Before I started my blog, I joined the finish-a-long party but haven’t been back since. Life happens. Because I need all the motivation and encouragement I can muster, I am linking once again. It’s an International affair hosted by a group of bloggers from around the world. You will find the link at the bottom of this post. Look out party goers, Tu-Na’s back!
Tu-Na’s January, February, and March Finish-A-Long projects
Yes, lets’ talk about that elephant quilt lurking in my closet. I’m making it for my best friend’s granddaughter who already celebrated her first birthday in November. So it’s officially not a baby quilt anymore. And I’m officially very late with it.
This project became shelved when I began having eye issues. It needs a bit of seam adjustment to make the rows match.
Everyone (well, at least the blogs that I follow) talks about their one monthly goals and up to now I figured I didn’t need to set myself one goal a month. But after last year, I do need an incentive or something to help me move some projects along. So I figured I’d join the party.
The rules are to write a post about the one item you want to move along or finish this month and link to the party at Elm Street Quilts. Then at the end of the month, write a post about your progress and link to the finish party. I figure it may be just the incentive I need to move along a few projects. Oh, and there are prizes to win, too.
I started this quilt last spring. You can read about the exciting birth of that baby elephant here as Dr. Tu-Na was present in the delivery (sewing) room. I posted about this quilt’s progress here in Let’s Make Elephants, and here in We Have an Elephant Parade, and here in Progress on She Has Her Mommy’s Nose.
I’ll post about my progress on this Elephant at the end of the month or sooner if I actually get it done. Yes, completely done: pieced, sandwiched, quilted, bound, and in the mail.
What I Learned Today:
Question: What project do you have that’s been hiding in the closet? Oh, I have others that will hopefully make their appearances this year but this is the one that really needs to get done so someone cute and little can snuggle with it.
Thanks for stopping by and do come again.
Karen, Tu-Na Quilts
Linking to:
One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts
Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts
Moving It Forward at Em’s Scrapbag
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River
I didn’t want to bring up all the Christmas decorations this year when we arrived back at the northern house just two days before Christmas. But I didn’t want to be nicknamed “Tu-Na the Grinch” or “Tu-Na Scrooge” if I didn’t at least do something to decorate the house for the holiday.
So I thought I’d use some felt and make a tree to put on the wall. I cut lots of circles: large, medium, and small for the decorations, while my daughter-in-law cut the tree shape. She made it a very full tree to hold lots of felt circles.
Tu-Na Helper used Command strips to hang it on the wall.
It is a big hit with all the little kids and the big ones as well. They can decorate and redecorate the tree as much as they wish.
What I Learned Today:
Question: Did you put up a tree or not this year? You’ve seen the extent of my Christmas decorations for this year above.
Thanks for stopping by and do come again.
Karen, Tu-Na Quilts
Linking to:
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilt
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Visitors from 72 countries stopped by Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats and have left over 1600 comments on the 98 posts I published this year. I was honored to receive 453 comments on the twelve 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop posts. I’ve been unable to reply to all of them but know that I have read and appreciated every one of them. Thank you for taking the time to stop and chat, ask a question, leave an answer, or offer some help. I’ve learned so much from my readers.
I’m excited to have almost 450 followers by email, WordPress, and Bloglovin. Thank you for taking the time to not only read what I write but want to follow so you don’t miss a post. I’ve only been blogging for 1 and 1/2 years and strive to make my posts interesting and entertaining. If they sometimes read a bit humorous, it’s an added bonus for both of us.
There’s a year-end party happening over at Meadow Mist Designs. Cheryl has invited us to reflect on our year by sharing five of our top posts.
Tish, who blogs at Tish’s Adventure in Wonderland, has begun a project to help us get our UFO’s to completion.
This is a super cute button!
Since I previously said that 2018 was going to be the year of finishes rather than new project starts, it seems natural to join Tish for some added encouragement. Plus, it’s nice to have cheerleaders and coaches urging one to move forward, to reach higher, to cross the finish line. Besides, I got to meet Tish in person in October at the Quilt Blogger’s Retreat in Ohio and I know that she’ll make a great coach.
Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl is having another party and I’m coming.
But first, I have to satisfy a few requirements: 1. Review how well I’ve accomplished last year’s goals. 2. Think about what I want to accomplish with my blog and quilting next year. 3. Write about those goals. 4. Link up to the party. 5. Work on my goals. The first four are easy; the last finds life sometimes getting in the way which was quite evident for 2017.
Some ideas just have to percolate for awhile. That’s the way it was with my snowflake.
This pattern was designed by Vanda from Quilt in Piece and can be downloaded here free through January 15, 2018; don’t delay, download yours today.
I wasn’t sure how to proceed. Should I make a white snowflake on a red background or a gray one? Should I make a gray snowflake on a white background or a red one? Where should I add some ric rac? I asked my husband; no help there. I asked my quilting group friends; some said use the red background while others said use the gray background.
It wouldn’t be Christmas (or a Christmas quilt) without a star.
My version of block 11 is still coming. I’ll be back in a day or two with it. I hope you’re enjoying the hop. (Edited: The block is finished. You can read about it and see it here.)
In the meantime, you’ll enjoy seeing the versions from these hosts and find the pattern for block 11 here.
What I Learned Today:
Question: Are you prone to making mistakes or do they slap you in the face every once in a while revealing that you are only human, too?
Thanks for stopping by and do come again.
Karen
I finished Block 2, Christmas Tree Farm, for the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long almost two months ago but haven’t been able to write about it.
I’ve purchased small yellow star buttons to add to the tops of the trees after I’ve quilted the top.
This cute block pattern was designed by April at Janda Bend Quilts and can be found Continue reading
Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats 