A Lovely Year of Finishes - July Goals

Last month I completed 3 out of 5 of my goals, which ain't bad. This month I'm hoping to do even better. Well I'm realistic enough to know that I won't complete them all, but just the process of setting goals helps me to get more done, so I will always aim high.

1. Bee Blocks. My goal every month is to complete and mail my bee blocks on time. This month I have two blocks to make. For Tiffany in the Stash Bee it is a 5 pointed star block that is paper pieced, in reds and low volume. I am very excited about this one because I love 5 pointed stars (maybe because I'm from Texas). The second block is for Emily in the Bee Hive and she picked the Busy Block. Both blocks as paper pieced, which is always a challenge, but I'm getting better and better at it.

2. Finish Test Quilt. I was asked to test a quilt for a QAL that starts in late August. I've been working on it slowly, but hope to get some real progress this week. So far it has been a lot of fun. She is giving us the instructions just as you would get them, only at a little faster rate.  I can show you the fabrics I chose. I've added a button on my side bar for the QAL which is called the Gypsy Queen Mystery Quilt Along.

3. Cut Fabric for Midnight Mystery QAL. We got instructions for cutting last Thursday, and I want to get all mine cut so I'm ready for the next set of instructions. Sharla and I are both doing this one together. I even bought a couple of bins that we can have somewhere to keep all our pieces in between instructions. My fabric is on the cutting board, and I'm hoping to get it all cut today.

4. Complete Blocks for Turning Twenty Block of the Month. We have our fabrics picked, a couple still have to arrive, but we have the base fabrics. The schedule for this one is two blocks on the first and third Monday of each month. This one will move a little faster than the other ones, but it is actually only 4 blocks per month, so that shouldn't be too bad.

5. Memory Quilts. I have to make progress on these. I struggle to do them, but I need to get them done. My goal is to finish at least one more top this month. I would like to get it quilted as well. But I don't know if I have that in me.

Now you may have noticed a theme this month, mystery QALs. It is funny neither Sharla or I have never done a mystery QAL, and now she is doing 2 and I'm doing 3. It is funny how they came along. The first was the Midnight Mystery QAL, which is being lead by Meadow Mist Designs. I've tested quilts for her before and loved them, so we thought we'd try the QAL. Then on one of the blogs I read they mentioned they were doing the Turning Twenty's first ever Block of the Month. Now they are calling it a BOM, but since we don't get to see what we're making it is really a mystery QAL. Sharla loves Turning Twenty, and so do I, so we just couldn't resist joining. Then I was offered the opportunity to test another QAL. I go from never having done one, to doing 3 at the same time. Yes I claim my own crazy. But no matter what I will be busy which always makes me happy!!!

Today I'm linking up with Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts and Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs.