The New Year: A Simplified Approach

The internet is full of quilty-temptation that makes it sooo hard to focus on UFO's!
Try as I may,  **QAL resistance is often futile.
This year, however, I am on a strict diet. I aim to finish old projects and limit new ones. The Rainbow Scrap Challenge is my only 'exception' so far, it is a flexible challenge that allows me to create, guilt-free, and satisfies a bit of my sew-along craving.
Very soon, I will play with layout of the Kite Tails blocks I made for RSC2016.

I want need to hit my scraps a bit harder this year, yet avoid new projects. Tricky, but hopefully I can make a few smalls each month to tackle those bins, or perhaps I will just sew them all-together and 'make' fabric for each month, lol.
My 2017 RSC Blocks will be more Courthouse blocks. I only managed to finish eight last year, but I enjoyed making them and they're so cute!

This month, I have three new purple blocks to add to the collection:

Sooo, I have really limited my goals for 2017.
Here is what I would like to accomplish:

*Select one monthly goal as priority for each month. I am leaning toward setting the goal via Instagram, then sharing the finish each month here on the blog.

*Link regularly with RSC2017 and Oh Scrap.

*Cut my stash in half(!). I am considering IG as a platform for this!

*Finish, or otherwise "off" 50% of my UFO's.

*Avoid new projects, with few exceptions: Overdue family quilts(one wedding and two college), items made for profit or gifts, OR, any items I deem absolutely necessary, lol.

*Simplify. My 2017 word. my motto. my simple. ka-peesh.

 

**If you are looking for one place that links to A LOT of current and/or upcoming Quilt Alongs/ BOM, check out this wonderful linkup, hosted by Myra at Busy Hands Quilts!

About that I-Spy...

My blog has been very quiet, right? It's reflective of my holiday season really, the weeks seemed to whisper past. I'm starting the new year with a bit of catch-up, before I can truly embrace 2017 and a quilty goal or two...

I-Spy Cabbage was completed and shipped in time for Christmas, however I missed the OMG Linkup over at Elm Street Quilts! I am so excited that Patty has found a way for people like me to still feel like winner's, lol! This year, she is awarding an entry for goals that do not make the intended finish line.

I hopped onboard Val's I-Spy Charm Swap last year, then added additional 3.5" squares for a 45"x51" finish. The quilt was not planned; I began by making four-patches and came up with a layout from there. Four leftover four-patches are highlighted on the back.

I finished the quilting before I realized I had not put the label on. Just the way I roll lately. Even though I had made one, I ended up writing directly on the light gray area. Terri seemed to like the idea to add all her Grandchildren's names/bd as they come about. So now I need to send her a Pigma...
and what's a Pigma without a zip-pouch? wink wink ;)

 

    TGIFF is at Quokka Quilts this week!     

Dumpling Zip Pouch

Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild members are swapping zip-pouches tomorrow. There were not many guidelines given, only to avoid holiday themes.

The inspiration came from a 7" piece of the rayon/linen fabric, found in the remnant pile at JoAnn's last week. Noticing it's metallic sheen, I immediately thought of the shiny DMC floss I've had stashed for several month's now.

I stitched slowly, carefully, so as not to snag this floss as I worked, yet the stitchery was finished quickly! I chose one of my favorite Kaffe scraps for the inside PoP

This is the smaller-sized Dumpling Tutorial at Michelle Patterns. I had a couple mental complications and received a bit of seam ripper refreshment training, completely removing the zipper after already notching my curves. I could've avoided all that ripping if only there were a way to open the pouch from the inside lol. I think I turned the darn thing inside out and back again five more times than necessary, but I am still so happy with the result!
BTW, the floss is DMC six strand and I used three strands for the over-sized cross-stitch.

 I am sharing this cutie with Elm Street Quilts Bag It Challenge: Only two more days to enter!