A New Year, a New List

Well, happy 2016!  It's been a good year so far and I have been busy quilting already.  I started the year off by cleaning and organizing my sewing room and setting up a better way of storing my stash.  The previous year ended with me trying to finish a quilt for my husband without him knowing anything about it!  Not an easy task to be sure.  The top and backing were completed but the quilting could not be done in time for Christmas.  So, it was presented to him unquilted.  I took it to the long armer at the end of December so I will have a binding project in early February.  I will post photos and the story behind this quilt when it is totally completed.  I am so happy with how it turned out though.  Stay tuned for the preview. 

So, a new year means a new list of things I want to get done.  This year my list contains some new projects, some with new techniques, as well as 12 UFOs.  That number is set since it is designated by the All People Quilt UFO Challenge for 2016. I listed 12 UFOs by month, APQ will pick a number between 1 and 12 which tells me which UFO should be completed that month. More on this later.

MY NEEDS TO DO:

12 UFOs for APQ 2016 challenge - target is end of each month (2/12 done!)
2 mug rugs - target date is end of January March August
1 table runner for our cabin - target date is end of January (done!)
2 baby quilts - target date is mid-February April July
3 pillow cases - target date is 3 in late January March July, 1 in late February April
3 night stand runners - target date is end of May September
1 table runner for foyer table - target date is end of February (done!)
1 large lap quilt will need binding when it gets back from the quilter (done!)

MY WISH LIST:

Double Irish Chain king quilt for our bed
12 Christmas star ornaments
Table runner for my daughter
Holiday runners (10 minute type)
Sudoku wall hanging
Holiday pillow cases (Halloween, Christmas)
At least 1 twin quilt from baseball swap squares
Place mats for cabin table
Several self-binding receiving blankets with flannel on-hand
2 pillows for summer room at cabin


NEW THINGS TO TRY:

Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt - use rotary cutter lessons
Hexie table topper using 1 inch hexagons
Scrappy quilt using Accuquilt cutting dies
A quilt retreat
Small applique project


When I organized my sewing room, I also separated my UFOs into their own location.  I find that I get more accomplished when my projects are visible.  These 12 are the ones I selected for the APQ UFO challenge.  They are in various stages of completion.  That was done intentionally so I would be more apt to finish them within the month for which they are selected.  Here are the 12 UFOs that I plan to finish this year:

      √ 2" square stash challenge lap quilt, needs borders, quilting, binding

      √ Batik string bean lap quilt, needs borders, quilting, binding

      √ Lighthouse wall hanging, needs borders, quilting, binding

• DWR hand pieced table runner, 3rd ring needs to be added, then quilted

      √ Christmas lasagna quilt, needs borders added, quilting, binding

• Jelly roll race quilt, needs borders, quilting, binding

      √ Bright table runner, needs quilting and binding

• Tumbling blocks WH, blocks to be added, then borders, quilting and binding
• Churn dash lap quilt, blocks to be finished, then borders, quilting and binding
• Nickle quilt, blocks to be finished, then borders, quilting and binding
• Civil War lap quilt, blocks to be finished, then borders, quilting and binding
• 2015 BOM, Blocks 4 thru 12 to be made, top completed, borders, quilting, binding

The one chosen for January is the batik string bean quilt, seen below.  I have all of the fabrics on hand for the borders, backing and binding.  The borders and backing came from my stash and the binding will be made from the strips left over from the jelly roll used the make the top.  

The borders will be the aqua fabric, the backing is the orange.  The binding will be made from the left over strips from the jelly roll I used for the top.  This was a challenge from the Pat Sloan quilting group.  The challenge required that some of her fabrics needed to be used, but my own could be used as well.  I don't use many batiks but I loved these and I am happy at how the top came out.  I will be glad to get this one finished although I don't know where it will live yet.  It is named "Outside my box". 
















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