Finish-A-Long Goals Q3

Well, I got a big jump on finishing things last quarter... and then life happened. We got busy. Now it is summer and soon it will be harvest time for the garden. So, things don't look like they are going to slow down anytime soon.

But, here is my list anyway. I don't know how much I can actually accomplish in the next three months, but I will try my best.

1. Spring Quiet Book- Yes, I am aware that it is now mid-July.

2. My Nephew's Baby Quilt- He just turned 2. I have to hurry because soon he won't be the baby anymore and I will have another quilt to make.

3. Doll Bedding- Actually, this is a good one to do this summer while she is home from school. I actually forgot about it until I started this post.

4. Doll Dresses- These won't take that long. I just need to find the time and motivation to actually do it!

5. Drawstring Bags - Again. Not hard. Just need to set aside the time to finish them.

6. Easter Dresses- Yes, I am aware it is now mid-July. I have just one more to go!

7. Scrappy Quilts- I made a lot of progress and then it got pushed aside.

9. More Scrap Quilts- I found more buried in my sewing table. I even finished sewing the tops and basted!

10. And Even More Scrap Quilts- I started these sooooo long ago.

11.Peasant Dresses- I am unsure if we are making these to send overseas this year, but I can always finish them for next year!

11. Hannah's Quilt- I wanted to baste it, but found out my backing isn't big enough. Now I have to figure something else out. Ugh.

So, that is my embarrassing list. I hope I can find time to finish a few of them. I really don't like the guilt that accompanies my uncompleted projects. I am so thankful for the Finish-A-Long hosts for giving me the extra motivation!

Pink Lemonade Bunting and Basket

For my daughter's first birthday party in August 2014, I used a "pink lemonade" theme. I meant to make these pennant banners to decorate, but didn't get done in time. I did finish one for in her bedroom, but there were so many extra triangles left over! That became another unfinished project that I added to my Finish-A-Long goals (see HERE).

Well, now they are finished! I had enough to make one more bunting identical to the one I had already made- I think that will make her room more symmetrical and make me feel better- and I also made a second smaller one.

The smaller pennant banner went in a basket for someone special. She had requested pink and yellow accent colors.

I am still working on the rest of my Finish-A-Long goals for this quarter. I am doing all of the easiest ones first, but at least they are getting done!

Charm Square Quilted Purse

Another finish!!!

I won a charm pack of Summer Breeze II several years ago and I eventually made myself a charm square tote out of it. It isn't perfect, but I like it and it matches our school colors. I had enough charm squares left over to make another one, as long as I used a solid color on the bottom to make it stretch. I pieced the squares and then it sat on the shelf above my sewing table for the last three years. I am so glad to have this one done!

The outside is free motion quilted on batting, the lining is interfaced, and the straps and pockets are made with fusible fleece. It is a nice, sturdy bag.

You can see the difference between the bag being tied at the sides and left open.

 

The pockets inside are my favorite part! They are a bit of extra work, but so great for attempting to keep my purse organized. This one is for my sister, and I think she is going to love it!!!

You can see my list of Finish-A-Long goals for this quarter HERE.

Vintage Sheet Curtains and Sneak Peek at Playhouse Remodel

A few years ago, I traded a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing for a playhouse. Now, the playhouse had been used as a chicken coop, so it was a bit of a fixer-upper. Last summer, my dad came over and helped us did almost everything to fix it up. I had the easy part- some painting, caulk, and now... the decorating.

I got this thrifted sheet a little while ago and it matches the playhouse PERFECTLY- both inside and outside! Really- the colors are spot on!

I turned it into curtains, which is one of the simplest things that you can sew. I procrastinate equally on the difficult and easy projects.

There are cute little yellow ribbon ties, too.

I still want to add something on the ends of the dowels so that they don't slip off the hooks so easily.
Or maybe I will get smaller hooks.
Or maybe I won't bother and just tell the girls to be careful and not bump them too much.
Yeah. Probably the last one.

So that gives a little peek at the inside of the playhouse. Here is a little peek at the outside so you can see the blue that matches the curtains.

When a few more details are done, I will do a full post on the playhouse makeover. 

In the meantime, I am so happy to cross these curtains off of my list of Finish-A-Long goals, which you can see HERE.

Scrappy Squares Doll Quilt

The other day, since I had a few minutes before an appointment, I pulled up Netflix to finish an episode of Fixer Upper and sat down to hand stitch the binding on this doll quilt. Spring sports are upon us, so with the rushing around all of the time, it was awesome to just sit down and relax for a little bit. AND I got another finish done from my Finish-A-Long goals (see HERE). Double win!

I don't know why I procrastinated for so long!

Anyway, I love this little scrappy patchwork quilt. I look at it and see bits and pieces of old projects I have made. From old quilts and my sister's apron...

...to my son's first bedroom curtains when he was only 2. Now he is 16. *sigh*

This was also my first attempt at free motion quilting. It isn't perfect, but it was good practice. I love how it got a great texture when I washed it!

Oh, and not sure if I ever showed this before, but my daughter and I made flannel nightgowns for her and her doll. (They often ask for PJs for their dolls.) This gives a size perspective. The quilt is only 24 inches.

I am really plugging away at these finishes, but I found even more unfinished projects in the process! I am trying to focus on one thing at a time so that I don't get overwhelmed. With practices and games 5 days a week, craft projects should be the last thing stressing me out! It does feel like a weight is lifted each time I finish a project, though. There are several more I completed that will be on the blog next week, so please come back to see them!

Mommy Pig and Piglets

I am really serious about finishing up all of those projects that I blogged about! Right away, I finished that big mommy pig. It just needed more stuffing, a small repair, and a nose. I bought the pattern about 5 or 6 years ago from ikatbag HERE.

Part of the reason that I procrastinated so long on this one was because I wasn't too thrilled about how it was turning out. When I started it, I wanted to do it right that minute. I was trying to make do with the fabrics I had instead of fleece, which the pattern called for. Frustrated, the project I was so anxious to start was unfinished for a very long time. About 6 months later, I found the pink fleece I had bought years ago when I bought the pattern. I would highly recommend using fleece instead of a woven.

Besides the cute, curly tail...

...this pig has some other fun features.

Yes, this mommy pig has a little zipper compartment that holds 6 piglets!  I used scraps of quilting cottons to make the assorted piglets. One is even a runt. Now, these piglets were made about a year and a half ago, so they have been well loved and played with while waiting for their mommy. It was sad, really.

I was so glad to have this one finished, and glad to make a little girl and six piglets very happy.

This is the first finish I have checked off of my list of goals for the second quarter of the finish-a-long.  You can see my goals for this quarter HERE if you want to feel better about your list of incomplete projects. :)

Link Parties where I sometimes hang out...

Sew Can Do, Motivate Me Monday, Inspiration Monday, Take a Look Tuesday, Naptime Creations, The Gathering Spot, Carolyn's Homework, Your Whims Wednesday, ,Create It Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things, Wildly Original, Thriving on Thursday, Grace at Home, The 36th Party, Freedom Fridays, Simple and Sweet Fridays, Craft Frenzy Friday, and Threading Your Way

Finish-A-Long Goals Q2

I am not holding back today. I am a procrastinator. I start things and don't finish them. Then, I start other things and just keep piling on the unfinished projects. My sewing table is in my bedroom- some of those unfinished projects are the first things I see when I go to sleep and when I wake up. There are other stuffed in different areas of my house, too. I feel like a failure for not getting things done and I feel guilty and I feel like I just can't catch up.

So, this time, instead of setting easy goals for the second quarter of the Finish-A-Long, I am going all out! I am being real.

1. Hannah's baby quilt. She will be 3 in August. Maybe I can finish it before then? I am hand quilting it, so it will take awhile. I did get the perle cotton thread I needed.

2. A charm square tote bag. I started this 3 years ago. It has been on the bottom shelf of my sewing table since then. It is in plain sight, but I keep forgetting about it.

3. A doll quilt. I just need to hand stitch the binding on this quilt. I cut the squares about 5 years ago as a leaders and enders project. The top was quilted in February as my first practice at free motion quilting.

4. More doll quilts. They were ironed before the kids got to them. Maybe I will make them into one larger quilt instead.

5. Easter dresses. We are calling them "spring dresses" now. I hope I don't have to change it to "summer dresses." This just needs the lining tacked down, a zipper, and a hem.

6. Elsa dresses. I started these sometime in the last year or so, I think. 3 out of the 5 girls have Elsa dresses. I just need to finish the last two.

7. Chemistry quilt. Here is some fabric I bought to make a simple strip baby quilt for my nephew. He will be 2 this summer. I should probably finish that.

8. Doll bedding. My daughter got a doll bed for Christmas. It took the last one over a year to get her doll bedding finished. Let's hope I can beat that this time!

9. Doll dresses. The top two need hems. The bottom ones have hems but need finished tops.

10. Fleece kittens. I had a "kitten" theme for my daughter's second birthday back in August and wanted to make fleece kittens as favors. I didn't get enough finished. Maybe we can do kittens again for her 3rd birthday.

11. Pink and yellow buntings. I cut too many triangles for the bunting I started for her "pink lemonade" first birthday party. Still haven't finished these. I didn't finish the first one in time for her party, either, but it is hanging in her room.

12. Softball bag. Her sister isn't too happy to be sharing her 31 bag. We do have other bags. Anyway, I got this fabric picked out for her and looked at patterns so far.

13. Spring quiet book. I want to finish this before summer, too.

14. Drawstring bags. I started them for Days for Girls last summer.

15. Peasant dresses. To be fair, I got really sick and couldn't finish these.

16. Playhouse curtains. We traded a chocolate cake for a playhouse that had been used as a chicken coop about 5 or 6 years ago. Last fall, my dad helped us get it fixed up. There are a few more details that need to be finished. I got a vintage sheet for curtains that has the perfect colors!

17. Mommy pig. Last, but not least, I am working on a pig. It has been hiding in my car so my daughter doesn't see it. I even made a special trip for batting right after Easter. This one was started about a year and a half ago when I made the piglets. I bought the pattern (and fleece I ended up not using because I couldn't find it) about 5 or 6 years ago.

There are some more projects I didn't dig out to take pictures of. I am also limiting it to my sewing projects here.

This is really sad. But, I feel like I took a big first step in admitting I have a problem. :) Hello. My name is Lindsay and I am a procrastinator.  I am also starting a Bible study with Proverbs 31 Ministries later this month on "The 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn't Quit."

I am linking up HERE!