Monday, March 3, 2014

Quilty Bucket List: The Magnificent Seven


When Stacey asked me to be a part of her Quilty Bucket List Blog Hop, I was so pleased to be a part of such a fantastic idea. It's really easy to add new ideas to my Pinterest boards and spot new patterns that I want to try, but I don't always follow up on these the way I should. Making and keeping a definite list helps me to remember the projects that I most want to tackle. This is so helpful when you're between projects or looking for a long term project to occupy you for several months. I made myself a starter list last week from the first ideas that popped into my mind...

Heather Ross Improv Quilt by Heidi Staples of Fabric Mutt

1. a sampler style quilt: I haven't decided yet exactly what this is going to be, but I have a soft spot for quilts like the Farmer's Wife Sampler, Dear Jane Sampler, City Sampler, Gypsy Wife Quilt, etc. Either I'm going to follow a pattern or try to get creative on my own, but I like the idea of making one of these beauties. I feel like I got a little taste of that with my Heather Ross improv quilts last year (one of which is pictured above), but I'd like to go bigger next time.


2. a solids quilt: though I'm normally drawn to prints, I really love the look of quilts that are made entirely from solids. I purchased the stack you see above from Pink Chalk Fabrics a few months back (you can purchase one of your own right here), and I'm determined to turn it into a quilt.


3. a linen quilt: I have a fairly large linen stash, most of which is used to make bags and pouches. I'd love to put some of these into a quilt.


4. a voile quilt: I've been holding on to this stack of voile prints since last summer, but I haven't yet found the right pattern. These are too beautiful to stay in the cabinet much longer. I need to start doing some serious research in this department.


5. clothes: I've gotten so close to making clothes several times, and something always comes up to drag me away from my goal. This is the year -- I've promised myself! I'm going to make something for either myself or the girls to wear in 2014. There are some great ideas in Heather Ross's beautiful book Weekend Sewing that I'd love to try.


6. a free motion quilting project: I've been wanting to work on my (basically nonexistent) free motion quilting skills for a long time. Last year I bought Angela Walters' wildly popular book on the subject, and I'm excited to start practicing this in the months ahead so that I can actually use it on one of my quilts.


7. make one project from each of my sewing books: I have a lot of sewing books on my shelf, but sadly I don't always get around to actually making projects from their gorgeous pages. I'm hoping to go through this stack and make at least one project out of each book in the coming year.

There are more ideas already tugging at the edges of my mind, but I've decided that I don't want to make this list too long. A really long list can be just as unproductive as no list at all, in my experience. All those numbers run together and either look like too much work or too hard a decision to make about where to start. So I've decided to permanently christen my bucket list as "The Magnificent Seven" (yes, I do love that movie) and leave it at that. If an item gets crossed off my list, then I get the fun of picking another item to take its place. In the long run, I think doing it this way will make me far more likely to actually work on these projects instead of just watching them taunt me from a clipboard hanging on the wall.

So what's on your list? What are the projects that you've been dying to pull off your Pinterest board and bring into your own sewing room? Over the next month, we'd love it if you would share your list -- and maybe even a finished project or two! -- with all of us. You can join the Quilty Bucket List link-up all during the month of March through Stacey's blog hop kickoff post here or by simply clicking on the link below:

An InLinkz Link-up

We'd love to see your lists and projects on Instagram too! Just be sure to add the hashtag #quiltybucketlist to your photos. Other bloggers will be sharing their own Quilty Bucket Lists with you every Monday. Take a look at this lineup...

March 3 

March 10

March 17 

March 24

Thanks so much to Stacey for hosting such a wonderfully encouraging event. I can't wait to see what we all make! It takes literally five to ten minutes to draw up a list of your own. What do you want to sew?

21 comments:

  1. a great list Heidi. I definitely have some similar projects on my wish list. This is a great blog hop - a good chance to sit and prioritise!

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  2. What an interesting list! I want to make something from my craft books too! But top of my list is a solids quilt too! I'm thinking a triangle one- I have a Pinterest board full of them!

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  3. I'd love to make a solids quilt too. I'm participating in the Gypsy Wife quilt along and I'm contemplating starting a second one, made out of solids!

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  4. you have a great list Heidi! I want to make another FW quilt too. Maybe a Dear Jane quilt, someday!

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  5. Great list Heidi!! I think Dear Jane is in my future, but I'm right there with you on the solids as well. Thanks so much for participating in the hop!!

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  6. Very concise list! I like that you have categories rather than specific quilts - perhaps that would make it easier to tackle for those prone to being intimidated by new techniques?

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  7. It sounds like an exciting list. If I did a one project from each of my books, I would be quilting waaaay beyond my years!!! ;-)

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  8. I just made 2 pillows from Pillow Pop and love them! It was challenging because the pieces were so small. Good luck on your bucket list.

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  9. Hiedi, I could ditto everything that you just said almost to to all the exact titles.. Are we followers or are we Leaders or just doers.. I dont even know how to get to my pinterest board unless I pin something. I have a quilt up on my wall and I have all day to myself.. Guess what I am going to do and I am doing the Gypsy QAL too.. and you just inpired me to put something in it.

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  10. If I had a list then your 1 through 5 would all be on mine too!

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  11. Great list! This is a fun idea--I'll have to sit down and think of some of mine this week. I already know a few, but it would be nice to commit them to, um, blog.

    I'm surprised to learn that you don't FMQ! I think since you're so productive and proficient, I just assumed that you did. You should definitely give it a go! I'm no expert by any means, but I've also yet to have a disaster with it, and I usually end up concluding that a new design is way easier than I expected it to be. I don't think I'll ever be someone who finds intricate, custom quilting their favorite part of the process, but it's definitely grown on me the more I've done. I bet you'll enjoy it!

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  12. This is fun! I'll definitely be linking up mine once I've had a think. I love your improv sampler at the top it's beautiful :) Would love to have a go at one of those or a medallion quilt.

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  13. I don't have a blog but I really want to make Judy Niemyer's Wedding Ring. It is so beautiful.

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  14. So fun to see your list! I have a stack of voile waiting to be used too. It's just impossible to figure out what to do with it! I put off trying FMQ for a long time and now I am glad I took the plunge. I really love straight line quilting and I still use it a lot, but sometimes a project just needs something else and it's nice to have the option.

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  15. Oh, you should've hopped on The Library Project! We're all tackling projects this year from our library of books : ) Looks like you have some great ideas on your bucket list (and I LOVE that little linen hippo proint btw!)

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  16. To get some of the things done from your books you should join the Craft Book Sew Along, it gets you going.
    http://craftytwinmommy.blogspot.gr/search/label/craft%20book%20sew%20along

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    1. Thanks Mara! Ha! I saw this just after I posted. :)

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  17. If you happen to make a project from your craft books, I am having a year long sew-along for that. :) That was my 2014 goal and so far, so good. We are planning on moving though this year (kind of a "surprise, hey let's move" move) so we will see if I can continue my lofty goal.

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  18. I want to finish my Pick and Mix King sized quilt from on of Pam and Nicky Lintott's books.

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  19. I really like your idea of making at least one project from each book. I, too, love to look at my books but often make nothing from them.

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