November Stash Report & Goals Update

Stash Report:

November IN: 11 yards (7 yards of white for several projects; 1-1/2 yards assorted prints for Plus Dash; charm pack, layer cake & I yard accent color for secret sewing #3.)
November OUT: 6-1/8 yards (3-1/4 for backing & binding for Broken Chevron; 2-1/8 for backing & binding for secret sewing #2; and 3/4 for dad's fidget quilt.)
November net change: 4-7/8 yards IN

YTD IN:160-1/4 yards
YTD OUT: 138-1/8 yards
YTD net change: 22-1/8 yards added.

I actually did quite a lot of sewing in November but some of the projects are not far enough along to count yet. Like this one:

WIP: Leftovers

Goals

November Update:
1. Finish secret baby quilt #2. DONE
2. Start secret baby quilt #3. Half of blocks made; remainder cut.
3. Quilt & bind Broken Chevron. DONE
4. Write pattern for Broken Chevron.  Written and sent to two testers.
5. Work on project for potential publication. Not touched. Good thing there isn't a deadline, but if I'm going to make this happen I need to get going on it.
6. Start Plus Dash top. Blocks and sashing assembled; borders not started yet.
7. Make Fidget Quilt for dad. DONE
8. Keep up with bee blocks.  DONE

I think I bit off more than I could chew in November. December will be busy, too, and most of the projects have deadlines.

December Goals:
1. Finish secret baby quilt #3. 
2. Work on project for potential publication.
3. Finish Plus Dash top.
4. Work on adding borders to CSQ raffle quilt (top is due to the long-arm quilter in January)
5. Keep up with bee blocks. 
6. Design cover for Broken Chevron pattern in Photoshop
7. Design cover for Plus Dash pattern in Photoshop

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

Friday Finish: A Special Gift for Dad

Update 11/30/14: Several people have suggested buttons, snaps, and zippers. While some of the on-line descriptions of fidget quilts include them, the person who introduced fidget quilts to our guild said not to use them. Functional fasteners cause frustration for the patients, who don't have the dexterity or can't remember how to make them work. Fidget quilts are mostly about textures to "pet" and pick at.



My dad has advanced dementia. He lives in a group home in Arizona where the caregivers give him lots of attention. They say he's very tactile, and I know he spends a lot of time folding and unfolding the corners on newspapers or rolling up a placemat.

Recently a friend at guild showed an Alzheimer's "Fidget Quilt." She described it as "30 Minutes of Calm" and mentioned that these are appreciated by dementia patients and their caregivers at a nursing home near here.

I've also heard something like this called a touch mat or a texture mat. The purpose is for dementia patients to have something to keep their hands occupied. It has to be sturdy and washable. I made a Fidget Quilt for my dad.  

Fidget Quilt or Touch Mat

 

It's a slightly smaller than a hand towel; I used a towel for the back so the terry cloth would provide more texture, so the mat wouldn't slip off dad's lap, and so the caregiver can use it to wipe a spill if necessary.

Towel Backing

 

All of the elements are washable so they can throw this in the washer with dad's other laundry. I hope these elements give him something for his hands to fidget with.

Giant Button

 

Faux Fur

 

Spinning Spool

 

Webbing & Slider

 

Stretchy Mesh

 

Rick-Rack

 

Buckle Tab

 

Velcro

 

Key

 

Satin

 

My sister and I have been trying to think of other things dad might like. So far we've come up with a few: a plastic Slinky, a Koosh ball, and maybe Play-Doh. Can you think of anything else?

Linking up with Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Friday Finish at Crazy Mom Quilts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



DWM: More Plus Dash Blocks

Today my design wall is full of Plus Dash blocks. I've decided on these 20 blocks out of 23 that I made. When deciding on a block layout, I usually take photos of several options, then rotate the photos as I'm considering them, to see if the layout looks balanced from all directions. This is the layout I've decided on.

Plus Dash Blocks Laid Out

Next up, sashing.
While I'd like to get the sashing done this week, what I'd really like is for the themed charm pack and layer cake I ordered to get here so I can start working on that project, which has a deadline. It's also secret sewing, so I won't be able to show it on the blog for awhile.

Check out what everyone else has on their design wall over at Patchwork Times for more quilty inspiration.

Stash Report 11/23/14

No fabric in this week. I ordered a themed charm pack and layer cake last week and I thought they would be here by now, but they haven't come in yet, so I don't have to count them this week. They're for a specific project with a deadline so I hope they get here soon.

Fabric used this week: Backing (1-3/4 yd) and binding (3/8) for the secret project that got finished, so that's 1-7/8 I can count out. I also used some for Plus Dash blocks but since the top isn't finished I can't count it out yet. I'll tally the totals at the end of the month.

Check out how everyone else is managing their stash over at Patchwork Times.

Finished: Secret Sewing #2

It's finished. That's all I can say and this is all I can show for now. More when the time comes...

 

Linking up with Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Friday Finish at Crazy Mom Quilts.

WIP Wednesday: PLus Dash Progress

Shelley over at Carpenter's Daughter Who Quilts has finished her test top of my Plus Dash pattern. I love her colors set off by the pewter plusses. Her photos look so pretty in the snow!

Shelley's Plus Dash Top

 

Way to go Shelley - thanks for testing my pattern!

 

My own progress is not as far along - I'm still making blocks, in between other secret sewing and deadline projects. 14 blocks are done so far; I'm making 22 and the 20 I like best together will go on the front of the quilt with the leftover ones going on the back.

My Plus Dash Blocks So Far

 

 

Linking up with Lee over at Freshly Pieced. 

DWM 11/17/14: Plus Dash Blocks

I'm working on several projects, including some secret sewing and some

Plus Dash blocks. Here are the blocks I've made so far, on my design wall:

Plus Dash Blocks

 

Hoping to get a few more of them made today.

Yellow Plus Dash Block

Looks like a good day to stay in and sew...

My Dogwood Tree Today

Stash report, because I didn't post it yesterday: Nothing in and nothing I can count out yet. That will change by the end of the month.

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times; check out everyone's design walls over there for inspiration.