New Block: Tidy Rows (Solstice Black 7/25)

I put off doing Tidy Rows for a little while bc of all the HSTs. But I ended up really loving this new block. 

I have really been enjoying seeing what new block comes for the Solstice Challenge each week. Although one of the quilt settings calls for several different sizes of blocks, I have been making them pretty much the same. I'm not sure how it will look in the end, but I have a feeling that I will really enjoy this quilt once it is all put together.

I'm linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching, Move it Forward Monday, and more. 

MCQBOM2017 - February - New Block

For the second month of the Mad Cat Quilts Block of the Month, I chose a Spool Block. 

All the blocks in 2017 will be picture blocks and this struck me as a common block that I have never tried to make. 

I procrastinated on this block a long time for some reason. It's only February! I should still be stoked for the MCQBOM2017!! But for some reason, I put this one off almost all month. 
Now that it's done, I'm quite happy with it. It's got some very rough edges but I will fix them up later. 

If your following along at home, here is the MCQBOM so far:
Dec - 0) Improve Tree Block
Jan - 1) Pineapple Block
Feb - 2) Spool Block
Mar - 4) House Block - Coming soon!
April - 5) ?
May - 6) ?
June - 7) ?
July - 8) ?
Aug - 9) ?
Sept - 10) ?
Oct - 11) ?
Nov - 12) ?
Dec - 13) ?
Although I have a pretty good plan of what other blocks I'll include, I'm keeping future blocks a mystery for now! I also have some plans for layout and what I will want the finished quilt to look like also under wraps. 

Anyone else out there working on creating their own BOMs? It's a fun exercise!

Linking up with MCM over at Cooking Up Quilts and Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for the first time today! Also linking up with Monday Making, Move it Forward Monday and more!

New Block: Crosswalk Block (Solstice 6/25)

Another New Block from Pat Sloan's Solstice Challenge. I put off making the Crosswalk block for a while, but I ended up enjoying it! 

That being said, I'm not sure if I would use this block much. I like it in relation with this quilt though, and I can't wait to see the end results. 

Linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Monday Making, Move it Forward Monday and more!

New Block: Gramma Anna's Basket (Solstice Black 5/25)

I departed heavily from the original block that was set in the Solstice Challenge but it's still a new block for me! In Pat Sloan's version there is a appliqué basket in the center of this block, but I would prefer this quilt not to include appliqué. 

Although I did not make the appliqué, I did choose a eye catching fabric for the center of this block. And it does have a basket on it! Since I've fallen a bit behind on these solstice blocks and other BOMs I'm working on, I'll be Slow Sunday Stitching today. 

Linking up with Finished or Not It's Friday, Monday Making, Move it Forward Monday and more. 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

One of my goals in 2017 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here. 

I had avoided seeing the movies or reading the books in this Swedish series for many years, but when my father recommended the book on tape, I decided to give it a shot. This copy of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is read by Simon Vance. 

It took me a while to get into this book, but Simon Vance's reading really won me over which made me want to finish.

Mikael Blomkvist is an aging but charming investigative journalist who has no troubles with the ladies, but does have a tendency to be drawn into the wrong stories. Lisbeth Salander is a young and brilliant but defiant ward of the state trying to find her place in a world of men who hate women. This unlikely pair is drawn together by a 36 year old mystery and a shared passion for justice. 

Having never seen the movies or read the books, I really had no idea what this book was about when I started. I vaguely knew there was a older man and younger woman in it and that she was a "goth" type. When I first started reading people told me to watch out as this book contained very violent scenes, particularly brutal violence against woman. Later my father told me the book had been originally titled Men Who Hate Woman or something to that effect. I knew that the books and movies were immensely popular, so I was surprised but this. After reading, I can say that this book is very violent, chauvinistic, misogynistic, and portray woman as stupid, lacking common sense and prone to falling to pieces over men and sex. What bothered me most about this was that Larsson, a male author, clearly thought he was writing the opposite. It seems to me as if he were trying to say how strong woman are to the best of his abilities, yet he still had woman make stupid, self harming decisions, and fall into the arms of, and in love with, any man who didn't rape them, and in turn fall to despair and spite when that love was not 100% reciprocated. Even if these men didn't rape them, it was still ok for them to bully and disrespect the woman in an appallingly casual fashion. I think Larsson completely missed the point he was trying to make. This aspect of the book infuriated me, more so than the anti woman theme itself, and I came close to stopping many times. It also made me question what aspect of the book that people liked so much. I feel sure that the parts of the story that I found to be intriguing are not what the general public liked or focused on. This book contains rape, murder, horrific violence, incest, degradation, animal cruelty and animal killing. Be warned. 
The aspects of the book I did enjoy were a slow build of character, family, and mystery written in a uniquely Scandinavian style and sensibility. Simon Vance's reading was wonderful, the various voices distinct and thought out.  

Overall, I have to say I cannot recommend this book and will not be reading the sequels. I'm sure many people have read this and feel differently, share your comments here!

Honey Pot Bee February

For each month of the Molli Sparkles' Honey Pot Bee there are two blocks to make. Make one, make both, make many! So far the trend has been one picture block, one more traditional. And so far I have chosen to make the more traditional blocks, as another BOM I'm working on uses picture blocks. 

For February, I only used part of the Star Kisses block (one section out of four).  I liked how this block used a variation of a sawtooth star just like the January block. Not knowing what will come net or what the finished quilt might look like, I decided to use only part of this block bc it went well with my existing block. 

I chose to use random scraps for the main features of these Honey Pot Blocks, but all with the same "background" fabric. So far, these blocks are coming out mainly neutral and I'm excited to see what happens when future blocks are added. Here are the first two:

I'm linking up with Molli Sparkles on Instagram, Move it Forward Monday, Monday Making, and more. 

New Block: Cobblestones (Solstice Block 4/25)

This is another new to me block featured in the Solstice Challenge. I made this block with 4 stones across and down (although the directions called for 3), as I had scraps that matched that size. When finishing this post, I did notice a stone out of place. Do you see it?

To fix, or not to fix? Luckily, I have a few more weeks to decide. Here is a shot with the first four blocks together:

Bc of my peculiar no measure methods, my blocks can vary in size. When creating my BOMs I don't worry much about this. It always works out in the end!

Linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching, Monday Making, Needle and Thread and more!

YOTS2017: February / Gifted Fabric

YOTS (Year of the Stash) started in 2016 as a community project and link up to help quilters use up stash instead of buy new. There is no community link up for 2017, but I am continuing the challenge for myself anyway! I have written my YOTS2017 manifesto and am committed to another Year of the Stash!

I'm pretty lucky to have friends and family that know I love fabric and gift it to me from time to time. Earlier this year, my Brother In Law sent me some vintage fabric he found. 

I've been using them up when I can, especially as backing as there is a ton of fabric!! I love that I can incorporate a gift, vintage and reclaim fabric, and the thoughtfulness that came with it, into my work.  

My monthly stash report looks little different from last month. A little got used, but none came in so far!
Fabric Added from the Since Last Update: 0
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 13.25
Fabric Used Since Since Last Update: Approximately 1 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 4 yd

So 2017 is rolling right along. Feel free to add your stash update to the comments or put a link to your posts!

OMG February

Well, January was productive for me with finishes, but sadly not my OMG finish. I didn't even pick it up. (Losing the thread, quite literally, had me disheartened. But this month I plan to purchase a new spool to get back on track). 
Anyway, for my FebOMG, I want to quilt the mat I started for Tom. All the cats are laying in front of radiators and I don't see that changing this month, so they might as well have some mats to make them more comfortable. I'd like to finish the mat, but let's set small, achievable goals. 

I want to keep a little running tab on what goals I choose and the goals I finish for this year's OMG.
Jan - Quilt Maybe Lyz - Not finished
Feb - Quilt Tom Mat - 

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts for OMG. 

Pillow for Pit - A Finish

I swear, I have been working on other things besides presents for my cats! 
Our boy Pit has taken to sitting in a box that we had partially filled with items to go into the basement. Before we could bring it down, he adopted it as his favorite napping place and now the box is so collapsed he's paractially inside of it. I thought a pillow would help him be more comfortable. 

I rummaged in the scrap bin and decided on some brown and orange squares. Since these were still a little smaller than I wanted, I added some floral borders on two sides. 

I used a scrap of  cotton batting to baste this tiny top. I hand quilted the two layers criss cross with off white cotton thread. 

I used part of a vintage sheet as backing. We have a bunch of vintage fiber fill which I used some of to stuff Pit's pillow. I didn't over stuff this pillow bc I know he likes to sink down in his box a bit. I finished it with stitching all around.  

This isn't on any of my goals for January, and it was a spontaneous finish! Since it was quite quick, no one got a chance to help me sew. But Elvis gave me a hand with the photos!

Now I have to get Pit to leave his box for a few minutes so we can try it out!

Solstice Sew Along 2/25 - Day into Night

I'm telling you, sawtooth star variation blocks are hot this year! That can't be a bad thing. 

This traditional block is always fun to make and the Day into Night version is no exception. I had already decided to use a Greenery fabric pull for the Solstice Block Challenge, but this block also cemented that I wanted to use a mix of patterned fabric and solids. 

This block came together quickly and easily. I could imagine a whole quilt out of these variations being cool. 

Linking up with Monday Making, Moving it Forward Monday, and more!

January Plant Update

I've tried to keep a watchful eye around me so far this month. Here are some botanical observations. 

Seeing these made me rue not foraging them. 

Outside, a huge snow storm, inside the plants are thriving. 

Here's how an outside plant faired. 

Teaching at The New School this month, I've been observing some of their growing experiments. 

This is more a picture of critters than plants, but the other morning there are no less than 12 morning doves on our back porch. They were huddled in the rain, and waited for the squirrel (seen behind) to finish enjoying his breakfast before alighting to the feeders. 

Have your January plant observations been what you expected? 

Please Kill Me, The Uncensored Oral History of Punk

One of my goals in 2017 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here. 

Through many years and many roommates it seems I've always had a copy of this book. Not sure who or where this one came from, but it finally came time to read Please Kill Me, The Uncensored Oral History Of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain. 

I came to punk rock music later in life, but I quickly fell in love. To me, punk is like the blues in that it gives release from the nature of feelings it invokes. Blues expresses your sadness, allowing you to let it go and punk does the same for anger and injustice, isolation and self doubt. I tend towards later, more arty punk, most notably The Minutemen, which this book doesn't even touch upon. Please Kill Me delivers only a slice of punk biased by the author's particular view of the music and the scene. But that's ok, too. 

From interviews with various leaders in the punk scene in the late 60s, throughout the 70s and into the 80s, Please Kill Me, The Uncensored Oral History of Punk weaves a story known to few, lived by less, but influential to all. 

It's amazing to think that Elvis, Libarace, Miles Davis and Iggy Pop, all lived in the same time period and their astoundingly different music was around at the same time. This book is a fascinating look at how influential punk was and how it shaped a music era unlike any other, all though the player's own words. Oral histories can be difficult to keep track of and this one falls into that category. With dozens of characters, and no clear linear narrative, this book can be hard to grasp. It has a glossary of it's rogue gallery, but unless you already know these characters it's easy to get confused. It also deals a lot with the gossip and relationship between punk's forerunners, and that often overshadows the impact and ramifications of punk on the world. Having some knowledge of the punk scene is recommended before starting this book. Those new to punk might want to check out the book Our Band Could Be Your Life, or several documentaries on the subject before diving into this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in punk rock and those who like any of the bands mentioned in the book; Iggy and the Stooges, The Ramones, MC5, The Sex Pistols plus many more are the obvious groups, but Patti Smith, David Bowie, and Miles Davis also apply. I'd also recommend this book to music lovers in general. But be warned, drugs, sex and rock and roll do apply and this book is often gross and graphic. Overall, Please Kill Me is a fast paced and easy read with an unique historic relevance. 

What are your favorite books on music?  

MadCatQuiltsBOM 2017 + New Block: Pineapple

Last year, I started a BOM of blocks I had never made before. I have decided to continue this tradition so here is the very first post for MCQBOM2017!!

In 2016, I didn't choose any blocks before the month I would create them, but in 2017 I have a much clearer idea of what I want to sew. For MCQBOM2017, I will still be sewing blocks I have never made before, but they will all be picture blocks; Blocks that clearly represent an image. 

I don't use picture blocks in my quilting very much, if ever, but I often like the look of these blocks in finished quilts. I have compiled a list of blocks I want to complete this year, with a vague idea of how the finished quilt will come together. I have more than 12 blocks that I might want to sew, so as usual, there is a lot of room to move around or change in this project. 

With the 2016 MCQBOM, I tried to get out of my comfort zone color and fabric wise. I'm doing that again this year with several projects. For MCQBOM2017, I have decided on an all grey and black fabric pull. I'm not sure why. But I think this might turnout very interesting!

And now, without further ado, the January block for MCQBOM2017 is the Pineapple Block!

I chose the Pineapple for the first block bc it is a symbol of welcome and prosperity and I thought that was a good way to start off the new year. I found a few tutorials for this block on pinterest, but didn't use one in particular. My husband is joining me this year, but he didn't want his block shown this time. 

We also did a warm up block back in December that came from Molli Sparkles' Honey Pot Bee, an improve tree. 

Feel free to follow along throughout the year, or sew along! Linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching, Making Monday, Move It Along Monday and more link ups!

Catching up with Bullet Journaling

Back in April, I wrote about starting my Bullet Journal a few weeks before, and now, 10 months later, I'm still keeping up with it. At the end of November, I finished the first note book I used (one I already had in my stash) and started a new book for December and the new year!

I've learned a lot about how to make BuJo work for me. And I've found that I really like to use this method of organization. I have streamlined many aspects that I started with but also added more items that help me track and organize more effectively. 
My journal is what BuJo-ers call a minimalist journal, bc it doesn't have fancy calligraphy or embellishments, it's not decorated with designs, drawings, or wash tape. This journal, for me, is purely utilitarian. 
That being said, I do enjoy using a nice notebook and pen. I'm currently using a Fabriano spiral bound notebook with graph paper and a Uni-ball black pen. 

I use only four Symbols on a regular basis now, as opposed to when I first started. I use a Dot to denote any task or action I can complete, including an event. I use an X for any task/action completed, and an Arrow for any task/action that gets moved forward or back. I use a Dash for notes or lists. Occasionally I still use a little Eyeball for research. 

I've streamlined my Index to be easier to read. I use paperclips to keep important pages bookmarked while I'm using the journal, but plan to highlight important notes in the index once the journal is complete. That way, I can look at the index of an old book and immediately see important list/notes/etc... in this current notebook, I've become much better at filling out my index as I go.
My current Future Log is pretty messy. I want to make this work better for me going forward. I want to gather and keep all birthdays here.  I have only 6 months ahead in my current journal and am waiting to see if this works for me.
I have divided my Monthly Calendar into two main sections, one for daily activities, events, bdays, etc..., and one for my work schedule which includes multiple jobs, meetings, work related activities, etc... I also have a Monthly Calendar that is a money tracker and blog tracker. This I fill in daily, once I know what I have spent or blogged. Tracking my expenses and extra earnings on each Daily Log, and then listing it on this Monthly Calendar has replaced the old method I used for tracking expenses and earnings. 
I still use the Monthly Task list the way that I did in the beginning. I'm working to keep this area less cluttered and more easy to understand, as well. I will often use the bottom of this page to store a recipe or definition I think I might look back to. 
I've streamlined my Monthly Habit Tracker so that it is easier to read and has two sections: one to reflect the first half on the month and one to track the second half. Dividing the month makes it easier for me to see what actually got done, and keep my tracker neat. 
For January, I'm trying out a Monthly Cleaning Tracker. I have made lists of each item in each room I want to clean regularly. I have a section for each week of the month, and a space to check off what gets done which week. So far, this isn't working the best, so I might change the layout to be more like my Monthly Tracker in February. 
My Daily Logs have changes quite a bit since I started my Bullet Journal. I used to make one Daily Log per page and start them many days in advance. I have trained myself to work one day at a time, often with two or three days per page, and only start the next day midway thru the current one. This helps me not put off tasks by moving them too far in the future, concentrate on the current day's tasks, not make lists that are impossibly long, and achieve more of my daily goals. I also record my meals, feelings on the day, expenses and extra earnings on each Daily Log. These changes have been a huge help in making my BuJo more effective. 
I still make many Lists and Notes and bookmark the pages with paperclips so I can easily look over them when needed. 

I recently started a work BuJo for my out of home jobs. I'm not sure how this will work out and I'm sure there will be a lot of trial and error, but mostly I'm hoping I can use it to keep all my work notes and tasks organized. 

Overall, I find that keeping a Bullet Journal has helped me stay focused and organized in my day to day life and I really enjoy it!! It has kept me from depression many times by allowing me to achieve tasks, feel productive, and see results! I highly recommend this method if you're at all a list maker. 
Does anyone else keep a Bullet Journal? Share your thoughts and ideas here!

Honey Pot Bee January

Each month in the Honey Pot Bee there are two blocks to make. Make one, make two, make more!! For January I only chose one of the blocks selected. This is a block I've already made, but it was a good time to try it again. 

Based on the surprise block in Dec and the first blocks in Jan, it seems like some of the blocks in this bee might end up in my MCQBOM which will be announced and explained next week. So for January I only made the block that would not work for MCQBOM. It seems like the sawtooth star will be very popular this year. Perhaps that signals a return to more traditional blocks in the quilting community?
I never did a fabric pull for the Honey Pot Bee, so I decided that I would link these blocks together using the same background. Recently, I've been using this donated fabric for many uses and I thought this would be good here as well. 

I'm excited to see what other blocks are in store for my Honey Pot!

Linking up with Move It forward Monday, Making Monday, and Molli Sparkles on instagram. 

Pantone Color of the Year 2017 + Solstice Sew Along

Last year, I had pretty strong feeling about the 2016 Pantone Color of the Year. A lot of people did. This year, I'm more meh. Pantone had chosen Greenery as 2017 Color of the Year, and it's a nice color. Their explanation of the color is hopeful:

"A refreshing and revitalizing shade, Greenery is symbolic of new beginnings.
Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.
Greenery is nature’s neutral. The more submerged people are in modern life, the greater their innate craving to immerse themselves in the physical beauty and inherent unity of the natural world. This shift is reflected by the proliferation of all things expressive of Greenery in daily lives through urban planning, architecture, lifestyle and design choices globally. A constant on the periphery, Greenery is now being pulled to the forefront - it is an omnipresent hue around the world.
Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalize, Greenery symbolizes the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose.
A life-affirming shade, Greenery is also emblematic of the pursuit of personal passions and vitality."

Thanks, Pantone, that's nice. I'm not sure if nice is enough for us right now, but it is nice.
I might have gone with Alarm Red, a bright flashing hue that sends people into action, or Abyss Black, the black of the endless hole you want to avoid, or even Nest Brown, a color for bundling up, cozying up, gathering your loved ones and hunkering down for a long wait.   

Around the same time that I learned of this year's color, I also found Pat Sloan's 182 Day Solstice Block Challenge. That's one block a week between the Winter solstice and the Summer solstice. What a lovely idea! A nice way to pass time and make in the changing seasons. Living now in a place where the seasons are a drastic change, both in weather and in habit, this sew along really appealed to me. As I was preparing to start this challenge, it clicked; Greenery was a perfect fabric pull for this SAL!

I've made four blocks so far, two are not new to me and two are New Blocks. The first block is a good old solid churn dash. It was fun to pull fabric for this project with Greenery in mind. I'm also really excited that this challenge will be done mid year, and I can work on finishing it then, as opposed to some of my other BOMs that will take a year to complete.  Who else is participating in the Solstice Challenge? What are you color/fabric schemes?

What are your thoughts on Pantone's Color of the Year?

New Block: Oh, oh!

Recently I've had occasion to make two blocks of the Letter O. I didn't follow any pattern for these blocks but they were pretty easy. And I think they came out ok. 

I'm hoping to finish both these O objects this month! (Edit, One down!). I will probably end up making quite a few letters this year. 

What letter blocks do you enjoy making?

I'm linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Needle and Thread Thursday (early? or late? you decide!), Monday Makers, and more!

Mat For Ollie - A Finished Mini Quilt

I made this small mat for a dog friend I've never met. I have met his owner, who happened to be my secret santa at work! 

I'm not sure exactly how large this mat is bc I forgot to measure it but I would guess it's about 18" x 20". This O mat is completely hand sewn using fabric from my stash. I know Ollie's mom loves elephants! I used a scrap of cotton batting for the sandwich, and a vintage fabric that was given to me as backing. 

This mini was hand quilted with turquoise cotton thread. I basted it by folding the backing towards the front on the sides, and rolling it on the top and bottom.  I didn't want to have big borders all around. I like using the back as binding to show the backing. I like that I can do a very wide boarder, or thin, or like this quilt, a combo of both!

I intended this mat as placemat for dog bowls, as it's too small for Ollie who is quite big (even tho he's still a puppy!). But this mat could be used as just a classic mini quilt. 

This was a quick finish and the first finish of 2017. I did manage to put it on my 2017 FAL Quarter 1 List. I'm also linking up with Finished or Not it's Friday, Finish it up Friday and Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday, and more.
Flounder was most helpful in the creation of Ollie's mat. Hope he doesn't mind a little cat hair. 

Year Of The Stash 2017

Last year, Quarter Inch from the Edge started Year Of The Stash for a lovely year of stash busting in 2016! This year, I'm not sure what's happening with YOTS2017. I've reached out to her, and am eager to hear what her plans are. I know I miss her posts and encouragement as I'm sure many in the quilting community do. 

To start out last year's YOTS we made a manifesto of our pledge to use more stash. Here is my 2017 manifesto: 
1) Use as much stash as possible. Last year, I said buy less, this year my mantra will be use more. I will still try to buy less, of course, but 2016 really gave me a good appetite for not buying. 
2) Incorporate some vintage, reclaimed, and or repurposed fabric in all work. I feel more satisfied if I'm using vintage and reclaimed fabric in my work.
3) Sew, Sew, Sew. I'm starting off another year hoping for a finish each month. I have a lot of stash to help me with this.    

And here is my fabric intake/output so far: 
Fabric Added from the Start of the Year: Bought - 1.25 yd, Gifted - approximately 12 yd
Fabric Added Year to Date: Approximately 13.25
Fabric Used Since Start of the Year: Approximately 3 yd
Fabric Used Year to Date: Approximately 3 yd

Late last year and so far this year, I've been good about not buying new fabric. Since vintage and reused fabric can be hard to come by, I do not restrict myself where it's concerned. I've gone to quite a few shops, and only came away with a small handful. Pictured above is all I've bought in January so far (although, just today I've been contemplating an online purchase...). 
I've joined quite a few on line challenges this year, and so far have shopped my stash! I hope to keep this up all year!
My husband has joined some of these as well, and it's good too see the fabric he pulls going to good use. 

What are some of the ways you will use your stash this year? How do you plan on keeping yourself motivated to use up and not buy?

Here is 2016's manifesto:
1) Buy as little new fabric as possible. I won't say buy none. I want to be free to get a great new piece here or there, patron indy quilt shops, or buy backing when needed. I'll buy used, reclaimed, and/or vintage fabric when possible. I pride myself on using these fabrics in my quilts, and need to scoop them up when they preset themselves. But I want to be mindful not to add too much to my stash!
2) Use some used, vintage and/or reclaimed fabrics in all quilts. Last year was the first time I used all new fabric for some quilts and it just didn't feel right. As I said above, I pride myself to use these vintage items, and I need to get back to that. I have such a wonderful collection in my stash, it needs to get out into the world!  
3) Organize as I go. When we moved, I started folding and color coordinating my stash and discovered that I have far too much fabric!! I barely made a dent before I filled up the entire space I'd set aside. I'd like to utilize this space better this year. I want to use up, organize, and consolidate during The Year of the Stash!
4) Sew, sew, sew! One of my goals is to have at least one finish per month, I'd also like to make one new block per month. Sourcing from my stash will help me as I have so many wonderful fabrics at my fingertips!