday.  I've got 2 and a half months of pent up shopping to do.  I've got a list. I'm motivated -- we'll see if I go wild or not.  What 2 and a half months you ask? I haven't bought any fabric since November -- right after Thanksgiving.  Yea, I've got pent up shopping motivation!  

My goals got mostly done this past week.  And my list is pretty selective this week since so much else is going on. 

February 12, 2018

Sew more triangles and string blocks for class√

Sew plus quilt together√

Send Valentine’s cards to the grands√

Keep sewing on the Alphabet Challenge√

Work on Taps quilt

February 19, 2018

Prep for and attend Bonnie Hunter’s Jamestown Landing class (Whoop! Whoop!)

Attend Bonnie’s lecture

Attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show

Finish hand sewing on Alphabet Challenge

Put borders on Taps Quilt

Make 2 pillowcases

I'm linking up with my regular parties today: Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving it Forward and Main Crush Monday. I'll be sneaking time this week to see what's up with quilters around the Internet.  I'm really hoping I don't find some wonderful quilt I just have to make. I've got enough going and UFOs for now! 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie