June entry in "A Lovely Year of Finishes"

Here is the quilt top I've chosen to finish for June's entry into "A Lovely Year of Finishes".

Five Hearts, designed by Jan Patek

I've already started quilting this one - big stitch quilting using Cebelia crochet thread.  I shouldn't have any trouble finishing it - I hope!

Finishes Party

This is the first finish I've posted for "A Lovely Year of Finishes", as I started participating just this month.

My goal was simple - to finish hand quilting one quilt - as I had no idea how daring I should be with my goals.  I'm happy to report the quilt was finished by the end of the second week of the month, so I think I can be more daring for June.

This is my April Schnibbles project - Hat Trick - hand quilted and bound.  It went from fabric to top to hand quilted to bound in a month - give or take a few days.  I think that is the fastest I've ever finished a quilt (other than minis).  Though you can't see it in the picture, the quilting made the whole thing come alive.  It always amazes me how that happens.  The light play across a quilted surface gives dimension and life to a flat quilt top. 

Thank you Shanna and Melissa for providing the motivation.  I loved not having to add still another unquilted top to the collection in the upstairs closet!

New buttons

I've added a couple new buttons to my right sidebar - one for "A Lovely Year of Finishes" and one for "2013 - The Year of the Finished Project".  I will choose a goal for each challenge each month, and hoping to have at least two finished quilts per month.  I'm hoping this will spur me on in my goal to shrink that "Flimsies" list on my left sidebar.  If I'm going to be adding a one or two little quilt tops to it every month, I need to eliminate at least that many per month.

For "A Lovely Year of Finishes" - hosted by Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts I'm going to quilt and bind the "Hat Trick" Schnibbles quilt top I pieced in April.  I finished basting it today, so I'm all ready to start the hand quilting at quilt group tonight. (I'm posting a picture again her because I think I'm supposed to for my entry.)

For "2013 - The Year of the Finished Project", I will quilt and bind a top finished prior to 2013.  I've chosen "Bunny Hop".

The top was completed in 2009, and has been hanging in the closet (with the other 40+ quilt tops) waiting to be finished ever since.  I'm going to hand quilt this one using "big stitch" and Cebelia thread.  It would be nice to finish this so it could hang at least a week or two this spring before being put away until next year.

Both of these are quite doable, so there is no reason for me not to finish.  I say that, but looking at the May list on my left sidebar is a little scary right now.  I'd better get to work!