I know, I know I’m already doing the FMQ challenge and a 2012 UFO Challenge.  Do I really need another challenge?   I think I do.   It’s important to have balance in your life, right?   So I’ll be working to learn a new skill and to finish projects I’ve already started with the first 2 challenges.

The 2012 NewFO Challenge is about starting new projects.  Who doesn’t love to start a new project?  And since I need to balance out all that project finishing I’m going to do,  I have to join this one.

We’re just starting our adoption journey and with any luck we’ll have a baby in the next 12 to 18 months if not sooner.  That means I need to work on some baby projects this year so there’s several of those on my list for the 2012 FO Challenge.

1.  Doodle Bugs Quilt (picture from Kariepatch.com, kit is available)***

Kariepatch.com's Doodle Bugs quilt

2.  Oyler Baby Quilt –  I don’t have a picture of my sketch yet, I’ll post it later.  It’s inspired by a star quilt I saw online, but can’t remember where.    It’s going to be yellow, green, denim and khaki which I think will keep it gender neutral.

3.  Baby Blankets – these are using some quilting flannel I picked up on Black Friday.   Just simple, quick recieving blankets, no real pattern. – DONE!
4.  Miss Mimi BOM applique (picture from One piece at a time, center block available for purchase) ****

One Piece at a Time's Miss Mimi

5.  Diaper Bag – I’m still picking the pattern for this one, but I’m thinking I’ll go with black and white prints and lime  green accents. – DONE!!
6.  Paw Paw tshirt quilt for DH – this quilt will be a memory quilt for my dh using his Dad’s tshirts
7.  Paw Paw tshirt quilt for Connor – memory quilt for my nephew using Paw Paw’s tshirts
8.  Ghastlies Quilt by Aldiza – I soooo want to make this! ***

Aldiza's Coffin Quilt

9.  Burp Cloths and Bibs – Burp Cloths DONE!!!  probably going to pass on the bibs till after Baby is here.
10.  Flannel Squares quilt using Adoring Fabric – This one’s all your fault Barbara.***

11.  Sew Cuddly Blanket – a girly minkee blanket kit that I really just need to actually do something with!
12.  MSU Rag Quilt ***

***Note – since I haven’t made these projects yet, I don’t have pictures of them.   I have linked to the source for all pictures.  Clicking on the name of the project will take you to the source of the picture and the project.   From there you can either purchase the pattern, find a link to the store,  or find instructions.   Any future pictures of these projects will be my own.

Thanks for stopping  by!    I’m getting so excited for 2012!!!

Some years I head into the holidays full of excitement and joy, invigorated by the busyness of the season, undaunted by all the tasks to be done, full of giggles as I bake and shop and wrap.   This isn’t one of those years.

2011 was a horrible year for us.    There’s been health issues on both sides of the family.  And there’s been terrible loss.   Right now all of us are still grieving and doing our best to hold on to what we have.

You know what that is?   Hope   and each other.

So for the next few days, we’re going to spend time together, eat way more food than we should, love each other a lot, maybe cry a bit, but most of all, we’re going to be thankful that we’re here, right now, in this minute , together.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and that you have loved ones to share it with.   Merry Christmas.

Here’s my list of projects for the UFO challenge that Judy’s hosting.  2 of them are quilts that I’ve picked the pattern, bought the fabric  years ago and just never started.  I really want to get to them this year, so I included them on this list.  Another project lounging in my fabric closet is the Diamonds quilt.  It’s going to be a King sized quilt and I just can’t seem to get started on it.   I broke it into 4 chunks to make it more manageable.

1. Simply Silly –quilt top completed, needs to be quilted
2. Fun Flowers – quilt top completed, needs to be quilted
3. Lilac Hill Throw –  blocks completed, need to complete top and quilt
4. Denim Quilt –  finish blocks and complete top
5. Dress Shirt quilt –  Shirt blocks cut, need to pick contrast fabric and complete top
6. Postage stamp quilt – sew blocks together and complete top
7. Diamonds Quilt for MBR -  complete 1/3 of blocks
8. Diamonds Quilt for MBR – complete 1/3 of blocks
9. Diamonds Quilt for MBR- complete 1/3 of blocks
10. Diamonds Quilt for MBR – complete quilt top
11. Swing Patch with GA fabric – finally make this quilt and get the materials out of my stash!
12. Sunny All-Around - finally make this quilt and get the materials out of my stash!

Bring on 2012!   I’m ready to get started!

I really had the best of intentions with my goals.   I was not going to start another project without finishing one on my list first.   Then I saw Bonnie’s Orca Bay Mystery Quilt.  I was able to resist until the first step was posted.  QST’s.   I’ve never made QST’s before.   I took it as a sign that I needed to do this mystery because of course I need that skill in my quilting arsenal right?  I ‘ve decided to start out doing only a third of each step.  As I have time I’ll go back and add in more blocks for each step and ultimately I think I’ll make a smaller quilt than the mystery calls for.   So I’ve got 75 QST’s done!  Yeah!!!

Step 2 is 3.5″ strip blocks – again I’m only doing a third of the blocks called for in order to keep up with each step.   So I’ve got 24 of these done.  YEAH!!!!

Step 3 is posted now – HSTs – so hopefully I’ll have a  third of those done before next friday when the next step is posted.

Over Thanksgiving, I picked up my travel project (the star quilt) and realized that I’ve made quite a bit of progress but haven’t posted any pictures.   I’m almost done with the center star.  I just have to finish the outer yellow row, then I’ll start working on the legs of the star.     I think it’s coming together pretty well for my first hand project.

And my dh’s t-shirt quilt just needs to be quilted.   I’m going to get some batting this weekend and hopefully will work on quilting this one next week.

I really need to finish this one so hubby can enjoy it.   It’s next I promise!