FINISH!

Last year I saw post about people choosing a word for the year.  I didn't think much of it till the end of 2015 when I started thinking about my goals and new year's resolutions for 2016.  Way back when...... I made a list and posted it of projects that I NEEDED to complete within the year.  I've added to the post as I've worked on some projects, but I didn't finish my list.

This year, 2016, my goal is to track my FINISHED projects.  I don't want to know how many unfinished projects I have.  It's too depressing.  I want to know what I have accomplished and FINISHED!!!!!

So, I sat down on Monday afternoon and made myself a FINISH 2016 Journal.  In this book I plan to record my activities and my finished projects!   Wish me luck!

I fused some Sharpie dyed fabric to a heavy stabilizer (Fast 2 Fuse, I think) and did a few lines of decorative stitching including the journal title; FINISH 2016.   I fused a light hand dyed fabric for the inside of the journal cover. I used a wide and short zig zag stitch to finish the edges.  I think I stitched around 3 times total.

I used two sets of 5 sheets of printer paper, folded in half for the journal pages.  I hand stitched the pages in place.

My first FINISH of 2016 is a scrappy Quarter Log Cabin Quilt.

I started it last year in the hope of whittling down some of my scraps.  My goal was to get rid of all my "printed" fabrics and just concentrate on batiks and hand dyes in the future.  The problem with this goal is that I always need to purchase more fabric to finish a project and then will have leftovers. The border and binding of my quilt is a lovely red print. When I see something I can use for a backing/binding, I'll purchase 9-12 meters.   I have about a meter left.....I'll try to remember to post when I use up the last bits of this fabric!

In all truth, I got bored!  I got bored making the blocks.  I did have plans for a much bigger quilt and imagined some really funky arrangement.

In the end, I ran out of block making steam and what you see is what I got.  I felt that this arrangement needed to be put on point.  For some reason I like floating my quilt blocks on a background/border.  These side setting triangles and the 4" border were quick and easy.  I only  made one mistake.  Do you see it?  Not unpicking and not fixing!

I quilted this yesterday on the Handi Quilter Avante at the Wonderfil Threaducation Centre. I used one of our new Pantographs that I ordered from Urban Elementz.  I had fun stitching this panto.  I think it was the perfect blend with the border/backing fabric.

The quilt measure 74" square.  The borders were trimmed to measure 4" finished.  Does anyone else sew bigger borders onto their quilts and plan to trim down a bit?

I am lying a bit here......have you  noticed in the pictures that I have't stitched the binding yet?   I wanted to get something posted as early as possible this morning.  I am off now to do that binding.

Can I call this my first FINISH for 2016?