Make-A-List Monday: PROGRESS!

I really do prefer a healthy family. I get so much more done that way!

Here's last week's list:

• Finish the Posy Dancing Daisies flimsy (before Wednesday at 7 p.m.)

Didn't happen before Wednesday, but they are going to do a special Saturday session to tie it. I really like this pattern. Love the fabrics - so Easter-y!

The curves weren't as bad as I originally thought. Sure, it's slow going, but I just put in some Downton re-runs and they got themselves done. I didn't bother pinning, which saved a whole lot of time. Not as risky as it sounds, I promise. If you are scared of curves, just try a few. I promise, it won't be that painful!

• Finish Mama Said Sew blocks and sew together the flimsy

Funny story. My oldest girl and I decided on the layout late one night. I stacked up the rows, ready to sew. And then my youngest girl decided that those neat little stacks sitting next to my sewing machine were not how she would have done things. Three rows were tossed hither and yon.

In spite of her helping, it is done. Need to figure out how I want to back it. And who I'm going to give it to. Or where I'm going to put it in my house . . . .

• Lay out Gypsy Girl patchwork and sew together the flimsy

Didn't happen. Getting the Mama Said Sew one done was hard enough. Maybe tonight after baby girl is asleep.

• Start Flirt 9-patch blocks

Got them all done! I want to have this quilt ready before Valentine's Day. Heck, I want the flimsy finished this week!

On to this week!

• Finish Gypsy Girl flimsy
• Finish Flirt 9-patch flimsy
• Piece Posy Kiss Me blocks
• Finish Posy Kiss Me flimsy
• Resist getting sucked into the Scrappy Trip Along (I'm being REALLY good!)

 What are you working on this week?

Friday Finish: Hey, it counts!

Since I'm not the one finishing this quilt, this is as far as I go with it. But I love it. I just might be buying another Posy layer cake to make another one.

Honestly, isn't she pretty?

This one will be tied by the teenage girls at church for one of their friends who has been diagnosed with bone cancer. She's begun her treatments, and we thought she could use a quilt to see her through.

Linking up! Crazy Mom Quilts (who is dragging me into the Scrappy Trip Along madness with her awesome finish) and Sarah at Confessions (whose orange quilt I would happily adopt!).

And back to work on my UFOs!

Make-A-List Monday: This Little Light of Mine

Did I ever mention I was in a gospel choir? For true! I joined the gospel choir at the University of Washington for one quarter. LOVED it! That's one thing I think the LDS (Mormon) faith lacks. Oh sure, MoTab (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) is good, but sometimes you just need to get down with the spirit, don't you think?

Anyway, so that had nothing to do with this post except I've been singing that song since Saturday afternoon.

Here's my problem. It's winter here in northern Idaho (in case it's not winter where you are). It gets dark at about 4:00 p.m. every day. My sewing table is in front of a big ol' window, so I have plenty of natural light in the daytime. At night? Not so much. The overhead light is behind my head, so my noggin blocks the light that I need on my sewing machine.

Enter this little baby. JoAnn's was having a sale (50% off) on OttLites. I've heard great things, and they haven't been exaggerated. An awesome auntie sent me a gift card to JoAnn's for Christmas and this was my choice. Love, love, love it. It's bought me midnight hours of sewing time.

Which is a good thing, because I've got a deadline looming! Here's my list for this week:

• Finish the Posy Dancing Daisies flimsy (before Wednesday at 7 p.m.)
• Finish Mama Said Sew blocks and sew together the flimsy
• Lay out Gypsy Girl patchwork and sew together the flimsy
• Start Flirt 9-patch blocks

There. That's all. I want to write more, but I'll keep it realistic.

Seller Feedback

I'd never really paid attention to my "buyer feedback" on Etsy. I mean, why would a seller give negative feedback? I buy your product, I pay you right away, you ship it out to me. End of story.

Well, apparently, I upset the seller I purchased the red minky from back in September. The one who didn't actually send it when she said she sent it? And after two weeks, it was found in the back of her daughter's truck. When she offered to send it, and that I would have to wait 5-6 more days for it, I asked for a refund of my shipping charges. Her response was to cancel the order and re-list the item. Oh, and leave me negative feedback.

What's funny about her feedback is that she said things like "sellers beware!" Um, no one else can see that feedback but me. And since I've been a great buyer all over the Etsy world, I find this hilarious.

So you fabric sellers out there, BEWARE! I just might buy fabric from you, pay for it right away and expect you to actually ship it when you said you shipped it. BEWARE!!!!

Greetings from Virus-ville!

Oh my, I'm not loving the cold virus that is waging war on my sewing time. I'm not usually so bloodthirsty, but boy do I want it to die!

I've gotten some prep work done, and I'm almost done with my Mama Said Sew D4 blocks, so things are progressing.

Then I have to go and give myself a deadline. For next Wednesday. This was before illness struck, mind you.

A sweet girl at church was just diagnosed with bone cancer. Inspired by the work that Sarah does, I decided this girl needed a quilt to get her through her treatments. I called her church leader to see what she thought. She loved the idea and wanted the other girls to tie the quilt, so could I have it done in time for the activity on the 23rd? Oh sure!

Then the cold virus apocalypse dawned. Not pretty. And I've chosen this tutorial. That's a whole lot o' curves to cut and sew! The cutting is done, so on to the sewing.

But I'm determined to get it done, so I'm only checking in here for accountability's sake. Wish me luck! See you on the other side!

A Loverly Year of Finishes: January

Yes, I added my own Eliza Doolittle spin on the title. Because I can.

Never one to turn down a goal-setting opportunity/linky party with prizes, I decided to jump in. The water's fine, right?

For January, I'd like to finish this:

My Gypsy Girl Weekender. I just ordered the fabric for the piping, straps and lining. Just need to git 'er done now. I'll work on the rest of the quilted pieces later this week.

1Q FAL - Let it begin again!

Prepare to be shocked.

I only have nine items on my list for the first quarter.

Yes, I'm feeling fine. Quite well, actually.

Here's the thing. We're moving the first of June. I'm beyond excited about this move for several reasons, but it's still a move with packing and what-not.

My sewing goals for the first half of the year will be different than last year. My plan is to finish up a few quilts entirely, but work on getting flimsies done and ready to quilt once we settle. Did I mention my amazingly talented sister-in-law has a long-arm? Yeah, beyond excited is an understatement.

So, here's my list for January-February-March:

• Sweet Divinity Quilt - is this ever a long time coming

Source: rileyblakedesigns.com via Jennie on Pinterest

• Spider Web Quilt - yes, 'tis the season, but I have the backing for it already so it needs to move house finished

• Easy as Cake Quilt - after the tension fiasco, it took me for-freaking-EVER to pick out all the quilting I'd done. Now it's time to finish this baby and pack it away for next Christmas

• Lucy's Triangles - just need the backing

• Simple Life Dottie Quilt - yes, something newish to make me happy

• Ready Set Snow Quilt - I might only get this flimsy done

• Gypsy Girl Quilt - a simple patchwork square quilt shouldn't be too hard, should it?

• Lucy's Crab Shack bathmat part deux

• Gypsy Girl Weekender bag - the outside is pieced, so I just need to make the piping and put it all together. 

There. Under control and totally manageable.

Course, that's the public list. The real list is three times as long, but not full of complete finishes. I've a lot of flimsies to finish, and I'll be showing them along the way. These are just the things I intend to finish up.

I just look forward to the last half of the year, when I have a gaggle of quilts I can just baste, quilt and bind!