I'm busting with motivation!

Yesterday was the first day of the return of the Sit n Sew days! What an exciting day. In addition to that grand event, something very exciting happened and I get to share that with you today!

Last evening, I fell asleep on the couch and when I awoke hours later, I was revved to go and went to the studio to do some work. Oh boy - I'm revved up and what I'm going to do - well that will be shared with you this coming week. It's all about organizing as I was looking for something and I was determined to find it. However, I had to finally go back to bed, not finding what I was looking for. Read on to see what happened...............

First, I should mention that in the last couple of days, I finished a couple of customer quilts. I think you saw the purple one, well, I finished one more for the same customer. And funny the binding was also in the bag for this quilt. I guess that meant, she wanted me to sew it on.

Customer quilt - DONE!

Before the ladies came yesterday, this is what the project tables looked like. There were only two people coming so two tables were cleared. But wait - none of that stuff at the end of the table is mine! It all belonged to Ronda! - who was coming to sew and it was time to get it out of my house!

Ronda's stuff at my house!

Before they came, I had a border that had to be cut, pinned and sewed on a very large quilt. So having those work tables free was very handy. I was able to make quick work of that project despite the fact that I had to join a piece onto one of the border strips because I used the wrong one in one place. I don't know  - it was so long ago - about two years that I worked on this project, I couldn't remember what I had done. The reason that one makes notes to one's self or don't abandon the project!

Easy to apply the border when there is lots of room!

 So Ronda and Helen-Anne arrived and it was time to get down to work. I got the binding sewn on one of Ronda's quilts. Just one side as she will hand stitch the other side.

Binding number one - done!

Binding number two - done!

 I was going to keep on going to get a binding done for myself but decided to do something different.

I needed backing for two quilts and found this brand new bolt of fabric in the bolt stash! This was bought years ago!

Bolt of fabric for backings

 And what did I work on?  That would be the Half Log Cabin quilts which are part of the UFO list for 2017.  I had to cut and sew on those two borders.  Bottom line - DONE!

Half log cabin quilt top - DONE!

I also made the binding and the backing and this one is ready for the long arm! As far as I'm concerned, this is DONE!

My UFO - DONE!

 The second top - the one that I worked on all year or so it seemed was done, but it needed a binding and backing.

2nd half log cabin quilt top - DONE!

 And the binding and the backing are now done for this one as well. And it's also ready for the long arm. This item is crossed OFF the UFO list for 2017! The Task Master is updated as well.

2nd log cabin quilt/top/binding/backing - DONE

 Here's the book that I used to make both of them. It's by Sharyn Craig. Bought the book years ago.

The Ultimate Half Log Cabin Book by Sharyn Craig

 And I still have lots of fabric left on that bolt for more backings.

Leftovers for another backing!

This is what I have leftover over of the original fabric. I was going to make one scrappy backing from all the bits but decided to throw this all in my stash and use the yardage. There wasn't enough leftover to make even one backing. So the yardage option was way faster and neater!

Leftover fabric - now in the appropriate stash bin

 I forgot to show you the border on that big quilt I was working on. It's called Amish with a Twist II. I got the first of three borders on. I had the squares that make up the second border, but where the heck is the third border? I checked in all the boxes - nothing. And remember, this was on my UFO list, so I thought I had sorted out everything at the beginning of the year. Apparently not!

Border number one - DONE

 Where could this be? If it were only one fabric, I could understand that it got misplaced, but there were three fabrics for that border. Hmmm - this is why I couldn't sleep as I searched through a lot of stuff to try and find it. It wasn't to be found anywhere. But when I went to sleep, my brain was still processing information. When I woke, it came immediately to mind where the missing box of fabric was. Sure enough, I looked there and VOILA - the missing fabric for the last border!

Missing project box

It was because of this discovery and the search to get there that has precipitated the next move in organizing downstairs. I'm super excited about it, but today is Monday Motivators and that is going to be a super day in itself!

I don't have time for a recap of what's left on that UFO list, but a tad too many for my liking. I spent some more time last night looking for one more project and there was one that I didn't know what it was. Anyway - I'll recap later this week or maybe next week and see what still needs to be done for the year. I'm MOTIVATED to get this list done. I won't get everything done as I still have paperwork to do this week, but there is the week between Christmas and New Years. Never mind that I have seven quilts for magazines to be done! Four of them are small, two are partially made and one still has to be designed - but I know what I'm going to do!

So what did Helen Anne and Ronda get done? It was a super productive day for them as well. Helen Anne was working on a pattern by Laundry Basket quilts - Common Bride. She is making these blocks which are extremely time-consuming.

Helen Anne's blocks for Common Brider

 Especially since she is piecing them by HAND!!! 

Piecing them by hand!!!

 Helen Anne has a common thread in everything she does. Lots and lots of little pieces! But her work is always amazing.

Ronda was working on her PRISM squared quilt for which she had borrowed a ruler from me, but NOT the missing ruler. She got all the wedges together and the outer border (cut, sewn together and then sewn on!). It's stunning. This picture doesn't do justice to the brilliance of the colors.

PRISM squared

It was a super day and I was so excited to get back into this great event. There are Sit n Sew days in Jan - April, but they are FULL.  I'm still trying to get in touch with two people (Liz and Marlene - please e-mail me as I can't get your e-mails to work!).

A huge thanks to Helen Anne and Ronda for keeping me motivated all day. And a HUGE thanks for all the technology discussions. I need more days with these two as I learned a LOT. Of course, they cost me a LOT of money last night as well, but I'll tell you about that later.

And I'm getting back into hiking (thanks to Helen Anne for that!).  Can't wait for the first really nice day to get out on the trails!  I've got two goals - one for hiking and one for biking for 2018 and there's no time like NOW to start the training!

On that note, I'm out of here!  I've got a busy week and a busy day!

Have a great day!

Ciao!!!!