May Goals and Progress Report

It's been a fairly productive and exciting month here, exciting because I finished all the Doors of Ireland. Yay. Now I can't wait to get started on sewing it together. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's see how I did with the rest of April's goals:

Quilting and Flimsies

1. My top priority for April is to quilt the Rubber Duckies quilt I've been making for some friends' first grandchild, due in May. Complete!

2. Finish the remaining two blocks for the Doors of Ireland quilt. Happily, Complete!

Swaps and Monthly Challenges

3. It's always fun to participate in:

In April, I'd like to make this table runner from Patrick Lose called Sunny Trio: Complete!

4. I'll need to make two blocks for this month's block bee. Complete!

And since I'm the hostess for May, I'll need to choose and make two blocks for next month's bee. Complete!

5. I didn't participate in last month's

and so I haven't seen the block for April. My plan is to participate, but I like to see the block we'll be making first. Let's just call this goal a "maybe". No progress, but it was only a "maybe", and so I'm calling it Complete! anyway.

6. I'll want to catch up with the yellow block for March and whatever color is chosen for April. Complete!

7. I definitely want to at least get it started for this month. It's due at our June meeting. I've decided on an adaptation of this pattern from Esch House Quilts. Complete! 

Recall that the challenge is to use a neutral (fabrics from a range of neutrals), plus one color, plus one zinger (something bright and eye-catching). I didn't expect to finish the whole thing, but it's ready for quilting now. And since it's due in June, this will be on my list of goals for the month.

WIP's

8. I want to make at least four more blocks for Lisa's retirement quilt.  Complete!

9. I'd like to start moving it along a little. It's this quilt called "It's Raining Cats and Dogs". My goal was to make the 2nd block, and I'm happy to say this goal is Complete!

For bonus points, I'll sandwich Dream Machines to be ready for quilting in May. It's a large quilt, and so it'll need to be rolled on boards and thread basted...no small task.

Okay, so I didn't get this finished, partly because I won't be quilting it until July at the earliest. And since I'm not fond of the quilt anyway, I'm needing a little more time to warm up to this task. 

HowEVER, I did make two mug rugs that were not on my list of things to do. This one, for my daughter-in-law's May birthday:

It's called "Mae's Garden". And then this one for my good friend Marei for her April birthday.

Consider this the reveal of the mystery project I posted a few weeks ago. Marei and I have the same mid-arm machine. She calls her machine "Lulu" and so I'm calling this mug rug "I Love Lulu".

And with all of that, what do you think? Should I get Bonus Points for my two substitute projects? We'll need to get a ruling from the judges on this. (Insert video of contestant nervously biting her fingernails.) The judges say YES!!! Ding, ding, ding! Bonus Points have been awarded! Release the celebratory balloons!

(It works out really well when you're both judge and contestant. The joys of blogging never end.) 

So...let's see what's cooking in May.

May is a busy month at the Three Cats Ranch. We have three birthdays and an anniversary to contend with, but I still think there will be plenty of time for sewing. Some of my monthly block projects have already been completed for the month, and so I'll have room for some other things.

Quilting and Flimsies

1. There are two small quilts to be quilted. First, is the "Block Party" quilt for my guild challenge, due in June. (Pictured up above.)

2. With "Block Party" quilt being such a tiny little thing, I'm also going to quilt my "Sunflowers" table runner. (Also pictured up above.) I'd like to have that one finished up and displayed on my breakfast bar.

3. To be sewn into a flimsy this month, the long awaited Doors of Ireland. I have to say I'm pretty darned excited about this one.

Swaps and Monthly Challenges

4. Of course, I always want to participate in

Since I've been avoiding starting any large projects until I get my WIP's whittled down, I've been limiting myself to doll quilts, table runners, wall hangings and the like. This time around, I'd like to make this "Icy Blues" wall hanging...only I think it will be perfect for a winter table runner. I printed this free pattern from All People Quilt quite a long time ago, and I have all the fabrics I need. 

5. I've missed the last two months of

blocklotto.com and so I'm determined to participate this month. WIP's
6. I want to keep up with my one block per week for Lisa's Retirement quilt, and since there are sometimes extra ones created during the month, I'm happy to say I'm 14 blocks in, even though there have only been 12 weeks. For May, I want to make blocks 15-18.

7. I'd like to make the next section for A Quiltmaker's Garden.

8. And I'd like to make two more block sets for Yard Art...a project so long on my WIP list that it's getting embarrassing. A block set consists of one flamingo and one palm tree. If I make two of each, there will be just two of each left before I can start sewing it together. It's a worthy goal.

A Quiltmaker's Garden is a time-consuming project, and so I think that's a good list for the month. However, my list is never complete without a project for

9. For bonus points, I'd like to make the next section of blocks for Mumm's the World. 

That's another project of long-standing, and I'd like to keep it moving along toward completion.

So that's an ambitious list of things to keep me busy during the month, and goodness knows, I need something to keep me out of trouble.

What's on your list for May?