Goals 2026

 

A) Reduce the Longarm UFO list. 

I will work on reducing the number of quilt tops (129+) when we are in residence in Alpine since that is where the longarm is located.

B) Establish a UFO/NewFO list (pieced quilts, crochet, sewn items)

1a) Embroider tea  towels with Sandi designs

2a) Embroidered Lil Kids Sports (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

3a) Sunshine Pineapple (NewFO)

4a) Bullion Rose Quilt (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

5a) Make bowl cozies (NewFO)

6a) Bargello Quilt (NewFO)

7a) RKaufman Blue Christmas Tree Panel (NewFO)

8a) Basket Quilt (NewFO)

9a) Double Wedding Ring ((NewFO)
10a) LOVE Teddy Panel Wallhanging (NewFO)

11a) Assemble XStitch Shams (UFO)

12a) Finish DREAMS dresser scarf (UFO)

C) Reduce stash.
 

2024-25 Goals

2024-25 GOALS

A) Reduce the Longarm UFO list. 

I will work on reducing the number of quilt tops (129+) when we are in residence in Alpine since that is where the longarm is located.

B) Establish a UFO/NewFO list (pieced quilts, crochet, sewn items)

1a) Postage Stamp Quilt (NewFO)

2a) Embroidered Lil Kids Sports (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

3a) Sunshine Pineapple (NewFO)

4a) Bullion Rose Quilt (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

5a) Chandelier Quilt w/Applique (NewFO)

6a) Gold Star-In-A-Star Christmas Quilt (NewFO)

7a) RKaufman Blue Christmas Tree Panel (NewFO)

8a) Crocheted Afghan:  Purple Sampler Stitch (UFO)

9a) Crocheted Bells (NewFO)
10a) LOVE Teddy Panel Wallhanging (NewFO)

11a) Assemble XStitch Shams (UFO)

12a) Finish DREAMS dresser scarf (UFO)
 

The November UFO is #6.

2024-2025

And finally getting back to the blog and crafting dialog!  Sandi, my quilting partner, and I have decided that we would use the number system again this year to select each month's project.  We seem to get more accomplished using the number system rather than individually selecting what we want to do each month.  We also want to keep track of our stash reduction--about time I did that!!  Although I do have to say that I haven't purchased much fabric in the past 2-4 years.  Nor have I accomplished much in the way of quilting.

We're staying in our Colorado Springs home for a few months which means I can't get any of my 129+ quilt tops quilted as the longarm is in WY!  However, since we have to spend 8 months in our WY home to qualify for a reduction in our property taxes in 2025, perhaps I can make a dent in the quilt tops that need to be quilted on the longarm.  

The 2024-2025 year is going to start in November, 2024 and run through October 2025.  So, I will get my 12 projects chosen and written down; Sandi already has her list compiled.  Hopefully, everyone will have a good, productive year.

JULY Finishes

July was the month to start reducing the longarm stack of quilts.   Three are laptop size, and two are 80x80.  I have over 140 quilt tops in totes awaiting quilting.  I think August will also be dedicated to quilting tops!

 July UFO is #7.

My June finishes were both counted X-stitch:

MAY UFO & April Finish

 May UFO is #8.

Only one April finish:

March Finishes

The April number is #4.

So much pretty fabric in 4-6-8-10 yard pieces and what do I do?  Of course--make a scrappy quilt instead of using the yardage!  At least I did use a large yardage piece for the backing.  The quilt measures 75x103.  I should have used a dark fabric for the border--I may cut it down to a 1 inch border when I quilt it.  It's always amazing which colors are dominant--when you look at a picture of the quilt, it often shows a dominant color that you did not see as you just looked at it.  Maybe I'll cut this border down and attach a dark border around it.  Now to proof the taxes and start ironing the huge stack of my husband's shirts!

Well, I had to do it--cut down the light border to a 1-inch finish and add a dark border.  Looks better.  Shirts are ironed and the taxes are done!

Finally--I have used the Innova longarm for something besides a place to drape fabric.  I have finished quilting 3 quilts--1 baby quilt and 2 panel quilts.  It is amazing how many things I "forgot" about the quilting process.  I even needed a refresher on binding!  

I used the Square Dance EtoE on the panel quilts--love the texture.  I have another baby quilt loaded on the longarm but spent the last 2 days of March making 12 dozen mini cinnamon rolls!  But I did get out the Lavender & Lace cross stitch so I can get it finished--in April.  It is close to being completed.  But what did I do next?!  I started the cross stitch of another of Janet Powers' "watercolor" cross stitch flowers--a geranium.  And in my surfing adventures on the internet, I found someone who must love them as much as I do (except she has hers for sale!).  She had some I do not have the patterns for (tulips), some I have completed (lily, iris), and some other (not Lavender & Lace) patterns I have completed.  I haven't gotten very far with the geranium but already love it!  I also spent some time working on the crocheted afghan.  I think April will be a month I concentrate on getting pieced tops quilted, finishing at least one of the cross stitch projects, and finishing the afghan.

The April UFO is #4.

February Finishes

 

January Finishes #3

 The two sets of pillowcases were done from scratch--embroidered and crocheted edgings.  The blue pillowcases were from Sandi; she said they belonged to her mother who never finished them.  Sandi was going to take them to GoodWill if I didn't want them.  Of course, I said I would take them!  The yellow/green pillowcases were the last of the 5 I ordered a few years ago.  Finally finished these.  I thought it was swans until I was nearly finished and realized they were flowers!  Glad to get these done.  I counted 12 sets of embroidered pillowcases that have never been used; one set was a gift from my Aunt Agnes as a high school graduation gift!!

The purple/yellow tulips were a panel gifted to me (again) by Sandi; of course, I didn't say no (but wondered later why I didn't--so tired of doing panels!).  It's now in the longarm quilting stack.  I was wondering what to put as coordinating blocks--think this worked well.

The 4 tea towels were embroidered with recipe designs given to me by Sandi.  Wow--January was a "Sandi month!"  They are a nice addition to gift baskets--but quite a few stitches for a tea towel.

Then the last Sally King shoe quilt--the 6th one I've done.  I was not as happy with the designs this time. Purchased a set of 6 in 2019 and then purchased 8 more as singles in winter of 2022.  I "reused" 3 designs from previous quilts to complete the triple Irish chain pattern.  I don't think these were as innovative as in previous sets and felt the digitizing was not as good.  Anyway, the single design that I've shown (with my slippered feet!) was one that I really liked--called "Coffee or Tea."  The designs are now being sold as singles and the price is $5/single design.  I was not as pleased with the designs or the quilt itself--but it's done.  Perhaps I will get the 6 quilts quilted on the longarm during this year.  The quilt measures 90 by 105.

I have decided that my focus has got to be getting some of the flimsies quilted on the longarm.  There are some beautiful quilts in those totes!  In the meantime, I found some fabric I had set aside for a quilt (no pattern to show what I had planned) and may have to get it made in February as I love the fabric and have just the right pattern to showcase it.  No wonder I don't get the flimsies quilted!  Just keep adding to the NewFO list!!

2023 GOALS

A) Reduce the Longarm UFO list. 

DONE 3/21/23 1) Embed Bears baby quilt 30x34

DONE 3/23/23 2) Red Truck Xmas panel 52x61

DONE 3/28/23 3) USA map panel w/borders 41x59

DONE 7/13/23 4) Woodland Animals Panel w/Brdrs 34x50

DONE 7/14/23 5) ChurnDash/Snowball in Bulk/Brn 80x80

DONE 7/20/23 6) Funky Santa/Snowman Panel in Sqs w/Sashing 80x80

DONE 7/28/23 7) Trees in Teal Panel w/Brdrs 41x58

DONE 7/30/23 8) Woodland Animals Panel #2 w/Herringbone Border 42x60

B) Establish a UFO/NewFO quilt top list (to be pieced).

DONE 2/26/23 1a) Moda Cowboy boots Quilt (NewFO)(Sandi-Pat Challenge 2021)

2a) Embroidered Child's Parable Quilt (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

DONE 1/27/23 3a) Sally King Shoes in Pink (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done) 90X105

4a) Embroidered Morehead Angels (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

5a) Embroidered Lil Kids Sports (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

DONE 2/1/23 6a) Light/Dark Sawtooth Star (NewFO) in Blue

7a) Bullion Rose Quilt (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

8a) Sunshine Pineapple (NewFO)

9a) Manipulated Quilt in Pinks(NewFO)
10a) Penguin (NewFO)

11a) Embroidered Puppy Tails (NewFO)(machine embroidery not done)

12a) Panel Loopy Ewe (NewFO)
 1b) Cathedral Window (NewFO)(Long term project)

 DONE 1/4/23 2b) Purple/Yellow Tulip Panel Quilt (NewFO), throw size

 DONE 3/15/23 3b) Scrappy 2.5" Triple IrChain (NewFO)

C) Counted X-Stitch/Embroidery

1a) Patriotic Pride (NewFO)

2a) Butternut Road Sampler (UFO)

3a) Grandpa's Workshop Sampler (UFO)

4a) Sewing Sampler (NewFO)

5a) Merry Christmas Sampler (UFO)

6a) Wildflowers by MarjolinB (NewFO)

DONE 6/9/23 7a) Lavender&Lace Enchanted Alphabet (UFO)

8a) Single Boot Afghan (NewFO)

9a) Multiple Boot Afghan (NewFO)

DONE 1/1/23 10a) Pillowcases: Flower (NewFO)(also needs crochet edging)

DONE 1/8/23 11a) Pillowcases: Sandi's Bluebirds (NewFO)(also needs crochet edging)

DONE 6/30/23 4b) Sitting Pretty Birds by V. Pfeiffer (knockoff)

Counted X-Stitch Flowers--Watercolor:(NewFO)

    Crocus

    DONE 5/3/23 Geranium I

    Geranium II

    Wisteria   

    Snapdragons

    Daffodils

    Iris II

D) Crochet

DONE 4/12/23 1a) DC w/Baubles White Afghan (NewFO)

2a) Purple Multi-Stitch Sampler Afghan (UFO)

3a) Star Afghan (put blocks together)(UFO)

4a) Beaded Purse (NewFO)

5a) Heirloom Sachets (NewFO)

E) Painting

1a) Cubby Bears

2a) "Feeling' Lucky" sign (NewFO)

3a) Dr Seuss Box

4a)

5a)

F) Miscellaneous

1a) LOVE Teddy Panel (UFO) 

2a) Dreams Dresser Scarf (UFO)

3a) XStitch Shams (UFO)

4a) Peony Apron (NewFO)

5a) Epic2 Technique Workbook (NewFO)

6a) Epic2 Stitch Sampler (NewFO)

7a) Baby Height Panel (NewFO)

       #1

       #2

8a) Christmas Countdown Panel (NewFO)

       #1

       #2

DONE 9a- Teatowels with Sandi's Recipe Designs (NewFO)

       DONE 1/10/23 #1-4 

       DONE 2/27/23 #5-8

       DONE 2/28/23 #9-12

December Finish

July finishes...

 

November Finishes

These 2 quilts were finished in November--though they were almost finished in October!  I had originally planned to embroider in the ecru parts of the log cabin blocks (Sandi sent me designs of Red Hat symbols/ladies), but I was tired of working on this panel and didn't want to spend any more time or effort on it.  The chandelier quilt was a mistake waiting to happen.  It measures 88 x 88 and isn't as wonky as the picture looks.  I find it harder to get down on the floor and straighten the quilts for a photo!  Anyway, I made mistakes on cutting the setting triangles but it worked out.  I lacked 4.5 x 25 inches of the block material at the end of October (hence the delay in finishing the quilt) but Hobby Lobby had enough to finish the last 3 blocks and the setting triangles--yaa!  That's a good reason for buying from their quilting wall!  I bought the end of the bolt!  It didn't turn out as pretty as I thought it would be.  This is the second Chandelier quilt and I doubt that I make more of this pattern.

UFO #10 for November

 The UFO number for November is #10.

October Finishes

 Well, not much to report!  Just one lap-size throw.  Two others are nearly done, but life got in the way again.  I had a Vertebroplasty procedure done on my back by Dr. J. New in Idaho Falls, ID.  They make small incisions and use image guidance to stabilize a collapsed vertebra with an injection of medical-grade bone cement into the collapsed vertebra.  This was the result of the August 14 fall in the bedroom.  I had X-rays done before, and they could not definitively determine that it was a new break.  So, then I had an MRI which confirmed that the break and subsequent collapse was from the August 14 fall.  The T12 vertebrae was the worst, but the L1 vertebrae was also collapsed, just not as bad.  It was an out-patient procedure at the Radiology Clinic.  Dr. Tew used a balloon to raise the L1 to the correct height and used a titanium thing that I think looked like a miniature double-sided house jack on the T12.  From what I've read, they hammer ("mallet" they tell me!) a biopsy needle into the vertebrae and use it to inject the cement.  Dr. Tew told Dan it was more extensive than he expected so it took longer than he had predicted. Interesting procedure.  That occurred on October 18.  I've healed nicely and can stand up straight and walk without a lot of pain.  Yea!!

August finishes...

 I didn't get much finished in August, but these had been hanging around for many, many years!  So, I'm glad to get them done.  The bottom picture I made from some scrap material and the others were from totes I had purchased years ago.  I still have one large transfer and some small ones (frogs--I used some of the frogs for something I made grandson Wes when he was about kindergarten age--and he's in his 30's now).  So it's nice to have them done.  I'll probably use the Christmas ones as bags for gifts.  I started on a quilt but didn't quite get it done.  I had 2 weeks out after I fell and hurt my back & ribs.   Better now, thank goodness!

The September UFO number is #8.

July Finishes

 

The finishes for August weren't much!  The top photo is a table topper and 4 placemats..  The bottom photo is 2 larger placemats and 4 mug rugs.  The panel quilt is one of the last panels--yay!!  Now on to UFO #6!

July-August UFOs

July UFO is #4.

August UFO is #6.

June finishes....

 

June UFO...

 June UFO is #1.