Tag Archives: a lovely year of finishes

Weekend finishes + April goals

Plum and June

On Friday, I was super excited as I received my copy of “Patchwork Please! – Colorful Zakka projects to stitch and give” by Ayumi Takahashi.

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Photo from: ayumills.blogspot.com – Pink Penguins, Ayumi Takahashi

I have signed up to the Zakka Along 2.0 :: Patchwork, Please Flickr Group to join others who are making things from the book. As you will see below one of my April goals is to make a pin cushion and travel sewing kit. I decided to give the pin cushion on the front cover a go.

Size: 4 x 4 in.
Materials: Osnaburg Fabric (instead of linen but I used Pellon Shape Flex Interfacing to add thickness and stability), and Sew Stitchy by Aneela Hoey for Moda. I did not have the fabric button so I just used buttons I had in stock.
Technique: Paper Piecing

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I also managed to finish up a custom order for a set of my pot holders. Order was for a green, taupe and wine colored set.

Size: 8.5 x 8.5 in.
Materials: I used Taupe Essex Linen, the wine fabric was from JoAnn, and a Japanese cotton fabric with Vegetables (from Etsy). I used insul-bright as the filler to protect from the heat.

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Onto setting my goals for April, this month I wanted to make sure I set realistic goals. Not that I have been going terribly, I just have a lot going on and I have a whole week away at the end of the month – I am off to San Francisco for work.

My Button

I think, I can accomplish:

  1. Focus on stock for my Etsy Store.
    • Chair Bags (x2 sets)
    • Oven Mitts (x1 set)
    • Coffee Cup Sleeves (x2)
    • Pouches/ Cases (x2)
    • Set of place mats (x1 Stretch goal)
  2. Make a Pin cushion (from Patchwork Please) and a travel sewing pouch
  3. Make a travel baby quilt for charity  (~30x20in.)
  4. Madrona Road Challenge – Mini Quilt

I plan on trying to continue the quilting of my first quilt but realistically will not have it finished this month – targeting that larger project for May.

My General goals continue:

  1. Try to eat and exercise to plan
  2. Blog regularly using my new schedule

March Goal Progress Report

I feel I have made quite a bit of Progress on many of my goals this month. I still may have bitten of more than I can chew. Reminder for April – no more than 3 craft goals !!! Checking in with Lovely Year of Finishes.

A Lovely Year of Finishes

Before I move into where I am at for March, I have planned the new technique to try for June (how’s that for planning). For my birthday (June 8th), I booked a workshop with Lotta Jansdotter who does amazing fabric printing, and to top it all off, I can spend the weekend in NEW YORK!!! You can check out her website here. I am so excited.

Ok, back to the now!!!  I did finish a little hexie coffee cup sleeve for a custom order, in addition to my March goals. Here is where I am at for March:

  1. Bottom, Baste and Quilt, the “Four Seasons in one day” (named after a crowded house song).
    Back finish, Basted, and my first line of quilting done.
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  2. Finish 2 sets of chair bags.
    No Progress.
  3. Finish 1 set of pot holders (custom order)
    Fabric Ordered.
  4. Finish a E-reader case
    No Progress.
  5. Sew + Finish the Triple zip pouch
    Fabric Cut, ready to start sewing.
  6. Kiwi Paper Piecing Cushion Cover
    Completed on Friday. This by far has been my favorite project and I love how it turned out.
  7. Make 1-2 Blocks for our Madrona Road Challenge
    Design decided and first block complete

Continue with my more general goals

  1. Continue with Life Style Challenge with a focus on:
    – No Sugar or Processed Food
    I am doing ok on processed food but awful in avoiding sugar – need to work on that the next two weeks
    – Exercise 3 times a week
    I have executed a plan and suckered in a friend to walk with my twice a week – Thanks Su 🙂
  2. Post 3 times a week min.
    Definitely doing well on this one
  3. Post a new recipe each week
    Yes, at least one recipe a week

February goal wrap-up and March goals

This was the first month, I linked up with A lovely year of finishes  and The Girl who Quilts. I made the realization that with normal life getting in the way that I need to reassess what I am committing to in March :-).

Here are my March goals (which includes a lot of the unfinished goals for February).

  1. Bottom, Baste and Quilt, the “Four Seasons in one day” (named after a crowded house song).
  2. Finish 2 sets of chair bags.
  3. Finish 1 set of pot holders (custom order)
  4. Finish a E-reader case
  5. Sew + Finish the Triple zip pouch
  6. Kiwi Paper Piecing Cushion Cover
  7. Make 1-2 Blocks for our Madrona Road Challenge

Continue with my more general goals

  1. Continue with Life Style Challenge with a focus on:
    – No Sugar or Processed Food
    – Exercise 3 times a week
  2. Post 3 times a week min.
  3. Post a new recipe each week

A Lovely Year of Finishes The Girl Who Quilts

Anyway, this is how far I got in February….

  1. As mentioned on Friday 1st, complete top and back of my “Four Seasons in one day” (named after a crowded house song)
    I have now completed the top and started the back. You can see my first quilt top finish here.FourSeasonsInOneDay_1
  2. Finish 4 sets of chair bags.
    I have cut out 2 sets of chair bags but have not started sewing yet. I did not get any further.
  3. Finish 4 sets of pot holders.
    I have 3 sets of pot holders completed.IMG_0865 IMG_6892
  4. Cut out fabric for my son’s quilt.
    Not started yet – I have landed up ordering two new fabrics.
  5. Triple zip pouch.
    Fabric and other materials selected but did not get any further.
  6. Try out a paper piecing block.
    I tried out the techniques but I want to make this kiwi pattern from Tartankiwi and make it into a cushion. 

More general goals

  1. Continue with Life Style Challenge.
    I am continuing on even though February saw some up and downs.
  2. Post 3 times a week min.
    Check – doing well.
  3. Post a new recipe each week.
    Check – doing well