Q1 and W.I.P.s -- that time I stopped finishing and got started

Remember I said I am a finisher? Yeah, well, just kidding. I currently have seven quilt projects going. SEVEN.

How did that happen?

Well, I did manage a few finishes from my Q1 list:
1. A baby quilt for Jen. You'll just have to take my word for it because I have NO PHOTOS. As soon as it's gifted I'll snap some.
2. A mini star quilt for Jean, a dear colleague. I'm so pleased with this. And unbeknownst to me, Jean collects textiles! WINNING.

But about those new projects... Right now my home is in chaos--a flurry of packing and repairs, in anticipation of moving at some point in the future. At the exact time we should be making order, my heart is bursting with inspiration and the desire to create. (I've also finished four pillows, two pouches and a wall hanging.) So I start and start and start. Without complaint. The finishes will come. (Update: I finished #6. See? I can do it.)

WIPs that will no doubt make it to my Q2 list:

1. A rainbow mini quilt for Mid-Atlantic Mod. You can see a peak on Instagram. In spite of my early start, I have a feeling I'll be finishing this under pressure before the April deadline.

2. Christmas sparkle punch: I lost steam as soon as I cut the billionty squares. I'm hoping to finish it by Christmas 2016. That gives me almost nine months. Totally doable.

3. Scrap vortex. I got this one to a decent baby quilt size and packed it up. I could finish it, but I figure there will be more scraps to add so why not just take a break and come back to it later? 

4. Scrappy nine patch. I started this a month or so ago on a whim. I love to play with scraps! I'm hoping to come back to this one soon.

Scrappy improv. I have 47 nine patches that aren't big enough for a quilt on their own. Liking this scrappy log cabin effect... #scrapbusting #scrapquilt

A photo posted by Cassandra McKee (@pilarandolivia) on Mar 12, 2016 at 9:46am PST

5. Starry night BOM. Another whim. At least this one is monthly so I can pace myself!

#dcmqgsnowalong #starrynightquilt

A photo posted by Cassandra McKee (@pilarandolivia) on Feb 15, 2016 at 10:26am PST

6-7. More baby boy quilts. Why cut one when I can cut and piece two at the same time? These are simple patchwork quilts with 7.5" squares. One is for a colleague expecting this spring. The other is for a home tbd. So far I've got one ready for quilting finished (hooray!) and one ready for piecing.

Quick sew, exactly what I needed. #birchorganics #serengetifabric

A photo posted by Cassandra McKee (@pilarandolivia) on Mar 3, 2016 at 6:00pm PST

Linking up with Debbie at A Quilter's Table for the 2016 FAL Q1 finishes!

2016 Finish Along -- Quarter 1

So I kept going. #wonkystars

A photo posted by Cassandra McKee (@pilarandolivia) on Jan 9, 2016 at 5:22pm PST

My sister surprised me with a Go! Fabric Cutter by Accuquilt for Christmas. This thing is incredible! My boys love to crank it and together we have cut hundreds of squares. The Go! came with a die for two different sized squares and one half-square triangle, but I ordered the 3.5" square die with my Christmas sparkle punch quilt in mind. Truthfully, it's a little inefficient (I cut my strips an extra 1/4" to make sure I fully cover the die), but I can see how it will save me a lot of time -- especially cutting scraps. Plus, it's so fun.

I started sewing the wonky stars for the Christmas quilt last week, but that quilt was put on hold today while I started a new project: a wonky star mini for Jean (shown above). A colleague of mine loves the color teal, which happens to be one of my favorite colors, too. She's planning a job change, so I'm going to surprise her with a little wall hanging. It's looking great so far, and I'm excited to gift it to her. Oh, I love the lazy days of winter. It was so good to spend the day sewing.

Once again I'm participating in the Finish Along to help keep me on track with my goal to finish all of my projects.

Here's my list of finishes for the First Quarter of the 2016 Finish Along. I am keeping it real and not including the stacks of fabric I have for imaginary projects.

1. Wonky star mini for Jean. This mini is inspired by our mutual love of the color teal. I'm loving how it is coming along. I pulled fabric from my AMH stash, hit my pile of 3.5" scrap squares, and added a few 5" charms. I cut into some yardage, but not a lot. It will be so nice to have a finish this week! Yes, this week. I can do it.

2. Baby boy quilt for Jen. No idea what it'll look like, but I love the fabric pull so that's a good start.

3. Christmas sparkle punch quilt (pattern by Elizabeth Hartman/Oh Fransson!). Most of the squares are cut! Realistically, this won't get done until the second quarter at the earliest. I'm thinking I'll take it to the Mid-Atlantic Mod retreat in April.

May not look like much, but that's over 600 squares!

4. scrap vortex quilt, (following the tutorial by Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts). I've got hundreds of quads sewn. That's something, right? As with the Christmas quilt, this one is unlikely to be finished this month. But never say never...

Linking up with Debbie at A Quilter's Table for the 2016 Finish Along!

Works in Progress

My mantra at work is "Just get it done." It has helped me push through projects, bad work environments, yucky politics, you name it. It carries over into my personal life, too. (Case in point, these days I am all about making the doctor appointments, scheduling surgery, lining up the village, taking care of business!)

I like the finish. I try to enjoy the process of things, but I really like reaching the end. The sense of accomplishment, bringing things to completion. That's definitely true of my sewing. I don't tend to ditch projects partway through. On the downside, I sometimes rush. I'm a little too comfortable with approximate. Still, every finish is better than the last.

Anyway, sometimes it is nice to start a new project, and sometimes I do need a break from one until the mood or creativity strikes again. So while I ultimately aim to finish everything, it can be nice to work on a few things at once. I currently have five works in progress (WIPs) waiting to be finished. I entered my first ever Finish Along, which is maybe a little optimistic given that I'm about to have major surgery. But whatever. I'm determined to make time for sewing, and I have got to finish this unicorn quilt SOON!

Left Column:

1. Priory Square fabric. This is a big stretch, but I plan to make a quilt for someone very dear and generous. All I have done is pull the fabric. Which is all from the one collection. Lazy? Practical? Pretty.

2. A scrappy, wonky star I made and let sit because I wasn't wowed by the colors. The Artist (aka Husband) claims to like it. So I'm just going to Get it Done and turn it into a pillow.

3. A fussy cut bird from Echino. This is my latest distraction, just for fun, when I can't be working on something else. I'm going to make myself a mini quilt to hang on the wall. It's a 6.5 inch square, perfect for trying a new quilt block... So far all I've decided is that this bird looks great with the Anna Maria Horner true colors print Haystack Bouquet in "country" (red) or "moss" (blue).

Right Column:

1. Greatest Hits. This is the start of a scrappy quilt full of beloved Anna Maria Horner scraps (and 1-2 Tula Pink favorites). I did have to cut into some fabric to add a few strips, but the vast majority were leftovers sitting in my box of strip scraps! 

2. The Unicorn Quilt. The top and back are done, I just need to make the time and space to baste and quilt this baby. I am so excited about this one, and can't wait to show some photos of it in its full glory! This little photo doesn't do it justice. It is gorgeous. I will be sad to give it away, but it is for one of my favorite littles who is turning 6 in less than 2 weeks. Yikes, that is soon.

2014 in pictures

A lot of sewing in 2014! Maybe I'll make photography a goal for 2016...

QUILTS! I made 12 quilts this year, and gifted 10 of them (6 for new babies, 1 for charity, 1 for a special 5 year old, 1 for mom, and 1 for my BFF on her 40th). The chevron at the bottom right lives in our living room and makes me so happy. It matches the chevron quilt I made my sister last summer. 

A fun, no-sew DIY reupholstery project. Lots of scrap pillows. A bunch of tote bags (at least four, including two Noodlehead 241 totes) and two adorable divided baskets (another awesome Noodlehead pattern). There were also many zipper bags, including three teacher gifts, all using scraps. 

I organized my scraps this year following a tip I saw somewhere (Pinterest?): 2.5in, 3.5in, and 5in squares, as well as strips in a variety of widths. I spent a weekend cutting scraps with the Winter Olympics on in the background. Since then I have been good about keeping up with they scrap pile and tossing tiny bits I won't use. (I do have some smaller than the squares, saved in baggies, but I haven't used them... Not sure if I ever will.) I've had so much fun pulling squares, playing with patterns, and making scrappy pouches and pillows with them.

Right now I have this beautiful scrap quilt on my makeshift design wall: