2020 Finish-A-Long Q2 Goals List

It's time to post my goals for the second quarter of the Finish-A-Long. Last quarter I only finished one project, but as always, I hope to do better in the next quarter. I've listed some old projects, current projects, and want-to-do projects to give me a variety to choose from. So here it goes.....

1. Quilt Guild Stash Buster Challenge: This is my guild's challenge for this year. We are using Border Creek Station's Stash Buster pattern. I have all my scrap fabrics cut and have 81 blocks of 272 made. Hoping to get all the blocks made by the beginning of May. We'll see.

2. Modern Marks Quilt: This is an oldie. The plan is to make this and donate it to our local child advocacy group. I really need to get this one done.

3. QOV Rail Fence Quilt: The blocks are complete on this one, I just need to get them sewn together and quilted.

4. Stay-At-Home Quilt: This is a new one I want to do to commemorate this unusual time in our lives. I've pulled fabric and will add in some 30's scraps. I plan to make one house for each day we are under this 'stay-at-home' order. We're on Day #35 today.

5. Plaidish Quilt: This is another new one I have been wanting to make. I've pulled some FQs for my color palette and will add in more scraps from my stash bin.(And yes, I'm running out of ink in my printer! Hazards of the quarantine, LOL!)

6. Kindred Quilt: Another oldie, but oh so good. I would really like to get this one finished and just off my list. I have about half the blocks complete. Tired of looking at it at this stage!

7. Just the Atoms Quilt: This quilt is made from the remnants of my Molecules of Moda quilt that won 3rd place in the Moda Bella Solids Challenge. Since that quilt now hangs in Moda CEO Mark Dunn's home, this quilt is suppose to be my representation of that quilt. I have a handful of blocks made.

8. Hankie & Doily Quilt: This is a quilt I am making from the hankies and doilies I received after my mother-in-law passed away last year. I've only made the one test block.

9. Vintage Basket Quilt: This is a new project for me. My mom bought some boxes of vintage linens at an auction last month and gave me 16 or 17 of these blocks. I'd like to make them into a tabletop size quilt, maybe for a tablecloth. I've soaked them once trying to remove the stains, but they still need more soaking. I plan to sash them with my vintage 30s fabric stash.

Have you joined in for the fun of the Finish-A-Long? You can get more info on my FAL page here. Today is the last day to post your goals list on Instagram, so hurry! Let's get those UFOs and WIPs done!

~Sharla

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Q2 Finish-A-Long Lists Due

Just a friendly reminder that the 2nd Quarter lists or goals for the 2020 Finish-A-Long are due by Sunday, April 19, 2020. The FAL is a little different this year than in the past and all lists are to be posted on Instagram with the hashtag #2020FALQ2List. For more information about the FAL, visit my page here.

Get those lists made ASAP and join the fun!

~Sharla

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Moda Blockheads 3: Blocks 9-12

Although I don't have this past week's block finished yet, I have been able to keep up with the Moda Blockheads 3 sew-along so far. But I am definitely slow on sharing my blocks in a timely manner here on the blog.

So here are my latest four blocks. Block #9 is Taos by Vanessa Goertzen. I kind of wished I would have used the light aqua where I used the pink fabric also. 

Block #10 is Windmills by Stacy Iest Hsu. I really like this block and has a special representation for me. In my former life as an economic development director, I worked with and recruited a wind farm to our county. It was a long road to success and led me to serve on a state Governor-appointed advisory board on wind energy. Brings back some fun memories for me.

Block #11 is Blooming Love by Robin Pickens. Another heart block that I enjoyed making.

Block #12 is Hampshire Star by Janet Clare. Whew, this one was a little tedious with 73 pieces in a 6" block. And that was using the modified pattern which combines some pieces to reduce the number of seams. The original pattern has 112 pieces! Now I remember why I said I would never make 6" sampler blocks again after finishing the Farmer's Wife blocks!

Well, I'm off to sew block #13 and then I'll be caught up again. Oh no, wait, today is Wednesday and the newest block was released this morning. Oh well, I have all week to get it made!

~Sharla

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Watercolor Card

What do you do when you live ten miles from town and need a special sympathy card during the Covid-19 stay-at-home order? You DIY-it and paint one!

Pretty spring florals always invoke love in my mind and the perfect way to send my love for special family members during an especially difficult time. The time painting this morning was a welcomed creative outlet for me and I hope it brings some moment of joy for the recipients.

~Sharla

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Joining The Face Mask Making Crowd

Today I decided to make a few face masks to send to my daughter and her family. I had visited with our local health care facilities when this pandemic became urgent the middle of March and they did not have a need at the present for sewn masks. But, now that the general population is asked to wear sewn masks in public, I decided to make a few for my family.

I kind of followed the general directions provided by See Kate Sew blog here. This pattern provides a pocket on the inside to add additional filter material if desired. I added a pipe cleaner across the top for a nose piece in the masks I made.

And then I modified it to make a couple of smaller masks for my grandsons. I used elastic instead of ties because I thought it would be easier for them to put on and take off.

Are you making masks? What's your favorite pattern? Please share any tips you might have!

~Sharla

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Q1 2020 Finish-A-Long Finishes Deadline

Today - Wednesday, April 8 - is the deadline to post your 1st quarter finishes for the Finish-A-Long. This year the FAL has made some changes and all finishes are to be posted on Instagram with the hashtag #2020FALQ1Finish. If you have questions, please refer to my 2020 Finish-A-Long page here.

As for me, I only finished one of my projects and I can't even show it because it will be an upcoming Moda Bake Shop project. But I can't wait to see all of your finishes so hurry and get them posted today!

~Sharla

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Temperature Quilt - Month 2

As I was downloading the temperatures for March this morning, I realized I never shared my February block for my temperature quilt.

In the photo, the left block is January and the right block is February. I did correct the first day of January where I accidentally used the wrong fabric for the low. I ended up just ripping out that day and was able to insert the high and low in without remaking the whole section. Yay!!! Nobody but me would have known it was wrong but it would have bugged me forever if I didn't fix it.

I am amused that we entered and exited February with the same high and low temps. And see that one orange triangle? That is the day we broke the high temperature record with a 79 degree official reading (it actually hit 80 at our farm). On February 2!

I sat up until 2 a.m. the other night working on an inspiration I had for the layout of this quilt. I'm still refining the design but excited with how it's working out. 

And lastly, I was excited to see that the Modern Quilt Guild is going to have a temperature quilt exhibit at QuiltCon 2022! That gives me incentive to keep working on this project and get it finished before entries are due in July 2021.

Stay safe and healthy out there!

~Sharla

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