2018 Finish-Along: Quarter 4 Goals {2018 FAL Q4}

How are we onto the last 3 months of the year 2018!?! Did you accomplish sewing last quarter?

Guess What?! I Didn't!

I have been so busy with having and taking care of a baby that I did no sewing what-so-ever last quarter. 

That's a pretty decent excuse, right?

I wanted to have Samara's Quilt done by the time she turned 5 (didn't happen) and then I wanted to have done before the baby was born (I was trying to get things ready for his arrival), and my sewing machine just did not come out of it's case. I have Halloween I need to do, so the machine is going to have to grace us with it's space it takes up for the next 2 weeks. Eeek! Thank goodness I am not going to sew 6 people's costumes this year.

On to my wish-to-complete list!

Samara's Quilt

This is my main priority. Gosh Golly, Gee Whiz. It needs to get done. I am such a sewing slacker!

Maybe I can have it done for her for Christmas? Though not as a present since she has watched this long drawn out process. And if I finish it sooner rather than later, I am not holding on to it until then. Maybe it might be nice as a Christmas Eve gift, but I won't wait. Ha! If it is done!

What still needs to be done:

• finish the last border (green fabric)
• baste (the backing is a pink minky she had picked out)
• quilt
• bind (in a gray and white striped fabric)
• label

Abacus Quilt

I have not the expectation to get to this. But, just in case.

I need to:

• cut pieces
• sew remaining blocks
• assemble to top
• border if necessary 
• baste
• quilt
• bind
• label

Band Shirt Memory Quilt

I am adding this in, though I am sure that I will not complete it (let alone even get to it!) this quarter. I'm debating another border or calling it good (I'm leaning towards calling it good!). The black large notes is a flannel and have since decided against that. The backing will be Jazz Jam from Andover Fabrics. The colors and notes are perfect for this quilt!

I need to:

• baste
• quilt
• bind
• label

First and foremost is Samara's quilt, since I haven't made her one in her 5 years of life. Poor Thing. Though I have made her more clothes than any of the other children. 

What do you have to finish?

Linking-up!

2018 Finish-A-Long: Quarter 3 Goals {2018 FAL Q3}

Motivation is a good thing to have but so hard to come by! My motivation to do anything is extremely limited.

Having accountability through friends, link-ups, you, my readers, is great too. On something like the Finish-A-Long, it is very one-sided. We, the crafters and bloggers, post and share what we are working on, making, sewing, creating and that's it. We hope for comments and responses but those are not all guaranteed to take place.

So, here I am hoping to keep my motivation up to complete at least 1 more quilt this quarter during the finish-along!

Samara's Quilt

I got the grey border added during the last quarter. I just need to:

• finish the last border (green fabric)
• baste
• quilt
• bind
• label

abacus quilt

I did not do anything with this one last quarter. I am really hoping I can get more of my craft space cleaned and organized. In my daydreams, it makes it easier to work on a project at this stage.

I need to:

• cut pieces
• sew remaining blocks
• assemble to top
• border if necessary 
• baste
• quilt
• bind
• label

Band Shirt Memory Quilt

I am adding this in, though I am sure that I will not complete it this quarter. I'm debating another border or calling it good. The black large notes is a flannel and have since decided against that. The backing will be Jazz Jam from Andover Fabrics. The colors and notes are perfect for this quilt!

I need to:

• baste
• quilt
• bind
• label

First and foremost is Samara's quilt, since I haven't made her one in her *almosr* 5 years of life. My time is quickly running down since the baby is due in about 7.5 weeks! fingers crossed! 

I'm hoping I can keep up the momentum with even 1 finish a quarter!

What do you have to finish? how do you keep the momentum going and the motivation when your discussing them others is extremely limited?

Linking-up!

2018 Finish Along: Finishes {18 FAL Q2)

Can you believe the year is halfway through already? The kids start school in about a week and a half!

This summer has been crazy with the kids losing their minds inside because it's just too darn hot to play outside and the only time it's cooled off is ... never! Usually, by now we have had a monsoon storm or two, but not this year. So we have not even gotten the respite from heat a storm gives.

I have managed a finish this quarter! (yay!) I only listed three in my FAL goals for this quarter.

Labyrinth Lap Quilt

You can check out the details here.

One is better than nothing! yay!

I added in the project planner from Sew Of Course into my bullet journal to keep track of all the finishes I have and what I have left to do for them. She has a pretty neat printable. I like the accessibility of having it in my bullet journal. Which I will have to move soon since I'm running out of pages in this one. LOL, but that's ok!

I am color coding by quarter what I have completed. orange was prior to joining back in, the pink was quarter 2, blue will be quarter 3. I've only listed 3 projects since those are all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure once I go through my craft space and organize it some (one of many nesting projects in the works as well), I will find more and write them down as I come across them.

How'd you do this last quarter?

Linking up to the Finish A Long! 

Labyrinth Lap Quilt: Finally Finished {Quilting}

I have about 4-5 posts scheduled to go live on this blog. The only thing those posts are missing is the pictures to go along with the writing. Sadly, my little boy is not cooperative after pick-up from school. I am assuming he's just overtired. After all, it's been a long time since they got a break even with the recent teacher strike that went on. And some of the things I have to share are dependant upon the one post with the kids! I might need to rearrange the posts!

I realized after the kids were making a fort because they used it, that I finished one of the quilts I set out to finish this quarter as part of the Finish-a-long! You can check out the goals I posted here. And I needed to take some pictures of it to share it with you! The camera was charged and ready to go! Pictures are going to happen!

This pattern is called Labyrinth (not to be confused with Labyrinth Walk) and you can find it here. My mom picked it up to sew my brother a queen sized for his bed. I decided to give the lap size a try since it was simple. A selling point to this pattern was no y-seams or diamonds. At the time (over 5 years ago now!) I had not known how to do y seams. Yes. This has sat unfinished that long...

It's a great easy sew. All half square triangles.

I attempted to get some up close of the quilting. I used it to practice my free motion quilting. I am going to have to practice more than once every few years if I plan or hope to make any improvements! Ha, but my writing is shaky enough as it is, there is probably not a ton of chance my movements with the machine will smoothen out!

My favorite quilting was in the gold square surrounding the star and the purple parts to the star.

The back shows the quilting a little bit better than the dark purple thread on purple...

I did not originally plan on using this fabric for the back of this quilt. It really didn't have a purpose when I bought it, but I was not a fan of the two patterns together. For the sake of completion. I decided to go with it anyway. It's interesting. It's growing on me.

But I think it contrasts well with the front even if I would rather not have used it as a backing.

I hand stitched the binding too! Something I have practiced more than FMQ and it is so hard not to hand stitch a binding down. I think the finished look is just so much nicer! At least for me! Ha, squiggly binding anyone? No?

The next morning (since I finished it after midnight) the kids had commandeered the quilt and promptly put it to use making forts. That tells me it's a win!

What finishes do you have so far this quarter?

2018 Finish Along: Quarter 2 Goals {2018 FAL Q2}

The first thing I see when I walk into my craft space/office is the unfinished projects cluttering the top of my table. Those things are like the bane of every crafter's existence.

Unfinished objects. works in progress. projects half done.

Whatever you want to call them, they take up space, brain power, and clog those creative juices once they start piling up too high.

I'm going to try to jump on Finish Along Train again this year to get those pieces completed, off of my table, and onto a lap or bed. I took about a year hiatus from even thinking of completing projects and getting those things finished. But I am back and ready to try again.

Here is the list of unfinished projects I will be working on these next few months.

1. labyrinth lap quilt.
all it needs is the binding! ok. and to bury threads.

2. Samara's quilt.
It needs borders finished, pink minky backing, quilted and bound. A side effect of a middle child... Poor thing hasn't had a mommy made quilt and that needs to be rectified quickly.

3. Abacus Quilt
This has been in a partially started phase for forever. I don't think I will be able to get to it, let alone finish it. But just in case I am adding it here.

That's all I am adding to this list. No need to put all the projects down and have myself overwhelmed!  They will clear off a bunch of space from my table, especially with the labyrinth quilt!

How many half-finished projects do you have taking up space in your crafting area?

2017 Finish A Long: Quarter 1: Goals {2017 FAL Q3}

I sat and contemplated up until the last minute whether or not to try the finish a long at all this year. I did not complete anything from this list last year and I have since just removed items because I am never going to get to them! Ha at this point those things I had planned are no longer going to work for the recipient! Too much time has passed! I need to get my sewing space in order first! Nothing has happened since moving everything out to create the baby's space about 6 months ago... Goodness me...

Here are my goals for this quarter!

1. Labyrinth Lap Quilt... 

Coming along... #quilting #sewing #isew #fmq #freemotionquilting #2016fal #finishalong

A photo posted by JessiBerry (@jessiberry09) on Jul 6, 2016 at 2:02pm PDT

2.  My band shirt memory quilt... 

Another on the #2016fal #finishalong list that probably won't get done for a while... but I finally got a picture of the backing! #memoryquilt #isew #tshirtquilt

A photo posted by JessiBerry (@jessiberry09) on Jul 6, 2016 at 2:32pm PDT

3. This is little lady's baby shower quilt. From 2013...

4. This circle quilt. 

5. Peasant Tops pattern by Tie Dye Diva Patterns they are a 12 month and 18 month size, half sewn up

Wish me good luck! ;) It's so hard to sew with the toddler who gets into EVERYTHING and a DEMANDING preschooler. I'm lucky to get anything done during the day!

Linking up!

2016 Finish Along: Quarter 2: Goals {2016 FAL Q2}

Here are my goals for this quarter!

1. Labyrinth Lap Quilt... I was debating on the backing, but it works and it needs to be done.

2.  My band shirt memory quilt... I found a backing by andover fabrics! It's perfect! There is no reason for this not to get done now! Ha!

3. This is little lady's baby shower quilt. From 2013...

4. This circle quilt. It was supposed to be for a MQG fabric challenge... It has sat in my sewing bag for.ev.er... 

5. These are supposed to be some Peasant Tops pattern by Tie Dye Diva Patterns for little lady. I know they are now too small for her, but I could still use them for this next little one coming, even if they are a 12 month and 18 month size!! 

6. This was supposed to be Little Man's Going to Grandma's/&or/Grandpa's over night bag. It is supposed to be the Dorothy Day Tripper by Swoon Sewing Patterns (affiliate links) ... 

&

7. If I have enough left over I also want to make a Tiny Explorer Backpack by Diedelbug Handmade for him when we go to MOPs meetings, the Zoo, and anything else that seems to fit with learning and fun. ;) Only problem is, he doesn't stay over anywhere and we no longer go to the zoo (I haven't renewed our membership). I still want to do them, and we miss the zoo.

I've carried over this list since 2013! Don't believe me? check it out! Finish-Along
Sad, right? I know! same things over and over. At least this time I have the excuse of a little baby to take care of! Right?!? No?

Wish me good luck! ;)

Linking up!

2016 Finish Along: Quarter 1: Goals {2016 FAL Q1}

Another Year, a new start, and a new quarter for the Finish-Along!

Part of my Goals and Resolutions for this year is to work through the WIPs (Work in Progress) and UFOs (unfinished objects) to get them done, usable and no longer taking up space in the craft space. I really wanted to finish these last year in prepping for baby. But it is hard to sew when your tired! And I know this year I am going to be tired too! But, at least a few of them the tops are pretty much done! :)

And, here is my list for this quarter.

1. Labyrinth Lap Quilt... I was debating on the backing, but it works and it needs to be done.

2.  My band shirt memory quilt... I found a backing by andover fabrics! It's perfect! There is no reason for this not to get done now! Ha!

3. This is little lady's baby shower quilt. From 2013...

4. This circle quilt. It was supposed to be for a MQG fabric challenge... It has sat in my sewing bag for.ev.er... 

5. These are supposed to be some Peasant Tops pattern by Tie Dye Diva Patterns for little lady. I know they are now too small for her, but I could still use them for this next little one coming, even if they are a 12 month and 18 month size!! 

6. This was supposed to be Little Man's Going to Grandma's/&or/Grandpa's over night bag. It is supposed to be the Dorothy Day Tripper by Swoon Sewing Patterns (affiliate links) ... 

&

7. If I have enough left over I also want to make a Tiny Explorer Backpack by Diedelbug Handmade for him when we go to MOPs meetings, the Zoo, and anything else that seems to fit with learning and fun. ;) Only problem is, he doesn't stay over anywhere and we no longer go to the zoo (I haven't renewed our membership). I still want to do them, and we miss the zoo.

I've carried over this list since 2013! Don't believe me? check it out! Finish-Along
Sad, right? I know! same things over and over. Wish me good luck! ;)

Linking up!

Happy Sewing!

Happy New Year: Resolution and Goals {Welcome 2016}

First off...

Happy New Year!!!

Last year ended. It was a whirlwind of a year. So much going on, so many new things.. And now a fresh start. A new year to make it better. To make things better, easier, more. A time to plan and prepare and become intentional about living.

I shared last years goals and how I did with meeting them (you can read about that here), and there was a lot I set out to accomplish without success. There was a lot I did accomplish that wasn't on the list, but they were surprises. And yet, with everything that happened last year I kept getting that little whisper in my ear, "you need to be intentional". I didn't understand but as the year progressed I became more aware...

Be Intentional...

Intentional about my time with my husband. We have to schedule the time to be together. We need to remember to be intentional about our love towards each other. Day to day becomes monotonous and we become jaded. We need to be intentional with our interaction with each other and the direction we wish our relationship to go (you know, into old age).

Intentional about my time with my kids. How many times have I set out to start preschool with little man only to have it thrown to the wayside? How many good intentions are cut short only because I didn't make time for it or just let it slide? I love my kids and I know they know it. But I need to be more intentional in my time I spend with them.

Intentional about my time for myself. No more feeling guilty when I ask my husband to watch the kids so I can take an evening out with the ladies. I laugh at that because that is hard not to feel. He says I shouldn't feel guilty. But, I do. I need to be more intentional with the free time I get when I do get it. Scheduling that free time into my day, my week, my months. I need to schedule that time in for Brandon too. A family I look to as a roll model in this takes every Saturday and trades. One Saturday is mom's, next is dad's, then it's the family day and starts all over the fourth Saturday. I love that idea!

This all boils down to planning. I need to be intentional in my planning. Living intentionally requires some intentional planning. A lot of intentions, a lot of being intentional, right? But it seems necessary to be successful. Successful in relationships, successful in meeting goals, successful in life.

So starts my list of goals for the year...

1. Planning. I have a planner. I intend to plan out my weeks and months. I hope that this makes things run smoother, if not easier. At least I can look to what is happening. I am not looking to throw a whole year into the planner all at once, but a few months in advance. With the baby being due in a few weeks and little man starting school, it will be more necessary to keep things straight.

2. Getting out of debt. We want a life without being strapped down by credit. No more credit card bills, no more owing money and having so much of the paycheck go towards things that we borrowed money to buy. Sad thing is? I can't even remember what those things were! Being able to set aside money for the things that are going to need to be replaced soon, like a new dinning table, washing machine, Christmas tree. We can't get those things until after that credit debt is gone. And as my son breaks another chair I can only imagine how much sooner we are going to need another table and what we can do in the mean time while we can't get one...

3. Finish the KonMari Purge. I need to establish a timeline for this one, but I am hoping to finish all of it by August. That gives me 8 months and I am already into the Kimono (miscellaneous stuff). I am thinking I might want to start over with the clothes after the baby has arrived and I have gotten closer to pre-baby body.

4. Establish my Capsule wardrobe. I took some time off the wardrobe because I was limited my clothes once I started getting bigger. I'm down to 1 skirt, 1 leggings, 2 pairs of pants that fit, 4 long sleeve shirts, 2 '3/4' sleeved shirts and 3 short sleeve. This is maternity wear, the leggings don't match a thing, one long sleeve shirt really only works under things but doesn't match with the colors in the short sleeves... My wardrobe is a mess. I may need to start figuring things out for nursing anyway! 4 more weeks!

5. Read. I have totally met a goal of 24 books this year and read 27 (Goodreads is awesome for this). I am thinking of joining the BookRiot Read Harder Challenge this year and upping my number to 30. In 2013 my goal was 20 and I read 23, so I think I can do it! :)

6. Establish a day for family and independent time, like what my friend does. It might take some husband coercion, but even if it takes most the year. I think I need the time. I haven't had a day in a long time. Rushing to the grocery store and back doesn't count.

7. Health. I need to take care of myself better... I need to drink 8 glasses of water a day, sleep 8 hours a night and not skip any meals.

8. Crafting/sewing. Finish a few more of my WIPs! More specifically those quilts taking up space in the craft room what is to be the baby's room. I need to get back into the FAL for next year. There last few quarters have been sadly lacking. You can check out my current list here. If I finish each one in a month, then I can finish by the end of May. I'm thinking more August/September though for the one where the top is started but not finished.

Let me hear from you:
What are your goals for this year?

2015 Finish Along: Quarter 4: Goals {2015 FAL Q4}

After nothing finished in Quarter 3, I am determined yet exhausted! I need to at least finish something! With Halloween almost upon us that should give a bit more free time as long as the energy is there. I need to get things out of that craft room.

And, here is my list for this quarter.

1. Labyrinth Lap Quilt... I am still debating the backing for this, if I really want to use it...but I have nothing else...

2.  My band shirt memory quilt... I found a backing by andover fabrics! It's perfect! There is no reason for this not to get done now! Ha!

3. This is baby girl's baby shower quilt.  No extra signers. I think it is time to just sew it up. She needs a momma made quilt. The blocks are back into the box I got them in... :( Poor thing. By this time I was finishing up Nikolai's first quilt.

4. This circle quilt. It was supposed to be for a fabric challenge... I look at this and love it still. I need to finish it!

5. These are supposed to be some Peasant Tops pattern by Tie Dye Diva Patterns (affiliate link) for Baby Girl. I was working on them, then got carried away with something else and I hadn't gone back to them and now, sitting in a manilla folder in the craft room. Better finish them before she cannot wear them! 

6. This is going to be Little Man's Going to Grandma's/&or/Grandpa's over night bag. It is going to be the Dorothy Day Tripper by Swoon Sewing Patterns (affiliate links) ... 

&

7. If I have enough left over I also want to make a Tiny Explorer Backpack by Diedelbug Handmade for him when we go to MOPs meetings, the Zoo, and anything else that seems to fit with learning and fun. ;)

Linking up to On the Windy Side!

2015 Finish Along: Quarter 3: Finishes {2015 FAL Q3}

So my finishes out of my goals for this quarter?

Nothing...

I've got nothing...

I've hardly done any sewing these last few months.
I haven't posted anything in a month.

Man, I've been slacking!

And, I need to get those UFOs and WIPs out of the craft room...

What I have done:
I did make progress on little girl's baby shower memory quilt though... I was hoping to have that finished in the next couple days, but Halloween costumes are getting in the way...

(it's number 3 on my list)

I'm trying to decide the border set up... I have the blocks sewn, and the blue flange to break up the blocks from the borders.

But hey, at least it is progress!?!

Maybe I'll get it finished this next quarter, in time for Christmas?
Yeah... I said it, Christmas... Man this year has flown by!

Tell Me:
How has your UFOs and WIPs been coming along? Do you finish projects before you start new ones or do you set things aside for later?