Pattern Hack Pokemon

I wanted to make a Jigglypuff for a friend. Because everyone loves Jigglypuff!

I bought the Chubby Dragon plush pattern by Sew Desu Ne as a jumping off point. Their patterns are excellent! So many great tips for sewing with fleece and minky fabrics. I highly recommend their patterns. If you're saving your pennies, you can still get started because there are so many free patterns available. I used an online image to help me design the machine embroidery for the eyes. It isn't perfect, but there was a limit to how many times I was willing to do a stitch out for a design I would only use once. I did learn a thing or two about embroidery design along the way, though.

I got to this point and realized I had a stuffing shortage. I don't buy poly filler often, so it wasn't really a surprise that I had run out.

I made a trip to the nearest big-box craft store to pick up some essentials. I could have ordered on Amazon and waited for the products to arrive, but the trip to the store included lunch with my best and some walking around Annapolis, which is always fun. The weather was beautiful (in the 60s), but sometimes gusty.

In the end, I got Jiggly stuffed and stitched up. Jigglypuff is now in its new home and as happy as ever.

Supplies (affiliate links):
Pellon Perfect Loft
Poly Pellets Weighted Stuffing Beads

Mystery Quilt: Good Fortune

Time to share my Good Fortune Mystery Quilt progress. Clue number: the reveal! That's right, no more clues.

The bin was overflowing with bits from the last clue.

There was a sneaky clue number seven. It was joining some of the smaller units into larger units. Nothing fancy, but it was nice to do some intermediate piecing.

First part of the reveal was the primary block. Other than piecing one of these incorrectly (I'm sure that block appears in this post) this was a very straightforward clue. Those parallelogram units really shine here.

The alternate blocks used up those fun string-pieced units. (See the oops?)

I pieced and pieced.

Until I had all the blocks done. I had a couple extra, but that isn't unusual since I always make a couple extra units.

I webbed the blocks together to keep everything straight. I changed the first border to use up some of the extra 4-patch units I made. If you want to learn about webbing a quilt block, or a quilt top, Bonnie has a post that might shed some light on the technique.

Even though I made the bonus triangles (I didn't use the bonus triangle method, but I made the units) I decided I didn't want to piece another border.

I laid out the outer border and didn't like how close it was to the center of the quilt. I decided it needed a background color border to break it up a bit. I had some backing fabric left over from another quilt that I thought would work.

Some minor piecing and I had that background fabric border. I flipped the outer border to act as a frame around the inner border. It looks like a light gray solid, but it is really a light gray on white print.

My first finished quilt top of the year. This one will be set aside until I can get a backing for it. All together an excellent pattern and I'm glad I decided to join in Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt Good Fortune.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q
6.5" Easy Angle Ruler
4.5" Easy Angle Ruler
Companion Angle Ruler
Creative Grids 6.5" Square Ruler
Cheryl Ann's Quilting Design Wall - 72" White

Linking up with Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Monday Link Up. Totally go see what other people are making on the Quiltville Blog!

Close to You Shawl

This is not my first go at the Close to You shawl. I made one last year, too.

I've been working on this shawl for what seems like forever. I decided I wanted to repeat the edge as the bind-off, so it has been slow going. I miscalculated the amount of yarn I would need to finish the edging, so I had to add in another yarn to finish it up. I even ended up playing yarn chicken a second time. I had about two yards of the black leftover, so I was cutting it pretty close.

Bound off and ready for blocking.

Wet blocking is slow when winter comes because it just isn't as warm in my studio. Letting it sit for about 24 hours got it done, though.

Look at the lacy edging opened up!

Pattern: Close To You, free pattern available on Ravelry

Details about the red yarn can be found in this post from earlier in the year. The yarn is from Tempting Ewe.
Details about the black yarn can be found in this post from last year. The yarn is from Dancing Leaf Farm.

Tools (affiliate links):
Needles: Knitter's Pride 4/3.5mm Dreamz Fixed Circular Needles, 32"
Blocking mats: Balance From Puzzle Exercise Mat with EVA Foam Interlocking Tiles
Blocking wires: Knit Picks Lace Blocking Wires & T-Pins
Knit blockers: Knitter's Pride Knit Blockers & Pin Kit

Get It Done UFO Challenge 2018 Wrap Up

This is the last installment of the Get It Done UFO Challenge 2018.

In January I shared the list of my UFO projects for the Spring Water Designs challenge. This year I can proudly say I finished every single project on the list. If you want to see how Spring Water Designs does their challenge, check it out on their blog.

I wanted to start off the new year with the list so you can see how much can be accomplished in a year if you set some goals. 

Green Hourglass COMPLETED March 2018 - finish constructing blocks, trim, assemble into top, quilt and bind. This quilt was gifted in 2018.

Carpenter's Star COMPLETED June 2018 - Top constructed, quilted and bound.

Quilter's Quest 2014 COMPLETED May 2018 - this one just didn't get finished in 2017. Quilted and bound. 

Flying Geese Bee quilt COMPLETED April 2018 - Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild Bee Block swap units. Assembled top, quilted and bound.

Oasis Charm COMPLETED January 2018 - tumbler, assembled top. Quilted and bound. This quilt was gifted in 2018. 

Batik Curve COMPLETED May 2018 - curved and improv piecing experiment. Continued the experiment until it became a quilt top. Quilted and bound. 

Weed Whacker COMPLETED February 2018 - Bonnie Hunter free pattern used to use up some of the 2.5" strips I've been collecting to excess. Constructed blocks, assembled top. Quilted and bound. This quilt went to help victims of the fires in California.  

Batik Churning Fourteen - COMPLETED June 2018. Quilted and bound.

On Ringo Lake COMPLETED March 2018 - Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt, finished units and assembled top. Quilted and bound before November when the next mystery quilt started. 

Sissy's Quilt COMPLETED March 2018 - 1930s reproduction print quilt. Top constructed. Quilted and bound. This quilt wast gifted in 2018.  

Cherry Christmas COMPLETED December 2018 - this tumbler quilt top was constructed as number 3 for 2017 UFO challenge. Quilted and bound.

Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild COMPLETED March 2018 Mystery Quilt - Quilted and bound. 

These are not the only quilts I completed during 2018. They are only a sample of what I accomplished. These were solid goals I set at the beginning of the year and for the most part I managed to stay on track. I don't have a dozen unfinished projects waiting to be finished in 2019, so I will have to make my own list instead of depending on Spring Water Designs. 

My real goal for 2019 is to not buy fabric and add it to my collection. I plan on keeping track of the yardage that comes into the studio so I can try to work through some of the fabric I already own. The only caveat is that backing fabric doesn't count? Why? well because a quilt will never be finished if I don't buy backing. 

Did you set yourself goals for 2018 and meet them? Is goal setting part of your process? I'd love to hear how you stay on task.