March objectives

In August 2022 I started the Tula Pink Sunrise quilt. To date I have 15 blocks out of the 16 done. This is my slow stitching project as is an EPP project. Going slow is good, but not too slow of course.

I started the last block in December and just don't take the time to finish it. So this month will be when I absolutely need to finalize and get going on the connecting pieces. 

The original aim was to finish the quilt in two years - that seemed very doable .... but am going to give myself more time. Once I have made one of the connecting block will have a better idea on how many a month I can do.

A second project to kick-start this month is the Allison Glass Alternative quilt. I bought the pattern in October 2019 and separately had bought a 10" square pack of 100 years Art Theory. To complete the fabric I bought a 10" pack of Kona solids.  

Linking up with Anne-Marie over at Stories from the sewing room for my March OMG

February finish

 For February not much plans were made as I had planned a holiday to the US to see some friends and to go to QuiltCon2024.

I did manage to finish the binding on my Rise Above quilt. The pattern is from Charisma Horton and the indications are quite clear. 

The top was finished in 2022 or 2023 .... and realized that this quilt was soooo large ... I had not paid attention to the final size ..... 

I bought the batting and ordered extra wide backing and prepared the three layers for quilting on my machine. As I was to start I realized that there was no way I could quilt such a large quilt .... a 10 minute discussion with my self followed ... to decide that this top was going to the long arm quilter. I removed all the basting pins, separated the three layers and sent all off to the Netherlands to Stitched in colors.  

The quilt just needs a label and will be gifted to my eldest who turns 18 this month. He claimed it as a birthday gift

Winter village finished

My January OMG was to finish the top of the Wintervillage quilt. 

For the quilting I used @aurifilthread - the color builder Passionflower set. This was a price generously given by Aurifil through @devotedquilter as part of the wips-b-gone2023 challenge. 

I had not done a lot of sewing last year and the challenge really made me get back. Winning the beautiful thread was the last push to get this quilt done. This was the first time using Aurifil thread on my machine - I use it already for my EPP handstitching project - it is a charm to work with. 

Linking up with Anne-Marie over at Stories from the sewing room.

OMG January

When the winter village quilt pattern came out - I absolutely wanted to make it .... one day. Hence only bought the pattern as still had lots of other projects waiting to be finalized. Meanwhile I bought fabric, lots of different blues from Andover. And still I did not get started ........ 

Then in November (2023) I decided to give it a go and in December finished the top. After internal debate and some pictures decided to add the branches and birds to give the top some depth. This weekend finished that as well, assembled the back and ironed the binding. I really enjoy working with this fabric, so soft and the colours are really nice.

My January OMG is to sandwich and quilt the top as well as do the binding.

Linking up with Anne-Marie over at Stories from the sewing room. It feels good to be participating again after a few months of absence.

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