If at first you don't succeed- rip, rip, rip

     I really don't like kits. I like to pick my own fabric and designs. However, I made an exception when Craftsy had a sale on a kit with Kaffe fabric cheaper than I could buy the fabric alone. I love Kaffe fabric, but I hardly ever buy it because I get overwhelmed by the choices and the drama. The pattern (Starcross) came along as a download. 
    Don't know why, but I loathe snowballing. No logical reason- don't mind trimming loads of HSTs or anything, but snowballing makes me boil. Maybe because I feel obligated to use the small triangles cut off instead of throwing them away. I tried sewing some of them, but they are so tiny.
    I did read the pattern, but I am challenged when directions just use shades of gray to explain fabric placement. So, I did two sample blocks as a trial, were wrong. It took some staring to figure out why. So, the whole 9 patch had to be ripped. After being resewn, I got it. I can only make two blocks at a time because the snowball effect takes hold. So then I sew something else and come back to it. There will be 20 blocks when it is done. 
    I do love the fabric. I wish I could figure another way to cut fabric so I did not have to snowball.

Wrong

Right 

More blocks, right

New Year, new goals

     Let's start this off with this RWB brick quilt pinned on the wall for inspiration ready to piece.

     This year, I am not numbering my goals, but grouping them. Maybe this will inspire someone to write theirs down and think differently.
MAKE:
- Comfort quilts- at least one full package a month (quilt, bag, book, card). Get another person on board with me.
- 6 Red, white and blue quilts completed for veterans
- Art quilts- Denim landscape, Batik landscape at least 3' x 4' without fusibles, figure out how, experiment with small work
- New leader/ender
- One challenge/block swap
FINISH:
- Sea Urchin (paper pieced), Gray Squares kit I bought in Ithaca that has to be sewn different from instructions (tedious) to look good, Calico Rose Quiltalong (Wedding Dress Blues), Border on Mystery Quilt, and quilts listed in my binder
- All quilt tops on hangers to be quilted!
LEARN:
- 2 classes, (don't know any yet) Would love a longarm one
- 2 new techniques
- 3 quilt retreats
- 1 Big show (maybe the Erie one)
MAINTAIN:
- My machines
- Clean others vintage machines
- Scraps- cut, sizes, strips, squares- no piles!
- Fabric- new shelving/storage all in one place
- Daily sewing log in spiral notebook
TEACH:
- Will work for fabric, I just love teaching people new or quicker ways to work, get them inspired and take a leap.
- Techniques/patterns/tips- to guilds or any small group

Goal lines

Not Niagara on the Lake, but where we cut down our tree the week before Christmas. Gray then also.

     My husband and I usually go away for at least a day between Christmas and New Year's to Niagara on the Lake in Canada just across the US border. It is just such a lovely little town. It sits on the Niagara River right at Lake Ontario. The architecture is so cozy and relaxing except for the McMansions. Normally I take a lot of photos, but it was totally dark and grey all day so no photos. When there, we go over all our goals for the past year, plan new ones and evaluate all areas of our life away from distractions. 
     Last year, my goals were guiding lines, but not all done. Comfort quilts are continuing to be made, but I have not found anyone else on board with me to make them. My mom continues to sew strips for me.
     I did poorly with art quilts. Because I want to make landscape quilts at least 3' x 4' without fusible, I am stalled and don't know how to proceed, so I didn't. Want to make denim and batik ones. 
    Blogging continued, but I want to do a better job- at least 3 times a week. I finished the mystery quilts except for the border I want to add on the guild one and Grand Illusions blocks were gratefully given away to Sarah Craig for her group to finish and give away. I made three quilt retreats, was in one show in Rochester, went to AQS Paducah (loved the city and show- never will ride a bus again) and the AQS show in Syracuse, NY.
    I made 2 leader ender quilts, learned new techniques from classes I took with Sujata Shah and John Kubiniec, completed a bow tie swap, cleaned people's vintage machines and kept up my own. I rescued a purple Kenmore and bought a hardly ever used Kenmore 158.1345. 
    Made a huge jump and bought a Nolting longarm, first a used one and then traded up to a new 20" one. 
     I was able to teach some workshops at my guild and helped make a lot of kids quilts for Camp Gold Star and Camp Purple. Cut lots and lots of scraps with my Stripology ruler.
     New goals coming up.

What happened in the whirlwind?

     Every year I think because I have a set of lists and plans the holiday season will be manageable. Apparently I live in a delusion. I got creamed by the running around, resulting migraines, food prep, and family stuff. Like getting a cortisone shot in your neck the afternoon before Christmas Eve and then doing Christmas dinner shopping is a recipe for disaster. My sewing studio, (the old living room) had to be all tucked away because the Christmas dinner buffet was going on its long counter. 

     Even the cat preferred to be in a bag. He still managed to cause trouble (chewing/shredding egg cartons everywhere and throwing up the evidence).
      This is why my grand plan to put up my new goals on January 1st did not materialize. I did write them and evaluate last year's, but did not type them in here yet.
     I made a bunch of gifts before Christmas but forgot to photo them in my haste to wrap them. My daughter sent some photos of the purses I made her thankfully. 

     I will get those goals up and some photos of quilts worked on shortly.

Kinda, sorta quilty

    I have made some non quilt things for presents. I forgot to take photos of some of them before they got wrapped. I will have to catch them when they get opened. Three dimensional projects are not my strong suit. I did make some. However, today I finished pot holders (think mini quilt- they were free motioned) from some remnants someone gave me. Perfect for the pastry/goodies chef daughter. Never made them before, so there is probably something not right. I bought insulbright from Joann's so they would be more than decorative. However, I had to free motion each side separately because the design on one side would mess up the other. So, there are two layers of insulbright that make a crinkling noise. 
   Two people had birthdays this week, so I made two paperpieced teacups and sewed them to timtex  and glued on cardstock. I tried to make birthday cards that in no way reflected the holiday, but birthdays. Both people are tea drinkers. Hope they got it. My mother did not recognize it was a teacup.
  So, not really quilts but in the same family.

One side

 The other side

Cards

Scraps and trouble

     I received a chock full envelope of scraps and fat quarters from Chris Hudson and her blog. Perfect for comfort quilts. I sorted all through them and divided by size, color, and type. All batiks get grouped together. Anything bigger than 2 inches, but less than fat quarter get the Stripology ruler treatment. Thank you, Chris! The more scraps, the better the quilts look. Variety is the spice!

Small pieces on the top of my scrap basket I use for strings and made fabric

    As usual, Tugger the terrible has to get right in on the sewing and make it difficult to navigate. If I don't pay attention to him, he starts knocking the seam ripper, scissors, etc off the sewing table.

"Are you sure you are doing a 1/4"?"

Binding's on! Two down

     I finished sewing the bindings on (all by machine) the pink Disappearing Nine Patch and Little Boxes. They came out real well. Just waiting for a home. In the washer right now.