Updates and Lessons

Athena's Quilt

The WIPS-B-GONE 2022 challenge is going well.  I didn't get 2 projects done in the first quarter but I am hoping to catch up in the second quarter.  I finished Athena's Quilt on Saturday and gave it to her today.  That is one project finished. Plus it was started before January 1, 2022 so it counts as a finish for Queen of UFOs as well.

Like I said, I am behind in my challenge goals. I am only a week behind but I am trying to catch up. Last week I managed to get 3 quilts prepped for the long arm. Two of which I also got the digital quilting patterns set up.  

Autumn Splendor

So yesterday, I got the Autumn Splendor quilt on the long arm and quilted. I chose Wood Sprite e2e by Christie Dillon from My Creative Stitches. It stitched out a little more open than I would have liked. I've measured several different open spaces and I am just at 4 inches between stitching. Which according to the HOBB website is the maximum distance between stitches. That is too close for my comfort but I decided to leave it. I used a gold thread and I just love how it plays across the  fabric. I did get the binding cut for it today, but haven't made it yet.  I am really pleased with it so far. I believe I will give it to my sister-in-law. But I do have to finish it first.

Off White and Royal Blue threads

I managed to get Scrappy Joy on the long arm today. I even started quilting her. It seems some quilts are just supposed to be learning quilts. Today I fought with thread breaks right and left. I think I got it fixed though. I had used a smaller needle and once I changed back to the size I usually use, things straightened out. 

I also surprised myself in the thread choice.  I had planned on using a royal blue but was afraid that the quilting would overpower the beauty of the quilt. So I thought off white on top and royal blue on the bottom. I decided to audition the thread. Well on top, the off white thread would disappear except for the borders and on the back, the royal blue would disappear all together.  I was not going to get the results I wanted with those threads.

I had two other blues in my thread cone stash. One was a very pretty variegated blue that I bought to possibly use on another quilt. But the blue tones were just not right for Scrappy Joy. The other is a baby blue thread.  When I puddled the baby blue thread out on the quilt top the thread was visible on both parts of the top but was still subtle.  So that was my choice.  

 

Since I've discovered quilting in zones, I no longer feel like I have to get the whole quilt done in a day.  Today I stitched 2 of the 8 zones for Scrappy Joy.  After the thread breaks and being tired from a very full weekend, I needed a break. So I saved the patterns and will go back to it tomorrow. 

Here are the lessons learned this week.  Sewing everyday will get things closer to finish.  Focusing on one project at a time will get that project done faster.  Practicing a skill will help you improve. Mistakes are opportunities to learn.  Filling in a tracker gives you a sense of accomplishment.

What have you learned this week?

Challenge Progress

 Here we are 12 days into the WIPS-B-GONE2022 challenge and I don't have a finish yet. I have been stitching everyday and keeping track of it on the cute tracker sheet that was part of the down loads.  I love filling in the cones with different colors. It makes the tracker so much fun to look at and it makes me not want to miss a day. I am going to use every little trick I can to stay on track.

Leanne at Devoted Quilter has done a really nice job of setting up this challenge. There are several down loads. One is a list of WIPS (works in progress) that you have. I didn't list all of my WIPS. Just the most pressing ones. There is also a planner that divides the challenge into quarters. A quarter is 2 weeks. I've set the goal of completing 2 projects a quarter. But I am behind. I will be lucky to finish one project this quarter.

I am close to a finish though. I have Athena's quilt off the long arm, trimmed and am working on the binding.  I have turned the binding and am about 1/4 of the way done stitching it down. I am working on this in the mornings as Kim is home and he sleeps in later than I do. The sound of the machine disturbs his sleep so my morning Zen this week will be hand stitching or cutting up scraps. But cutting up scraps doesn't lead to finishing my WIPS.  In fact, it really is creating more WIPS, since I am cutting up scraps for future projects. I feel like this will be a never ending cycle, which is all the more reason to do these challenges as they come along.

As I said I am behind. But I am hoping to catch up in the next quarter.  While I had a somewhat free day on Monday, I got 3 quilts ready to go on the machine. I have made the backs and cut the battings. while home sick today I worked on the computerized quilting designs. The quilt I had planned to put on the long arm next is being put on hold. I discovered I don't have the right color thread to quilt it with. So the Great Outdoors quilt will wait a week or two. That means I need to move a quilt up from the next quarter schedule. I decided to start with Autumn Splendor. (quilt on the far right) I will quilt it with gold and use a leaf pattern. It is one of the quilting designs I got set up and ready to go. The quilt after that will be Scrappy Joy. (on the left) The quilt design is set up for that one as well. I have chosen a swirl pattern for that one.  The thread color is still up for debate. The bobbin will be royal blue but whether I use a neutral or royal blue on the top is going to depend on how brave I feel. That and what I want to emphasize, the piecing or the quilting.

With plans in place I still stand a good chance of finishing the challenge with the goals I have set.

What tricks do you use to keep on track with your WIPS?

Do you ever join challenges? What about Facebook groups?