End of May, time to be accountable for my time

 I managed to get red and cream borders onto my 9 patch blocks and this top is now in the pile awaiting quilting and binding.  Plus, we bought some bricks that are intended to create a circle and managed to play with them to build up my garden in the front of my house.  With new dirt added, am hoping to have a really happy hydrangea that won't dry out this summer if we get our usual hot temperatures.

I didn't get very far on my list that I posted in my last blog but have been sidetracked by a few 'new' projects.
In May, I picked up a We Care project that was all cut and ready for stitching at my guild meeting and it is now pieced, waiting for me to get the quilting and binding done.

And I did finish up the slab blocks that I was playing with for Quilts of Valour. Another top waiting for me to get busy and in a quilting mode.

I organized all my leftover strips into full length and bits and pieces and then started to play with making strip tubes and using my strip triangle ruler to cut out my blocks. The blocks are done, put together and add another quilt to the pile waiting patiently to be finished.

I attended the Boundary Bay quilt show earlier in the month and picked up these two blocks that were being offered by local quilt shops to celebrate Canada's birthday.

My Sew Sister's Sesquicentennial blocks for May are finished and waiting for me to get the rest done and the quilt top ready for quilting.

And, I worked on my Riley Blake challenge from the Modern guild.  I did not get my quilt finished in time for the deadline as I was waiting for some solids to arrive from the Fat Quarter shop... the rules said only Riley Blake solids could be added.  But since I missed the deadline, I cheated and added in a print that I found at Hamel's that I thought worked really well with the fabrics. I did learn that in the time it takes to make 20 churn dash blocks that finish at 6", I could have just as easily made 12" blocks in the same amount of time and had a full size quilt.  This quilt is the perfect size for donating to the NICU and make some preemie baby happy with the bright colours.

And my final project in the last couple of weeks was making more Solstice Mystery blocks.  I had this one made and it is huge!Not too sure what Pat Sloan is thinking but I know that I will need to cut up a lot of 2.½" squares to make some pieced rectangles that will help all these blocks fit together.

There are two more smaller blocks at the top of this picture that are going to finish at 12" but the other block is also fairly large and after it was made, decided that I didn't like the center... way too boring and blah.

So what about a turquoise in the center?

It looks pretty good and I like it but then I looked at the other blocks that I have made... and there are loads of them!  and it seems to me that I need a little more green so went searching and found this piece to try.

I need to unpick the center square - a great tv watching project and then add in my new piece.  I actually am thinking that I still prefer the turquoise?  Seems to give the block a lot more life and movement? The navy blue has a very slight fleck of turquoise in it so, after seeing these picture, might just change my  mind once again!

That is pretty much what is happening here.  No finishes to show but am determined to get the two smaller quilts quilted and bound in the next couple of days and spend some time tomorrow layering up two of my larger quilts and work on them.  My QOV cupboard is bare after handing over 10 quilts to a fellow, Al Cameron who visits with veterans and records their stories and at the end of his session, he hands each person a quilt.  If you check out Quilts of Valour on Facebook, you will see pictures and be able to find out more information about the  Veterans Voices of Canada.

Fraser Valley Modern guild 'finish it up" challenge

I listed all my projects that need to be finished up on the Facebook page of the Fraser Valley Modern group.  Since it is a closed group, only members can see my list but am sure you would to know just how many 'projects in sacks" (or containers) I have.

Here we go with ALL my potential projects that I would really like to finish up in the next few months!
Not so sure pictures will be in any kind of order but will try.
1. 150 women's blocks - am done making them
2. Solstice challenge
3. Sew sisters blocks for Canada's birthday
4. Quilt of valour blocks using slabs
5. Brown 9 patches
6. Beach bingo blocks from Jolly Bars
7. Downton Abbey quilt Blueberry hill pattern
8. Red and Gray blocks
9. Ohio star blocks
10. King's ransom bright florals
11. Latin Lady using gray grunge
12. Busy Bee with bobby pin fabric
13. Melinda Jo with florals and white background
14. Limelight with gold strips/turquoise
15. Honey bouquet with fabric like paint by number
16. Offset, top from kit from Connecting Threads
17. Maple leaf quilt for QOV
18. Sewing themed blocks
19. Zoe's triangles
20. 16 patch blues/purples
Wow... 20 projects, two per week would be 3 months worth!

And this is only projects that are actually started.  There are also lots of 'want to do' projects.  

They look like they might be adding in the correct order. 

I didn't make this next one but it was given to me to quilt for Quilts of Valour

And the last two are:

The rule was that the projects must be started... blocks made or in some stage of finishing not in the planning stage.  I have all of these started and some are closer to being finished than others. 

Wonder how many will get finished and how many will get ignored because I wanted to start something new?

May is here and today, sunshine!

Life seems to be so much better when the sun is shining and here in the Pacific Northwest there has been a real lack of the rays from the sun coming our way.  Lots of rain and drizzle and cool weather which means I struggle to stay on task and focus on the things I want to do.  My garden is in desperate need of TLC but who wants to weed when it is wet and cool?

So, sewing continues!

First project that is finished is my mug rugs celebrating Canada's 150th birthday.  Fun project that I picked up at the sewing show in March from a cute little booth called Quincy's.  They are from Alberta and I loved the projects that they had kitted up for sale.

Then I finished off a half square triangle preemie quilt that was made from the leftovers with more made and added from the zig zag quilt in my last post which was a Connecting Threads kit.

When I finished making the slab quilts for the Great Canadian quilt bee, I decided to make some quilt of valour blocks using the same technique. A piece of Canadiana in the block and scrappy strips added to create 15.5" blocks.  A quilt made from these will go together quickly and who doesn't love using up fabrics from their scraps?

My Sew Sisters blocks for the 150th birthday are up to date as well as my solstice challenge.
Plus, my 150 women's blocks.

I finished my Texas 2 step. This used up a lot of leftover funky, brighter prints, some of which are quite ancient.  I thought the turquoise background was different and something new for me to try.

And I also finished Villa Rosa Orange waves. There is a bit a drastic error in the piecing but I am calling it a planned oopsie. I have no idea how those three blocks got turned around while putting the blocks together but am blaming it on a gust of wind that must have blown onto my design wall?

And, last but not least, I finished off a quilt made from inspiration that Cluck cluck sew demonstrated on her blog earlier this year.  A simple block made from leftover 2.5" strips. I used up a lot of  my purples that were hanging around in my sewing room in Arizona.