WORD for the Year 2016

Several Quilting Blogs that I have visited this year have committed to "one word".  I have been thinking about how I need to "organize" my home, paperwork and sewing room full of fabric.  However, I believe my word needs to be "FOCUS" on small projects each day over the next 335 days.

I've done amazingly well keeping up with my 365 Quilty Circles and my 2016 Year Long Fabric Challenge.
Yes, I'm a couple of days behind but I've written down a few words each day for the blocks.  I can't write much because the blocks do not allow more than 5 or 6 words and the Month & Day.

Today, I've been working on my Sewing Room.......Opening up bins of fabric.  Yikes!!  One of our Sewing
Group Leaders has sold her home and needs her workshop for storage of furniture while her home is being
built.  Our Sewing Group will be helping to store most of the fabric that she has been storing for our group for the last 4 years.  So, I've been sorting through my bins to see what can be matched for small quilts and quickly sewn up for a child's quilt.  I have many panels and many just need a border and back.  So, I'm off to "FOCUS" on my Organizational Project for today.  Tomorrow, our Sewing Group meets to sort and organize our donated fabrics. 

QOV Blocks Finished

At our last guild meeting in January, I promised Lolita that I would make (2) QOV star blocks.  Lolita pieced two center panels with eagles (one for each quilt).  She volunteered to oversee the making of (2) Quilts of Valor for our guild in 2016.  Over 12 members agreed to make blocks and return them to her at the Feb. Guild meeting.

Each unfinished block measures 8.5"

I Spy Quilt Received

I'm excited to show the "I Spy" quilt that I made for Noah.  He and his brother can enjoy searching for all the different items.  It has 99 blocks.  It was a surprise for Noah and he received it last week, before he turned one.  I even included fabric from his older brother's quilt.

99 Blocks for Noah

Design Wall Monday Jan. 25, 2016

Our snow is melting.......The sun is out and the temperature is up to 46.  I'm caught up through yesterday on  both of my 365 day challenges.

The (24) HST with the circles is called the Quilty 365 Challenge through Quilty Folk.  I have also decided that my 366 squares for 2016 will need to be a 2-sided quilt.

The collection of strips and squares at the bottom is a 2016 Year Long Memory Quilt.  I started out with
nice wide strips but soon discovered I needed to add thin strips and smaller squares or my Memory Quilt would cover our house.

So far, I'm liking both projects and it's a great lesson on "Focus".  I'm hoping to complete both projects by year-end.  I need to Focus daily on the projects right in front of me.  My major project(s) are to organize my sewing room and then my house.  Yikes!!

My husband and I have been watching the "Hoarding" programs on Cable T.V.  We certainly do not want our home to overtake us with "stuff".     

Design Wall Monday 01252016

Check out what is being created on this sunny Monday by linking up with Patchwork Times.com

Our area received 5.5 inches of snow

We are not venturing out much, just out the backdoor to take the dog out and to clear off the steps and take a few pictures.  Here's what I have taken.  My husband plans to take some wide angle shots this morning.

Neighbor's bush covered and hint of blue sky

Hint of blue sky makes a better contrast-taken 01-23-2016

Snow on Saturday; Jan.23, 2016

Hopefully, I can get some sewing done if I can quit looking out the windows.  Obviously, it doesn't snow too much in this part of Tennessee.  I love being able to "just stay home" and look out the windows. 

It's Snowing

Whenever it snows in middle Tennessee, it is a big thing!!  The schools close but many people still need to get to work.  Thankfully, we are retired and we don't have to go any place.  We can finally just sit and look out the windows.  Where we live, it started snowing this morning about 8:30. 

The first picture was taken looking out at our backyard, about 10:00 a.m.

 The second picture was taken about 11:40 a.m.

It's now about 12:45 p.m. and it's still snowing.  The lawns are now covered and the street and sidewalks have disappeared.  It only looks delightful because we don't have to go anywhere.

Now, I need to get busy and accomplish at least one sewing project. 

Design Wall Monday

Amazing...I'm actually posting on Monday morning.  I continue to work on my 365 Quilty Circles and have "sewn" 9 blocks across.  Yesterday, I wasn't sure how wide I wanted the quilt. The HST finish at 4" square.
If I have calculated correctly, I'm planning to have 12 blocks across (48") and 15 blocks down (60"), which will be 180 blocks on the front and 180 blocks on the back.  Since 2016 is a Leap Year, I'll need to be creative on how to use the remaining 6 blocks. I have plenty of time to figure that out.

365 Quilty Circles and 2016 Year Long Challenge

 
The reason I want to begin sewing them together is that I'm afraid I will lose them in my sewing room which needs to be organized.  I've also been sewing the labels on my quilts.  I have (4) labels remaining to sew on  quilts.  I'm sure I have more quilts hiding that need labels.

See what other quilters have been doing this past week!  Link up at: Patchwork Times.com