Checking In

I had two major sewing/quilting goals for 2011. I thought in the interest of full disclosure I should give you a quick update.

Goal #1: Finish some WIPs and UFOs. Here's a shot of my oldest living UFO. In truth, I wasn't even going to post about it since it really doesn't represent my style anymore (and the craftsmanship is terrible). But it is taking up so much of my time, I thought I'd give you a glimpse.

Long dead, and now resurrected UFO. It will get done, it will get done, it will get done.....

It is big. A Queen. And for some stupid reason, I decided to quit it myself. Lets just say that it is crooked, there are puckers and you can't look at it up close (I won't let you). Not if you have any quilting experience anyway. But I made this flimsy back in 2005 or 2006 and it needs to get done. And I'm giving it to my sister who loves traditional quilts and who may or may not have got married way back in September of 2009. 2009! I just have to quilt the border, bind and label this baby and she is done!

Goal #2: Fabric Diet/Use up Stash. It turns out I'm as bad at fabric diets as food diets. The first week I bought some Kona White to finish up my Colour Wheel Quilt. Never mind that I 'added' in a 1/2 yard of yummy Innocent Crush (I had to see it for myself) and found a new to me Canadian online shop that has Kona Cotton Solids for $7/yard.

Stalled progress on Colour Wheel Quilt. More Kona White just arrived...

Week 2 I resisted. But now we're in Week 3 and I had a major cave. I couldn't resist buying some new fabrics for my Spicing Up the Kitchen Partner. And my fellow Canadians know how it goes, right? I had to fill up the envelope to justify paying the shipping from the US. You understand, right? Right???

How are you doing with your resolutions? Are you like me...or can you stick with them? I'd love to hear!

Happy Mail Day!

I received my fabric from Holly last week for our Colour Wheel Quilt Swap.Oh Happy Day! We decided to swap 10 fabrics, 9 of which we chose and the 10th one was dedicated as a surprise. Holly sent the best surprise, Pink FMF Seeds! Isn't she the sweetest? These fabrics are going to be perfect for my quilt. (I am also in love with the elephants!)

I think I only have about 20 more fabrics to collect. Interestingly, I'm finding it difficult to find pure blues from my stash. I love blue, but I seem to have lots of aquas and multi-colour print blues, but very few tone on tone. I may have to fix that with some fabric shopping.

I also was very inspired by this post. I wanted to do my part so I made these two blocks last night. These cross blocks are quick and simple to make and they are fun and modern too. Check out the flickr group for all of the blocks being made around the world.

Lucia has inspired me to get working on some more charity quilts. Once I get this Colour Wheel Quilt wrapped up, I'm making a few quilts to give away.

Oh, and I almost forgot. I also got these gorgeous squares in the mail yesterday. I won them from Katy. Thank you! I love this fabric, it reminds me so much of the sheets we had growing up. Maybe I could make a quilt like this as my first charity quilt....

What about you? Do you make quilts to give-away? What do you make? Who do you make them for? How do you find time to fit them all in?

I really don't need another project...

I have to admit that I'm not always completely honest about the number of projects I have on the go at one time. Sure I have a small list on my sidebar, but the truth is that I have way more in the works that I have blogged about once or not at all. It seems that in the past year I've become extremely good at starting projects and terrible at finishing them. I think it is all the gorgeous inspiration out there. I'm hoping that I'll get to the point where I can disclose all of those projects, but today, instead, I'm just going to share a new start!

I've been in love with Joelle Hoverson's colourwheel quilt forever. And then of course my idol, Melanie, made a gorgeous hand quilted one, and I knew it was time to make one for myself. So I got the book out of the library, and made myself a template of the wedge and pretty much left it there. 

Until, I met a new bloggy friend, Holly. She blogged about her start and I commented that I was working on one too (or at least I had the intention of making one anyway). Then she suggested a fabric swap. What a wonderful idea...so I got right to cutting. 

I got 22 wedges cut the other night. I seem to have lots of pinks and oranges, but I'm lacking in the blues and purples. I can't wait to swap with Holly so that I can round out my colour wheel.

And I'm determined to finish this one. This summer. So I can hang it in my new house! And so that it won't join the growing mass of UFO's in my sewing room.

How about you? Have you made a colour wheel quilt? Do you start one project and finish it? Or are you like me and have quilting ADD?