Hi from Pat Sloan!!

Hi all you FABULOUS Calendar Quilt makers!!!

I just added a section for Calendar Quilt chatter at my forum. Come on over and keep each other motivated. You can subscribe to that topic so you get an email whenever anyone posts. A great way to ask for fabrics, suggestions on how to keep going.. etc.

I must tell you, as I hope this helps someone, the FIRST time (yes FIRST TIME) I tried to do this I only did 6 months.

So it's ok.. it's ok if you are not up to date as we can get you back on track.. OR.. you can continue right into next year.

Here is my BIGGEST suggestion. START OVER TODAY.. DO TODAY, not yesterday, not July, but today.. go forward. And you will be motivated to fill in the gaps.. which may happen in Jan or Feb or March.. but you can do it!

Here is the direct link to the topic at my forum QuiltMashup. Register, then sign in to post.. see you there!!
http://quiltmashup.com/index.php/board,50.0.html

August Finished

It's a little hard to see, but on the yellow strip at the top is embroidered the month of August.
Fabrics from my scraps and some fat 1/4's i've finally cut into.

I've now joined Jan, Feb, March in one long strip and April, May, June into another long strip. Of course July is above August. Now to start thinking about sashings, borders etc, hmmmmm. I'm looking forward to having this quilt top done.

It's exciting seeing how others are putting their months together also.

Here is my update!

My August block!

*insert crickets chirping*

*insert crickets chirping*

so how is everyone doing on their challenge???

inquring minds want to know!!!

everyone give us an update!!!

even if you are still on march's block!!!

also...for our no blogger team members:

check out sew many pieces.

if you have thought about creating a blog but didn't want the hassle,

or thought you might not write enough to make it worthwhile,

then you are welcome to join them.

you don't have to know anything at all about blogging, they'll help you out!!!

they are taking new members,

just send them an e-mail if you would like to join the group!!!

email: projectwisdomkeepers{at}yahoo{dot}com

A Little Spark

My calendar quilt has been on the back burner for the past four months, being snubbed for other projects, but I got a glimpse of a friend's quilt strips and got sparked to sit and catch mine up. I think I was getting bored with the long straight strip sets that I did for the first four months, so for the second four months I changed it up with diagonal cut squares for each week. Luckily I was throwing strips in a basket from projects that I was working on during these months so I could document them in this quilt (otherwise, it would have been very difficult to remember what I was doing at the time). I have more detailed info. on the fabrics I used, and close ups of some of the blocks here on my blog for anyone who is interested.

I always get sparked to start new things in January (when this was starting), and I usually get a little boost of energy in the fall with 'back to school' time. I know that I will have valleys during the year when I get behind on BOM projects ~ and sometimes I put them away all together for some time in the future. That's ok with me, I know a little spark will come eventually and I will always have some project in the wings just waiting for me to add a little more to it :)

Enjoy the day!
~ Dawn

An Untimely Choice I Made Now Undone!

At the beginning of this year (was it really 8 months ago--yes it was 8 months ago to the day no less!) I had made the decision that I was finally going to get my butt in gear and start making all the quilts that I see so many others make and I was going to be as good at it as my mother and grandmother were. I was all gung ho about making the 3 different quilts I was starting. I was working on them diligently.... and then.... well..... the excuses started... the time ran short... the patterns wouldn't cooperate... the people were supportive and I never looked back to see how many complaints I got about my block being the wrong size... I never went back to finish the "Make it up as you go along" quilt.... I got through the first couple of months of the calendar quilt and...... well there hasn't been anymore done on it or any other quilt. I look around at all the blogs that I started following (YES, I do still lurk and read them, just not daily as I did before) and I see these absolutely beautiful quilts that have been completed by so many. I see crafts and ideas and organization coming out the wazoo! Yet I haven't seemed to be able to take any of the ideas, the creativity, the organization and do anything with any of it! So I have discovered that I made an UNTIMELY Decision back in January. I have realized (and should have realized this 8 months ago) that I don't have the discipline, determination or dexterious skills to handle one let alone three quilts at this time, nor any time in the near future.

I have some baby blankets--as I refuse to call them quilts as I cannot quilt and no longer claim to even be able to piece them together--to make for my 3 grandchildren and one precious child that I call my adopted grandchild, Forrest, that doesn't have any grandparents that live close to him. I will be putting fabric together or sandwiching batting between fabric in the attempt to make these blankets; but I refuse to call them quilts. Others may, but I will not.

In the event that my life finally finds a point in time where I can slow down long enough to focus, concentrate, and become disciplined enough to complete projects; then I may once again take up the endeavors of learning to quilt. To all of you that have been a part of my brief quilting existence and hopefully an even longer blog life yet to come, I thank you for using the blogosphere as a means of support for those of us that can't do what you do, being there giving your ideas freely, sharing your creativity, allowing us in on your organizational hints, and for allowing us to view a glimpse of the lives of true quilters. I will continue, if allowed, to follow your blogs and your daily triumphs and occassional defeats. To those of you that have become true quilters...my hat is off to you and I profess my adoration for your skills.
Shelly from Shell's Specialty of the Day

JUNE'S

This is for June.

Really hard to find time to concentrate on this challenge and I owe few more to complete. This time I had more stash on earth shades and mixed and match to get this combination. Month of June had really 'stay-put' me down more to reality of life.....

July!

With a bit of a beach and ocean theme...

July Completed

Firstly, thankyou for the lovely and encouraging comments. I can't believe I still have a few days left of July and here is my calendar block.

The fabrics for July are from my lovely lovely neighbour who lives about 10km (6 miles) away. I asked her if she would like to swap some scraps for fat's and two days later she deposited a packet of strips in my mailbox.

Hopefully I can stay more on track for this second half of the year.

Half Way

So here we are half way through the year and I've managed to keep up, yipee!
*
Here is my month of June . . . all fabrics have been won on ebay over a period of time.


April, May and June all together. Of course I'll be joining them vertically to form the second column of my quilt.


Not only have I finished sewing the first six months, but I've gone back and embroidered the name of each month on the first days. Just as well, I needed to think for a short moment which was which month for a couple.

To be really on top of things, I've also sewn the strips together for July. Like the month of April (fabrics from BFF Kerry) and June (fabrics from ebay), the fabrics for July are not from my stash. Once I've embroidered 'July' . . . I'll show and tell.

*

It's so exciting to see the months laid out to form half a quilt top, I'm very pleased with it so far. Hope everyone else is having some sewing time.

I "MAY" Get Caught Up!

Okay, so I can't dazzle you with my impressive time management skills, so you'll just have to put up with weak puns.

My MAY block is finally finished. It really only took an afternoon, but I had procrastinated because all of my scraps are were in one paper bag and it was a pain in the patoot to dig through for only purples (or yellows or whatever other color theme I thought I was doing).

After pulling out clean coffee cans, shoe boxes and empty licorice buckets (mmmmm...) I separated my scraps into color families. We'll see how long that lasts; one paper bag takes up much less space! (Okay, I'll probably get some sort of stacking storage or something - this is too useful to abandon.)

So, anyway here it is. Approx. 6½" wide and 17½" long. No telling when June will be completed, but at least there's hope!

ETA: I seem to have chopped off the bottom of the block in the picture... there really ARE 31 fabrics in it!

winner alert!!!

congrats go to stacey!!!

she's the winner of my boy oh boy charm pack!!!

all ketchup'd

just wanted to let you know that i took advantage of pat's weekend shindig and got all caught up, now i have no more fabric. so some nice people offered to send me some scraps, when they arrive, i can continue on my calendar journey, you guys are great, thanks for letting me quilt along!!
oh, these are my april, may, and june months up until june 24th. i am all caught up with a couple days to spare!!

Ketchup Weekend!!

LOTS of ketchups!

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1101169@N24/pool/

Be sure you load a photo of your calendar quilt (or other project) that you are 'ketching up' on.....

don't miss out!

Pat Sloan
website - http://www.PatSloan.com
Blog - http://patsloan.typepad.com