Sunrise quilt progress

This summer walking was my priority and some slow stitching on the side. My sewing machine was hardly used (I started making a cotton dress) .... By end July I had over 900 km walking on my counter and this made me feel very proud of myself. 

My Sunrise quilt made from Tula Pink progressed slowly. When I started last year August the aim was to make one block a month, there are 16 different center blocks in total. I kept this up more or less until May. In September I told myself that if I wasn't going to make any progress soon this two year project would become a never-ending story which would be a pity as the fabric is really beautiful and a delight to hand stitch.

The June block was finished in August

The July block was almost done and waited quite some time before I finished it

 

August, September and October blocks were finished in October.

I tried a different method for the September and October blocks: first finish all the triangles and then over three days pieced the center and triangles. The rainy weather sure helped me to make progress.

My November block is started and before Christmas the December block should be finished as well. then I can move to the connecting blocks.

May finishes

My training for the Nijmeegse Vierdaagse, a.k.a. the walk of the world takes up more and more time as am walking some 60 - 70 km per week. Creativity is taking up less space, or should I say - is given less space. Both are relaxing and mindful activities - each with their own small injuries. Too much hand sewing gives me needle pricks that can be painful. Too much walking gives me blisters and some of them can be pretty painful as well. But the pleasure outweighs the downside clearly ...

This month I finished two Tula Pink Sunrise blocks 

 April block 

 May block 

Linking up with Patty's OMG over at Elm Street Quilts and co-hosted by Anne-Marie from Stories From the Sewing Room.

More slow stitching - May OMG

 The colours of the TP Sunrise quilt are moving to greens and blues and then to purple. Even if there are 16 similar blocks to hand sew, the fact that they are all different colours makes this a pleasant process.

This month the aim is to:

1) finish my April block - almost done

2) finish my May block - made a nice start

3) work on my June block - cutting done

Linking up with Patty's OMG over at Elm Street Quilts and co-hosted by Anne-Marie from Stories From the Sewing Room.

April progress

 This month the aim was to catch up on my Sunrise quilt. I am all for slow stitching. However some progress is required to finish the quilt within a time frame of two years. Not sure if this is trying to over-achieve .... for someone who likes machine sewing. But then again I enjoy the slow stitching, well a part from the painful spots if I had sew for a long time. I tried different types of tumbles .. not for me. So slow stitching remains slow process.

This month I finished two blocks and good process on block number 8.

February is done and looking quite orange!

March is out of the way as well moving in to green colours. 

April is almost done - and should be done within a few days ....

 

Linking up with April's OMG over at Elm Street Quilts.

April goals - Sunrise

Am behind, not one but two blocks, well three if I include the one month that I skipped last year ... hand-sewing is definitely slow sewing - but there is something special about slowing down and fiddling with needles, thread and cartons.

The February block is almost done

The March block is halfway done

The April block - fabric is cut 

My April OMG is to finish (at least) all three blocks ... with a reminder to self that I wanted to sew two blocks in April ... let's see if I manage at least these.

Linking up with Patty's April OMG at Elm Street Quilts.

Penguin quilt

 I love penguins. They are so cute. Years ago I bought a magazine with lots of creative projects, one was a embroidery cushion with penguins .... never got around getting the supplies. 

In 2021 I discovered this penguin quilt pattern and I just had to make it. I bought the fabrics, selected some of my stash .. bought some more, changed idea .... and started cutting in October 2021. And then nothing for one year. All the pieces in a plastic box, just waiting. Last year October decided to finish and now so many months later ... finally ... the quilt is done.

I quilted diagonal lines on my sewing machine.

Linking up with Patty's OMG for March at Elm Street Quilts

March goals - Penguin quilt

 My creative spells have been a bit on the low side lately and progress on outstanding projects has been limited. I did finish the handbag I started in January. In February I did start my monthly EPP TP Sunrise block - and did not finish it. And no progress at all on my Penguin quilt other than basting.

My March goals are therefore:

1) finish my Penguin quilt - quilting and binding - the penguins are soo cute

 

2) finish my Feb TP Sunrise block

3) start my March TP Sunrise block - ideally finishing as well

Linking up with Patty's OMG for March

Handbag - Switchback

 I love a good challenge and on my list of new things to try was making a handbag. Where to start .... I had bought some supplies, just could not get started. There is a French quilt shop that sells quilting fabrics and patterns and other cute things (link). The owner started a sew-a-long and I decided to participate. The bag in question is the switchback from "Made by Annie". A good thing the original pattern in English was part of the package - if I had to rely on the French version I would have never gotten to the end. 

The end result is this great colorful bag made from Kaffe Fassett fabric that I will be using a lot. On to the next.

January goals - Penguin quilt top and more

 Why make lists and then forget to look at them. I guess that is what happened this month as I deviated from the list I had set at the beginning of the month. Well not fully off-track.

1) Penguin quilt 

The top is done and looks sooo cute. Am happy that I plotted on and got it done. I bought a nice bamboo velvety backing so won't need to use batting. Today the heating system was not working so in stead of pinning the two layers together, I tried to see what the problem was and was too cold to work on the floor. 

2) Slow stitching

 Another block finished of the TP Sunrise quilt. They are lovely colours and the fabric is so nice to work with. Five down, 11 to go. I need to find a way to store the safely so the fabric and stitches do not damage while waiting to become one top.

3) Switchback

My aim this year was to make a handbag. A french quilt store is organizing a-sew-along of the switchback by Annie. A good thing the kit comes with the original pattern - I would have been totally lost otherwise; in English the pattern is challenging enough. Although I should say that as I follow the instructions step-by-step, reading the pattern gets easier. I am a bit behind with the sew-a-long and working my way through week 3 while just before the weekend week 4 was launched. Of course this threw off my other projects on my January list ..... Fabric is Kaffe Fasset - a delight. Actually the fabric was the main reason I decided to participate - a nice way to "meet" new fabrics.

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street quilts' January OMG

Pinguin quilt and other goals

And January is here, I don't have fancy lists of UFOs ... I have a notebook in which I scribble. Each year I copy from my previous list what is pending. At the moment I have 16 projects waiting to be finished or started, not only quilting related. And these exclude my recent ideas and projects. Last year I had 11 complete finishes ranging from socks to mini quilts to large quilts. I made 1 quilt top that awaits quilting and binding. So not too bad all in all. This year I do want to be a bit more productive and get some long standing projects out of the way.

My main goals for this month are:

1) Penguin quilt

In 2021 I bought the fabric and pattern and in October I cut the fabric. In 2022 I made the head units. In 2023, this quilt needs to be finalized, starting with the top in January.

2) Slow stitching

My EPP TP Sunrise quilt is making very slow progress, one block a month is more or less my current rhythm, I skipped one month, so somewhere this year will need to make two blocks. I enjoy the process and love working with the bright TP fabrics. Even my fingers are less sore - using a thimble has not been successful so far. Fabrics were cut last month, so mainly sewing this month.

3) Ross Blanket

Three units are waiting - three only - that is an easy goal - finishing the weaving in of all ends would be a huge achievements and nurtures the idea that maybe, maybe, this blanket will actually become a finish and used.

3) Undo a knitted top

I started knitting a top in 2021, finished one panel and is too small. So need to remeasure and frog what I have made so far. As is, the half done project is just lying around in a bag and not of much use.

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street quilts' January OMG