TGIFF: Hawaiian halter apron

Welcome to Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday, and presenting my First Finish of 2018!


This is only my 2nd time hosting (last was in October 2016, followed by a desert in my blogging presence).  What this means: you, too could be a volunteer host.  Do you have a New Year's Resolution to try new things?  Break out of your comfort zone?  Head on over to the tgiff link to sign up for a volunteer week (or two).

Happy birthday, cherub!

My finish this week is not the result of weeks or months of tedious work.  Nah, that would be the item I thought would be finished.  This week I celebrate a quick make: an upcycle (and a gift for my youngest cherub).



 
Before: a pair of Hawaiian print shirts, purchased at a thrift store because they reminded me of my recent vacation.  Actually a bit difficult to find said Hawaiian print shirts in cotton--mostly they are rayon.  But cotton is the better choice for an apron designed for actual kitchen use.

After: cute halter apron!

I couldn't find the instructions I used the last time I made one of these, so I just based my cuts and stitches on the apron at hand.  (I wear that one all the time.)

Made things intentionally a bit bigger, to better fit the recipient, but still threw a couple box pleats in the back.  Hope she likes it.

Now it's your turn:  Link up any finishes for this week and don't forget to stop by some of the other finishes--leave them some comment love! Grab the TGIFF button and link back to this post, so your  visitors can see other dynamite finishes.

An InLinkz Link-up

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Report out: December goals & blogging

I set monthly goals for December (first time since March), so it's time to look back and see how I did.
At the same time, I signed up for 31 days of blogging in December, although it was clear at mid-month that 31 blog posts was not really gonna happen.  But 13 posts did happen, and that is a huge change.

December goal report

1.  Finish super-secret quilt Done!
Almost got to the recipient in time for Christmas.  But what a delight to see and hear how much she loved it.  Like giving birth...

2.  Finish baby quilt for Guild charity drive So close...
I put on the binding.  I removed the partial bits of my previous quilting, and I started tying the quilt.  Just didn't get it done in time.  So it got put aside in the pre-Christmas rush.

3.  Finish puppy pillow sham  Nope
This will eventually be a gift.  Just not for Christmas 2017.

4.  Hand-stitch binding on Circles BoM quilt  Again, so close...
I stitched while my son was visiting one December weekend (much good football watching).  But alas, still have about 12" left.


5.  Make/complete 3 blocks for Woven BoM  Done!
Updated the display at the shop, with Four completed blocks.  Looking good!

6.  Finish 2 chirimen samples  Nope
7.  Finish "C is for Chicken" book  Nope
8.  Memorial stockings for the siblings  Nope
Did not touch any of this in December.

What happened?
Well, I actually picked up a totally different unfinished project.  Hand work.  Traveled nicely when I went to see family and friends at many holiday gatherings.

There are eight cats to blanket stitch outline on this twin-sized quilt top--a project started in 2014 (and stalled significantly since then).  I suppose I could look back at my December goals to analyze why I went so astray of what I said I wanted to work on.  But, ya know, it was a holiday month, so I think I'm gonna just let it be.

To recap: some cute cats got their blanket stitch on, my largest ever quilt was completed and sent to its forever home, and I still love to sew, regardless of my perceived productivity in any given month.

Happy stitching to me!  And happy 2018 to us all!