Getting it together

I have been tired the last couple of days, but I'm feeling better. I got a bit more sttiched on the t-shirt quilt binding.  I have one side almost done.

When I got home from work last evening it was around 46 degrees so I thought I would take a walk around the house. I didn't get very far and saw deer. They were giving me the stink eye so I decided not to disturb them. There were four that I could see.

I received several phone calls and texts from my brother. He has got some sewing projects for me to do. I need to make two covers and some pouches for wireless units. Neither job will be hard. I just don't know how many wireless pouches will be needed. Right now all I was told was a bunch - whatever that means! LOL!! They bought new wireless units and they are smaller so thus they need smaller pouches.  The pouch holds the wireless unit on the guitar strap.

What can I say ...

Last evening after work I was busy and had a list to attack. I only had time for stitching the binding for a few minutes. Not much done, but more than nothing! LOL!

My list

Here are the pictures on the UFO/to do door for 2023

What wasn't on the list was making a pot of white chili. I got to use my new cast iron pot for the first time. I had never made white chili before. I already had a cooked chicken from Sunday so I just had to put everything together.  It tasted pretty good for lunch today. I have enough for meals for the rest of the week.

This and that

I kept busy this weekend and the weekend went so slow which was nice! I did get the placemats finished and gifted. My friend like them.

I decided to use up the scrap binding and little bit of leftover yardage to make myself a couple placemats. I wanted to wash one to see how they would wash up. Here are the finished placemats and the second picture shows how much the one shrunk. Not too bad!

My friend gave me my Xmas presents. Look at this beautiful vintage bowl and the cookie scoops!

The bowl is big! I just love it!

I spent some time working on tote bags. I decided I want to sew together 10 every Sunday morning. That way I won't be pushing before the first show of the season trying to get a bunch made.

I also pressed and topstitched some handles so those will be ready for next week's batch of tote bags. I am using up the partial bobbins of thread I had left from quilting the t-shirt quilt, so it is like killing two birds with one stone - emptying the bobbins and using up those small bits of thread.

I did some cooking, dishes, grocery shopping, laundry, and got the binding on the t-shirt quilt. Next, it's the hand stitching. I am happy with the gray fabric I picked.

Not on the list - what?!

I got a text from a girlfriend, and we are going to meet for lunch this weekend. She has a Xmas present for me. We had dinner before Thanksgiving and gave her presents to her since I knew she could use the one items for Thanksgiving. I gave her a dozen dessert plates which she had mentioned she needed some when we went on one of our road trips. I decided I needed to make her some placemats - this was not on my list of projects for this year, big surprise! LOL!!! Last night I went digging looking for fabric. Someone at work gave me the idea to use fish fabric for one side since she and her significate other go salmon fishing. They also like to travel and have been out West and Alaska. I couldn't find much in the way of fish fabric, but I did find some with deer on them and whales.

The other side will be this Jay McCaroll fabric. The placemats are all ready to be quilted.

I also cut out the binding, stitched it together, and pressed it so it is ready to go. While I was at it I cut the binding for the t-shirt quilt.

My plan is to get the placemats quilted tonight and bind them tomorrow before my friend shows up. The rest of the weekend I will work on the t-shirt quilt. Have a great weekend!

2023 To Do/UFO list

I find that it helps me to take a picture of each item that needs to go on the TO DO/UFO list and tape it to a door. This gives me a visual look and I can quickly survey my progress and decided on my next project quicker than having a list. Here is what my door looks like at the end of 2022. There were lots of things that never made the door like the three vintage quilts I finished, covers I made for my nephew, and the placemats.

Here is what items that I will print pictures and add to the door for this year. Finish the t-shirt quilt

The 2023 Harley Raffle quilt

T-shirt quilt made out of these leftover shirts from my nephew's show in November.

Sew together tote bags

Frame samplers

Finish smalls

Get some quilts made out of all the scraps I cut up in 2021.

I had 15 items on my list last year and 13 this year one being a cushion that I don't have a picture of the fabric to post. I didn't put the alterations on the list and there will be many other items that will get fixed or made throughout 2023, but at least I have the basic plan laid out for 2023. I do still write down each item too and cross it off when it's done. Here is 2022 and 2023

Year end summary

I need to see what I accomplished last year and lay out plans for 2023. I have been keeping track of my buying and using fabric since 2014. In 2022 I bought 55 yards of fabric and used 164 yards. Since 2014 I have bought 1124 yards (YIKES!) and used 1253. That is a lot of fabric! I completed 19 quilts this year. From 2014 thru 2022 I have made at least 171 quilts and made 8 tops which were sent to Vicki for veteran quilts. I wasn't as good about keeping track as I am now so I might have missed a few. Here are the 2022 quilts:

I need to get my to-do list together for 2023.

Where do I start?

It is back to work for me. My time off went very fast. I did get the t-shirt quilt all quilted. I dug thru my stash and came up with two pieces of gray fabric for binding. I am going to use the darker gray.

My neighbor has four pair of pants that need my sewing talents. Nothing hard, but not very interesting either! LOL!

I have some pants for my nephew to alter.

I got the other six placemats finished for a woman at work

I made four more placemats for another woman as her Xmas gift.

Cleaned out my empty spool container for 2022.

I did get a bit more fixed on my denim jacket. I noticed that the corners of the pockets need fixed. Once I do that, I think the jacket will be back to wearing condition.

I'm still working on my list for 2023. I know there are two t-shirt quilts on the list and hopefully I can knock a couple more items off the UFO list. More on this later.