May Updates -- just a bit early

It's not quite the end of May, and this post is a few days early, but the remainder of the month is full of dentist appointments, new baby visits (she is adorable!!!) and what are bound to be a million last minute errands before a long weekend away at quilt retreat. I'm not sure how much I will get to post before the end of the month, but I wanted to update you on some progress items for the Month of May.

Of course, I also have a stash reduction plan which officially started on May 1st, and as per normal, priorities constantly change....so here's how it has changed and what we have happening around here....


The goals as stated at the new year are in black, amendments (changes/additions, etc) are in blue, and status is red....

Piecing
1. Captain's Wheel complete and sent to the quilter, due back next week
2. Celtic Wave (Queen) - Piece Along to start in mid-February! top finished on Sunday!!! Back made today. Packed and ready to go to the quilter as soon as I make it to the post office.
3. Flower's for My Wedding Ring - Got all of my fabrics picked, my backgrounds cut out, and am ready to get started with piecing. (No change since last month)
4. Scrappy Trip (80 pairs prepped), 8 blocks finished (no change since last month)
5. Osprey's Nest All done. Pieced, quilted, bound and hanging at Cozy Quilt Shop at the moment. We did not have a chance to do a photo shoot due to the weather, but I promise to do one as soon as I get it back.
6. Hawaiian/Prairie Star - Added in April, I have cut it all out. and I will be taking it on retreat this weekend. So fingers crossed a lot will get accomplished.
7. Fire Island Hosta Queen - Added in April. I have cut this one out as well. I should take it to retreat, but that might mean I get neither done...so we'll have to see.

Quilting
1. Winter Wonderland - on the way back from the quilter (I got the shipping notice on Friday).
2. Glacier Star - this one remains on display for classes, so I have no idea when I will get it to send it to the quilter.
3. Mariner's Compass done. Quilted and bound.
4. Compass Rose - at the quilter
5. Meandering Star - done. 
6. Captain's Wheel - at the quilter
7. Celtic Wave Queen - packed and ready to go
8. Flower's for My Wedding Ring - 
9. Scrappy Trip
10. Osprey's Nest - Done.

Pattern Writing
1. 2014 Block of the Month - starts on January 13th! - Done. started February 13th. whole year worth of patterns have been scheduled!!! Yippee!!! Have you been following along???
2. 5 new patterns for spring market - all done!!! I'll be introing all of the patterns over the next few weeks.
3. 5 new patterns for fall market

Other projects :
1. Amazon Star finished
2. Pepperdish finished
3. Crackers finished
4. Feathered Star Queen finished
5. Project Destash - current total is -34.25

Retreat Plans :
Retreat is this weekend, and we are headed to Temecula (about 25 miles away for 52 hours away from home). 52 hours devoted to sleeping, eating, sewing, and potentially a little relaxing (and possibly some swimming, but we'll see). It's  small group, just 10 or so of us, and I am super excited to just hang out and work on things without needing laundry breaks, and food breaks, and cooking breaks, and shopping breaks. Just me, some projects and a sewing machine.

I've been debating what to take.....I generally like to take a couple of projects. 1 that just needs something quick -- something that can get accomplished quickly (for motivational purposes). I also like to take something that needs hand work -- either a binding or some hexes or some appliqué, or even some cross stitch. Something that I can do on the couch when I am tired of sitting in the same position in the same chair. And then I take a project that I want to power sew on -- usually a big commitment project. I like to have it cut out and bagged, and ready to sew before I leave, so that I can get there and power sew for a couple of hours before everyone gets there.....so that's my "philosophy" on retreat packing....

Which roughly translates to this :
Gabriella's Birth Announcement (hand work)
Giselle (stash buster + 10th anniversary gift + just needs webbing and borders)
Hawaiian Star or Fire Island Hosta -- I guess it will depend on whether I can get these cut out this week....


And now that I have stated my goals for the year, they are bound to change. Market was amazing, the things that I got to see where fantastic, and I didn't even attend in person, just vicariously!!! I'll be demoing some new things, and working on some new things.....if you want to see them more often than I blog, make sure to follow me on Instagram @queeniequilts as I tend to update every day or so (though I must admit there are an awful lot of Penny candids in there......

How are you doing on your quilty goals for the year???

Happy Quilting!!!

Catherine