Tuesday, January 9, 2018

First Quarter 2018 FAL



I’m feeling so good that I actually finished three projects on the 4Q2017 Finish-A-Long that I’m preparing for the first quarter of 2018.  This is becoming a little easier since I got the Quilter’s Planner 2018 and can actually list all my projects!

First quarter ends at the end of March, and Quilt Retreat is the first four days of March so I'm excited to think about what I can get finished by then.  Especially if I send some tops to my longarmer because that's where the current backup is.

So ... let's start with last quarter's list and make some revisions.  I want to focus on smaller quilts and tops that I can finish, and larger things that I will send out for quilting.

#1 - Small Quilt #1 (Diamond Wreath) - since Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 16 was released I can finally publish this photo.  The block itself is 12" square, with a 2.5" border.
#2 - Small Quilt #2 (I can't remember what this block is called but I think it's in Volume 14 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks).  The basic block is also 12" square, with a few narrow borders.
This will become a pillow to match my son's extra long twin bed quilt with his chosen colors of red, white, black and grey, so I'd like to finish it before he goes off to college in August (still not sure yet where that will be - could be our backyard or it could be another state).

#3 - Modern Vortex - this was a smallish quilt top, maybe 20" square, that I did in a class at the Blue Hen Quilt Shop a year or two ago and would like to finish into a wall hanging.
#4 - Soho Chic Cupcake Recipe Charm Top.
#5 - Patriotic Cats top
#6 - Keep it Sassy! Charm Square top
This is probably the largest of all the projects I plan to quilt myself and the one I'm least likely to finish this quarter.

#7 - Blue & Grey Cake Mix - I've actually made some progress on this one since it was on the last quarter list.  It is a top awaiting its last border and I plan to send it out to be longarmed.
I would like to finish this one as it is a gift for my manager at the store who gave me such a great recommendation that I was hired at my full-time employer after applying and interviewing there for three years!!

#8 - Fleece winter hat.  Yes, we're halfway through winter and I still hope to get this one done.  It's gold fleece with black faux fur trim.

There are some things I've taken off the list because they're larger quilts that I want to machine quilt myself and I just will not be working on anything large on the Tiara this quarter.  And then there are some new things:

#9 - Scrappy Blue & White Ocean Waves - this is going to be my Guild Retreat project, so if I have a pieced top once the retreat is over, I'll get it to my longarmer.  It will be tight, though.

#10 - Cape Ann star sashed quilt - this has been a pieced top sitting in a box for years, just waiting for a border and to go to a quilter.  So if I get a move on this one, it may also get longarmed and bound.

#11 - Spanish Stars - this is a collection of star blocks made with Kate Spain's Sunnyside, also sitting in a box waiting to be pieced into a top.  I finished the blocks in 2014, as I recall.

#12 - French Chain - that's this Moda Bake Shop project made with French General's Ville Fleurie jelly rolls.  It's a keeper; I hope to use it as the basis to redecorate our bedroom.  I just love the reds and tans and plums in this line.  Once the top is pieced it will also get longarmed.

#13 - the quickie non-quilt projects seem to be a hit when I want to just FINISH something already, so I've got two more besides my winter hat.  One is an infinity scarf made out of cotton quilting fabric in a blue and gold pattern (alma mater colors) I bought from Thousands of Bolts on sale last year, so we'll see how that turns out.

#14 - the other is a pair of jeans with a hole I want to patch with a 1/2" hexie quilt design.  I've already successfully done one area and worn them around fabric/quilty places like quilt guild and the fabric store, and then another hole wore through.  So I need to remember how I did the first one and repeat the success for the second.  Also preferably before the guild retreat!

So that's about it - thirteen projects was lucky for last quarter; maybe 14 will be as lucky for this one.  It's fun to have the motivation and see who's posting on Instagram with the hashtag when I need a little nudge to get to my sewing machine. 

Linking up to the global hosts for 2018 Finish-a-long.

3 comments:

  1. Wow! that's some list! Good luck doing more than I could finish in a year!

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  2. Great list, and yes finish up those small projects and send out those large ones! You can totally finish up a bunch of these. Thanks so much for linking up on behalf of the 2018 global Finish-A-Long hosts and thanks for playing along again this year.

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  3. Really nice list - you have some great projects to work on. I'm feeling you on the small projects thing, as sticking with the large quilts I usually do has become sooooo very oppressive lately. I used to let myself bounce around more, and now that I am more finish oriented, I have to stay with one quilt much longer than I have stamina for. Need to rethink my work style and/or insert a good serving of mini quilts.

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