End of year finish

End of year finish

Well it is a few days until the end of the year and what a year it has been.  This year has been one of the best yet.  I think one of the biggest changes in this past year has been discovering I am good at quilting, well mostly free motion quilting.  I am still working on everything else but I love the quilting part.  

Before I go into my finish for my last link up of the year I wanted to talk about the goals that I've been working on for the next year.  I am hoping for big things this coming year so I had to be super specific in how I would accomplish them.  I feel that this year I can actually accomplish them. In general they are what most peoples goals are, lose weight, eat better, pray more, and to not worry. 

 Losing weight is my biggest one for this year.  I am joining Weight Watchers (again) next week.  Hopefully this will help the food aspect.  In my last couple of posts I spoke about Cross fit.  I love Cross fit but my husband injured his shoulder so we are taking a leave and going back to our former gym.  I am also going to start running in the morning before H wakes up.  Next year I am going to be adding more posts about new recipes, workouts and my progress on my weight loss and my quilting.  I am hoping to lose enough weight to my satisfaction so that I can have another baby.  I know, I know why lose weight to put it back on but oh well.

Finishes....finally. Well I have been busy this last part of the year.  When I last left you I was working on a centerpiece for my aunt and boy what a beauty.  I got the pattern from the winter issue of Love of quilting.  Pretty easy pattern and I love the different shape! 

Everything is ironed on. 

Close up of designs

Finished product.

Appliqued shapes.

Back side.  Love those hearts!

Such a fun project and she loved it! The current quilt that I am working on is one of my own creation.  I wanted to make a quilt or rather a wall hanging for a dear friend that is currently in and out of the hospital.  I wanted something for her to remember that she is loved and needed by her son and family. 

Piecing is complete.  Loving the choices of colors. 

Appliquéd pieces on the quilt and quilt is ready to be basted. 

Trying out different stitching designs around the applique.
For the filler I am sing Star flower flow.  Such a fun design!

Next week this quilt should be finished and in the arms of my friend.  Hope every one has a fun and safe new year! So excited for next year! 

See you next year,

Holly

Busy!

Busy!

Has a month really gone by since I last blogged?!? What happened to the time? I find myself saying that a lot lately, especially since my daughter is turning two tomorrow.  How time flies! 

November was a busy month, obviously.  In my last post I was getting ready to run a 5k.  My goal was to be faster than my time last year.  This time I ran it in 36.  I felt pretty good and hopefully next year I can run it even faster! 

I also joined a cross fit gym and boy what a workout.  I am sore everyday but I can see changes in my body and my strength.  I am very thankful and blessed that we have family nearby because they are always willing to watch my daughter.  

So onto quilting.  In this month I have been working on a couple of things.  The first is the quilt/wall hanging for my husbands grandmother.  I have made her a couple of country themed wall hangings and it wasn't really her style.  I hope now I nailed it.  

Close up of light area.

Echoed lines complete the look for this spiral. 

I love quilting concentric circles! 

All three designs.

One of the main things that I learned with this quilt was that outlining an area doesn't always necessarily work.  I had a lot less puckers in this quilt since I didn't outline.  

Finished product!

I enjoyed quilting this quilt.  It took about three weeks and was finished the afternoon of her birthday! Talk about cutting it close.

One of my projects that I was supposed to finish in November was the place mats for Thanksgiving.  I wasn't able to finish these and hopefully will have them made for next year.  Nothing like a WIP for the rest of the year.

This week I am working on a fun table center mat for my aunt. 

 

This will be finished hopefully tonight after I run to Joann's for some more thread.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Until next time, 

Holly

Out with the old and in with the new!

Welcome November

I know it is repetitive but where did the month go?  Feels like once the cold air hits, my days are in fast forward mode.  Or perhaps this is because my daughter is approaching her second birthday and the terrible twos are already making their appearance. 

With November comes new goals.  Fitness and quilting.  I am so excited! Tomorrow I am running in a 5k. Last year my time was close to 39 minutes.  I am hoping with the weight that I have lost I can get closer to 35 minutes or better.  I also won a free month membership to a cross fit gym.  I am hoping this will get the last 35 pounds off so I can maybe have another baby.  How sad is that, losing weight to have another baby.  Well that and to get healthier! ;)

This week has been full of finishing projects yay! 

I finished making the forest animals quilt for my husbands cousins new baby. Whew! This was a good finish especially since they think the baby could be here any day.

Close up of quilting.

Back of the quilt.

Whole shot of the quilt.

Most of the quilt was left puffy and after washing it, it was so soft and cuddly! Perfect for a new baby!

I have also been working on a demo place mat for Thanksgiving.  I got the pattern from the fall edition of the Quilting Celebrations.  Cute and pretty easy pattern to follow.  But, what a pain in the neck the thread I got was.  I wanted to use a gold metallic.  What a mistake! I broke 5 needles and spent one night having to fight with it.  I am going to go back to Joann's and see if I can find a better thread that won't cause me to spaz out!  Depending on whether or not there is a better gold thread.  I have at least one finished.  Only 19 more to go. 

Before real quilting and headache! 

Applique leaves and acorn.

Some free motion quilting.

Back of the quilt.

Darn gold thread. 

All squared up.  All it needs is binding. 

I am also working on a Halloween wall hanging.  Unfortunately this was not finished by Halloween but  I plan on finishing it this week so I can tuck it away for a surprise gift for someone next year.  I'll post pictures of this next week! 

Until next time,

Holly

Linking up to:

Crazy mom quilts

 FMQ Friday

Confessions of a fabric addict

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Blogger's Quilt Festival: Worst Fears Made Beautiful

This is my entry for the Bloggers Quilt Festival!

When I first started free motion quilting last December I knew that I wanted to design my own quilt.  This is the result of those thoughts. 

First step was drawing it out on a large scale.  I don't know why I was so drawn to the spiral look, it was so appealing to me at the time.

The second step I did was to design the background.  I wanted to incorporate some of my favorite free motion quilting designs that I had been practicing. These are pictured below. 

My idea of ocean currents.  Idea I got from Leah Day. 

Stippling in between the designs. 

Fun circles! These are one of my favorites to do!

My version of Mctavishing. 

Background of quilt complete.  These funky designs worked well together! 

    After the background of the quilt was complete the fun of working on each of the separate parts of the trapplique piece.  I did a different design for each of the sections.  This was a time consuming effort but it was well worth it!                                               

Satin stitching down the pieces. 

Pre-binding shot.  With all the quilting on this quilt I did have a difficult time with making it 100% square. 

Close up design. 

Overall this was a fun quilt to do.  I entered it into the state fair and won third place.  Even though it wasn't a first prize winner, I am very proud of it! Right now it is on our couch until I get a quilt hanger. 

Looking into the near future I am going to be making a quilt similar but perhaps a smaller size for my dear friend.

If you like my entry please go to Amy's Creative Side and vote for my quilt! 

Thanks in advance and please feel free to leave a comment! 

Until next time,

Holly

Completed costumes

Finally Finished!

Today is the day! Yay!! I finally finished my sister and her husbands turtle costumes.  This was quite the experience especially since I have never created any type of clothing.   Hopefully my measurements are correct and I won't have to alter the costume much.  Another obstacle that I found with this project was not having a pattern.  In my quilts I prefer to not use patterns but with this I had to get creative.  

Large pattern for turtle shell.

Quilted turtle shell tops. 

First turtle shell completed. 

Front of turtle shells.

Close up of front. 

Side views of costumes.

 On my fitness to do list this week: 

*Tomorrow I am going to be attending a Mommy and baby yoga class.  I am pretty nervous about this since I have never been to an actual class other than in my own house.  

*I am continuing to try and train for the 5k that I am running in the beginning of November.  Hopefully all this running will help the remaining baby weight melt off so I can hopefully start off the new year on the right track.  

Quilting to do list:

* Finish the baby quilt top so that I can work on the binding this weekend. 

*Finish at least 3 place mats.  

*Cut out material for the spooky wall hanging. 

Hope you all have a great Monday!

Holly

Fun times ahead

Fun times ahead

As we embark on the holidays I get so excited for the changes in our surroundings.  The crisp air, the changing of the leaves, and the excitement when my 22 month old experiences things for perhaps the first time.  I have been taking a lot of fall pictures in hope of getting inspired to create my "masterpiece" for next years state fair.  I would like to try my hand at a whole cloth painted piece with a fall theme.  I get so excited just telling you about it.

Any who back to reality and this week.  This week I have been working on my baby quilt panel and halloween accessories.  I had hoped to be further along in this quilt but sometimes I over extend myself and forget how much attention other things take over my quilting.  Hopefully this coming week I will have the rest of the quilt top quilted and ready for binding.  

I didn't have a chance to work on my placemats this week, but hopefully that project is next up after this baby quilt.  I did however get to finish my husbands Mickey feet.  I am definitely not experienced in costume making but wanted to take a stab at making these fun things.  I think they turned out great.  Especially since they are for only one night.  

I am onto work on my sister and brother-in-laws turtle costumes.  Hope these are pretty quick and painless.  Hopefully I'll get to post soon about the end product.  

Until next time.

Holly

Eye on the sky

Eye on the sky!

This week has been another one for the books.  I turned 32 today, YAY! I am excited about this can you tell! This is going to be my best year yet, I just know it.  We also had the opportunity to visit the International Balloon Fiesta yesterday.  So much fun! Living here all my life I never truly appreciated this yearly event until I had my daughter.  She brings so much more life to everything!

Shot of some of the inflated balloons.

Three bees! 

 Even though the balloons didn't go up due to wind, many of them inflated and gave quite a show.  As far as quilting this week I have had a very productive week.  I finished and delivered the baby quilt that I spoke of in my last post.

Finished quilt.

The back of the quilt. 

I also pieced, sandwiched and started quilting my next baby quilt.




This quilt will not have as much quilting since it is all flannel.  I thought I would outline everything to make the shapes pop and quilt the main areas and border.  Hopefully this quilt will only take a week or two.

I am also working on homemade place mats for Thanksgiving.  I need 20 and I have one ready to be quilted.  Oh dear!

Working on these projects, taking care of baby and training for 5K runs are keeping my evenings very busy! Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Until next time! 

 Holly