Finding Things to Finish Up

 We're in the final countdown to 2025

and it is a great time to finish things up.

There was a lovely pile of left over blocks,

waiting in the wings for a solution. 

They are coming together into totally 

new creations. 

The first is a whole sheaf of RSC 

/Stashbuster blocks and squares left

over from the year of Irish Chains.

 There was even one half of an intended

queen size green quilt in the stack. 

I measured and fiddled and sketched and 

erased and came up with a plan.

First, I finished up the center, 

then debated colors for an inner border. 

Settling on black was the easy way out, 

but as the end result shows, a wise choice. 

Then I sorted out the sides and sewed a few.

There was a bit of easing and squeezing going

on as the inner border threw all the figures out 

of wack but it all worth it in the end. 

Ta da!

 

Now there are only a few left over blocks,

and those will find a place on the back.

Next up: left over log cabin blocks!

Good luck with all your year end finishes!

Stay safe and sew on !

Linking up with :

Design Wall Monday 

Monday Musing

Sew & Tell

Wednesday Wait Loss

Put Your Foot Down

To Do Tuesday

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Design Wall Friday

Finished Or Not Friday

TGIFF

Patchwork & Quilts

Year End Tally

 Since the finishes are piling up , 

it is time to review my tallies!

I only keep track of fabric bought, 

fabric out and the recent scrap influx. 

If I rid out, donate or pass on some scraps, 

they are in the mix too!

So here we go!

Fabric Purchased: 8  m

Used since last report  6 twin quilts  30 m !

Fabric In to date: 25.5 m

Use to date 2024 : 96

Scraps in : 20 m

Scraps out : 0 m

Big Batch donation : 60 m (June) 70 ( Oct)

Net Fabric in YTD:  48 m

The Irish chains made a big dent in the total.

The last chain bound was this multicolored 

charmer with a scrappy binding. 

The last remaining chain for a while is this color

block top that is waiting to be layered. 

Lots of festivities are planned for the end of the year,

so there wont be a lot of finishing going on.

There is even a New Year's Eve zoom party planned!!

Here is to wishing all

a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday

and a warm and wonderful time with family!

Linking up with :

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

Sew & Tell

Prepping Complete

 The stockings are all nearly hung, 

the turkey almost cooked.

The cookies are all frosted , 

and a decoration's in each nook. 

Gifts are done and packaged, 

cards and calls are made. 

The quilts are stacked and threaded, 

and some just need a name. 

The year is almost over,

and the days will get more light, 

More things to do and plans to make,

For a glorious new year's night!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Wrapping up the Year!

 Lots of things getting ready and finished. 

Holidays have begun, visits are happening 

and lots of fun is going on. 

Movement in the sewing room is really stacking up.

Things have moved from here,

to blocks sewn, 

to tops made, 

to backs chosen,

to layered and pinned,

to quilted and binding made,

 

to complete!

 Six Irish chain quilts are now complete! 

 The yellow has gone off to a 

Veteran's residence along 

with a blue log cabin.

The remaining complete chains will 

hang out over the holidays and 

may be impromptu gifts should they be needed. 

The last two Irish chains are multicolored. 

One is under the needle today!

 

It is being quilted with diamond pattern. 

I am still a little hesitant about free motion

quilting with my Bernina but I will be 

brave later. I did do some maintenance

yesterday and oiled the bobbin race.  

Every little thing is definitely confidence increasing! 

The diamond pattern will let me vary my 

quilting designs but still keep the 

speed of the straight line. 

 The other is waiting to be layered with 

a beautiful butterfly backing.

If I can get them both completed,

I can close out the year on RSC 2024!!

]

Woot woot!

Stay safe and sew on !

Linking up with :

Design Wall Monday

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Monday Sew & Tell

Quilting & Patchwork

Sr Salon Pit Stop

Monday Musings

To Do Tuesday

Oh Scrap!

Midweek Makers

Wed Wait Loss

Design Wall Friday

Finished or Not Friday

Free Motions Mavericks

Next up to Layer

 My new quilting partner is getting a 

bit of a break while I layer up some 

more tops. 

The workroom quilt rack has 

five more tops paired up with backs 

awaiting pinning. 

This well seasoned Christmas top

will be paired up with a green winter flannel

back to make a nice chair throw. 

Another well seasoned top is getting 

a complimentary garden backing 

and finally be finished. It is a 

row by row from a long ago 

group of quilters. 

The last of the Irish chains will 

be paired up with this stunning 

butterfly fabric. It will be such a fun

quilt to work on!  

These 100 pyramids is a found top 

from an estate I helped with and will 

likely stay in my collection.  I have 

been working on a partial one for 

years and will combine my blocks

to finish the edges and pair it with 

this exciting orange and brown pieced backing.

 Lastly my saucy curved nine patch will get a 

fabulous black background paisley print  back. 

The postage stamp border will pick up the colors in 

the back but should not clash when 

separated by the binding.  I've got some enjoyable

work ahead and can't wait to get started. 

Happy stitching to me!

Stay safe and sew on!

Planning Ahead? What does that mean!

 Wow, if the end of the year is time 

for reflection, the beginning seems like time 

for planning and motivation!  

I'm going to do both in the name of  efficiency! 

Trying to get my UFO list in order is a challenge!  

I keep getting distracted by 

projects to work on, lunches to have and patterns to explore.

I do have a few rules for myself for my finishes and progress. 

A project is not finished until the binding is on!  That means

the fabric quantity used can't be counted if it is just a flimsy!

That motivates me a bit. I count a queen sized and 11m, 

twin as 6m and crib/baby size as 3. Still not sure how to count 

scrap supply; bag, tub, bin, mountain?  I am sure a way to add 

them all up will present itself. 

This past year has seen my stash turn over but my 

scrap supply is still generous!

Look at these beauties that just walked in the door!

Thank you so much Good Buddy!

Many of the scraps I receive are already in 

great usable sizes. Planning for the next 

RSC and the projects I'd love to do has 

been fun and productive!

Here are my current ideas!  Like any plan, 

it comes with a disclaimer!  These items 

are subject to change or not!!

The bin for 2023 still has a few items

to finish up or combine so that will be 

at the top of the list. They may be 

combined with the 2025 focus , which is 

strings and strips!

My cup runneth over with both so 

I have plenty of supply!

One quick trip thru my strip

binder and a nice evening scrolling, 

and my string project list is building. 

I found some of my old projects, 

and would like to do a variation of 

the string stars border, using string

made 1/2 squares to make classic

designs.

A 1/2 square with light and dark 

halves could produce all sorts of 

great designs.  Straight furrows, 

streak of lighting  etc. 

I want to so some variations of this

blast from the past, (2022) and 

use all strips with color families being the 

design maker. 

This circular design by Melody Crust has 

always caught my eye .  A bit intimidating 

with all the circles but , I can do it! 

It will be so much fun to make the colorful circles, 

imagine the variety and different placement possibilities!

It was published in 2002 but is sure to be a classic. 

I can't wait to see what wonderful 

ideas the cyberverse of quilters will come up with next year!!

Stay safe and sew on!

Linking up with :

Wednesday Wait Loss

Put Your Foot Down

Midweek Makers

Free Motion Mavericks

Design Wall Friday

Finished of Not Friday

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So Scrappy !

Another Clue Has Landed!

 The mystery quilt continues to move forward.

A trip down memory lane  is always good too, 

so here is a little review of my first mystery quilt ever!

This project called for 3 different colors.

I was a real novice and still have a 

minimal color sense, so I chose

red, white and blue.  It was destined 

for my elder brother but ended up 

staying in our house where ever it landed. 

It started off with 4 patches which was good for me,

so definitely decreased my mystery anxiety!

The next clue was a wealth of half squares in 

a variety of color combinations! I managed that 

well but did get a bit overwhelmed keeping 

them all in the right order!

Then the final push was more flying 

geese than I've ever seen! Also in 

 

many combinations. Can you see them? 

It did all come together but 

the next time I jumped into a mystery was

well into the next century!

I have joined in a few sew alongs and 

some block of the month groups but 

the mystery definitely was on hold!

 Wish me luck on my current endeavor!

Clue number 5 has just arrived!

Stay safe and sew on !

What to do , what to do?!

Well if anyone noticed, I've been getting way 

behind on my stash reporting.

The reason for this of course is the influx

 fabrics to my sewing room.

Our local group helped clean out a an estate of a 

buddy and we all ended up

with quite a bit of beautiful fabric.

Now I have to find a way to incorporate into my stash,

and get sewing it.

I'm going to say it was an influx, conservatively, of 70 m.

They're also project boxes of wonderful quilts to be completed.

They may not all end up as they were intended, but

I will give it a good try. 

The last Legacy quilt was completed on Monday.

It is the pale green quilted in a zigzag pattern.

It is off to a women's shelter and will provide 

comfort and warmth where needed. 

There is a small angel wing stitched into the corner

of each of the Legacy quilts to send my friend's 

memory out into the universe. 

Some of my stash was used to back a few of the Legacy quilts

so here are my totals for the year.

Fabric Purchased: 8  m

Used since last report  15 m 

Fabric In to date: 25.5 m

Use to date 2024 : 90

Scraps in : 20 m

Scraps out : 0 m

Big Batch donation : 60 m (June) 70 ( Oct)

Net Fabric in YTD:  72 m

I think I did well moving some fabric in 

and out, so I call the year a success!

The Christmas quilt is on the bed, 

and the cookie dough is chilling!

The holiday season has arrived!

Stay Safe and Sew On!

Linking up with:

Sunday Stash Report

Design Wall Monday

Midweek Makers

Sew and Tell

Sr Salon Pit Stop

Monday Musings

Wednesday Wait Loss

Free Motion Mavericks

Put Your Foot Down 

Needle & Thread Thursday

Finished or Not Friday

Design Wall Friday

Bolt to Beauty

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