Five Shadows

Phew! I got um done! On Monday, April 24th, when Patty put up the link for April’s OMG finishes, I was no where near finished! So I put the pedal to the metal – Baby Lock Tiara III pedal to the floor – and cranked out quilting on three charity quilts.

Side note:  My loving husband surprised me with the Tiarra as my Christmas gift 2016, so I’m still kind new at this FMQ and ruler work quilting! I’ve been mostly practicing on table runners. But I did step it up last month to quilt Charity quilts on the Tiara.

So Monday comes along and I have not worked much on my OMG, I was consoling myself with at least I made headway on other projects. I just would have to let this month’s OMG pass. But, seeing Patty’s post got me motivated to get to it! – - After picking up a t-shirt quilt from the longarmer and attaching binding on the customer’s quilt.

Why did I select 3 charity quilts at my OMG? While looking in my stash last month for backing fabric, I came across three charity quilt tops that I had forgotten about.  I had fabric for backs, batting, and strips for binding all bundled together for the tops. Completing the three 42″ square quilt tops through to the binding became my OMG for April.

For the first quilt, I started with 1/4″ stitching in the Dresden Plate blades, and 1/4″ stitching around the outside of the Dresden Plate. I did various loops and squiggles in the blue and red strips that are not showing up in the photo above.

Here is a close up of part of the back that shows the squiggles a little better.

And here is a close up of the circles and star in one of the corners.

I stitched around the circles and star twice so the deep red thread would show up nicely on the light fabric. I had this quilt finished including binding Wednesday night.

Thursday, I got the second quilt sandwiched – I use 505 Spray for basting. I got to thinking that time is running short and my weekend is looking pretty busy, so what could I do to complete these quilts a little faster than stitching in the Dresden Plates and using squiggles in the strips, and more planned quilted designs?  Ta-da! Why not use the big meandering that the longarm quilter just used in the t-shirt quilt?

For the next quilt, I just did a large all over meander.

Looks nice, I thought. I had this finished Thursday afternoon.

Close up above of the meandering.

Thursday night I stitched up the back for the last quilt, and got the front, back and batting pressed.

As I got this last quilt sandwiched today (Friday) I thought I’d stitch this one with loops in the meandering.

Ok! I like the look of this one too!

The original plan was to try out various FMQ techniques on these three quilts in the corners, and strips. But with the time crunch, that didn’t happen. But I do have to say, I am pleased with how the large meandering and loops turned out. Not what I originally planned, but a nice finish all the same!

Check out Elm Street Quilts to see all the other quilters One Monthly Goal finishes for the month of April! And then you can join in for May!

It’s April and no fooling!

I found 3 more charity quilt tops last week.

I thought I was all caught up on charity quilt UFO tops.

But while looking for a back for another quilt,

I came across 3 more tops intended to be veteran quilts.

With the tops, I had backs, batting, and even binding strips folded all together in a nice neat pile.

My goal for April will be to complete these three quilts with FMQ and binding.

Linking to

One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts.

My goal for March was to complete 2 charity quilts with free motion quilting and binding.

Here are 3 charity quilts as I left them several years ago. I completed one for my February goal.

When I pulled them out of storage I thought they were just tops and backs. But I found that I had already sandwiched them and each had some straight line quilting.

Here are all three quilts, complete with simple free motion quilting, some ruler work for the straight lines (stars), and binding attached. That was a happy yet simple goal for a very busy March. I plan on tackling a larger quilt with more quilting next month.

Linking to One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts. Thank you Patty for the link up!

March is here! One of my favorite months! And one of the busiest months for my family.

I usually try to not take on anything extra during March.

That said, my goal for this month will be to finish two more charity quilts.

I finished one last month and made good headway on the other two.

My plan is to finish the free motion quilting on the last two, complete with binding.

 One Monthly Goal

One Monthly Goal – February Goal Finish Link-Up

My goal for February was to work on three charity quilts, with finishing at least one.

I did a bit of quilting on all three, finishing one, and today attached the binding.

I did a simple back and forth ribbon in the blue and white strips.

In the printed star strip I outlined the blue stars and then stitched stars in the blue and red squares.

I have a box of left-over lengths of bindings. They come in handy for small quilts and also for making multi-colored bindings.

I used 2 reds for this quilt. Above is a close up of the decorative stitch I use to secure the binding.

Head over to Elm Street Quilts to check out more February finishes.  How about joining up for the March One Monthly Goal?

It’s time to set my quilty goals for February and link up to One Monthly Goal hosted by Elm Street Quilts.

When looking through my pieced tops for inspiration for this month’s goal, I found 3 charity quilts I never completed.

All three are sandwiched, and even have some quilting!

My goal for this month will be to finish at least one of the quilts.

Wouldn’t it be great if I finished all three and actually donated them!?

They are small lap quilts, and I think some simple quilting will be fine for finishing them.

Linking to OMG.

One Monthly Goal, January Finish!

My goal for January was to quilt a top I stitched together back in March of 2016.

Goal accomplished!

I quilted, bound, and mailed the quilt off to the relief program set up for those affected by the Smoky Mountain/Gatlinburg fires.

I did a simple programed wavy stitch across the quilt and then went back and stitched diagonally across the quilt following the center and edge of the quilt blocks.

I used a variegated King Tut from Superior Threads.

Here’s hoping for 11 more months of successfully meeting the One Monthly Goal!

Join in the fun at Elm Street Quilts.

Hmmm. What should my February goal be?

Last year I took part in Sandy’s One Block Wonders of Upstairs Hobby Room. This week I basted, quilted and bound the top I pieced back in March of 2016. I did walking foot quilting in a simple wavy stitch. I stitched down the center of each pieced row and then also stitched diagonally right to left following the center and edges of the ‘block’ as my guide line. The binding is scrappy, using strips from the line of fabric.

The top was made from Raindrops by Lonni Rossi for Andover Fabrics and Kona Snow for the background. The quilt is 60″ square. I used Warm & White batting.

Close up of quilting, using King Tut Quilting Thread by Superior Threads, 40 weight, Rainbow variegated color number 921. I used The Bottom Line by Superior Threads, 60 weight, color number 650.

There was a call for quilt donations for those affected by the Smoky Mountain/Gatlinburg fires. As I understand it, quilts will be collected through January 31st. Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild is collecting quilts. This quilt is heading there.

I’m still behind on Leah Day’s 2016 Machine Quilting Block Party. I have the last 2 blocks pieced but not yet quilted.

November’s block.

December’s block.

A new project for this year is making a slip cover for my living room sofa. I can check off making the piping for the cushions.

The piping is sitting on the fabric that will cover the cushions. Next up, sewing the cushion covers.

Maybe this should be a separate post, but, I have organized my quilting plans for 2017. I’ve organized my quilting notebook into the following categories: Quilts to Finish Piecing, Quilt Tops to Sandwich and Quilt, Quilts to make on my ‘Wish to Make’ list.

I’m particapating in One Monthly Goal  hosted by Elm Street Quilts. At the beginning of each month I’ll post which quilt I’ll focus on, taken from one of the three lists above, and then at the end of the month I’ll share how I progressed. Hopefully there will be 12 finishes by the end of the year!

I’m tickled to already have my One Monthly Goal completed and will move on to another. How are your goals for the New Year coming along?

How did I do on last week’s To-Do Tuesday List?

1. Finish pjs. ✗ Sigh. Didn’t touch them this week.
2. Continue thinking about that slip cover? OK, I’ll break it down into smaller tasks – this week make piping for the cushions. ✔️ Success!
3. Plan an attack on WIP from 2016. ✔️ I have my
4. Piece November and December’s blocks from Leah Day’s 2016 Sunshine Surprise Quilt-as-you-go BOM. ✔️

To-Do Tuesday List for this week:

1. Sew cushion covers for sofa.
2. Mark and quilt last 2 blocks from Leah Day’s BOM.
3. Plan borders for enlarged Remembering Victoria pattern from Elm Creek Quilts book. This quilt is for my son and DIL. She picked out the pattern and fabrics.
4. Pjs???

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

Connie over at Freemotion By The River shared that she will be particapating in a few challenges this year. And that got me to thinking about how to prioritize the quilts I hope to complete this year. I took a look at her link to Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and I think that might be a good fit for me. I followed All People Quilt UFO Challenge last year, but only finished five of the quilts I listed. Actually, I only worked on five, and never even touched the others.

My January goal will be to quilt & bind the top I pieced in March of 2016 from One Block Wonders BOM.

I am going to continue to post To-Do Tuesday lists hosted by Christine of Stitch All The Things, where I list what sewing, crafting, quilting things I want to accomplish each week. This week I want to finish 2016 November and December’s blocks from Leah Day’s Sunshine Surprise.

I also have 2 sewing projects I hope to make headway on this week, pjs and piping for a sofa cushions I hope cover – soon.

Here’s hoping for a productive 2017!

What do you have planned for this New Year?

Linking to One Monthly Goal.