2022 Challenges, 11 - 15

 I made a list last December of challenges for the year 2022. Now at the end of 2022, I'm reviewing how many of those challenges I've met. I had no idea we'd be moving to a new home during 2022 which definitely had an impact on my quilting progress.

Todays post is about challenges 11 - 15.

11. Fire Island Hosta Queen - Didn't happen, maybe in 2023?

12. Goose Garden - Another one that didn't happen, again maybe in 2023?

13. Charity quilts - One of the charity quilts that was finished was the String X quilt which I showed a picture of in the last post. I had thought about keeping this quilt for our own use but changed my mind and donated the flimsy. I did finish a couple of smaller quilts here and here.

14. Flower Patch Sewalong - Yes, a quilt that actually is completely finished, quilting, binding and label!

15. Get Together quilt - While I was organizing my quilting projects for the big move, I realized I had already pieced the 9 patches needed for this quilt. 

The 9 patches have now been sewn into double 9 patch blocks and I'm ready for the next step.

The Get Together quilt is the cover quilt on issue 163 of American Patchwork & quilting magazine. The idea of the title was to exchange 9 patches with friends but my 9 patches have all been sewn by me. I need to come up with a different name for my quilt, maybe 9 Patch Beauty?

Linking to Needle & Thread Thursday, TGIFF!, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, Finished or Not  Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts

Flower Patch Mystery SAL

As you know, most of my summer was spent in the process of moving from our old farmhouse to our new to us home 2 miles away. When I opened the 'to be quilted' closet and looked at those quilt flimsies, I decided I would 'move' some of them to Lori to be long arm quilted. I took 5 quilt tops to her in August and told her not to return them until after we've moved.

She delivered the quilts several weeks ago because she wanted to see the house. Four of the quilts have been bound and washed so the next several posts will be about the finishes.

The first quilt is the Flower Patch Mystery SAL which Denise organized.

Lori quilted this quilt with the Stacked Snails design. After washing, she measures 76" by 74". 

This quilt has traveled back to Phoenix with our daughter. The batting is a lightweight polyester batting, you don't need heavy quilts in Phoenix!

I think the cardinals make the quilt look Christmasy so I used this silver Christmas fabric for backing.

My mother must have bought the whole bolt of this silver poinsettia Hoffman fabric. I've been using it for years and I think this is the last of it but who knows, there may be some lurking in a tub somewhere.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down,  Needle & Thread Thursday

Flower Patch is a Flimsy!

I'm still trying to finish UFQ's into the flimsy stage. The latest flimsy finish is my Flower Patch Mystery Quilt.

When I last posted about Flower Patch in May, I had completed the quilt top according to Denise's instructions but I wasn't satisfied. I thought it needed more than a plain border.

I've foundation paper pieced flying geese borders then added a narrow red outside border to add a bit of color to the dark blue.

Each individual goose finishes at 2" by 4". For now the flimsy measures 78" square and will be going to the long arm quilter this month.

I don't normally sew mystery quilts but for some reason I pieced the first block. My daughter loved it and told me to make the quilt for her, so I did!

For my fabric selection, I pulled a variety of darker batiks needing to be used. I thought the blocks were looking dreary so I added the red for some zing.

I've always enjoyed foundation paper piecing which is the method Denise had us use. It was fun to make large blocks for a change.

Linking to Stitch Sew & Show, Needle & Thread Thursday, Peacock Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts, UFO Busting, Oh Scrap, Put Your Foot Down

Flower Patch SAL Finish

The Flower Patch SAL mystery quilt has been completed!

The last block to be made was block 16 which is a repeat of block 1.

For the border, Denise had us add fabrics borders, nothing pieced which surprised me. I was really expecting a flying geese border. For my border, I cut a 3" strip of background fabric and sashed the center.  

As of now, the flimsy measures 69" square. However my quilt isn't completely finish, I'm planning on added a flying geese border but that takes some time to piece. I'll be sure to update you on the final finish when the borders are attached.

This sew along started last September and is finished now. I don't normally participate in sew alongs or mystery quilt but I did for this quilt and I enjoyed myself. Of course I do enjoy foundation paper piecing.

Linking to Flower Patch SAL, Needle & Thread Thursday, Peacock Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts, Oh Scrap

Flower Patch SAL Center Completed!

I've been participating in Denise's Flower Patch SAL mystery since last September and the center is completed. 

The fabrics in the top photo are more true to color. 

Now I'm waiting on border instructions which will be published May 4. I'm assuming the border will contain flying geese since that is Denise's favorite block. It will be the perfect finish for this quilt.

I didn't know if I was going to participate in this mystery when I made the first block, I just wanted to see how the fabrics I had pulled would look together.

My daughter loved the block and asked me to make this quilt for her so that's the plan!

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Oh Scrap

Flower Patch Sew Along, Blocks 14 & 15

Blocks 14 and 15 of the Flower Patch Sew along mystery have been pieced. We're getting so close to the finish of this sew along!

Block 14 is another of the flower blocks, I used the same variation for this block as I did for block 11.

Block 15 is a lovely cardinal, a repeat of other blocks.

And a photo of all the blocks pieced currently pieced. The top 3 rows are sewn together, the 4th row is waiting for the next block. I have rearranged the blocks that are repeats so that they wouldn't be next to a same fabric.

Block 16 is published today, I wish Denise was releasing the border also. I'm ready to finish this flimsy and get it quilted!

I'm going to a quilt retreat next week, the border would be a good project to work on. I assume the border will be a flying geese border since Denise loves flying geese!

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Flower Patch SAL Mystery, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, Stitch Sew & Show,  Needle & Thread Thursday 

Flower Patch Sew Along, Blocks 12 & 13

Block 12 of the Flower Patch mystery is another bird block. I've made cardinals again as opposed to blue jays, they add color to my darker batik blues.

I think block 13 is the prettiest block of all! There were 2 different options for the center, I liked the 2nd option best.

Here are the top three rows sewn together. Block 13 is the first block in the 4th row and is not included in these pictures. The flying geese chain is so lovely! 

I took these pictures in the snow earlier this month when it snowed. I thought it was fitting with the cardinals. Cardinals bring such a splash of color in the wintertime.

I won't be posting for a week or so. I'm flying Wednesday afternoon to Phoenix for my spring visit. I never visit in the summer, 120* is too HOT even for this heat lover. 

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Flower Patch SAL, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Stitch Sew & Show

Flower Patch Sewalong, Blocks 10 & 11

Here are the next two blocks for the Flower Patch Sewalong, blocks 10 and 11.

Block 10 . . . .

And block 11 . . . .

I noticed Anne-Marie modified her tulip block so I modified my block this time. My tulip didn't turn out as nice as hers but that's ok.

Here are the blocks arranged on the display floor.

Linking to Flower Patch SAL, To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Stitch Sew & Show,  Needle & Thread Thursday 

Flower Patch Sewalong, Blocks 8 & 9

Blocks 8 and 9 are both flower blocks. 

Here is a photo with all the blocks displayed together. This quilt is looking so pretty. I'm really glad I added the red to these blocks.

Linking to Flower Patch SAL, Put Your Foot Down, Peacock Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, Patchwork & Quilts

2022 Challenges

I don't make New Year's resolutions, I make New Year challenges. Here are my quilty challenges for 2022. These are in random order and won't necessarily be pieced consecutively.

1. Writer's Block from Red, White, and Sometimes Blue.  I cut strips for this quilt three years ago but never found the time to actually sew anything. Of course my quilt is going to be blue & white, or maybe blue & cream or maybe even blue & gray. I haven't decided on the background fabric.

I don't know why it's named Writer's Block, it reminds me of a variation on the Burgoyne Surrounded quilt. I plan to add an applique border.

2. Double Delight - This is a free quilt pattern by  Bonnie Hunter. Double Delight was her 2008 mystery quilt and is found at the bottom of the free pattern page with the rest of the older mysteries that never made it into books.

I prepped the fabrics for the quilt and took all the bits and pieces along to the Jane Stickle retreat in November. Sewing on this quilt didn't happen but it's ready to go! The little 9 patches have been sewn for several years.

3. Blue Ridge Beauty - Another Bonnie Hunter pattern from her book Adventures with Leaders & Enders. This quilt will be made with blues and creams/beige.

4. Wildflower Woods - This was a BOM kit I purchased several couple years ago at Caroline's Cotton Cottage. The fabrics are civil war colors. I'm not enthused by civil war fabrics anymore but I will make this quilt anyway, it will be a nice change from all the blue quilts. The fabrics are more brighter and colorful than the photo on the website.

5. Reduce the amount of strips in the 2" box. Quilting Twin has lots of free patterns for 2" strips. I want to make at least 1 queen sized quilt top from the box and I've printed off the Snowflake and Circling the 9's patterns. 

I sorted through the box and divided the strips into two groups, white based and cream based. I had forgotten a year ago I pulled most of the autumn fabrics and made two quilts. There isn't much of those fabrics in the box anymore.

6. Every year I piece a quilt flimsy which I donate to be quilted and sold in a school quilt auction. This auction provides funds for the school my Pennsylvania grandchildren attend.

Maybe one of the quilts I piece from the 2" strip box can be used as a donation quilt for this auction.

7. RSC projects - I had decided on several different quilt blocks but changed my mind and decided to finish projects instead.

In 2018 I finished a smaller quilt called Star Dance. I want to make this flimsy larger so I'll be making sawtooth stars each month.

Dancing stars and scrappy sprouts need finishing also. Sewing blocks for a new quilt is fun but the sense of accomplishment when finishing one is so awesome!

8. Hand quilting, I would like to have Welsh Beauty halfway quilted by the end of May, more would be great but I'll settle for halfway.

9. Applique - Of course I'm continuing Hearts & Wreaths. This is a wonderful project to pick and take with me.

10. UFQ's - I have several unfinished scrappy quilts started several years ago that need to be finished. I want to finish at least one of them.

11. Fire Island Hosta Queen - Years ago I bought the pattern, last fall I bought fabric, it's time to make the quilt! This quilt is going to be a long term piecing project, it's a Quiltworx design.

12. Goose Garden - I bought this pattern years ago and pulled some fabrics. There is an alternate way to set the blocks on the backside of the pattern which I like better than the front design. This isn't a huge quilt and will be good practice for the Fire Island Hosta quilt.

13. Charity quilts - I made at least 15 charity quilts in 2021. I'm not sure how many I will piece this year but I do have 6 crib quilts to be quilted and donated.

14. Flower Patch SAL continues through the spring.

15. Get Together - This quilt is on the cover of the April 2020 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting. The magazine actually had a sew along for people to participate. Of course I didn't sew along at that time, I work at my own pace several years behind everyone else. I have made some of the 9 patch blocks and purchased blue and red fabric for borders.

There are other quilts I'd like to make but these are the main challenges for 2022. I'll try to remember to have a post at the end of December 2022 and update you on my accomplishments or lack of accomplishment.

Linking to Peacock Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Scrap Happy Saturday, Whoop Whoop Party, Patchwork & Quilts, Oh Scrap

Flower Patch Mystery, Blocks 6 & 7

Blocks 6 and 7 of the Flower Patch Mystery were pieced before I went to Phoenix.

Block 6 was a repeated of block 3, the flower block. I changed block 6 so it would look different than block 3. I had planned to make the flower red, like block 3, but I forgot and didn't remember until I had cut the blue fabrics. So this flower is in blues.

Here are blocks 6 and 3.

Block 7 - I made my tulips red, just to add a touch of color to this quilt.

Linking to Flower Patch Sew Along, To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle & Thread Thursday

Flower Patch SAL

I made sure I pieced the next two blocks for the Flower Patch sew along before I went to retreat. And I wrote the post so it would be ready to go!

First is block 4.

The pinwheels in my block aren't turning the same direction as the pinwheels in Denise's block. Oh well, that just makes my block an original.

I added two new blues to the block. I thought I had a lighter batik blue but I guess that got used somewhere else. The pinwheel fabric hasn't been used before. Also the outer edge of the flower is a new addition.

Here is block 5. Block 5 is a repeat of block 2 which is the cardinal block. I made a few changes to my block. I added more of the darker red and changed a placement. It didn't turn out like I thought but I'm not taking it apart and redoing it!

I also positioned the segments of the block differently to make it slightly different then block 2.

I pinned the new block to the display wall and took a picture of both cardinal blocks. They're pinned over other projects which you can see the edges peeking.

Linking to To Do Tuesday, Flower Patch Sew Along, Midweek Makers, Stitch Sew & Show,  Wednesday Wait Loss

Flower Patch Mystery Quilt, Blocks 2 & 3

Block 2 of the Flower Patch Mystery has been pieced. I admit it's not perfect but it's pieced. I was watching an interesting movie while piecing and wasn't always paying attention to what I was doing.

I could have made the bird into a bluejay but I thought cardinals always bring so much joy in winter, so I added red to my fabric collection. 

Here is block 3.

Since I added the red to block 2, I went ahead and made the tulip red. I got the shades of red mixed up so we'll just call it a variegated tulip.

I think the leaves are so neat, so delicate looking!

Linking to Flower Patch Mystery, To Do Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Stitch Sew & Show,  Wednesday Wait Loss, Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday

Flower Patch Mystery Quilt

The components are made for several quilts, blue split 9 patch, Lady Jane and the embroidered double wedding ring. I'm also trying to sew the RSC blocks into quilt tops. So what did I do? I joined the Flower Patch Mystery Quilt sew along, I never participate in mystery quilts!

Of course I'm using my favorite color blue and pulled these three blue batiks from my stash. I have plenty of the darker blue (which looks more gray in the photo), hopefully there will be enough of the other two blues. I know there is plenty of the cream batik, I bought it many years ago for another project. That project was abandoned making this fabric perfect.

My daughter approved these fabrics when she was home earlier this month, she also asked if this quilt could be hers! I'm always glad for her affirmation and I'm glad to know she hasn't become saturated with quilts yet.

Block 1, Wedding Ring Tulip, has been completed. All the blocks in this mystery quilt will be foundation paper pieced. Denise, For the Love of Geese, has organized this mystery.

Denise has done an excellent job designing this block so the seams are pressed alternately. 

There is not a lot of contrast between my fabrics but I still like my block. Who knows, I will probably end up making some of the blocks completely with 1 batik fabric and the background fabric.

Linking to Flower Patch Mystery, Needle & Thread Thursday, Peacock Party, Whoop Whoop Party, TGIFF!, Finished Or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, Oh Scrap