Saturday, January 7, 2017

Finish-A-Long Linkup, Quarter 1, 2017


2017...are you ready for a new year? A new year a new list!  (It's ok if you've decided this will be the year of new projects or clearing out old ones!)

As you are probably aware, the 2017 FAL is remaining global - a community of bloggers across the world, jointly hosting the FAL. Our hosts are:
  • Sarah - Sew me - Northern Ireland
Social Media Director:

For those of you who are new to the FAL, it is a place to find motivation and encouragement to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging about becoming UFOs. Every quarter you post a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months, and then at the end of the quarter, you post a link from your blog, Flickr or Instagram of each successful finish from your original list.

Each finish is an entry for wonderful prizes from our sponsors. There is no penalty for not finishing a listed project, so feel free to make your list long or short, as you wish. The 2017 Schedule and Rules for the FAL are on my permanent FAL page, let me know if you have any questions. Here are the fantastic and generous sponsors for Q4 of the FAL - you can see each of their prizes listed under their logo (think about visiting them and saying thank you):



As you may recall from last year, there was a return of tutorial week at the end of each quarter, between the opening of the link for finishes and the day that link closes. Are you enjoying this? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below! This will take place each quarter. Each host works hard to put these together so I hope you are visiting their blogs to encourage them.
If you have a tutorial that you would like to share, please let me or another host know.

It's time to round up those projects you want to finish over the next three months, take a photo of each one and make your list. In order for your projects to be eligible, they must at least be a tangible project at the start of the quarter.  That means, at the very least, a fabric pull matched to a pattern, a quilt top needing to be quilted, or a half knit jumper. I love seeing your bee blocks, but they won't count unless you happen to be turning them all into a fully completed quilt!

It is very helpful if you tag your list as #2017FALQ1yourname when posting on social media: Flickr, Facebook & Instagram. Using the same hashtag over the quarter when sharing progress or finishes before the link, helps the hosts find your original list quickly - especially when this is done over a 3 month period. IMPORTANT: Don't forget to link your finishes up when the quarter closes.


The 2017 Q1 link for your list of proposed finishes is now open below on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs. You need only link your list once, on one blog - and that link will show up on all of the blogs. If you are using Facebook, Flickr or Instagram, link a mosaic and put your list in the description. Katy of The Littlest Thistle has a great tutorial on how to link-up if you need it.

We also ask that you become part of the FAL community. Please check out the links of others - visit and comment on their lists. We all need encouragement to get those finishes done, so please share some of your own too. When creating your list there is one thing to remember....No deductions for not completing something so ..... Aim High! Nothing to lose!!!

  Well Now..... Get those lists together and get linked up. The Q1 linky party will stay open until 11 pm EST, January 14, 2017- as we are global, you might want to check your time zone to determine your last possible time to link. Remember: you only need to link up on ONE hosting blog and it will automatically show up on all hosting blogs.

Friday, January 6, 2017

2017 Finish-A-Long Announcement!



Hey!  Surprise!!!

I get to be one of the hosts for the Finish Along of 2017.  I'm super excited.  There is an amazing group of women running it this year.  (I'm kind of shocked I'm in the same group.)


Here are the other hostesses with the most-esses!

  • Sarah - Sew me - Northern Ireland

I've pattern tested for Jess for a long time and have had the pleasure of meeting Karen in person many years ago at Sewing Summit in Salt Lake City.  I've gotten to know a few of the other ladies from blogging over the years.

EEEEP!  I'm so excited!


There will be more updates coming soon.  If you haven't already, link up your 2016 finishes!

If you've not been a participant to the Finish-A-Long before PLEASE consider joining up.  It's a fun group, lots of cheerleading, no judgement.  I will continue to be my OCD self with CRAZY lists.  


Big thank you to the quilters who hosted 2016!!!

The link up for Quarter 1, 2017 is coming January 8 and will be open for a week.  Get your lists ready!

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Wishes for 2017

So, I'm not necessarily big on New Year's Resolutions, but I've realized a few things these past few weeks that I wanted to write down.

In no particular order:

1.  There isn't enough kindness in the world.  No one has ever complained that "Wow, there's just too much kindness out there."  That annoys me.  I plan to add more of it to the universe whenever I can.

2.  Someone who shall remain nameless said, "But they're just words.  Words don't matter" in response to being called out on supporting a cause that was also being endorsed by racist individuals.
Nope.  Words do matter.  Words matter to me to a very high magnitude of importance.  I'm a teacher, an avowed word geek, a lover of language.  I'm going to aim to be more mindful of my words...because, yes, they do matter.  Right now,  given the state of the universe, they matter more than ever...and so do my actions, my voice, my power.

3.  Creating is my recharge.  Without it, my batteries go empty.  I'm seeking to find the balance between giving myself over completely to creating something and keeping manageable lists.  (That said, my 2017 FAL list is CRAZY big, but I'm loving the freedom to pick and choose that the list gives me.)

4.  I'm tired of being out of shape.  It makes me feel old.  I don't like not fitting in my clothes.  2017 is the year of losing weight, of getting back into dance shape.  Then this summer will be the GREAT CLOTHING PURGE of 2017.  All clothes closets will be purged.  I'm doing the #quiltyourweightoff2017 over on IG and refocusing on WW.

5.  I need people, specific people.  I don't get to see my favorite peeps enough.  I'm trying to find a way into the effective juggling of my time with the time of others.

6.  I miss reading.  I feel like my brain has altered and has made it harder for me to read and stay focused.  I need to carve out more regular time...and to not waste my time finishing a book I don't like.


That seems like enough for now.

What does 2017 have in store for you?

Sunday, January 1, 2017

FAL, Quarter 4, 2016


My initial list was cray cray and posted here.


I got a fair amount done!


Rhonda's [Quilt] Ramblings


Sewing

4.  Epic Sampler  DONE
Epic Sampler


5.  John Adams quilt  DONE
John Adams quilt

6.  Summer Sampler    DONE
Summer Sampler

9.  Hospice 2  DONE
Hospice quilt

16.  Simple Sampler QAL  DONE...I made 2.
Simple Sampler quilt Simple Sampler quilt


19.  Serenity triangle quilt  DONE
Triangle Serenity quilt


21.  Pixel Pillow  DONE
pixel pillow

22.  Rail fence quilt  (Patchwork from Scrap class)  DONE
Rail Fence


26.  Quilt for Erin  (TUNNEL QUILT DONE...Erin actually got the John Adams quilt)
Tunnel quilt



30.  Pi pillows for school  DONE
pi pillow



35.  Avengers top
Avenger washi



44.  journal cover for quilt guild swap
journal cover


65.  magenta dress  DONE
magenta washi

66.  zebra washi  DONE
zebra washi


77.  Michael Miller challenge  DONE
Michael Miller Challenge

Knitting

6.  Exploration station shawl  DONE

7.  Rose City Rollers  DONE




Finishes: 15  (still missing pics of the knits...so 17.)
Linking up!

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Some winter finishes.....

I am still behind in posting pictures, but I have a few projects done.

I made a wallet in a class with Southern Bobbin.

wallet

I finished a pi pillow for the Maker's Space and donated my pixel pillow there as well.

pi pillow pixel pillow

I've made some progress on my improv quilt.

improv quilt

I finished a journal cover for the guild swap.

journal cover

My John's Adam's quilt is done and ready to post.

John Adams quilt

I made a tunnel quilt and LOVED making it.  I hand quilted it with perle.

Tunnel quilt


I finished two Simple Sampler quilts.  (Here's a pic of one.  The other one is still in my unphotographed pile.)

Simple Sampler for Robin

Not photographed yet, but done:
Epic Sampler quilt
2nd Simple Sampler
Hospice 2 quilt
Serenity Triangle quilt
Rail Fence quilt
Michael Miller challenge quilt

And because every post is better with a sleepy doggy:

smooshie


Soooooo many presents to finish and so little time.....
How are y'all doing?