March Chookshed number and February progress

 How did your February sewing goals work out? Mine went well.

I managed to get my #8 top done minus the border. These Kaffe prints have a border print that goes with them.  I know because I happened to have only 1 yard of it. I ordered more and await its arrival. 

It feels good to have another UFO nearly finished! This was a mystery quilt made a few years ago. I signed up to make 4 of them. One is done, another is at the quilters, and the other needs to be assembled. 

NOW FOR THE NEW NUMBER. DRUM ROLL, PLEASE...

The number for March is 2! My number 2 is to make a bag. That is perfect because I have three in the works.

What else did I get done in February?  Quite a bit, actually.  I prepared some Let's Bake blocks for applique and stitching. The hand mixer and kitchen scale are ready to take to Baradine. I love this quilt. 

My stove is pieced and the dish towel is prepared for stitching.

Farm Sweet Farm also has the tractor block prepared for stitching. I am making two of these quilts and the other didn't get prepped yet. This one took hours! These blocks get cuter once buttons can be added to the flower centers and tractor tires. The embroidery will also finish it off nicely.  

My milk bottle and egg beater are also ready.

I will be unable to load the linky today because I don't have my laptop. I will be home late tomorrow night and can add it then. 

My Sydney Harbour Bridge is also nearly finished. There are a few more places needing machine blanket stitch. 

Sydney Harbor Bridge and Lori Holt applique prep

My pig blocks are prepped and ready for hand applique'. They are part of Lori Holt's "Farm Sweet Farm" pattern. Cute little buttons will be added to the center flowers after it is quilted.

I hope to prep one or two blocks a month this year.

I also blanket stitched my bridge pylons and buildings as well as added the bridge cables with machine stitching.

February Chookshed Challenge Number...

The number for February is 8.  My number 8 is to complete my Kaffe Sampler Top.  I am excited to get this one done.  It is wild and colorful!

What is your Number 8, or what is/are your goals for the month of February.  Add your link and share.  I would love to cheer you on.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

My Kaffe blocks are not all made to the same size yet; I just layed them on top of my Country Rose quilt.  I also have not yet chosen a layout or setting fabric for the blocks.

January wrap up and Chookshed January finishes linkup

I somehow managed to mostly achieve my Chookshed Challenge for January. I made progress on Halo. It currently has only 8 blocks started. There will be 49 when it is done, so there is much to do. I am excited about this quilt and hope to do a little each month.

Country Rose is ready for final assembly and border.  I am pleased with it and look forward to seeing how Kristi quilts it.

Declan's Scripture Bag was completed and delivered.

In spite of a difficult month, I am pleased with my goal progress. I write them in my planner and add check marks when I complete them or make the expected progress. It is still January in the states for 12 more hours, so I may yet cross off a few more things.

Canadian Chris, Autumn Afternoon, and Chevron Braid Round Robin are off to the quilter.  I was able to finish the tops and sew the backs.

Here is one of them on the hanger before sending it off. You can only see the backing to the braid quilt because it is layered on top of the quilt top.

What goals or Chookshed Goal did you complete or make progress on in January. I would love for you to share it.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

A little progress...

My January turned out to be fairly unproductive due to sickness and losing my Dad, but I did make a bit of progress.

Country Rose blocks are all the same size now, and a layout has been chosen.  There will be sashing between the blocks with cornerstones. It shouldn't take me too long.

Photos taken at night are drab. It really is quite pretty, and will improve with sashing.

My Round Robin Braid quilt is coming along. It just needs borders completed. I like the 3D effect, but is really isn't the prettiest quilt I have made.

I saved the excess pieces after squaring off the blocks for a pieced border. I am also using up an ugly piece I got on sale years ago for the backing. It is large and well keep someone warm.

My daughter had a song made by AI about my dad from his obituary. It is touching, especially paired with a video I made about his life. Some of you heard a part of it in a video my son made and posted on FB.

First finish of the year. Good friendship love and support/hard week

I finished D's scripture bag. He loves John Deer tractors. I finished it last night about midnight then drove it over to my daughter's. I just put it in her car knowing she was asleep.  She will deliver it to the baptism.  I am staying home and resting. I need it. I am trying to get over bronchitis and a little pneumonia so I can go see my dad after his heart attack.

I  found the bright yellow zipper in my stash and loved it with the green accents, but couldn't find the right color of yellow for the binding in my stash. I was lucky enough to find a yellow with green specks at our very small quilt store. I am pleased with how it turned out.

I have had two quilts laying on the floor and couch in my living room all week awaiting me to sew a backing for them: Canadian Chris and Autumn Afternoon.

Once I have them all pressed nice and ready for the quilter, I don't like to fold them up again for fear of having to press again. I usually deliver them straight from my floor to a hanger, and then straight to my quilter.

I am choosing backings from my stash. I found this wonderful 108 wide backing about words of friendship. Chris gifted me these blocks and her friendship matters to me, so it is perfect. It is too long for my quilt but not wide enough. There needs to be some simple cutting off the long end and piecing the extra back together to accommodate the sides.

Next step will be piecing a back for Autumn Afternoon.

2025 recap

 2025, you were good to me.

I think I focused a little more on personal relationships and a little less on sewing. I also definitely focused way too much on work.

Here is the run down:

Five finished quilts

• Wonky Houses
• Me Without You 
• Quilted Witch 
• Nutmeg
• Duck Duck Goose
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Two Tops done

• Canadian Chris 
• Autumn Afternoon 

Made a reversible quilt coat

Took a Featherweight Maintenance class

I organized a row quilt round robin with ladies in my state and one in Arizona

2 scripture bags made

Taught 2 wonky house classes

Quilt Retreats

• Snowgoose
• Pajama Party
• Quilting Friends
• Dakota's Retreat
• Quilt Walk
• Heritage Festival

Trips with friends and family

• Temple trip with Cari to Idaho
• New Mexico trip with Cari
• Shop Hop/Temple trip with Lori, Phyllis, and Brenna
• Halloween motorcycle trip
• St George trip with Jackie
• St  George trip with Lori 
• Two Via Feratta trips with dd and dh
• Three school training retreats
• Tulip Festival with Lori
• Lava Hot Springs trip with dd
• Spring motorcycle trip
• Birthday trips with grands and my kids 
• Colorado Amish friend trip with my parents
• Balloon Festival with grands
• Went to 3 different escape rooms

We got 3 baby colts born on the place.

Meet Cheyenne

By fall she turned into a roan paint.

Zirc turned into a blue roan

Heidi turned into a strawberry roan

I joined several readathons throughout the year and read way more books than ever before.  

157 books read

Saturday's Progress

 

I got a little sewing in Saturday. The pockets and sides of the scripture bag are complete.

The inside has mesh pockets.

I am ready to attach the zipper and assemble the bag. I do need to find some yellow for the binding.

I also sat and pinned Halo.

You can see there are many many more that need pinning. I need to sew up what I have first to free up some pins.

Over Christmas, my husband gave a special family heirloom to my grandson. It was my Grandfather's pack saddle used for pack horses. My grandson bears the same first name as my grandfather and is very into horses just like grandpa was. He was so excited.

New Year's Eve our family went and cut firewood. It was a positive experience for all. I pondered on being a part of 5 generations of hauling wood to heat the house. I did it with my grand parents, my parents, my kids, and now my grand kids. There is always a job for even the littles, and they love it.

Hauling off dead trees from the forest also prevents forest fires as well as cleans up the wooded areas.

Linking up with Patchwork and Quilts.