Finally!

 It's a top!  My goal for my two week vacation was to get this to a top and here it is!

Pretty Freaking Proud of this!

Sashed!

 

Sashing

I started this BOM in 2009 and it was a bit above my skill level.  I put it in timeout until a few years ago when I went to town finishing the blocks. (I finished the blocks in 2018.)  It went back into timeout because of the sashing.  Not a fan of sashing for some reason.  Anyway my 2021 Word of the Year is  Sashing.  I have a box of blocks for multiple quilts that need to be sashed so last night I finally started working on it (with help from Lucy!).  I actually got further than this photo shows-the second row is on and I started sashing the third row. I got really frustrated with block number 7 so I ripped it apart last night and I'll try to remake it tonight.  I was losing too many points on that block! I can really tell how much I have grown as a quilter!  I'm looking forward to finishing this quilt-I think it is my oldest UFO! I just saw a tip on Fb to sew a strip of the cornerstones onto a block of sashing and then cut.  I have already cut the sashing and cornerstones on my Accuquilt but will definitely try this technique on the next Sashing quilt.

 

Goals for 2019

I can't believe Christmas break is over and I'm headed to work again on Monday!  After reading about Jo's completed BOM, I decided to start my list anew. 

1. PA Dutch-needs sashing and borders
2. Chocolatier-needs blocks
3. Cool Yule-needs sashing and borders
4. Ramona's baskets (civil war): one block left then assemble and make the borders
5. Ramona's baskets (30's): need to make three blocks, then assemble and add borders
6. Shelby's graduation quilt/goose chase-this one is the one that has really slowed me down

One the plus side, in December I found out that I am anemic and that's why I'm exhausted all of the time.  I started taking iron so I am hopeful that will help with my energy level and I'll be able to sew when I get home in the evenings. Plus the new Saturday Ramona started today!

The fabrics are batiks which I normally don't care for.  In fact, I was going to use civil war repros but I really like how this one looks, so I bought the batik block.

I need to make of list of things I completed this year.  That will make me feel better!

Back at work

I'm back at work today and the boyos are back at school.  It was downright chilly though.  I couldn't believe the size of these icicles.  This is very unusual for us.

I kept slogging away at my blocks yesterday and I am happy to say that I completed all of the blocks for this BOM. This was my penultimate block called Journey's end.  I had to re-stitch one of the corner triangle sets repeatedly though.  I just couldn't get it right.  It's still not perfect but it will do. 

And this cottage block.  I had thought it would be the most difficult block and I was right.  Part of it was that I wasn't very accurate in my cutting back in the day and part of it was that the top of the cottage and the chimneys didn't fit together properly.  It took a lot of trimming, resewing, trimming, resewing to get it looking like this.  I'm really proud and happy that I finished all of the blocks.  Below is a really bad cell phone picture of all the blocks. Next up I need to do the sashing which is such a snoozer!

Unexpectedly

So we have another day off!  It is literally freezing outside with leftover ice from yesterday so the schools called it off for another day.  In actuality it is a beautiful, if cold, day with clear blue skies and bright sun.  My toes are freezing in my slippers!

So I have two blocks left to make. The little house was already cut out.  I'll have to double check and make sure it was cut out correctly before I sew.  And last night before calling it quits I cut out block number twelve!  I would like to finish these two blocks today.  I really want to do a quick quilt kit but I should at least do the sashing before moving on.  Otherwise I risk this being an UFO for even  longer!

an icy day off. . .

So the boyos' schools were closed and mine was too-so we had an unexpected day off.  I kept on sewing blocks. I started with the one from yesterday. I made the mistake of leaving too many pieces on my cutting table and had a few bad moments when my math looked off.  Then I realized that I had the wrong pieces in my hands and shoved them into the bag of extra fabric.  Happily I finished the block.  And took a photo to send my sister.  Hmmmmmm.


Something looked off.  I never noticed it!

So a quick correction was in order. ;-)

Then I moved to the next block.  I had fun trying the pieces in different ways.  Any of these three would make a great block.

And this one is called Crossroads.  I actually reversed the red and blue colors when I first made it-and it spiraled the wrong way. So I cut it out again and made it properly.  

Jo's 2018 BOM Challenge

Jo at Jo's Country Junction is hosting a BOM Challenge.  It's not a new one but rather you're supposed to pull out an old BOM you've had hanging around and knock it out.  I know that I have at least two.  The Pennsylvania Dutch one from 2009 and the Chocolatier from last year.  I'm starting with the PA Dutch because it's my oldest one.

So PA Dutch.  I thought I had made three blocks but it turns out I had completed four!  So that was a nice surprise right off the bat. 

Then I pulled out my patterns and realized that I had cut several blocks  (five I think) out already!  I was pretty excited then.  I became less so as I realized that I was not very good at cutting nine years ago-I cut a lot of pieces incorrectly (to small usually or I didn't follow the directions properly) so it took a little doing to figure out how to get started.

First block:

This one I had cut the setting triangles incorrectly and the four patches were too large.  So some trimming and new triangles were required.  I really like this block.

Second block: This block was pretty easy.  I just had to make sure I followed the directions.

Third block: this was a little bit more trouble.  I had cut the small blue squares too small and didn't realize it until I tried to sew the central block together.  I also found the setting triangles a little dodgey to sew.  Still I'm proud of it!

Block Four: This block I totally cut wrong.  So I had to do a ton of math.  Like two and a half hours of math, sampling and unsewing.  Will try to finish this block on Tuesday.