Decisions, Decisions

Confetti Blocks....

I have two choices....continue making Confetti Stars and make a Totally Confetti Star quilt. 
OR, design a quilt around what I have completed (42). 
I guess I have THREE choices...make a lap quilt.

I have plenty of lap quilts....THE WINNER IS ... design a quilt around what I have! 

The American Patchwork and Quilting 2024 Quilt-Along pattern was my inspiration.

Evening Glow.  You can read about it HERE.  (And buy the pattern.)

A quilt-along participant's example.  She did a great job!

Firing up EQ8* and digging deep into the memory banks, I deigned a similar quilt.

The Rendering from EQ8

The finished quilt will be big, 116" by 128".  With all the cold weather we've had of late, I've been wanting a larger quilt: one that hangs well-over the sides of the bed and doesn't fall off in the night with all my tossing-and-turning! 

My Progress So Far

 Doesn't look like much yet....

There are still 40 Confetti Starts (and 40 Setting blocks) to go.  The Hope was to have the top finished by the end of January....that goal has been adjusted...I hope to have all the blocks prepared by the end of the month.  I can live with that.

*Electric Quilt 8

Slow and Steady

 

... Eventually Wins the Race!!

It feels like the first two weeks of January have crawled by!

 

I've been plugging away at the Confetti Stars all week,
and I have made some progress, I'm happy to announce. 

 

It doesn't hurt that it has been cold and snowy all week,
forcing me to stay in...

 

Paper Piecing is not fabric-conserving.  It's hard to resist saving all the little scraps....I have two buckets under my table....1.  Throw Away.  2.  Save (scrappy blocks?)  

I made my S-I-L a scrappy-block quilt 
a few years back...HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd forgotten how time-consuming Paper Piecing is!  😟 
It takes about 20 minutes for each star.

Only 15 ... or so ... to go!

This Month Was Brought to you By ...

The Number 5 and the Letter "E" and the Quarterly Project W1

January's UFOs.

I have so many UFOs that I've joined two UFO groups. See this Post from December 11, 2024 HERE

American Patchwork and Quilting is drawing Numbers and River's Edge is drawing Letters. 

APQ's January Number is 5.  My number 5 was relative easy...a collection of Totes.

River's Edge Letter was E and Quarterly Project, W1.

The last thing on my January list is River's Edge Quarterly Project.  Memory Bears.

 

A dear friend, Terry LaDow, past away a few months ago.  His wife, Peggy, sent me a bunch of his shirts.  I will make memory bears for Peggy, Morgan (daughter) and Madelyn (grand daughter.)

So, there we have it....Our Marching Orders for January, 2025.

In Conclusion

 Can you even believe it is the END of 2024 ??? 

Now that I am "officially" semi-retired* I am looking forward to my 2025 New Year's Resolutions!

*Playing my ukulele
*Sewing
*Gardening
Rinse, Repeat!   You get the idea....

*Looks like I'll still work one day, or so, a week.

Close Enough

 

 

Santa is on his way and I wish I could say that I finished a "whole pile" of hand-made gifts for loved ones near and far...
all wrapped, with a bow on top.

Truth be told, I was making only ONE and even that ONE is not finished!   

 This is where I'm headed...
Bah Humbug Christmas Cat by
Trouble and Boo Designs  HERE .

 

This is where I am..... It's for my baby sister, Joy,
Co-owner of Louie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What slowed me down was making the cat look like Louie.  Spent several evenings trying different methods.  Some people are so talented when it comes to improvising and designing... I would not be one of those people.

It looks perfect in my head....but we will have to call this "Close Enough"
(when it's finished, that is...hopefully by the end of the year... THIS year...)

Thankfully I also bought her favorite candy!

UPDATE:  The Christmas Lou small quilt is done!

The Littlest Little

 ...isn't so Little any more.

In two shakes of a flamingo's tail she is FIVE YEARS OLD!!

The UFO Plan

 

2025 is going to be THE YEAR...
The Year to get my UFO's under control...

...I'll either Finish them or Pass them on to someone who will ....

 

 

I signed up with River's Edge, paid my fee and started the process.

 

 

Step one was to dug all the UFOs out from the closet, drawers and cubbies.

(Is it my imagination, or are there MORE this year than last year??? 
They seem to be multiplying ... like wire hangers in the back of the closet!!!)

 

 

 Lou is amazed....and bored...

 

 

 

Two groups of UFOs ... 40, total.  

So Neat and Tidy! I'm actually excited to get started, I may not wait for January!

A R E A     51

Everything is organized and labeled and ready!!