Cotton and Chocolate - class 1 - Mariner's Compass

So, this past Saturday we started a six month series for Mariner's Compass at Cotton and Chocolate in Thousand Oaks, CA. 

It was great to see a group of returning students, and some new faces.

We were very busy picking colors, and working on the Compass Flower blocks....

We had a huge variety of fabrics and color combos, and I am super excited to see how these will turn out!

Vicky's glacial blues....

Linda's lovely lavendar's

Monique's black and whites...

Debbie's --- they reminded me of corn, and certified instructor Jodi Madsen who was in my CI class

Wendy's are Asian inspired

Who wants a little Christmas? Judy does

And Lauren used a beautiful verigated.....

All amazing interpretations of this fantastic pattern. Can't wait till next month!

See you soon....

Catherine

Captain's Wheel Work-A-Long Week #8

The year is in full swing, and it seems like Christmas was eons ago, rather than just a few weeks, Work work is busy, and quilting work is busy, my schedule is packed, and I am loving it!!!! There is always something about a busy schedule that keeps me going! Perhaps it's the "no time to dwell on it" or the "gotta get to the next thing" -- or maybe it's just the overall pace, who knows??? 

I managed to get tons of stuff does this past week, which was really nice. I completed by reorganization of all of the closets. I did a complete reorganization of my calendars and got some new pens and stickers to keep my motivated (yes, I am five, and probably should have been a first grade teacher, I love stickers!!!). I managed to get all of the tax stuff put together, so that as soon as the W-2s come I can send those right off for preparation (which means I might actually get them all filed before April 15th!!! That will be a miracle!). I got the car smogged, I got my lesson plans done for the next 6 weeks, and I got all of the orders placed for Hoffman, Quiltworx, Island Batiks, Robert Kauffman, and Checker. Of course, now there is no money in the account and my shopping must come to an end (at least for a while)!

But for now, let's get back to the Captain's Wheel :  here's where we are :

Week 1 - November 18- November 24 - Paper Preparation,  Bags and playtime *complete

Week 2 - November 25 - December 1 - Fabric Selection *complete
Week 3 - December 2 - December 8 - Cutting out your fabrics. *complete

Week 4 - December 9 - December 15 - Bag #1 - Compass Rose Units *complete
Week 5 - December 16 - December 22 - Bag #2 - Compass Rose Alternate Units - Rights - *complete
Week 6 - December 23 - December 29 - Bag #3 - Compass Rose Alternate Units - Lefts - *complete
Week 7 - December 30 - January 5 - Sewing Bag #4 - Border Units - Rights - *complete


And here is this week's assignment/plan :
Week 8 -Jan 6 - Jan 12 - Sewing Bag 5 *complete


So, since I am caught up (for once), and even ahead (crazy, right???).....I am going to work on getting assembly started, and work on planning the next one of these little Work-A-Longs and do some neglected required sewing. But just for a couple of days and then I'm getting a head start on assembly. I can't decide whether to start with the curved piecing or the straight piecing, part of me says do the  curves and get them done (they are the dreaded S curves, btw). Part of me wants to take the easy way out and finish the inside of the quilt and leave the borders for the end.......decisions, decisions. Regardless, I want one or the other finished by this time next week!!!

What about you??? Have you managed to get all of your homework done???

Next up we have....
 

Week 9 - Jan 13 - Jan 19 - Sewing Bag 6 *complete

Week 10 - Jan 20 - 27 - Putting it all together

Happy Quilting, see you later this week!!!!

Captain's Wheel Work-A-Long Week #6

Well,

I managed to catch up on last week's delinquent homework, and get all of the border units for this week done!!! And with that, I am finished with all of the units for the Captain's Wheel. Yippee!!! now I can work on assembly!

So, here are some pics....

The left border units (Bag #4)....

All of the border units.....

SO, if you are still working on units, kep going, and we'll catch up next week and see how it is going!!!

Catherine

Quilty Goals for 2014

It's that time again when we all figure out what we want to accomplish for the year -- lose weight, exercise more, be more adventurous, practice moderation, read the bible, etc, etc, etc. It's funny that some years are go all out years, and some years are pull back years, we all seem to have different patterns to get ourselves to where we want to be in life. I was talking to my Mom about it, discussing how we plan out our lives, how we are rarely happy to be where we are...we are always striving to be somewhere else, doing something else, being better, more fit, less lazy, etc.....Part of me hates resolutions, because why do you need to wait until New Year's to change the things that you want to change??? But the other side of me loves them. Loves the fresh slate that a new year gives....So, I am in 2 different minds about this.

I want the accountability to get things done, and the flexibility to change my plans as I want to. I want to make sure that I get the things done that I need to get done, and ensure that I still enjoy it. I want it all, what can I say??? There are tons of items that I want to do, and some that I need to do....with a constantly changing teaching schedule, I find myself needing to rearrange priorities to meet new teaching options and opportunities -- and I don't want to beat myself up for changing the plans, while still being accountable.

And with all of that said....here are my quilty goals for 2014.

Piecing
1. Captain's Wheel
2. Celtic Wave (Queen) - Piece Along to start in mid-February!
3. Flower's for My Wedding Ring
4. Scrappy Trip
5. Osprey's Nest

Quilting
1. Winter Wonderland
2. Glacier Star
3. Mariner's Compass
4. Compass Rose
5. Meandering Star
6. all quilts above

Pattern Writing
1. 2014 Block of the Month - starts on January 13th!
2. 5 new patterns for spring market
3. 5 new patterns for fall market

I wish that this encompassed my list, but there are so many half done projects that I want to "finish up" and so many others that I want to do but I am just not sure how to fit it all in.....I literally need an extra 24 hours every day, so if you see some wondering around loose, send them my way, I could really use them....

Other projects :
1. Amazon Star finished
2. Pepperdish finished
3. Crackers finished
4. Feathered Star Queen finished

So, for now, that is the list.....wish me luck!!!! I'll check back in and let you know how it's going!

What are you working on this year??? Do you make resolutions??? Do you have any large scale projects you want to work on???

Happy Quilting!!!
Catherine
 

Captain's Wheel Work-A-Long - Status Update

It's New Year's Thursday, and I am happy to report that I had an uber-productive New Year's Day in the Sewing Room.....for a bunch of reasons. I promise to get some pictures later this week, I have been posting to Instagram and Facebook, but I haven't figured out how to transfer all of the files from my phone and ipad to the PC for writing blog posts. I know it can be done, I just haven't sat down to actually work it out. Just one more thing to add to the list. I am sure it is simple, and even quick, I just need to sit down and do it.....

But in the meantime, I finished Bag #3 homework, and all of the center spikes are now complete. I had already finished bags #5 and #6, which left me with only bag #4 (left border units). I got those started on Wednesday, and got through section 5 before I decided that I was bored and needed to clean and organize my projects for 2014.....so I set it aside, and cleaned the sewing room (which is an adventure in itself)!!!!

I also got a start on a leader and ender challenge for 2014. I am going to work on a Scrap Trip this year, one of Bonnie's patterns from a couple of years ago (and was the rage in early 2013). Basically, I am going to try to use up all of my half strips -- all of the jelly roll and Bali Pop leftovers. I am not yet sure if I am going to separate the fabrics or not. I suspect I may make 2 quilts, one batik, and one regular cottons, but we'll see how I feel once I actually really get started! I also want to work on Celtic Solstice, I haven't had a chance to follow along on the 6 week mystery, and keep up because of my schedule, but I intend to do that quilt this year (before the new mystery starts next Thanksgiving)!!!

Well, that's my update for New Year's Day festivities!!! Hope you all had a wonderful time with friends and family and sewing circles, and look forward to a super productive year in 2014!!!


Happy New Year!!!

Catherine

Classes Q1 2014 - January

Just prepping this seems wrong...talking about Q1 plans, and then I realize that Q1 is here. The holidays are over, and it's that time of year to work on planning and scheduling and goal setting and time management, and closet purging, and spring cleaning will be here before we know it!!

Q1 is looking really busy on the teaching and show circuit. I can't quite believe how busy, and to be honest, part of me just hopes I survive the tornado!!! I guess maybe the realization of exactly what needs to get done is part of the getting organized thing....because if I am not organized there is no way that I will survive!

So, onto what you wanted to know about....

Class and Show Schedule for January

January 4th - Mariner's Compass, Class 1 of 6 at Cotton and Chocolate in Thousand Oaks, CA
January 5th - Open Judy Day, Class 1 of 6 at Cotton and Chocolate in Thousand Oaks, CA

January 11th - Mariner's Compass, Class 1 of 6 at Memory Lane Quilt Shop in El Cajon, CA
January 12th - Mariner's Compass, Class 2 of 6 at Memory Lane Quilt Shop in El Cajon, CA

January 18th - Meet the Teachers, mini trunk show, at Piecemakers in Costa Mesa, CA
January 19th - Winter Wonderland Tablerunner, Cozy Quilt Shop, Rancho San Diego, CA

January 23-25, Demo Days, Road to California Quilt Show, Ontario, CA
January 26 - Glacier Star, Class 1 of 6 at This Sew and Sew, Glendora, CA

For those of you that know that I still have my day job, you will have figured out that my first day and only day off in January was January 1st. Yesterday. My next day off is Super Bowl Sunday!!! Go Titans!!! (yes, that is how clued in I am to football!)

Just kidding. I'll be around, but during the week only, as the weekends are going to be crazy, and amazing! So, wish me luck and I'll see you in the classroom!

A Blurry Glacier Star

A Mariner's Compass from Tennessee Quilts

Happy Quilting!
Catherine  

Recap of 2013 - A Year in Review

Before I start talking about the plans for 2014, I thought I should review the ones from 2013, and see just how they came out in the end.....In looking back at posts for the year, I realized that I didn't post nearly as often as I had planned about these....I was good for the first 6 months, and then didn't post again.....so, here's the Year In Review


2013's  quilty goals....

1. Finish a new pattern every month for QQ. That's 12 new patterns released in 2013. -- *completed - released 12 new patterns this year.


2. Finish a new Judy quilt every quarter. That is 4 quilts this year. Specifically, I will be working on Coxscomb, Farmer's Star, Feathered Star and Celtic Wave. And the Glacier Star -- because I need to get that one done for teaching purposes. So, I technically met this goal, though I did not finish the quilts that I had planned to finish. Glacier Star, Winter Wonderland, Forever Yours,

3. Attend 2 Judy events -- Asilomar in March, and Montana in August. - *completed


4. Teach 2 Judy classes or retreats each month. - *completed. I taught I total of 43 days in 2013. Way more than I expected. But it was great!!! 

5. Finish up a bunch of Judy quilts that just need final touches -- quilting, binding, borders -



Touch of Spring *completed
Cappuccino Party for 4 *completed 
MiniStars *completed
Summer Solstice *completed
Amazon Star *remains in the finish it pile
Pepperdish *remains in the finish it pile
3 Ducks in a Row *remains in the finish it pile, though the borders are now on the quilt


6. Blog more regularly -- I finally figured out the scheduling feature, so that should help!! My goal is three times a week. I started the year at 102 total posts. This post is 197. so that is a total of 95 posts for the year, which isn't horrible, but it isn't that close to 156 which was my goal. I might have to keep this goal this year and be more aggressive about it.....or take less bloggie breaks, or more pictures (so that I have something to show you), or work less, the real issue is I need more time, so if someone can work out the time machine thing for me that would be fantastic!!!!

7. Learn how to use instagram. Done. You can follow me at queeniequilts


8. Learn how to code in XML for the website. *Done the new site is live!!!!

9. Sew every day -- even of it is only for 10 minutes, or one section of binding! I really should do some binding prep work to have some projects ready to go for this!!!! I didn't do horribly on this one, though I spent as many days cleaning the studio and filing orders and doing taxes as anything else.