New Blog

update your blog readers....here's my new blog, hopefully you can read it.

The Quilting Pirate

http://thequiltingpirate.wordpress.com

Sewing and more sewing....

I've been sick all weekend....very sick, I think I slept about 16 hours just on Sunday. But I'm starting to feel a little better.

I dug out an UFO that was in my "weekender" pile (I've broken my UFO's down for easier completion) and it worked....I finished a quick top yesterday. I honestly have no clue or desire to keep or who to give this too, but at least it's off my UFO list and on my Just Tops list now.


And this morning I "whipped" up my challenge block for the shop, can you guess which fabric was the challenge? I've had this for 4 weeks, so it was about time I did it.

Next up is my Winter Swap quilt, which should be done by end of week.

Stay tune, Manic Mondays are back and will be posted later today with 3 offerings!

Take the Challenge

If you took my challenge from this post, please comment here so I can put all your names into the drawing for a prize. I have picked out some fabric and some notions for you to add to your stash.

I'll be posting the winner and starting a New Manic Monday Offering this coming Monday. Preparing my 2008 UFO list has added several new Manic Monday Offerings! It looks like I might kick start off this year with 3 offerings!

Have a good weekend!

My Challenge Answers

I hope to see many of your own answers to my challenge. But for now here are mine:


1. I have 2 slide shows, one to show off my completed projects and second one to prove I do make large quilt tops - - just don't like the quilting part.

First slide show is 27 completed projects in 2007 - meaning they are done with binding and 60% of them were given to someone else.



Second slide show is to show off I do make tops, but don't like the quilting part - so, I end up with many completed tops. One of my goals this year is to get them all quilted. Keep in mind, I do have several other tops from before 2007 that also need to be quilted.



2. My UFO list is still long - I blame working at a quilting shop. I don't count completed tops as UFO's, because I plan to send them out to be quilted. I hope to cut this list down to 15 UFO's within the next month, right now my list is well over 50.
~ 16 tops to be quilted
~ Sunflower Quilt for my bed - still working on the "name"
~ Tara's Baby Quilt
~ Dear Jane - ongoing project, figuring another 2 years to fully complete-hoping to complete at least the blocks this year
~ Circled by Pirates - for me
~ The Dread Pirate Roberts Quilt - for my son
~ Stars Around the Garden
~ Beachy-Tiki Quilt
~ Quilt Pink Tops - probably 3 before February, so shop can quilt and donate
~ Christmas Presents Quilt
~ Yellow Brick Road Christmas
~ Coffee Cups
~ Batik Block Kit
.....need to finish going through my UFO excel spreadsheet and update

3. My 2008 Goals:
~ officially have a sewing studio set up
~ get quilted my tops previously done before 2008 - 16 total
~ keep a month goal list and accomplish at least 70% of it
~ visit 2 quilt shows
~ visit 10 new quilt shops (where ever I may travel)
~ finish a queen size quilt for my bed
~ do a quilting retreat

Curiosity and a Challenge for you....

I'm in the process of reviewing all my hard quilty work in 2007 and I'm curious how hard did you work?

So, I'm offering free stuff to one lucky winner. Here's the challenge:

Starting TOMORROW create a blog post with the following:

1. Go to flickr.com or photobucket.com and create a slide show of all the completed items (quilting related) you have done THIS past year. Or where ever you can create a place to show off all your projects - I think a slide show would be the best.
2. Then in the same post share your list of UFO's you are starting 2008 off with.
3. Lastly, add your yearly goals for 2008.
4. Be sure to comment in my blog that you have done this - I don't read everyone's blog daily and I might miss your entry.

I will be offering a special winning to one lucky participant, I'm not sure what it is yet - but it will involve fabric and notions of some kind. I'll raffle everyone's name (who has posted ALL the above info) in a hat and my daughter will pick a winner next Sunday (January 6th) evening. So, get make sure you have your post in before then.

If you read my live journal community as well, this winning is separate from that one and so you can enter there and here.

Next week, January 7th, I'll be starting my Manic Monday Offerings again (and announce the last winners).

I'm off to do mine now and will post it later today.

Quilty Stuff!!

First a very BIG HUGE thank you to my SSCS partner....who ever she may be in the Netherlands....still no clue who it is. This is what she made just for me:





And I have been sewing a little bit and completed 2 more runners - better late than never and I'll have these in the mail next week.




So, would my SSCS, please step forward and let me know who you are? Thank you again for the beautiful gifts - they will be used!!

Seasons Greetings....

from my family to yours...

Micheal, Brianna, Allen and Kendra

Mail stuff....

I keep meaning to and forget, so doing it now before I forget AGAIN! :D

First, a few weeks ago I received a wonderful package from my Secret Santa Christmas Swap - I have NO CLUE who it is (they didn't put in a card), and I haven't opened the gifts yet...once I do I'll share pictures and hopefully my sender! :D

Second, thank you Ms. Celtic Knots (aka Cathi), I received my little package of goodies and love them both! The key chain went right to work holding my van key and the charm I plan to wear!

Third, out of the total blue today a friend from LJ land sent a gift - it was a fun calendar - but I so needed the special attention today after all the stress I had and still await the arrival of my sister and her kids. (read this to learn more)

Forth, Ms. Sharon surprised me with a card and tea!

So, thank you all for sending the wonderful surprises. They have all arrived at the perfect time I needed them too!

Pictures will be coming....I know you all love pictures!

I'm still around....

but haven't had time to read up on blogs and other favorite internet spots. While I'm missing all the good and wonderful things everyone is doing, I'm taking care of December stuff.

I have sewn several holiday gifts and a few birthday ones as well. Planning on basting 2 quilts to hopefully have quilted by end of next week - both are lap size and gifts for my sister and niece (who arrive hopefully here next Wednesday).

I can't share quilty pictures yet, mainly because they are gifts, but I have some other holiday pictures to share. . .

My new Pirate Santa given to me by a friend:


My youngest prepared for her holiday choir concert:


Off to work, though looking forward to 2 days off this weekend - it's been a while and I'm behind on my normal household duties.

Life is moving at a crazy speed....

yah for holidays and self imposed expectations.....le sigh.

Anywho, I'm way behind on reading blogs...need to downsize seriously.

I'm behind on taking care of this blog as well...Manic Mondays and mailings behind as well....

I'll catch up, just need some down time....soon...maybe this weekend, of course after I have put up decorations, done cards, finish holiday sewing, shopping....oh wait cleaning because my sister and nieces will be coming as well.....