4th Quarter progress report - 2013 FAL

Time for my 4th Quarter progress report for the 2013 Finish A Long.  I'm all about being a free spirit for 2014, but there is no reason not to wrap up my 2013 thinking, right?

Here was my list.

Finish my Handstitched Medallion Quilt - Done!  This is probably my most favorite finish from 2013.  I just love the colors, and I even enjoyed the hand quilting process.

Swoon - I wanted to finish the entire quilt by Christmas.  Well, I did finish up the blocks and I got them sashed, but then I put it aside to work on other things.

Commission Quilt - Done!

Pattern testing quilt -Done!

2 more QAYG tote bags for gifts -Not started.  I went the more traditional route of buying gifts this year.  Oh well!

• T-shirt quilts for my girls - I really, really, really wanted to start and finish these for the girls.  But, it didn't happen, and I'm not feeling badly about it.  I want to use the bins soon for another project, so I am sure I'll be cutting up those T-shirts soon. 

So, this post was really more about wrapping up my 2013.  Will I be participating in the 2014 Finish Along?  Nope!  It is very worthy of participation, but it doesn't fit in with my totally selfish "work on what I want, when I want" motto for 2014.  Who knows, I may not finish anything!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a free Craftsy class HERE!!  The giveaway ends in a few short days.

Thanks for reading today,

Jen

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4th Quarter goal setting - 2013 Finish Along

Time for my 4th Quarter goal setting.

The kids damaged my keyboard so I am trying to write this out with minimal use of the letter "v" and for some reason the shift key and the "t" don't want to work together.  I have only managed to get those letters into the text of this post by coping and pasting them from other posts, or by relying on spell check to fill them in.  Kids!

As I mentioned in my 3rd quarter progress report, this goal setting list is a bit of a challenge.  I have loads of things I want to finish in time for Christmas, but at the same time, I really want to be realistic with what I can finish.  If the last two weekends are any indication, it is going to be pretty busy around here.  I do like to challenge myself too.  Here's what I came up with considering all those things.

Finish my Handstitched Medallion Quilt - this was also a goal for October.  I am hand quilting away and can I just say, burying knots bites.  Some of my knots are not staying buried and it is really annoying.

Swoon - I want to finish the blocks this month, but the entire quilt by Christmas

Commission Quilt - the sooner the better on this one

Pattern testing quilt - I just started quilting this one, so it should be done soon

2 more QAYG tote bags for gifts - these take at least 4 steady days to finish each one.

• T-shirt quilts for my girls - I really, really, really want to start and finish these for the girls.  T-shirts are piling up to the point of over-flowing, so accomplishing a couple of finishes here would be a huge relief in consideration of space.

I think those are pretty lofty goals.  I still have blocks to finish for Star of Africa, Simply Solids, the Lucky Star BOM, and of course my UFO group, the Lazy Bums.

Thanks for reading today,

Jen

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3rd quarter progress report - 2013 Finish Along

OK, OK, so I was ridiculously modest when it came to my goal setting.  I was really worried that with nearly a month of vacation, several weeks of Camp Mommy and school starting that I wouldn't get anything done.  It turned out that all that stress just made me make time in front of my sewing machine.  Hooray!

Here were my goals:

• Finish Gigantor - DONE!

• Finish my Sewing Mat - DONE!

• Beginner QAL quilt - I was so sick of this quilt!  The solution for that problem was to get it finished and OUT of my house.  Well....I didn't exactly do that.  I got as far as SID, then I set it aside in a heap and worked on other things.  That's just the way it is.

My homework this weekend is to make my 4th quarter goals list.  While Kelsey isn't doing the 100 day hustle this year, I am treating my 4th quarter goals as my hustle list.  I have less than 100 days to finish up any Christmas presents, etc., and as usual, I have a lot I want to tackle.

Thanks for reading today,

Jen

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September progress report and October goal setting

I have felt behind this month since it started.  But looking at my list, it looks like I got most of what I hoped to finish completed.  October is already proving to be a difficult month.  It seems like every email and phone call I receive is adding one more thing to the calendar.  I guess I will really have to focus on my tasks instead of just working on what I want to like the free spirit I was in early September.

September UFO's:

• Summerville DP blocks - My Lazy Bum secret partner chose this as my project for September's UFO challenge.  I am happy to report that they went from these plain Drunkard's Path blocks to 2 table toppers and a potholder.  I literally finished them up this morning, the last day of the month!

• Swoon - I wanted to get 6 more blocks done. Well I fell a little short, I only got 4 done.

September NewFO's

• Commission quilt - I've took on a commission quilt for a friend and hoped to get the top completed and I did! I now need to piece the backing and get it basted and quilted.  
• 60 degree ruler mini quilt - I finished my candy corn table runner.  The tutorial is HERE.

Now for October

October UFO's:

• Handstitched Medallion - My Lazy Bums group has decided that this month's challenge item should be blue or aqua.  I have several quilts on my UFO list that would fall into this category, but I decided to take a little liberty and choose the one I most want done before Christmas, my Handstitched Medallion quilt.  It has a little blue and some aqua, and I hope that the group won't consider me a cheat for choosing it.  Honestly, it has a lot of work left to be done, and other than attaching the binding, all of it is handwork and time consuming.

• Swoon -since I didn't finish up the blocks in September, I hope to finish them up and get to the flimsy stage this month.
• Commission quilt - get it backed and at least basted.

October NewFO's

• Wicked Blog Hop - I seriously have a problem signing up for things.  I actually tend to binge-commit.  I say no to half a dozen things, then all of sudden I feel like I must reward myself by saying Yes to something and I may continue and go a little crazy. (I buy fabric the same way.) I signed up for the Wicked Blog Hop at the end of the month, so I will be creating something with a Halloween theme to it.
• Pattern testing quilt for a dear friend
• Sewing mat for another dear friend
• One Block Wonder QAL quilt - I almost forgot to add this one!  I can't host a QAL without making one myself, right?

Wow, that's a lot!  Wish me luck this month, looks like I will need it.

Thanks for reading today as I list myself into a frenzy,

Jen

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3rd quarter goal setting - 2013 Finish Along

OK, so I posted the 2nd quarter progress report, so you knew a post with the 3rd quarter goals was coming, right?

Since this quarter includes nearly a month away from my machine and the start of school in August, I am trying to be realistic in my goal setting.  "TRY" being the key word.

Here it goes:

• Finish Gigantor - this is a summer weight quilt for my king sized bed.  It would be nice to finish it while it is still summer!  It is nearly done so it shouldn't be difficult to finish it by the end of the quarter, especially if I decide to machine bind it (I imagine a king sized quilt would take me nearly a week to hand bind).
• Finish my Sewing Mat - I started this one at the end of June, but ended up choosing a design with several components including some handwork.  So, it is taking a bit longer than I originally thought.

• Beginner QAL quilt - Goodness, I am sick of typing this one.  The best solution for that problem is to get it finished and OUT of my house.

While not really part of the Finish Along, I also have:

• Bee commitments and BOM's - luckily a few of my bees finished up last quarter, so my list is smaller
• Star of Africa Bee - MUST catch up!!!  I have at least 5 blocks to finish
• Lucky Star BOM - I think I have 5 months worth to finish
• Simply Solids Bee - 1 block per month, so 3 for the quarter

Not really a huge list for this quarter, especially since most of my projects are already out of the piecing stage.  That said, somebody slap me if I don't get them finished!

Thanks for reading today,

Jen

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