What's on my plate this month? Taxes!! But also some quilting, I hope.

I will be picking up my Pinwheels and Prairie Points baby quilt from my LAQ on Saturday, so I have to get the binding finished. The baby is almost here!

I want to put the outside border on my Marimekko scrap quilt and get that to the LAQ. I chose a black binding and white Kona backing for this quilt.

I'd like to finish quilting the Sunshine Pineapple quilt and get that bound.

I'll have to see if I have any fabric that would be suitable for this month's lotto block. I don't do Civil War or 30s reproduction fabric, so I don't know if anything I have will work.

That should do it for me. I'll be lucky to get this far.

Sharon, SNOW?!?!?!?!?! Egad! I'd heard it was supposed to get in the 30s but had not heard about any snow!

My goal for March is to have time to sew! It seems that between the quilt show and it's aftermath, being very busy at work, and dealing with my mom, I've had very little time in the sewing room. And I've committed to some swaps and group projects which were fun at first but have lately seemed a burden, just because my sewing time has been so limited and I feel like they need to be done first.

Okay, I'm done whining now. Real goals?

1. Finish the colorwash hunter star (half the squares are fused in place, so I'm making progress)

2. One birthday block due in March.

3. Seven swap blocks (last month of this swap!).

4. Assemble a group QOV top that I have finally received all the pieces for.

Four weeks, four goals. I can do it! :)

Donna

I hurry, hurry, hurried up finishing my pink patchwork quilt, so it would not be a March UFO. I am taking a tiny sabbatical from quilting to make my g'granddaughter a pinafore from a piece of Mexican eyelet/embroidery material I retrieved from a cedar chest. She is a wee thing yet, and has so many 'onsie' outfits from the baby shower, but not a lot of prissie garments, and it's a grannie's joy and duty to fix that situation. It should only take me a day or two if I can get to it for a couple of hours a day. I am cleansing my palate, as they say, so I can make a choice and think clearly for my next quilt. It's going to either be the wool quilt I've saved material for that's slightly younger than dirt. (salvaged in the late seventies from a fabric store going out of business and now worth hundreds of dollars, lol) or an Asian quilt with some beautiful Japanese print I pay full flipping price for and used up all my Christmas gift money on about five years ago. It's still a bargain, as ole ordinary quilting stuff is almost that expensive now. ;-)

March already! Time sure does fly by!

This month, I plan to start quilting some of my small projects.
I have lots of wall hangings done and need to get started with the actual quilting.

Good Luck to all with reaching their March goals.Have lots of quilty fun this month.

~Geraldine

How are things going, ladies?

Lois, I'm anxious to see your Sunshine Pinapple! It's a good thing we got to meet up last summer. My sister is in the process of moving to Chicago....her husband is already there working at a new job.

Donna, I thought it was funny the snow flakes started falling while you were reading this post. lol Our mom's take up a lot of time as they age. But, I think of the years she gave up for me.....I have no regrets and you won't either. One of the reasons I had to give up on swaps, etc is because they became more of a burden to me than the fun they started out to be. Don't feel bad, you are not alone.

Calliope, Aren't greatgrands fun? After you get that little one gussied up and get back to quilting, you'll zip right into that wool quilt. I saw what looked like a Baltimore Album done with wool the other day....was pretty neat.

Geraldine, I wanted to make some wallhangings this year, but so far, none! Good job on getting yours this far.

I have one barn made and waiting for the next pattern to come up. If I knew that all the barns were going to be the same, I could cut the fabric...or something. Oh well. I made some pinwheel blocks using leftover HSTs. I don't think I found them all, but close. The r/w/b Trip Around the World is almost together....have had to rip out more than I'd like but that's ok......I woke up this morning and feel very blessed.

SharonG/FL

March 21, How's everyone doing? I did get 2 Lotto blocks made, but am keeping them along with the other months lotto blocks I've made.....I can't handle pressure much anymore and it's pressure for me to get to the post office....sorry, but that's just the way it is at this time of my life. I have a heart twister for a wallhanging that's being sewn together and made the Scrappy Star top plus the Orange medallion using the leftover scrappy triangles. I also have another barn block made. I really like this one because I was able to put a chicken in the window. LOL DD came by last night and really like the barns so I told her the barn quilt can be her 50th Birthday quilt.....I have until Nov, 2015 to get it done!

How are things going in your sewing room this month?

SharonG/FL

Sharon, I am on goal #4! Started it last night. :) I'm hoping to finish it this weekend. Woohoo! I mailed the birthday block Monday and the package of swap blocks just went to the PO.

I wasn't really complaining about dealing with my mom. You are right - she certainly spent a lot of years dealing with me! And it's not her fault she caught a string of horrible infectious diseases in the hospitals and rehab facilities after she broke her hip.

I'm happy to say she's currently in assisted living back in her home town of Lakeland. She's planning to move back home soon, once she makes arrangements for house cleaning, transportation, etc. Once she got out of rehab and moved into the ALF, I gave her back her checkbook and she's been in charge of her own life. :) I know that's a big thing for her, too.

Donna

Hi Sharon, March goals are coming right along. The eyelet baby dress is finished and put away until I get white thread back in one of the machines to put in two button holes. One wool quilt top done and folded up. The second one I have 32 of the 42 blocks finished and I really like this one. It's a crazy quilt on a cotton foundation and shall be backed by a full-sized wool blanket. I am using seven different wools in this one, all rich and dark, and zig-zagging over the seams to re-enforce them. I'll probably tie this one off, and plan to do the edges in a blanket stitch. It's just exactly what I had in mind when I decided to do some wool quilts. I should finish the blocks off easily by April and shall probably go ahead and finish it off so I can put it away in a cedar chest, ready for next winter. Then again, it was 17 degrees last night, so maybe I'll use it. LOL

Hi Sharon. Hope your eyes are healing.

I am making good progress getting my small projects quilted. They are pleasure to quilt because I don't have to struggle getting them through the machine.
I did break down and made a full size top but I'll keep it until November or December before quilting it. Lots of down time once the times go back.

Sometimes while I'm sewing I think of Calliope, Donna and you and Lois and all the others and I imagine you all sitting at your sewing machines while I am sitting at mine. It's fanciful (some of you in different time zones are probably fast asleep while I'm sewing!) but it's a nice thought and it always makes me smile.

~Geraldine

I haven't written down any goals for SO LONG!

1. I needed to finish birthday blocks and finished ALL of them for the year. They are all here and ready to send out when the time is right. YEAH.
2. Charity quilt for church. Got 1 done & turned in. Finished a second this week - needs to be washed and taken to church. Pieced 2 more.
3. Sort out tops and figure out what I need for backing. Done. Now I just need to wait for the weekend when the JoAnn's 25% off total purchase coupon is good so I can go and get backing for 9 more quilts! That will keep me busy for a while!
4. I am trying to use up scraps and smaller pieces and these quilts for church will be a good outlet for them.

I hope to finish at least 2 more before the month is out.
Sue

I feel like such a slacker!
I didn't make any goals but I did make a set of placemats for DIL in France and I made the top with the Civil War fabrics. Since GS was visiting from France, most of our time was spent with him. Hopefully April will be more productive.
Theresa

Geraldine, what a sweet thought. I'll have to remember that. Sue, you are making me feel very unproductive.

I actually have done pretty well this month, Sharon. I got my taxes to the accountant yesterday. My baby quilt is finished (except for the label) and a picture posted on the forum. My Marimekko quilt is at the LAQ. I made a block for the lotto and sent it to Valarie. I have worked on my pineapple quilt, but I can't seem to FMQ for long periods. I get sloppy. And I finished my Beach Glass top and am trying to figure out what kind of backing I should use. I was going to shop for fabric over my lunch hour today, but I got lazy.

Now, I am working on keeping my spirits up. Last year on this date, the lake behind our house had open water and the tulips, daffodils, etc., were coming up. Yesterday it was 4 degrees when I awoke, and there's a foot of snow over 3 feet of ice on the lake. However, this just gives me more time to quilt before I have to start on the outside chores. Right? Happy spring, everyone.

Donna, I didn't take it that you were complaining about your mom. It's just that I understand as I've been through it, too. We let her handle things as long as possible, but the month she added her SS in twice and I asked her why, she said she needed more money....I was balancing her ckbk and then decided she couldn't write cks anymore if she was going to do that. Wish it was as easy as just writing in a deposit! Great job on getting to goal #4!

Calliope, You know we'll want to see the dress when you've completed it. When I think of wool quilts, all I can visualize is the heavy wool that coats are made of. I know there is wool fabric that is softer and not as thick, but since I've never looked for it and I've never sewn with it, your quilt will be something new for me.

Geraldine, Things are still fuzzy, but they seem to be the same from day to day, so maybe my eye has stablized. Will have to wait another month for dr appt. What sweet thoughts you have while sewing. Your very own sewing bee....I think I'd smile, too! :-)

Wow, Sue, Just look at all you've done this month!! Great idea for the 25% off coupon.....I probably should, too, but don't think I will.

Theresa, You have a valid reason for not spending a lot of time at your sewing machine. We all do the same thing when family comes for a visit and expect it. Family always has priority. You'll probably pass me up in April. lol

Happy Spring, Lois!! LOL Probably feels like you live in the Arctic with all that snow and ice. You think your spring bulbs are underneath all that snow trying to push it out of the way??? You're right though....more quilting time than you thought you'd have.

You all get a star!

Except for a major case of "wow, got nothing completed!" I really enjoy hearing about all that the rest of you do. Geezerfolks, glad things are stabilizing and hope your new specs will work great.

Living in California at 2000+ feet is just right for us. Three feet of ice with snow on it sounds pretty extreme!

The tending mothers thing really can be trying. My Mom's lived with us for the past 11 years, but the last three have been the most severe mentally. I long ago took over the banking and now don't even supply her with copies of the budget and payment information, because it's too confusing. At 93, she's got a right to shuck the normal chores, but even in her reduced mental state I know she's bored with no tasks required of her.

Day2day, think I'll join your imaginary bee tonight and try to get the current quilt quilted for gifting.

LindaB/CA

LindaB, where do you live? DH and I are doing a CA coast cruise in Sept. Sailing from Seattle to Ensenada.

Donna

We're in the Sierra foothills in Placerville. Your cruise should be beautiful. We lived in the Monterey/Salinas area most of our married lives until retirement. September was one of the warmest months.

Keep thinking I should talk to toolgranny about meeting up in a bay area fabric store someday just for fun.

LindaB/CA

Linda, I need to see if I can squeeze in some LQS when we are out there! LOL

Donna