It's almost Valentine's....

Just a warning that the day of hearts and flowers is coming up...and with it will be the beginning of a new QAL....

This time, it's going to be a bit broader...we'll be focusing on .....Wedding Rings!!!! Whether you like the Diamond Wedding Ring, the Bali Wedding Star, or the traditional Grandmother's Wedding Ring, we'll be looking at all of them, we'll have a couple "guest bloggers" who will talk about various aspects, and even go into quilting options....so stay tuned. The big announcement and kick off will be on Valentine's, and we'll be wrapping it all up just in time for wedding season in June...

In the meantime, we're running a pop sale on the website....all Bali pops are at least 15% off! So stop by and stock up, as you will need them for the QAL!

Www.queeniequilts.com

Happy pre-valentines.....

Catherine

January's Over??? How???

Seriously, how did it get to be February 1st??? I swear it was January 1st last weekend.....It's been a crazy month, with a new job that started on the 6th, and a full teaching/class/show schedule. I can't believe how crazy the month has been. So, not a lot of progress this month, but hopefully, February will be a little smoother (and less tiring).

January updates are in Red.
Certified Instructor Stuff
1. Tea Time Placemats - make a new set of samples. My originals became Christmas presents for someone who LOVED them. So I need new samples of this new and very popular class. Got the pieces completed, but haven't added the veins yet. Hoping to get to that this week.
2. Paradise in Blooms TOM sample - in process. All the pieces are done, but the final assembly remains outstanding.
3. Prairie Pinwheels New Sample in Batiks - picked the fabrics
4. Urban Candy Quilt by Sew Kind of Wonderful - done and quilted. Hung at Road to California last week.
5. Flowers for My Wedding Ring Sample - Ring sets all done and ready to be trimmed.
6. Prairie Star Sample #2
7. Amazon Star Sample #2
8. Winter Wonderland Sample #3 - non Christmas fabrics (both other samples are Christmas)
9. Fractured Paint Box
10. build the business to teach 20 days a month - January 5 days of classes completed

Queenie Quilts Pattern Company
1. 3 quilts I designed over Christmas break tested and published
2. 7 new patterns for Fall Market (10 total)
3. New BOM for 2016 designed and marketed

Other Stuff
1. Gym - 175 visits in 2015 - 10 visits this month
2. knit a pair of socks - picked the yarn and pattern.
3. knit from my stash (no new purchases until something is finished!) - no new purchases this month!!!
4. Destash 200 yards from my personal sewing fabric stash. (that's a lot of placemats!!!) - used 6 yards from my stash.
5. Minimal fabric buying - I bought backing for my Hosta and backing for Urban Candy. So, not too bad.
6. Reorganize the house, making the business the priority - in process, got a lot done, but still have quite a bit to do.
7. go to Disneyland - no change.
8. save for a new car - no change.

So, overall, I got more done that I really thought I would, considering the changes happening around here. Since it is now February, and life is calming down a bit, I'm hoping to get more done.

Did you get all of your January to-dos done??? Do you have big plans for February???

A crazy week

Well,

It has been a little crazy here...I started a new full time job last week in the industry. I still don't really know what I can and can't say about the new job, so for now, I'm just going to be a little vague...but know that going to work is more like going to Disneyland, but without the Dole Whip. Seriously. I get to pet fabric, and see new stuff that won't be available on shelves for weeks or months. Dreamy, right??? So far, I love it. It's busy, and I can literally watch my ideas bloom in the office. Totally fun.

Unfortunately, that means I have done very little sewing and even less knitting these last two weeks. I did get my placemats pieced, just need to add the veins, and they are ready for quilting. I also got the main part of Urban Candy pieced, so that one will be ready for Road next week.

Speaking of Road to CA, I will be in the Cozy booth demoing all weekend, so please stop by and say hello if you are there!!!

Until next time!

Happy Quilting!
Catherine

2015 - A Plan

So, it was a couple of weeks ago that we closed out 2014. How are we already 10 days into 2015???

Have you been dreaming about what you want to be/do/have in 2015? I have. I've been reflecting and dreaming a lot lately, about a lot of things. I'll fill you in on my word of the year in a later post, today's discussion is about the plan for the year.

I like to start the year with a clean slate and a plan...a sewing plan, a destash plan, a knitting plan, a fitness plan, etc, etc, etc....it's the project manager in me. I like to write them down and then work on them systematically....and occasionally, completely randomly. SO, below are the big goals for 2015. I've debated over and over the best way to talk about these, and the truth is there is so much fluidity at work, that monthly plans don't really work, so we're just going with priority order for now....


Certified Instructor Stuff
1. Tea Time Placemats - make a new set of samples. My originals became Christmas presents for someone who LOVED them. So I need new samples of this new and very popular class.
2. Paradise in Blooms TOM sample -
3. Prairie Pinwheels New Sample in Batiks
4. Urban Candy Quilt by Sew Kind of Wonderful
5. Flowers for My Wedding Ring Sample
6. Prairie Star Sample #2
7. Amazon Star Sample #2
8. Winter Wonderland Sample #3 - non Christmas fabrics (both other samples are Christmas)
9. Fractured Paint Box
10. build the business to teach 20 days a month

Queenie Quilts Pattern Company
1. 3 quilts I designed over Christmas break tested and published
2. 7 new patterns for Fall Market (10 total)
3. New BOM for 2016 designed and marketed

Other Stuff
1. Gym - 175 visits in 2015
2. knit a pair of socks
3. knit from my stash (no new purchases until something is finished!)
4. Destash 200 yards from my personal sewing fabric stash. (that's a lot of placemats!!!)
5. Minimal fabric buying
6. Reorganize the house, making the business the priority
7. go to Disneyland
8. save for a new car


What are you planning for 2015? What are you doing to keep yourself accountable??? Do you find that joining KALs/QALs helpful in motivating you to get things done?? What are your secrets to success??? Curious minds want to know.....

Until next time....Happy Quilting!


Catherine

Make a List Monday - on Tuesday

Well, usually I go make a list Monday on Monday, but as times are changing around here, I may be moving it to a different day (like I said, there are some exciting changes around here)....SO.....stay tuned for that, and for this week, here we go....

1. Finish piecing and appliqué for Paradise in Blooms Queen. everything is cut out, I just need to finish some final assembly and stick the appliqué down.

2. see above. that is my exclusive project until it is done.

Yes, if you notice a slightly different tone, you are correct. I am doing a bit more focusing this year to get some things done. I'm picking one each week and working on it exclusively until it is finished. Crazy, right??? I'm really hoping that a little monogamy will help me get organized and get some things finished.

Well, that's it for this week!

See you next week!

Catherine

Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015

Have you even written a post and then deleted it? Not accidentally, but purposefully, because what you wanted to say just wouldn't come out? Or you couldn't find the right words to express our feelings? There are so many emotions swimming in my head today. I'm not sure what it's all about. I'm not usually a very emotional person. I don't really cry very often, or even get mad very often, that's just not my style....But today, the things I want to say are just beneath the surface, but just out of reach.

So, I'll simply say thank you to 2014 for so many things it has taught me.

And welcome to the new adventures of 2015, I have so many things I want to talk about.

2014 Closeout Post

Well, 2014 is officially over. I can't quite believe it is gone. The time flew tis year, and if the end of 2014 is any indication, 2015 will be just as wild....but more on that later.....this post is about what we got finished and what we didn't. We'll have another post later this week that outlines what I want to accomplish for 2015....

It was a pretty good month, while there were a lot of parties, there was not a lot of teaching due to the Christmas season. It was nice to see family, hang out on couches while knitting, and just generally have fun for a while. I worked quite a bit, but it wasn't the frantic stay up all night to get things done type (which I now need to make up for by speccing some time frantic all sewing).

So, on that note, back to the project list....

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 in February. I'm about to send a search party for this one!
2. Celtic Wave (Queen) - Piece Along to start in mid-February! complete and sent to the quilter in July.
3. Flower's for My Wedding Ring - For the first time in 6 months or so I actually worked on this one, I got a couple of ring sets done (though not enough to assemble anything yet).
4. Scrappy Trip This one is on the design wall, just need to spend some quality time with it. It is still on the design wall.
5. Osprey's Nest Done. Closed.
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. Got nothing accomplished on this one.....
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. Done. 

Quilting
1. Winter Wonderland - I got it back and I love it. I posted some pics, and did a blog post.
2. Glacier Star - Handed over to the quilter while I was in Montana. Headed back my way.
3. Mariner's Compass done. Quilted and bound.
4. Compass Rose - done. and blogged. 
5. Meandering Star - done. 
6. Captain's Wheel - at the quilter.
7. Celtic Wave Queen - sent to Montana for quilting
8. Flower's for My Wedding Ring - 
9. Scrappy Trip
10. Osprey's Nest - Done.
11. Feathered Star Queen - sent to Montana

Pattern Writing
1. 2014 Block of the Month - starts on January 13th! - Done. started February 13th. whole year worth of patterns have been scheduled!!! We found an issue with these....all of the posts that had been scheduled before the July 1 blogger update were corrupted, so once I get back from Market (or maybe while I am there), I will get these reposted!!! Sorry folks!!! Almost done with this one!
2. 5 new patterns for spring market - all done!!! 
3. 5 new patterns for fall market - all done!!!

Other projects :
1. Amazon Star finished
2. Pepperdish finished - no change
3. Crackers finished - complete
4. Feathered Star Queen finished - complete
5. Project Destash - current total as of October 30th is --57.25. November - didn't use much this month, and I went on a shopping spree (or 4).Got some new project fabrics for the family while I was in Nebraska -- 30 yards total for specific projects, which I will cut out and work on later this month!!! Hopefully, this month will be a big one in the fabric busting world! I have big plans!!! With a quieter teaching schedule and some free time, I am determined to get some things done.

December Sewing Plan
1. Stormy Seas QAL - done.
2. finish Disney Swap - piecing done, still need to quilt this guy
3. presents!!!! - done, gifted!

How are your quilty goals going this year??? Have you started thinking about next year??? I have begun thinking about plans for next year....so many things I want to do/finish/work on....there is never enough time/always too many projects, but I really want to get ahold of them this year and get organized once and for all!!! SO stay tuned for more info on those!




Happy Quilting!!!

Catherine