Christmas Quilt 2012: Block 16

This little block deserves a post on its own. Here is the tutorial. Just for perspective, the block is 6.5 x 6.5 unfinished, and the little itty bitty christmas tree trunks are 0.25 x 0.33 or so... And the little tries are paper-pieced, and I did about every other seam incorrectly. So to say that this block caused me a lot of frustration is a huge understatement! But it is finally done, and trimmed.

One more block left! And on that note I am going to go take a break from sewing to ring in the New Year with my husband.

Happy New Year, everybody!

Time to think about 2013 goals

Seeing how badly I failed at full-filling my 2012 goals, I want to take another stab at this.

1. Learn free-motion quilting & quilt at least 1 complete quilt that way

2. Do 52 blocks for the Farmer's Wife Quilt. This makes 1 per week.

3. Start my own Etsy story for patterns & baby quilts.

4. Write up 2 patterns (hopefully more)

5. Learn curves (retro flowers quilt)

6. Make A&A's Bed quilts

7. Blog more. Goal: 3 posts per week / 12 per month.

This is totally doable! I guess we will see in about 365 days!

Christmas Quilt 2012: Blocks 14 & 18

Blocks 14 and 18 are now done! Only 2 more blocks are left, which is very exciting! Block 14 is very similar to another equilateral triangle block I made for the Summer Sampler, but the technique used was different. I think this way may be a bit easier. The unfinished size is 8.5 x 8.5. Here is a link to the tutorial. I used all prints instead of solids, and I am quite happy with the result.

Block 18 was quick, and very easy. It took me only about 20 minutes (which is how long it took my husband to tell me a story and set up a TV show on the computer for us to watch). I incorporated some blue into it, because I think there is currently not enough blue. The unfinished size is 6.5 x 6.5. Here is a link to the tutorial.

Revisiting the 2012 goals

Well... this is not looking good

1. Keep up with the quilting bee (I was good about this in 2011, but got a bit behind right before having a baby)
I managed this! I got behind only once, but then I caught up in a month, and I am all caught up now! Check!

2. Complete 12 quilt tops including: quilts for A&A  (2), Max's Quilt, Living Room Quilt, and Summer Sampler.
Yeah no. I completed 6 tops I think. I may be able to finish one more but that's it.

2a. Quilt 8 quilts (some of the ones above need to be long-arm quilted, no way my sewing machine can handle them!)
Well, I came close! I quilted 7. All the completed tops plus one more from last year.

3. Make some headway in making our bed quilt: put all the blocks together
Not even a slightest bit. I now have 3 options for fabric to make this though!

4. Learn how to make blocks using templates and using paper piecing
I did learn paper piecing. Templates, not so much (although honestly I don't think it would be that difficult, I have done equilateral triangle blocks, tumbler blocks and kite blocks.)

5. Take one quilting class
I did do that! Exactly 1!

6. Learn free-motion quilting.
I have attempted this, but I am finally taking a class in January!

So 2.5/6... I think I need to make more attainable goals next year!

Christmas Quilt 2012: Blocks 12, 13 & 15

Here is a new batch of blocks. I think most of the ones I have left are smaller. Block 12 was nice quick and easy. It is 6.5 x 6.5 unfinished. here is the link to the tutorial.

Block 13 was interesting to make. It felt more like 3 little blocks put together. It is 5.5 x 18.5 unfinished. Here is the link to the tutorial.

I decided to do Block 15 one day when I was really tired after work. It was another very quick to make block. It is 6.5 x 6.5 unfinished. Here is a link to the tutorial.

After these blocks, I have 15 out of 19 done. I have yet to make 14, 16, 17, and 18! So very close!

Joy Christmas Quilt Finished!

I can finally post about this quilt, because I finally gifted it. It ended up being very big!

I love the red border!

For quilting I just did straight line quilting in a grid pattern that follows the white.

I think the binding looks good.

Here is backing detail:

It ended up being about 70" x 55". I had mid-loft binding in it, so I rolled it up and tied it with one of the leftover jelly roll strips.

Christmas Quilt 2012: Blocks 10 & 11

These two blocks were quite fun to make, both very quick to put together. Here is the tutorial to both. Block 11 was nice and large. I didn't make it quite how the instructions dictated. I cut out a large rectangle 12.5 x 3.5 and 2 white squares 3.5 x 3.5, and attached the white squares using the flying geese method. I like how mine turned out, since it has fewer seams. The unfinished size is 12.5 x 18.5.

Block 10 was another tiny 6.5 x 6.5 block. It was very easy to put together. I chose to use a white print instead of solid white, and I quite like the result.

And here is a picture of all the blocks before 10 and 11. Most of the bigger blocks are done so it is nice to see how they would all look next to each other!

Sadly though I don't think I will be done in time for Christmas, seeing how tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and I am still in the thick of making the blocks. I hope to finish it by the Russian Orthodox Christmas now, provided I can decide how to quilt it. I have 12 out of 19 blocks made, 7 more to go.