Quilting Priorities for July

Every month I set quilting priorities for that month. These include classes I'm teaching or taking that need prep, retreats, quilts I need to work on for a trunkshow - you know those kind of things.

For many months, the priorities have been all about the KC Regional Quilt Festival. I taught eight classes and they all went really well. I met some new quilters, and got to visit with old friends.

Now that Festival is over, I get to pull out some UFOs, work on some class samples, and even start some new quilts.

So here is my priorities list for July:

 - Enroll quilters in my Log Cabin Sampler QAL and send fabric requirements

- Go to the KC Maker's 5th Birthday party and see my friend Eileen Urbanek's trunk show

- Sew binding on to 3 quilts

- Arrange to have 3 quilts quilted

- Work on Tuscan Vintage class sample

- Start 2 new 3-D/Opical Illusion quilts

- Pull out 1 old UFO and get 'er done

- Add 3 patterns to my Etsy shop

- Add pictures of all my Judy Niemeyer quilts to my website gallery

I find setting a focus for the month really helps - I have quilting ADD and could easily get lost and end up getting nothing accomplished. 

How do you decide what to work on? Are you determined to finish a quilt before starting another? Do you have BOM quilts or Round Robin projects every month that need your attention? I'd love to hear your strategies.

Curious to know how you stay focused

  

Hello 2021 - Quilting and Camping

 I'm Back!

I haven't written a blog post since August 2019. Holy Cow, what a year its been. 2020 is the year of the awful "P" - Politics, Pandemic, and the Passing of my sweet husband Saul.

Quilting was one of the main activities that helped me survive. It has been my life line - creating, making, and friendship with my quilting buddies (virtually in most cases).

So, now like most of my quilty friends, I shop for fabric on-line, attend quilt guild meetings by Zoom, and have plenty of time to finish up quilts and even start a few new ones.

About this time of year, I usually contemplate the past year and develop some quilting goals for the next year. Actually much of this year is a fog. A fog made up of Saul's illness and temporary entry into an assisted living facility, our separation due to Covid, his passing and my grief and loneliness. I'm beginning to emerge from that fog.  

I guess if I had to sum up 2020 in terms of quilting it would be "Finish It Up" and "What do I do now?" What am I going to do now that I have lost the person I most wanted to show my quilts to.  I also lost my part time teaching job at Mea Bernina, which closed its orange doors for good due to tough economic times experienced by many small businesses during the shutdowns caused by Covid.  The country has lost over 300,000 people as of now and a vaccine has just been released. 

The country and I have lost a lot, but we've also gained some things - time with the people who are in our bubble, a slower pace of life, an appreciation of the things we are missing and may have taken for granted.  Personally I have gained an amount of freedom that I have never had in my life before. So with this new freedom, I've been concentrating on finishing up some quilts.

So now my future is basically open to me and my question is "What do I do now?"

I'm going to take some time to figure that out, but I know it will involve quilting, designing quilts, teaching quilting, taking quilting
workshops and going on retreats. 

I've also experimented with camping in my new little trailer Trudy. My sewing machine comes with me and I sew on picnic tables in campgrounds - so far in Kansas, Indiana, and Texas.

So 2021 will be filled with Quilting and Camping. Specifics to be determined.

Curious about my life without Saul . . .

2019 Quilting Goals

Gosh, can a whole year have passed by so quickly? Zoom, Zoom!

Any new goals obviously (for me) require a revisiting of last years goals to see how I did. I wouldn't want to have to put the same goals on my list because I made no progress!

I had 5 goals and I am pleased that I made pretty good progress on all of them.
1. Use my rotation system - check!
2. Blog every other week - check! Sometimes every week, sometimes once a month. But I'm OK with that.
3. Prepare a trunk show - check! In fact, I've presented it at one guild and have 2 more scheduled.
4. Publish Kansas Goes Modern - Check! It's available on my Etsy Shop.
5. Design and make 2 quilts for my 50 Quilts from 50 States Project - Check! Kansas done and Missouri almost done.


OK not too bad - I wish I had done this well on my other resolutions and goals.






Ok, now for 2019 goals. Some of my previous goals I am dropping because they are habits by now and don't need to be on a goal list. Others are repeating because they really work for me. A few are minor things that may pay off big in term of reducing my quilting frustration level. A few are longer term goals that I want to start on now. So here goes . . .

1.  Prepare 2 more trunk shows.
2.  Prepare 3 workshops.
3.  Get 5 more gigs lined up for 2019.
4.  Trim my threads immediately after sewing. (I really shouldn't need this as a goal, but what can I say, I've gotten lazy about trimming threads).
5.  Design the BOM for KVQG 2019-2020.
6. Explore Artist In Residence programs.
7.  Design and publish 3 more 50/50 quilts.
8.  Get 3 old UFOs done.
9.  Start ball rolling and make contacts to be a teacher at the 2021 Kansas City Regional Quilt Festival.
10.  Start ball rolling and make contacts to be a teacher on a quilt cruise by 2022.


I'm curious about your quilting goals. Share in the comments. I'd love to know what you are doing this year.

Can a Quilter and Fabric Collector Be a Minimalist?

Outside of the quilting studio I am working on major decluttering - I'm not quite to minimalism, but that is my eventual goal. Bringing nothing new into the house except for those things really needed.  Decluttering room by room and donating and selling as much as I can.  I envision a space that is open, clear, comfortable. Neat and tidy and easy to care for. I see me spending time with family and friends, sewing and having fun; not spending time organizing and cleaning stuff.  You can't really organize your stuff, you just have to get rid of it. 

The Living Room is there. Family Room and Kitchen are at about 75%. Bedroom about 95%.  Office needs some work - about 40%.

Then I go down to my quilting studio. 


Most days it is in a state of minor chaos even though I have the intention of tidying up after every project change. I am lucky that I have lots of space to spread out and can still work with a little chaos.



I have fabric that I bought because it was pretty, but don't know what to do with it. I have over 100 started and asking to be started projects. I have patterns and books. I have thread. I have notions. I have buttons and ribbons. Yarn. Loom. Spinning Wheel. Stuff. And I love my studio stuff. But I don't come close to using it all.


How do I balance my desire to have a well-stocked studio and a neat and stuff-less home?  I can easily clear out my books and closet, but I'm just not there yet with my fabric, patterns, and crafting stuff.


I don't want to waste time organizing stuff I don't need or really want. I may not always have the luxury of such a large and comfortable studio space. I need to get it under control. Just because I have the room for it now, doesn't mean I should keep it all, right?

I've got lots of routines, storage bins, and lists. I also have too much stuff. So I guess I have to bite the bullet and get rid of stuff I don't use, patterns I'll never make, fabric that I don't like anymore. 






OK, so I pledge to use the "Organize" spot on my rotation to actually identify things to get rid of.  Ideally I would like to reduce my stash by about one third. It's not going to be easy, since I downsized when I moved here 4 years ago - of course I have upsized some fabric and patterns since then.


Here's my plan of battle:
1. Books
2. Patterns
3. Fabric
4. Knitting Stuff
5. Cross Stitch Stuff
6. Miscellaneous Stuff

Maybe a crafter's garage sale is in my future.
I can do this! Who wants to do it with me?

Kansas Goes Modern - A Technique Quilt

Last year I had the privilege of designing the BOM for the Kaw Valley Quilters Guild. Our guild offers a BOM every year and I had always wanted to write a pattern  . . . so I volunteered. Occasionally I like to challenge myself, and man oh man, this was a challenge.

I don't remember when and how the idea came to me, but I wanted to do a quilt with Kansas named blocks.  These blocks usually have a  traditional feel, which is not really my style. So, I decided to give them a bit of a twist by using modern fabric - Grunge by Moda -  and a non-traditional layout. Hence the name - Kansas Goes Modern (KGM).


I also wanted to learn a little more about the quilting history of my adopted state of Kansas. I am not a quilt historian, but it was fun to learn about the history of each of the blocks. Much of the information came from Barbara Brackman, a member of our guild and a nationally known quilt historian.

Since I get really enjoyment from learning and teaching, I decided to throw some interesting and varied techniques into KGM. So I included pieced blocks, English Paper Pieced blocks, foundation paper pieced blocks, and applique blocks. 


So, the blocks - all with Kansas in the name:
     Kansas Star
     Kansas Troubles
     Kansas Dugout
     Kansas Beauty
     Kansas Twister
     Kansas Dust Storm
     Rocky Road to Kansas
     Kansas Sunflower
     Hearth and Home's Kansas 

After getting it all assembled, I asked the wonderfully talented Sandra Morgan-Cockrum to quilt KGM. She did a terrific job with lots of custom designs, ruler work, and swirls.

Now, after releasing one block a month and three months of assembly instructions, I am putting everything together in a pattern that will be available for purchase in the next few months (one of my goals for 2018). I am so excited about this. I have to get some good pictures taken and put the finishing touches on the pattern - but I'm almost there!

My next steps are to take KGM on the road as a workshop or series of classes. So, if you are interested in making KGM in class, please let me know. Hopefully it will be coming to a shop or guild near you!

Curious about Kansas quilt blocks? Check out Kansas Goes Modern!

Quilting Goals for 2018

I looked back to see if I wrote about my goals for 2017. I couldn't find anything. I did write about the new BOMs that were tempting me. Want an update? 

Overbrook Sister Sampler BOM - almost up to date.

Halo Medallion - completed up through month 3.

Down the Rabbit Hole - completed through month 2 but put away (for awhile, maybe forever).

Murder Mystery - I still don't know who dunnit, but I've completed through month 3.

Perpetually Hexie - Haven't even started. But I have all the papers!
Not a great completion rate, but I AM a BEGINNING QUILTER - I love to start projects. I'm at 80% for starting - pretty decent!

So, In an attempt to get some accountability with my goals, I figured I'd let you all know what they are - that way, when you see me you can support (embarrass) me by asking how I'm progressing on whatever project.

So, here they are - my possibly non-realistic 2018 goals.
1. Work on my quilts in accordance with my rotational system - don't skip stuff! Try to get through the entire rotation each month.

2. Post a blog post every other week - unless my friends tell me they want more. I'd also love to see more of your comments on the blog. So, if you've read this far, please send me a comment in the comment box below.

3. Prepare a trunk show and workshop for local/regional guild programs.

4. Publish my pattern for Kansas Goes Modern.

5. Design and make 2 quilts from my 50 Quilts From 50 States series.

That will keep me busy for sure. Perhaps I should do an update several times throughout the year. Oh, and please ask me how I'm progressing when you see me!

Keeping It Curious in 2018!