I set off in September with a goal to find a little time each day to do some sewing/quilting. As I've shared before, since I got back into cross-stitch, I've done less and less quilting. Moneik posted a challenge on Facebook for National Sewing Month to sew every day in September. I shared photos on Instagram under the hashtag #30daynationalsewingmonthchallenge. I won't share all the photos here, but instead will focus on those things that I was able to finish this month!
I'll start with the favorite - if you've read my stash report, you already saw the finished top, which was a huge accomplishment for me! As I was putting it together, there was one problem block where the seams were just too short. I made these blocks quite early in my sewing days (2007-8) and should have remade it at the time, but didn't. Luckily, Moneik still had the block designs in a file and sent me the one I needed. I did a little coloring on the template, and then set out to make a new block. I forgot how long paper pieced blocks with 50+ pieces take to make! This was a two night activity, but I am thrilled with the new block and the finished top.
Next up is my Mary Englebreit Hunter's Star - I started this one ages ago too! It is made with a layer cake and jelly roll of By Golly, Be Jolly, an older line of Mary E. fabric. As I was making it, I realized that I do not need another Christmas themed quilt right now, so decided that it will go to a friend for Christmas. She isn't someone I normally exchange gifts with, but I know she will appreciate the quilt, so I am excited to send it off to her in a few months.
The next two items are both going to be sneak peeks, because they are gifts that will be given later in October. Help me remember to come back and show you the full pictures at the end of the month! First up is a baby quilt for a little girl due this fall. In continuation with the theme of working on old stuff, I've had the kit for this quilt for a LONG time - probably around 10 years. The people I make baby quilts for kept having boys, so I haven't had a chance to make a girl quilt. This was sure fun and I am glad to make a kit from my stash.
Last up is my one stitching finish for the month, also a gift that will be given later in the month. Here's the sneak peek and I bet you can figure out what occasion it celebrates. It was a nice and relatively quick stitch, and I am going to finish it into a cube, maybe even this weekend.
I also did some stitching on a wool kit, cut fabrics for another UFO that I will work on at my retreat next week, and loaded another UFO quilt and started quilting it. Overall, my September was incredibly productive and I really enjoyed making the time for some more quilting, even if it did cut into my stitching time.
I thought I'd show you how I do my tracking of what I work on in a month. I have a calendar book that a friend has given me each year for the past 3 or 4 years and I record what I work on each time I sew. Just a quick note to remind me, and then in the bottom corners, I record the time and stash usage. Where there is a little free space in the month (at the top for September), I track my stitching and/or crochet finishes, as I don't track my time for those activities. You can see from all the writing that I did pretty well on the challenge - in the end, I had 25 days of sewing/quilting out of 30 days in September - definitely a success! That resulted in 17 hours in my sewing room, all time well spent.
Hope you had a great crafty September - I am headed off to my retreat on Wednesday, so I will be spending this weekend doing some prep work to make sure I am ready to go. You can follow along with my retreat activities on Instagram @jenquilter, or check in again next month to see what I worked on.
I'll start with the favorite - if you've read my stash report, you already saw the finished top, which was a huge accomplishment for me! As I was putting it together, there was one problem block where the seams were just too short. I made these blocks quite early in my sewing days (2007-8) and should have remade it at the time, but didn't. Luckily, Moneik still had the block designs in a file and sent me the one I needed. I did a little coloring on the template, and then set out to make a new block. I forgot how long paper pieced blocks with 50+ pieces take to make! This was a two night activity, but I am thrilled with the new block and the finished top.
Next up is my Mary Englebreit Hunter's Star - I started this one ages ago too! It is made with a layer cake and jelly roll of By Golly, Be Jolly, an older line of Mary E. fabric. As I was making it, I realized that I do not need another Christmas themed quilt right now, so decided that it will go to a friend for Christmas. She isn't someone I normally exchange gifts with, but I know she will appreciate the quilt, so I am excited to send it off to her in a few months.
The next two items are both going to be sneak peeks, because they are gifts that will be given later in October. Help me remember to come back and show you the full pictures at the end of the month! First up is a baby quilt for a little girl due this fall. In continuation with the theme of working on old stuff, I've had the kit for this quilt for a LONG time - probably around 10 years. The people I make baby quilts for kept having boys, so I haven't had a chance to make a girl quilt. This was sure fun and I am glad to make a kit from my stash.
Last up is my one stitching finish for the month, also a gift that will be given later in the month. Here's the sneak peek and I bet you can figure out what occasion it celebrates. It was a nice and relatively quick stitch, and I am going to finish it into a cube, maybe even this weekend.
I also did some stitching on a wool kit, cut fabrics for another UFO that I will work on at my retreat next week, and loaded another UFO quilt and started quilting it. Overall, my September was incredibly productive and I really enjoyed making the time for some more quilting, even if it did cut into my stitching time.
I thought I'd show you how I do my tracking of what I work on in a month. I have a calendar book that a friend has given me each year for the past 3 or 4 years and I record what I work on each time I sew. Just a quick note to remind me, and then in the bottom corners, I record the time and stash usage. Where there is a little free space in the month (at the top for September), I track my stitching and/or crochet finishes, as I don't track my time for those activities. You can see from all the writing that I did pretty well on the challenge - in the end, I had 25 days of sewing/quilting out of 30 days in September - definitely a success! That resulted in 17 hours in my sewing room, all time well spent.
Hope you had a great crafty September - I am headed off to my retreat on Wednesday, so I will be spending this weekend doing some prep work to make sure I am ready to go. You can follow along with my retreat activities on Instagram @jenquilter, or check in again next month to see what I worked on.
Comments
Just love both your newly finished blue block and the Mary Engelbreit quilt--your friend will be thrilled with her Christmas gift :)
Have a fun on your retreat!