New year, old projects.

It seems that each new year we take stock of life and evaluate our accomplishments and failures. Some decide to try to make changes with lists of resolutions. And the crafters? We have piles of unfinished projects that we look around at and realize it's been another YEAR and we still haven't gotten them out of the UFO pile. STILL!

Well, that list seems to be ever evolving but some of my projects have been on it for multiple years. Don't worry, I won't list them for you. Or even show them to you. That would take a LOT of photos.

So I'll start this year's blogging by sharing one project that I've been working on for the better part of a year already that hopefully will see a completion in the next few months. 

Hopefully. 

At this point in life you'd think I'd know better than to be hopeful about quilting projects getting finished. 

But I thought it deserved a share at the completion of over 200 blocks. 201 to be exact. Just need 41 more and I'll have enough for a king size quilt. It's all scrappy and happy and is the "rainbow rows" from the #apqquiltalong2015 pattern. So close to finishing. 

So close. So far. Still a lot of work before this one is ON MY BED! Can you imagine? I've never made myself a bed quilt. My kids all have quilts. But a king still seemed like a lot of work and time and commitment. Good thing I picked a super quick project. HA! not. 

Wish me luck finding some time to finish this one! 
I love it even from this picture. :) 

Sunkissed Nine Patch

This nine patch has been staring me down from across the room on the design wall... and it won the staring contest. It's about 49" x 43" and 100% Sunkissed fabric - saturated in spring. Love. More pics here.

Prayer Flag Table Runner

I had a hankering for a quick split nine patch quilt.
But then it sat for two months without binding.
Sad story huh?
I know, every quilter has this story.
But it still seems like a tragedy every time.

This one is a table topper in Prayer Flag by April Cornell for Moda. (shop pics)

And now with this one off the table I can focus a little better on my current quest with Sunkissed (Sweetwater)... It's making spring even better :o)

Nine Patch Arcadia Baby Quilt

Took me a week to get this posted.

I blame the weather (raining all last week), the trip to Dallas this weekend, and the cute little thing I chase around that makes me tired.

This one was so fun to make.

Arcadia by Sanae for Moda

Each square finishes at 1.5" x 1.5"

Quilt finishes at 41" x 41"

And check out the scrappy binding! Love!

And it is in the shop.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Hope you remembered to wear green today. I forgot, but I did quilt in green... does it count?

This was a church humanitarian quilt effort in which other people (non-quilters) bought the fabric, batting, and thread and the quilter's assembled them...

This is what I ended up making with all of it.

And I've learned a few things...

1 - Never ever use a black back with a white quilt top... for lots of reasons.

2 - Using a 1/2" seam allowance instead of a 1/4" seam allowance makes a HUGE difference on this wonky nine patch... not even close to lining up!

I about quit right when I realized this...

(The requirements for the quilt included a 1/2" seam allowance for durability reasons.)

3 - NEVER use a high loft polyester batting and try to quilt it...

I had to take breaks so I wouldn't sweat to death trying to hold and control the weight and poof!

What a nightmare.

4 - I never knew how happy I could be to see a project finished and ready to go away.

And did I mention it is queen-sized?

If I could redo it all over again with everything corrected, I think I would love it and never be able to let it go.
As is, I hope someone really likes it.