DWM: first quarter review; boats and birds



Melanie posted a link to her "first quarter roundup" blog post here which prompted me to do the same.  On January 1 I stated these goals for 2013: 
* End the year with 10 or fewer flimsies

* Buy less and use more
* Improve proficiency at a minimum of two techniques (e.g. y-seams or a specialty ruler)
[Objective: by January 15 determine what those two techniques are.]

How am I doing?  As of March 31 I have

* Not chosen two techniques to work on.

* Finished 7 flimsies (begun 2012 or earlier)

* Started and finished 3 quilts (2013)

* Created 3 flimsies (including the sailboats in this post -- and I'll have the quilt finished this week)
* Used 63-7/8 yards

* Acquired 68 yards (of which 17 yards were gifts)     
There are 15 flimsies in the box

I obsessed way more over this quilt than I needed to.  If I used the red sashing then a red border wouldn't work. I auditioned three different blue fabrics and they didn't work.  Well, of course they would have worked, but not to my satisfaction.  The border fabric left over from this project would have been ideal but I was short 20", so back in the stash it went.  I finally went out and bought the bright yellow polka dot (at Joann's).  I think it's a cheerful solution.

The sails on each boat are made from "I Spy" novelty fabrics.  The blocks are 10" and the flimsy is 45 x 45.  I've nearly finished quilting it. ("Mr. Selfridge" on Masterpiece Classic ended just as I finished quilting the sashing.)

I joked to Sophie, the coordinator of Block Lotto , that it could be called Block Yoga instead.  Her monthly blocks are sometimes a challenge that STRETCHES me....and it feels good when I'm done.  We can make 9 of these bright bird blocks (6 x 9) for the April lotto. Here's my first.

See what other quiltmakers have on their design walls at Judy's Patchwork Times.