100 Blocks, 1 Million Tears

Sometimes being a newbie in this quilty world is a challenge. Most of the posts I see on blogs, Instagram, Facebook look nearly perfect all the time. Beautifully pressed fabric, perfect fabric selections and combinations, and professional looking pictures. It is hard not to compare what is happening in my sewing room to what I see others create. And in my sewing room it is definitely not perfection. I'm still learning. Try, fail, try, fail, try, fail. It is okay with me, but sometimes I do feel discouraged.

Today's example involves sewing 6.5" strips onto the edges of my 100 Days 100 Blocks Tula Pink City Sampler. Easy, right? Not for this gal. You would think making 100 6.5" blocks in 100 days would be the hard part. Nope, not for me. The boarder sashing really is giving me a run for my money.

Being that it is New Year's Eve, I'm going to try and keep my glass half full. Despite my frustration, mistakes always provide lessons!!! My sashing was bunching. A little google search informed me that I needed measure the sashing to the exact length of the quilt, pin, and then sew (not just sew a big strip with the intent of cutting off the excess like I did at first). I wanted to do this right so I removed all four boarders to start again. Try #1 with an exactly measured and pinned sashing piece was another fail. I sewed on the block side vs. the sashing side and I guess the seams stretched and the sashing ended up too short. Try #2 used a lot of pins and sewed on the sash side vs. the block side. Still not as perfect as I would like but I think it will do!!! 

And what do you know, they are all on now and it looks pretty darn good. My goal for New Year's Day is to baste it so I can start quilting on Monday. The 100 Blocks Finished deadline will be here soon. Happy New Year!!!

Quilty Dreams for 2017

I started quilting in early 2016 (total newbie!!!) so I completely missed purchasing the 2016 Quilter's Planner. Thankfully this summer I was lucky enough to win one for 2017 as part of the 2016 New Quilt Bloggers Sewcial Network hosted by Yvonne AKA Quilting Jet Girl and graciously donated by Stephanie AKA Late Night Quilter owner of The Quilter's Planner. I was so excited to win and grateful for such an amazing prize!

My planner arrived a few weeks ago but I haven't had much time to look at it since I am feverishly working to finish up holiday gifts for my family and friends. Still, I can’t help thinking ahead to what I will sew in the new year. Thankfully Yvonne AKA Quilting Jet Girl is hosting the 2017 Planning Party, which gave me one more excuse to dream a little more deliberately!

As a new quilter I really have one goal: keep making and learn as I go. I really just want to piece, quilt, and connect with and be inspired by other makers. There just isn't enough time and I admittedly overcommitted to quilt alongs and samplers in 2016. I vowed to be less of a joiner in 2017. But I'm already on board with more than I probably should be. And it's okay, I'll do as much as I can manage and have fun as I go!

I just signed up for The Bee Hive Quilts hosted by Alyce of Blossom Heart Quilts. This is my first ever sewing bee/swap. It just seemed like a fun way to ease into exchanging blocks with other quilters and the choice of blocks was just irresistible. I'm just now meeting my swarm and I think it is going to be a lot of fun!

And speaking of Blossom Heart Quilts, she also just announced her 2017 Sampler Quilt Along and it involves paper piecing, which I absolutely I love!!! So I might just need to do that one too. 

And Molli Sparkles is hosting The Honey Pot Bee where a group of wonderfully talented makers will be Queens and help people like me, a Princess, discover block tutorials and patterns. Molli said everyone gets a tiara, so I'm definitely in!

And last, but certainly not least, the 52 Weeks with the Quilter's Planner hosted by Gnome Angel. After completing the 100 Days 100 Blocks she hosted I'm hoping I can handle one block per week. And have you seen the blocks in the Quilter's Planner. They look amazing!

If that wasn't enough to keep me busy for awhile, my Mom has a birthday coming up and of course I want to make a quilt for her. And I want to continue and finish my 100 Days 100 Blocks Quilt. And finish the Summer Sampler. And keep sewing on my Modern Makers Club blocks. Along with a few (dozen) other quilts I have started, dreamed of starting, bought fabric for, etc. And I'm sure there are a bazillion other things I have yet to discover that I want to do. I am not even going to mention the dress/skirt/pants patterns I have and want to try. There will NEVER be enough time, but at least I will always have something to keep me busy!

And one more goal. I want to blog more. Maybe throw my name in for the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers? Guess we'll see....

What are your creative plans for 2017? I'd love to hear about them. Thanks for stopping by!