May recap

When I was looking over my list from the past month I was amazed at how much I managed to finish! That doesn't always happen, and I'm sure part of the reason it was so productive, was that April was less so. Productivity is definitely not a constant for me, but an ebb and flow.

I'm sure another reason is that now that I'm trying to keep myself accountable for fabric purchases, I have extra motivation to finish more when it counts!

I had two significant fabric purchases this month and needed to balance the scale with some used yardage.

My May stash update:

Fabric: -7.625 yards
Yarn: -1,185 yards

Fabric total 2018: -46.75 yards
Yarn total 2018: -5,511 yards

It feels exciting to be down nearly 50 yards of fabric this year! I'm going to try to keep that momentum through the summer.

So, this month, I finished one quilt and started a new one.

I'm making Carolyn Friedlander's Tangelo quilt in Daisy Chain. Paper piecing can sometimes be just the right thing to sew. It requires a little bit of thinking, but not too much (once you have some experience, of course.), and I just love these fabrics!

I should have a new finished quilt top sometime this summer.

Additionally, I finished several garments this month.

Three new Gemma tanks that were already cut got finished. I also made a new-to-me pattern, the Willamette. I ended up making two of them, as the first one was quite large on me. I will say that the garment has considerable ease built in (11 inches). I ended up making a size that would finish much closer to my actual bust than recommended. And I love it, so try it if you are interested! I'll try to get a photo of me wearing it soon to show you.

We also tried FIVE new recipes this month, and three of them were big wins. And by that, I mean we will definitely make them again. My favorite was Smitten Kitchen's Grilled Yogurt Flatbread (from her second book).

Additionally, I managed a photo of her Charred Corn Succotash with lime and crispy shallots. It was amazing as well, but those flatbreads! Let's just say we are making them again tomorrow. And finally, I finished two books this month. Here's to a great June!

April recap, vacation photos

Well, let's be honest. I'm not doing so hot with my goal of one post a week. I'm going to try and get back on track with that, and today I'm going to share a quick recap of April finishes, fabric/yarn totals and a few photos from our anniversary trip to Yosemite and Monterey.

My April stash update:

Fabric: +5.75 yards
Yarn: -374 yards

Fabric total 2018: -39.125 yards
Yarn total 2018: -4,326 yards

This was my first month to net a gain in fabric, so I need to do better in May (which is made challenging since I've already got a few purchases under my belt!).

I only managed to try one new recipe in April, but it was a winner: Swirled Sesame Tea Cake. I've already tried one this month, so again, I'm hoping to do better. I finished a book, The Golden Compass, which I loved. I intend to read the second book of the trilogy soon.

So, Elliott and I just celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary, and we decided to go back to Yosemite and Monterey.

I know some people may not enjoy returning to a vacation spot. But when we visited Yosemite two years ago, it was a brief visit, and we left already wanting to return. I'm so glad we did, and we explored further into Yosemite Valley, as well as the Hetch Hetchy area. We hiked a ton, saw countless waterfalls and just enjoyed being together.

We finished with a couple of days on the Monterey peninsula. There are a few more photos on flickr, if you're interested.

I've got a few finished quilts to share, so I'll be back with some FO posts soon!

FO: Bird's Eye 2 x 4 (13/52)

I really, really love this quilt.

It all started with the fabric, most of which is Bird's Eye View by Sarah Watson of Cloud 9. Sarah's illustrative artwork has always had my heart, and this is definitely one of my favorite collections ever. After buying (most of) this line, I pulled a few coordinating fabrics from the stash to make this bundle.

Then, after seeing amazing 2X4 quilts from Anna and Holly, I knew I wanted to make my own. The tutorial is here by Film in the Fridge and is a perfect way to highlight a fabric bundle like this. It really doesn't need much help, so no need to complicate things!

After letting the finished top sit for six months, I finally made a back and got it quilted last month.

The binding went quickly, and I am so pleased with the finish! I would definitely make another 2 x 4. The sewing is simple and enjoyable, and I love how the fabrics shine!

Finished size is 60" x 79".

I'm going to let this post serve as my March wrap up, too. here are my March yarn and fabric totals.
Third stash update:

Fabric: -13.625 yards
Yarn: -825 yards

Fabric total 2018: -44.875 yards
Yarn total 2018: -3,952 yards

(9, 10 and) 11/52

I didn't intend to take a break, but it happens sometimes! I have fluctuated between being very focused on finishing projects and flittering between random craftiness. Lots to share, because of this!

First, I want to make note of my February yarn and fabric totals.
Here is my second stash update:
Fabric: -2.5 yards
Yarn: -221 yards

Fabric total 2018: -31.25 yards
Yarn total 2018: -3,127 yards

Even though I didn't do as well in February, I still feel good about my progress this year!

So, the red and white string quilt is done (although I haven't taken full photos yet). I plan to gift this quilt next weekend, so I will definitely have photos to share soon.

Early in the month, I cut a pile of new garments and have finished about half of them so far.

I'm almost done with my first Driftless Cardigan (I just need to stitch on the buttonband now!), and I hope it will be a very wearable garment. Additionally, I finished a Lark tee and two more Lindens (one in this awesome weird vacation purchase!).

I also started a new shawl, using a favorite Moonrover yarn.

Finally, I am sewing the binding onto my 2x4 quilt (tutorial by Film in the Fridge here). in the last week, I made a back for it, basted and quilted. After letting the finished top linger for six(!) months, that feels really good! I love the quilt so much, and I hope to have photos soon. In my next update, I'll share the recipes we have tried this month. Additionally, I would like to share some of the random small things I've been sewing the past few days.

8/52

Last week, I refocused on finishing a WIP, which I hope to gift next month.

I finished the quilt top and I'm nearly done with the scrappy back. I plan to baste and start quilting it this week. I always love sewing with strings!

I also focused on hand quilting my String Diamonds project over the weekend, and finally see some progress!

I decided to spend at least 15 minutes a day on the quilting. It is fun to see the texture start forming on the back!

This week, I tried three new recipes as well. Talk about down to the wire, but they were all winners. Two were from Good to the Grain, which I have owned for several years. I tried the Banana Walnut Cake (although I subbed pecans). This was a great cake/bread, made so much better by the ground nuts that you mix into to the batter. Also from this book, the focaccia. omg. It was incredible, and I'm grateful that we only baked part of it last night because it means there is more in my belly's immediate future.
We also tried this Smitten Kitchen recipe, and will be enjoying the leftovers tonight. The chickpeas and pistachios add so much!

I also finished a weaving project this week, although I need to figure out what to do with it. It was supposed to be a scarf, but it is woefully short! I'm either going to finish it as a cowl or some small pouches.
And finally, I traced a new garment pattern. More on that soon!

5/52

Well, there wasn't much crafting in the last week or so. Elliott and I went on a little vacation to Boston and New Haven.

Lighthouse Point Park, New Haven

It was a wonderful break for both of us, and we got to spend a little time with great friends as well.

It snowed the morning we left, just enough for this lovely scene.

I worked on my sock during the flights, but I haven't taken a picture of it yet. I am way behind, but making slow progress.
Also, we made time to visit Gather Here, and I found a few new garment fabrics!

Speaking of fabric, here is my first stash update:
Fabric: -28.75 yards
: Yarn: -2,906 yards

I feel really good about this start! I have tried to be mindful of my stashing for a few years now but seeing these numbers is really motivating!

4/52

So, I promised myself I wouldn't start a new quilty project until at least March, so I could focus on WIPs. But then I bought Erin Harris' new Make Your Own Medallion book, and I couldn't get a block out of my head.

I kept thinking about fabric combinations for it, and eventually succumbed to the pressure.

So, here is my Box Canyon block! And I don't know what it will be yet. Maybe I'll make three more for a nice throw quilt (the block finishes at 30")?

Maybe it will be a pillow, or maybe it will be the start of a medallion quilt as it was supposed to be. Who knows? But it was fun!

Also, this week, we tried a third recipe of the month for Smitten Kitchen's crispy tofu and broccoli with peanut sauce. It was delicious, and we will definitely make it again!

I started a new knitting project, Knottygnome's mystery lovefool sock KAL.

And finally, I made my first Explorer Tote (this is the small size) using my friend Kim's new Imbue fabric line.

I think it is a really striking bag in these fabrics!

1/52

Happy 2018 to you! I hope the new year is treating you well so far, and that you are able to accomplish the goals that you have set.
An idea popped into my head yesterday, and I decided that I want to try weekly posts here, with the projects I'm working on, and a few other weekly tidbits.
I still hope to share FO posts, but last year, I found myself faltering on posts. I'm hopeful that this informal weekly entry will be an approachable reboot for me.
Also, for a few years, Jeni and I have helped hold each other accountable on goals, but I never joined her on keeping track of fabric yardage. I managed to buy less overall than previous years, but I decided it's time for me to keep track of that.
So, at the end of each month, I'll share what yardage I've accumulated, as well as what I've used. I won't count yardage used until a project is finished.
As for yarn, I've been somewhat tracking that (and have greatly reduced the amount of yarn I buy). (side note to that: I've got a lot of pretties available on my ravelry destash)

So, here's a brief recap of my first week of the year:

A post shared by Jacey (@jaceynotjc) on Jan 2, 2018 at 7:35am PST

I finished a Facets Hat, pattern by Rose Beck.

A post shared by Jacey (@jaceynotjc) on Jan 2, 2018 at 12:54pm PST

After that, I picked up my marled scarf (this is a gift for a friend), and have made great progress. It's about 40 inches long now!

A post shared by Jacey (@jaceynotjc) on Jan 3, 2018 at 10:49am PST

I also finished binding my Prism quilt and hope to get it photographed this weekend. Here's a progress shot. I love it! The pattern is in Jeni's Patchwork Essentials and fabric is all Alison Glass Handcrafted (except the binding).

I started off 2017 trying to read every day, but went bust a few months in, and only managed to finish a handful of books. This year, I'm starting with a very enjoyable book, and am halfway done. Have you read it?

And finally, I want to share this recipe, which I've been enjoying all week: BA Yellow Split Pea Soup with Spiced Coconut. As in 2016, we have set a goal of 3 new recipes a month, from our magazine and cookbook collection.

I hope you enjoy this new format. Thanks for sticking with me, through sporadic posts! I still love to create, and hope that never changes.

Quilt WIPs update

This is a stack of finished quilt tops, just waiting for basting. There are ten here, plus one more that is already basted.

I'm not saying I won't work on other projects for the rest of the year, but this stack will be my main focus for the remaining months of 2017. I haven't shared all of these projects here, but included in the stack are:

Scrappy Quarter Log Cabin
Big Plaid Log Cabin (bottom of this post)
Aerial Grove
Scrappy Geese
String Diamonds

It will be fun to see how many I can finish this year!

2017 crafting

Since January is nearly done, it's probably wise to finally share my goals for the new year. I am keeping the goals fairly broad, so here are the bulletpoints (accented by some WIP photos, which will hopefully be finished this year):

• Carry less WIPs into 2018 - I started the year with 26 quilting WIPs, and I would really like to finish the year with 10 or less
• Sew one garment a month
• Knit/weave at least 1000 yards of worsted/DK weight



• Knit/weave at least 1600 yards of sport/sock weight
• Knit 15 minutes a day in January (I am considering making this a full year goal, as it has been really motivating for me!)
• Reduce stash/buy less

I'm working on my second quilt finish for the month, and I hope to share both with you in the next few weeks. It feels nice to focus on finishing, although I am also a big fan of an indulgent beginning!

I hope to start something with this bundle in 2017 (Bird's Eye View by Sarah Watson and some stash favorites).

2016 quilts

I used to do recap posts, and I always enjoyed the process. In the new year, I hope to keep better track of my projects, and whittle down my WIPs (currently, I have 27 quilt WIPs). Looking back, I finished 13 quilts in 2016.

I haven't shared a few of them here, but pictured above:

Magic Stars (pattern by Aneela Hoey)
xplus 2.0 (block tutorial by Badskirt Amy)
Waypoint (pattern in Patchwork Essentials by Jeni Baker)
Brushstrokes Plus (pattern by Jeni Baker)
Feathers (pattern by Alison Glass & Nydia Khenle)
Log Cabin for a Whale
Envelopes (block from Jeni Baker's Patchwork Essentials)
Hearts (block tutorial by Cluck Cluck Sew)
Tula 100 (the back shown here)
Baby Swoon (pattern by Camille Roskelley)

I am currently handsewing the binding onto my first 2017 finish. Onward!

July, August and September recap - new recipes

I know. Three months of recap? Yikes. Even though I have kept up with the goal of trying three new recipes a month, I have been less than awesome in sharing it with you. So, starting with July...

July

-Chicken Gyro Salad from Smitten Kitchen
This was tasty and fresh!

-Creamy penne with asparagus and peas from The Make-Ahead Cook
I thought this was pretty tasty, and a nice change of pace (peas aren't something I use often)

-fresh pasta

So, after purchasing a pasta maker on sale (and helping my mom make a batch of pasta earlier this year), it was so fun to try it out for myself! It feels like cheating to call it a recipe when it only has two ingredients, but it counts! We are planning to make another batch very soon.

August
-ham and cheese pastry puffs from Back in the Day Bakery cookbook

This was the first recipe I tried from this gifted cookbook, and they were a tasty hit at my sister's baby shower. Oh, yeah, did I not mention my sister was pregnant? (Past tense because she had her little boy!)

-Black bean and rice bowl from SkinnyTaste

-Moroccan chicken with lemon and olives (Cook's Illustrated monolith)

-Lemongrass Basil Sherbet from Bon Appetit
DUDE. I can't even tell you how amazing this was. It was perfect, and I want it again right. now.

September
-Flat-roasted chicken with baby potatoes from Smitten Kitchen
This was tasty, but it made me realize that I needed a more shallow roasting dish. The potatoes didn't crisp up like they should have. I hope to try this one again with my new pan.

-Coconut beef curry from Bon Appetit
This was tasty, although I would precook the potatoes next time (the curry thickened a little too much because the potatoes needed more cooking time)

-Almost no-knead bread from Cook's Illustrated

oh yeah. Another big winner. I made the version with olives, parmesan and rosemary. I will say that if you don't like olives very much, you probably won't like it, as it is pretty olive-y. We ate almost nothing but bread until the loaf was gone. I'll make it again, definitely, and I want to make the cranberry orange one soon, too.

Okay, that's it! I hope you find something new to make, or at least some dinner inspiration!

June recap - new recipes

I feel like a show off saying this, but June was a banner month with NINE new recipes!

-Chicken tortilla soup from One Big Table

-Shaved asparagus pizza from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook
Um, YES. The Smitten Kitchen rushed pizza dough is my usual, but the asparagus on this was perfection. We have already made this pizza a second time!

-Roast chicken with basil, scallion, lemon butter and potatoes from A Bird in the Oven cookbook
To be honest, we made this, at least partially, to make the leftovers into this (from the same cookbook):

-Chicken and rice salad with mint pesto and peas
Yum! Fresh and summery, we ate this for several days with no complaints.

After visiting my grandparents, I came home with pounds of blackberries, peaches and plums. So, the next four recipes were my attmpts to use them up in delicious ways!

-Seeded Spiced Blackberry Jam from Preserving by the Pint cookbook
I made two batches of this jam, and it was a very manageable, delicious recipe.
I really love this cookbook, because the batches are small and generally, the recipes require about two pounds of produce each.

-Salted brown sugar peach jam (from the same canning cookbook)
Epic! Oh, I want more peaches so I can have this deliciousness year-round!

-Plum vanilla jam (same cookbook)

It was so fun to successfully make jam! I have tried once before (unsuccessfully, years ago).

-Blackberry lime sorbet from The Perfect Scoop
This was very tart, with the fresh lime juice, so I loved it more than Elliott did. Summery!

-Grilled lemon chicken with rosemary, Cook's Illustrated May/June 2013
This was a whole grilled chicken, which you brine first. We will make this one again, no question! It was so tender and flavorful!

At the halfway point for the year, that makes a total of 34 new recipes. Onward!

May recap - new recipes

We managed to try seven new recipes last month!

Unrelated to food, but here are some bluebonnets!

-Peach pecan crisp
We got a box of peaches from my dad and step-mom and this was a tasty way to enjoy them!

-Pecan-crusted crappie from the Homesick Texan cookbook
We used grouper, and loved this. The sauce was especially great!

-Roasted tomatillo chickpea curry
Um, YES. We will make this again, and maybe with Naan next time.

- Ninfa's spicy pickled carrots
My sister has made this recipe several times, and I feel like this will be a new fridge staple for me. Good with everything!

-Chocolate PB banana yogurt popsicles
These were... okay. We got a new popsicle tray and this was our first attempt. I think the chocolate was too much on these (is that a thing?). We made a second batch using just vanilla yogurt and the fudge ripple leftovers (see below!), and they were delicious. Maybe this recipe just felt like too many flavors at once.

-Oregano-black olive vinaigrette, from Cook's Country magazine, April 2007
Yum. You infuse olive oil with oregano for this recipe, and it was very flavorful. Also, yay for using herbs from our patio!

-Fudge ripple, from The Perfect Scoop
I would say that 'ripple' is a little misleading, because this seemed like a delicious homemade chocolate syrup to me. Name aside, we used this with a homemade vanilla ice cream (from the same book, but not a new recipe for me!), and then, as mentioned, layered with vanilla (Noosa) yogurt to make popsicles.

I hope you find something new to try this week!

April recap - new recipes

Sadly, I only tried two new recipes in April. This is mostly because we went on vacation, so it's not too sad!

This was the lamb ragu with papardelle we devoured at il vecchio, in Pacific Grove, California.

The two recipes we tried were total winners (one of which we made like, four times already...)!

The two we tried last month were both from the Skinnytaste cookbook.

-Broccoli mac and cheese
We substituted 2% milk for the skim. I cannot bring myself to use skim milk. I also added some paprika, garlic powder and ground mustard, as well as roasting the broccoli (instead of boiling it) for a little more flavor.

-sesame roasted green beans
Um, YES. This is the recipe we keep making and devouring. The sesame oil with green bean combo is just the happiest. Why don't I use sesame oil more often??

Other good news: we have already tried three recipes this month, so I hope to have a nice long list of recommendations when the month is over!
This has been a great exercise, and so far this year, we have tried TWENTY new recipes, many of which are from cookbooks that have sat on my shelf for years.

Up next, some Yosemite photos!

Knitting/yarn goals

Well, it's only 22 days into the new year, so I can still proclaim my crafty intents for the year, right? In the yarn realm of my interests, I finally learned to weave!

I received the Ashford Sample-It loom from a very sweet friend a year ago, and on January 1st, Elliott helped me set up my first warp. The pictured piece is now a finished scarf, but I haven't taken FO shots yet. It was very quick and enjoyable to weave the scarf, and I see lots of weaving in my 2015 forecast.

After discovering that I have a BOATLOAD of sock yarn (boatload is a technical term, btw), I want to focus on sock yarn projects this year.
I purchased a reed for the loom to weave with sock yarn, which will be a part of my plan.
I also intend to make at least four pairs of socks this year. For me, that's a pretty lofty goal, since socks are my kryptonite.

But I'm halfway through the second sock on this pair, which I started January 2nd. It's Hermoine's Everyday Socks (free pattern), and I'm using Squoosh Ultra Sock in the Vintage colorway. I hope to finish this pair in the next week or so.

my ravelry project

Additionally, Eat Sleep Knit is doing another year of the yarnathon. I participated in many of their challenges last year, and I intend to do the same this year, as some of the KALs were already in my knitting plans.
Unfortunately, projects like my Scrappy Hue Shift won't count, since the majority of the yarn used has to be from ESK. But I still plan on finishing that blanket this year!

I also intend to finish Backshore (bottom of the post), the choose your own adventure shawl and these mitts.

So, you know, normal ambitious dreams of knitting and weaving all of the things. Nbd.

Rollover

The great(?) thing about works-in-progress is that you can just roll them on into the new year. And although I had a boatload (that's a techinical term) of finished projects, I am carrying my weight in WIPs to 2014.

A quick list, for reference and accountability:

Sewing
-Liberty pillow (unblogged: started in May 2012, QAYG, with Liberty scraps purchased on etsy)
-Nothing but Blues EPP (will blog soon!)
-Ruby dress (cut out, just need to sew it up!)

Quilting
-Shattered Nordika (top's almost done!)
-Wonky Bee Traveling Quilt (top received!)
-dgs curvy improv quilt (nearly done, but a seam came apart in the wash; haven't figured out the best fix)
-Wonky star quilt
-red aqua quilt (super old WIP, may scrap or seriously modify) I'm not a sasher.
-Single Girl (another super oldie. UGH.)
-BaMS bee improv quilt (top is done)
-Scrappy trip along (all strips cut and sewn into pairs)
-Vintage Star (started quilting over a year ago, messed up. Need to pick out quilting, rebaste and requilt) Double UGH.
-Meow quilt (top is finished, back is made!)
Multiple scrappy triangle projects
Prairie braid (not sure if this will still turn into a quilt..)

Knitting
-Chestnut Facets
-Orchid Thief Shawl
-unphotographed Koigu socks

So, in a nutshell, there's my WIP list. That doesn't count projects I've already committed to (like a KAL and a QAL starting in a few days).

But I like goals and lists. I'm nothing if not a dreamer.

I wish you the very best 2014. Personally, I'm happy to say goodbye to this year. There were a lot of personal difficulties, and hitting the reset button is especially tempting.
Cheers, friends.

WIPs: A look back

In review of my 2012 WIP post, I think I have done pretty well this past year.

That Central Park Hoodie is waiting to be photographed! It was my final finish of 2012 (or maybe it should be considered first of 2013), and I am mega-relieved to have it done. Better yet, it's wearable!

I finished two of the four knits I mentioned in my post.

As for quilts, I finished one of the four quilts.

Swoon.

Of course, I finished lots of other things that weren't on the list. Typical fashion.

You may remember the video I shared last year, which was inspired by C.

Well, this year, a video just didn't happen, but feel free to check out my 2012 flickr set, if you are so inclined.

I still intend to post a list of concrete goals for the year, asap!

Happy making and my word

Good morning!

I wanted to share a picture of my x & + blocks.

These have been so fun to make, and I cut scraps for several more blocks this weekend. I plan to sew them up this week!

I have been trying to pick my word for 2013, and I looked back at my posts from a year ago. Last year, I did choose a word for myself, and that word was voice.

I think it was a great selection, and although I didn't come back to discuss it here, it is something I kept in mind, and I still do. I'm better about speaking up for myself (still not perfect, though), and I do think I'm finding my artistic voice as well.

After some careful thinking, my new word for this year is: FOCUS. Again, it's a word that encompasses many acts I hope to accomplish this year.

A focus on finishing projects.
I tend to divide my attention amongst many things at once. While I will always make small projects in between the big ones, I want to finish those big projects.
I've started well with this, although I have no photographic evidence as of yet. Soon!

A focus on goals.
Although I'm not being rushed, I need to find a new career. This is something I hope to contemplate this year.

A focus on everyday.
It's easy to get wrapped up in future events, but I have been trying to be present in each moment. It's not a hard thing, but it is.

And in the photography sense of the word, focus.
I think my photography skills have improved astronomically, but I want to keep improving and push myself with my camera.

A little bit of baking

So, I know that a few days into a new year is not the time to discuss baked goods, but I wanted to share a baking endeavor from the holidays.

I made an Apricot-Earl Grey Jam Tart with a hazelnut crust.
Impressive, no? The recipe is here in case you're interested (at some later date, of course!).

My favorite part was making the dough, and shaping it in the tart pan. I specifically bought a pan with a removable bottom (as suggested in the recipe), and it made for a much easier removal. You could use essentially any jam you'd like!

One of my goals for the new year is to try three new recipes each month. I think that's a pretty attainable goal, and I've got a new stack of cookbooks I received as gifts. I'll share my progress here!