Full Circle: A Quilty365 Nearly Finished!

What a wonderful journey this! I remember making the very first dots and wondering if I would really be able to keep up with Audrey's Quilty365 Challenge for a full year...

well, yes, I have a (near)finish, and it was fun!
I found I could keep up well if I kept 20 rings (prepared) ahead, then each day I was able to select fabric for the centers. About once per week, I could sit at my machine and finish the circles in a jiffy.

Quilting the panels individually allowed me to plan a larger finish, and I was able to get right to work on the quilting.

To avoid an over-whelming UFO, I even assembled panels as I went.

I also chose the Label-As-You-Go method too.

Here we are nearing the half-way mark, I am definitely smitten.

All that is left is the trimming and binding. I may go with a wide binding but we'll see:)

I wonder if the big layout-error has leapt out at anyone yet? I definitely would have preferred the panels pieced correctly, but I can only shrug and remind myself this quilt is all about character, lol. It will definitely be well-loved come winter.

This was the plan, but somehow, between the floor and the machine, I inverted the panels in that last quarter-panel..

FULL CIRCLE STATS:
Start Date: November 30, 2015
Finish Date: TBA! I finished the last blocks in December 2016.
Completed size: 84" x 94"
Completed weight: 5.5 lbs.
Construction method: Quilt-As-You-Go
Number of Panels: 13
Block construction: 6 minute circles (technique demonstrated in my heart-shaped applique tutorial)
Number & size of blocks: 360 Blocks; finished at 4.5" each
Fabric: From my stash ;)
Backing: Heavy muslin from a bolt I have been hoarding!
Batting: Hobbs Cotton/Poly
Quilting: Utility-stitch (non-uniform, straight-line stitch with walking foot), with heavy quilting thread from Coats & Clark -- another great stash-buster!
Hand-quilting:  Big-Stitch with Perle Cotton #12
Label: I have written directly on the backside of each panel, bits about that month, the fabrics selected and some major events.
Residual-finishes:
A large pillow made with center circles when I was about 3 months in:

More recently, blocks are emerging from my small HST's, sewn as leader's and ender's from the corners that were clipped after each circle sewn..

The center leftovers added a couple hundred or so 1.5" squares to add to my collection.

I keep an ever-growing stash of 1.5", 2", 2.5", 5" squares as well as a bunch of large triangles, and have been inspired recently to begin a medallion with all these "pre-cut scraps". It all began with the friendship stars, but now the center has developed from last month's Aurifil Designer block of the month, designed by Melissa Corry. I added the little pointy ends to her 12" block.

I am working on more Friendship Stars and just staggering around the low volume blocks for now. I'm considering some applique with this one, but we'll see where it all goes!

Thank you so much Audrey, for this wonderful project, I have really been looking forward to this finish-linkup! I'll be sharing with all the other's this week at Quilty Folk!

Everything comes Full Circle,

And every circle has no end,

Endings are where we all begin,

And beginnings where it all ends.

-Circle of Light, by Nivek

November Progress: OMG, Oh Scrap, and Quilty365

I have completed my November goal, to finish machine-quilt Panel #12. It brought me through the election, the constitutional block near the bottom-right..
One of these is from the kitchen curtain fabric I used in 1985, lol...

Oh, those Eighties,
Here is my memory still stored on a shelf:

I am still really enjoying the fabric selection process, finding things to represent daily life events.
41 more dots are required to complete my 366 blocks, and I will use those as border blocks. I have about 20 half-assembled, so I am only a bit behind:)

I have stalled completely with the big-stitch quilting though, stuck on Panel #11, right here with RSC-inspired Roses.

The last circle I quilted was here under one of the debate nights,

I have been sewing in short intervals. A little of this, and a little of that. I try to do a couple lines of quilting on my I-Spy quilt each day,

 And I trim a few of these Quilty365 centers now and then:

I do really like having the Martelli cutter, it switches the pressure points being stressed. The clasp is awkward, but I am getting used to it. Also, it is harder to keep clean since the lint gathers under the protective plastic, then suddenly poops a greasy pile on my precious.
I keep a Q-Tip nearby to catch those before they release.

Really, I have to avoid cutting though, and that means I've set aside my Kite Tails blocks. I will make one more soon, but for now all 23 are piled in their box. I have been referring to the project as BYOT; Bring Your Own Toppings.

These are indoor cell-shots, but to give you an idea of the whole!

I snapped a photo of some really good books I have been spending time with lately:

The top book was a gift from my sister a couple years ago, I highly recommend it. It is so informative, and can tell you how to deal with any odd-looking veggie you may be tempted to bring home from market, or new-to-you fruit your neighbor leaves at your doorstep. It seems to cover everything. I recently roasted green chili's, and yellow ones too, for the freezer. Those have prompted me to pull my Sante Fe cookbook.

Last week I made potion lotion, prompted by those two books in the middle.

I didn't have enough almond oil and opted for some olive oil mixed in. The almond oil is less greasy, but olive is good for dry skin and I did not want to use my yummy coconut oil since I am almost out of granola. Next, I selected these three essential oils from their descriptions in the books:

It was all pretty easy to do. I followed directions in the 2nd book, on library loan, to heat the oil, melting the beeswax, then emulsify with water. I really like the lotion, so I thought I would share this!

Thank you for catching up with me today, I am looking forward to seeing what everyone is up to!

Cynthia, at Oh Scrap!

And, Scrap-Happpy Saturday!

Audrey, at QuiltyFolk

OMG: November Finishes

November Goals: OMG!

Surprise, Surprise!
One Monthly Goal has moved locations!
The new home is with Patty, at Elm Street Quilts!

Click the new button to check out the Welcome Page!

 Isn't it cute?

So...
This means I get to link-up with a goal of my own, at the November Linkup!
I aim to piece & sandwich this panel (#12) for my Daily Dot quilt. I am using QAYG method for the QAL hosted by Audrey at Quilty Folk. These dots represent September 16th - October 20th, so I am a bit behind. I am due to stitch block #366 on November 29th. 

I hope you will join me over at Patty's place for monthly goal-setting!
Cotton Cuts has generously offered a one month subscription, fabric bundle!
Something like the one I received this month...

ooo-la-la!

Thank you all for your wonderful comments! I am still very limited with computer use and I regret that I will remain a "no-reply-to-your-comment-blogger" for awhile longer. Meanwhile, I ordered the Martelli Ergo Cutter as a way to change up muscle-use when I am cutting future quilts.
I can hardly wait to see how she handles.
Has anyone tried it?

I found this photo, and a review at Quilter's Review

Drawing Winners for August!

Much too fast, I know, but the weekend is over folks! I hope yours was good like mine! I am back at my PC this morning, and ready to announce the winners from our August OMG Linkup!

Because I am not able to blog as often as I would like, I am including a quick status report this morning as well, for Quilty365:
Today, I am beginning the count down: 
84 days left!

These are my first four dots for September. Roses in red, pink, gold, to kick off RSC September. The S&K to remember a lovely visit this weekend, from friends we have not seen in 10+ years, who live in Mexico now! Days 278, 279, 280, and 281. These will go about halfway into Panel #11.

Meanwhile, I am slowly making progress with the hand-quilting on Panel #8. I like to select colors and thread about six needles at a time.

Winners were drawn at last for the August OMG Giveaways! This month, we have a winner who linked from a blog, one from the Flickr Group, and one from Instagram! I am still new to IG, and I am thankful for participants like Becky who are helping me learn the ropes! Check out #onemonthlygoal to find other OMG participants on Instagram. If you post with IG using the hashtag, please use @redletterquilts so I can find you and your project!

Winners were drawn by Random.org:

Congratulations to Quilts by Lisa , the winner of the Sandi Henderson bundle of Fat Eighths from my Etsy Shop:

Congratulations to Libby in TN, who blogs at Life on the Hill, winner of the $25 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop! Daily Flash Sale, Click HERE!

Congratulations to @BeckyinWA, the winner of $20 credit at Bag Maker Supply!

Check out the new bag kits Bagmaker has put together.  I am drooling.

Many are for use with SWOON Bag of the Month Patterns.

This kit pictured is for use with the Boronia pattern by Blue Calla:

 

YUM

Thank you to our fabulous sponsors!


Have you selected One Quilty Goal for September?
Please join this month's Goal-setting Linky , open now through Wednesday. 

New to OMG? Read all about One Monthly Goal!

Quilty365: Still Circling After 250 Days!

And the Dots continue!
I am celebrating this Saturday with Dot #251!
No, nothing all that special about 251; just trying to celebrate each and every day of this journey.
I am writing quickly this morning, to catch the link-up over at QuiltyFolk, where Audrey is hosting this fun QAL: Quilty365!

I had trouble making up my mind and ended up with two Fourth of July dots...

It was quite a party after all.

At the end of July, I am left behind on the quilting,

All three of these panels (7th, 8th, and 9th) are prepared for big-stitching. It has been pretty warm around here and I suppose that is my excuse. Seems I need to plan a couple movie nights.

These will connect to complete the third quarter-panel of this beast.

I am keeping up with the daily dot creations and feeling pretty good about that. I love the texture of this quilt and look forward to using it this winter!

A bit of a cool-off this weekend following some lovely lovely rain two days ago. I hope it is nice in your neighborhood too.
I am off for a morning walk while I can.
Or, I could wake DH for a bit of G-Sale'n.
Always fun to poke the bear...

The Glass is Half Full: Quilty365 Report

Monday marked my 183rd Day of Quilty365, the half-way-finished-point of my daily circle-making experience that is consuming a large chunk of  serving as a journal of 2016. It is all down-hill from here, right?

This is the first time I have used the Quilt As You Go method to make a large quilt, and I love that it allows me to work on different stages at the same time. On the sofa, or on the go, I have the hand-quilting to do, while dots continue to multiply on my design wall. I am just a week or so behind with new dots, but have continued to prepare outer rings so catching up will be easy.

How nice to be organized enough to join the linkup this month and share progress with Audrey, our project Ringleader over at Quilty Folk ! I wonder now, that she did not ask us to sign a waiver of sanity before attempting Quilty365. Anyhoo, I will be heading over to check everyone's progress, and temperament..
My quilt is now large enough to sleep with a cot...

Or, take to the amphitheater!
I managed to piece the two Quarter-panels (6 QAYG panels) together over the holiday weekend.
We're at 41" x 82"!

There are 162 circles joined, so not quite halfway with this plan. To use all 366 squares, I will need to add one or two rows as a border with the circles I make in October. 

Aaah, looks like I am having a quilty moment ;)