More UFOs!

While putting away, sort of, the stuff from the retreat I found a nice plastic box that contained all the pieces from a Bonnie Hunter class, "Cathedral Stars", at our Guild two/three years ago.  It has the directions as well as more cut pieces.  There are six completed blocks of each design, in which I changed her colors a little.  There are a ton of blue and white four-patches all made.  Hmm, how come I never took a photo of this before and added it to my UFO photo album?

Next box holds these red and black wonky triangle strips.  Yes, I do remember making these some time ago, and then I couldn't find them at one point!  There they were with other black and red [and white] leftovers from other projects.  At least I was getting all the same colors into one box!

The thing is, at the beginning of the year I counted up 23-24 UFOs in my photo album.  So I thought I would try to finish two a month this year and get them all DONE.  So far I have finished and sent four to the LA quilter, so I'm on schedule.

Trouble is that I have found or put together "parts" that make SEVEN additional unfinished projects.  I sure hope that I keep my enthusiasm up for finishing a number of neonatal quilts from these before the collection date in late March.  I'm planning on getting some quilted at home after my knee surgery during the recovery period.  I will be able to sit at my sewing machine, won't I?

Today I did move one of them along.  With fabric from Joey in the World Wide Swap I added the final borders to this "Pyramids & One Teepee" quilt.  She sent just the right maroon/red fabrics to go with the flowered triangles from long ago.  Her fabrics inspired me to also sew together more of the same colors for the backing, so this is now ready for home quilting.

That won't happen until the end of the month when we return from St. Louis.  But for now it is all set.

This is the second UFO for February that I need to work on, and since it is handwork I can take it with me to St. Louis.  I now feel I was crazy to think I would hand quilt this whole big quilt, but since it is well started, I'm going to put some time in on it.  I'm using BIG stitches. but the stab, stab, stab wears my fingers out pretty quickly.

Hmm, I just went and counted how much is done: six squares out of sixty.  Let's see, if I do one a day [ that would include two side rectangles], I should have 20 done when I return.  YIKES, this is going to be a long term project.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Can go back to an arthritis pain reducer that also reduces inflammation
Leftover chicken stew [Thanks Lynne!]
Chemically induced stress test now behind me

Retreat, Day One

The VERY first thing after unloading the car and positioning everything in the workroom was to go to my bedroom and take a nap.

Then I pulled out these blue HSTs  and randomly sewed them together for the center of this neonatal quilt top.

The group leaders had a plan for us to each make a simple applique flower block to make a quilt for Kettunen Center as a gift from us. [Not until next year, though.]

Here's the block I made and a line-up of others from the first day.

Lastly that day I got out the UFO of the month and managed to get the necessary borders attached [one quarter shown in the photo], and then I used the remainder of the plaids to make a patchwork backing large enough to exceed the top.

More on the retreat tomorrow!

As for the Monday Design wall...it is just as it was last week, a scrap bargello that needs borders.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Four days of sewing fun

Four days of no cooking

Four days of making "leaders & enders" into neonatal quilts

Still another find

The beginnings of a Scrap Bargello showed up in a little basket.  I don't know how long ago the three strata were made, but today I cross-cut them into 2.5" strips and re-sewed them into these bargello sections.

I think it needs another section to make it wide enough and also to make it into a balanced "M" or "W".

Most of the strata is together; need to keep working so this does NOT become another UFO!

Sara

Gratitudes:

Swap box was mailed
Charlie provided a new dinner
Friday date night

UFO progress

The Batik Charms quilt has gone to the LA quilter with the backing.  I have the binding here at home for when it returns.

This was #5 on my list of UFOs for the Judy Liquidara Challenge [finish one a month, according to whichever number she draws].

And the leftover scraps were made into a doll quilt which I finished quilting myself yesterday on my home machine.  It is about 24" square.

Today I put the borders on my second #5 UFO," Red and Brown Rectangles".  I have so many UFOs that I but a second one next to each number on the list with an asterisk.  If I have time I'm going to work on that one also.

I made these blocks last year while we were in Florida.  This is a Judy Liquidara design.  When we packed up to come home, I never opened the package again!  With 20 blocks made I decided this would be a good size for a lap/toddler quilt.

I'll see if I am willing to quilt this at home, or if I want to send it out.

Now to consider what I should pack in a Priority Postal box for the World Wide Swap on Liberated Quilters list.  I'm going to start my re-examining my Orphan box, and the pile of UFOs.  Someone else can try being "liberated" with things I'm tired of.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Day old sticky buns for breakfast
Taking a nap after lunch
More birds at the feeder

Another find

Moving the daybed out of my sewing room has resulted in finds.  "Lost" ancient artifacts appear in strange boxes and containers that I am now opening.  These triangles were once cut for a Kalidiescope quilt.  After I sewed a few sections into circles that had humps in the middle, I gave up and stashed the triangles away.

Later I found them and decided to sew them into strips for borders because the circles weren't working.  I didn't really need the borders, it was just another day that I needed come "mindless" sewing time.  Then they were put away again.

Now they came out of the bottom of a box that was only half full, so I was distributing the contents into OTHER containers.  [I call this progress!]

It looks to me now that this could be put together, not as borders, but as a baby quilt for our neonatal unit.  And now that I have taken a photograph, I have to put the photo into my album of UFOs, thus making my UFO list longer.

On the other hand, I HAVE finished [to the stage to sending it out to be long-arm quilted] my UFO for this month's Liquidara Challenge.  Therefore I can do whatever I want for the rest of the month!  Are these triangles what I want to work on?  Maybe.  At least if I get them together as a TOP I will have made some progress.  It might even be small enough to quilt on my machine......

Still thinking as I leave the room.

Sara

Gratitudes:


Good ideas about financial decisions
Quiet afternoon
Dinner at Tre Cugini with Peter and Lynne

Election Day accomplishments

As I began clearing off the bed in my sewing room, I found some two-patches leftover from a previous zig-zag baby quilt.  Rather than hide them away (as I probably should have done), I used them with some other scraps to make a checkerboard.

Today I added the borders, including this "wild" batik outer border.  I'm not madly in love with this project, so I am going to hand it on to Margaret's Hope Chest for them to finish.  I know they will find a happy recipient.

This afternoon I located the little top I made from the scraps of Peter and Lynne's quilt, Emerald Forest.  Lying near it was a leftover piece of green polar fleece -- ah ha! -- a perfect backing AND batting.  Since Tuesday is my "dedicated to quilting day", I rushed back from voting [rather than running some errands] and quickly quilted this one and even got it bound.

I also found on the bed a set of FQs I took to Florida two years ago and augmented, but never had started a project.  I also found a book about FQ projects. . . . but I managed to NOT begin anything with these treasures.  Instead I laid them aside and looked for a particular UFO I had been musing about.

That True UFO is finally on the sewing machine for the next time I get in there.

Nevertheless: I am glad to be ready to get those two projects away and out of my sewing room!

Meanwhile Bonnie Hunter has announced the start date of her next mystery: Nov. 19.  I'm uncertain about participating.  He quilts are labor intensive, and I want to keep working on my UFO goal for this year.  Well, I can always start in the new year.  And she does intend that we use everything from our stash - something I also want to keep working on.

Sara

Gratitudes:

No real line at the polling place

Lots of sun out my window as I was sewing

Charlie panfried some yummy talapia for dinner

SpoolSpinners Retreat, Part 3

Next I attacked the UFO stack of Log Cabin blocks. sewing them into rows and columns.

I had used some pretty bight fabrics in these, but as usual for a distance they devolve into simply lights and darks. [After I got home I saw that one block is turned the wrong way, and I corrected it.]

And lest you should think we only worked and worked and worked--we did have FUN too! Here are a few of the gals one evening enjoying "Pudding Shots" -- which are made from a little instant pudding, and a stiff shot of vodka with liqueur for flavoring.

Thank you Donna for making them again!

The quilt top I previously could not get to load. Now it worked!

Altogether, a fun and very productive retreat. Now I have a few matters to finish off and I will be able to take credit for some UFO finishes.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Dianne's work to set up the retreat.

Meals all prepared for us.

Lynne's birthday dinner afterwards.

SpoolSpinner Retreat, Part 1

Last week I was away at our Bee's annual retreat for three nights. What did I accomplish?

First, I finished the borders on the Emerald Forest quilt for Peter and Lynne:

Then I got the back put together using extra sunflower fabric, some new green batik, and leftover portions of the blocks from the front:

Those two pieces were then ready to hand on to my Long-arm quilter.

There were more scraps, most of which I had sewn into strips as the occurred. I put them together in a small table-topper or wall quilt:

The next day I sewn together this set of UFO blocks. The blocks were all in a bag together, so that wasn't much work! I did not have any fabric along with me that was suitable for borders, so this was then put away. Hope to get this up to Twin sized.

More in another post!

Sara

2010 UFO problem and solution

I remembered an old UFO that I had taken no photo for my UFO album. So to be "complete", I went looking for it. I knew just what cabinet it was in, under a pile of clothing patterns. When I got there, that project was something else. A different UFO I had forgotten! So I kept looking , and I found FOUR undocumented UFOs.

This is not good. I am not happy about this.

#1 At the top we have poor quality batiks, already cut into strips.

They were marked down at Walmart, and in a roll. I thought I could make a

quick Lasagna quilt with them--or something else with strips. I made a quilt with SOME of them. But there is enough left for another.

The colors aren't bad together.

#2 we have the Block of The Month at Hancock's Fabric store from 2004-05. It commemorates the Lewis and Clark expedition. I finished most of the blocks, and have all of the kit. I don't like the look of the design, and I thought I could improve it.

#3 we have the 12.5" flannel Square-in-a-Square blocks from a swap in 2004. I have 36 of them finished, and more parts. The blocks are HUGE. But they would make a big quilt, and somebody could be kept warm.

But. . .how to put them together? Do they need sashing? Should these be made into the BACK of a quilt?

#4 there are the Waste Triangle HSTs from the corners of those Square-in-a-Square blocks. And some matching plain squares. Enough to make another quilt top.

And #5 there is the Bonnie Hunter Caroline Christmas Mystery for which I have finished the blocks, but not decided what layout to use to make them into a top.

As I said yesterday, I have about 30 UFOs--now 35.

I have GOT to get rid of some of these UFOs, or finish them.

Here's my plan:

1.] Finish or get rid of TWO every month for the next year.

2.] Finish or get rid of every NEW project I start January through June.

3.] Finish or get rid of every new project but 3 that I start from July through Dec.

[This is because some projects just can't be completed before the end of the year for various reasons, such as it is a Bonnie Hunter Mystery.]

To help me keep track of all this I am going to have to put lists on the sidebar of my blog. Haven't quite figured what I want there yet.

I think this will mean not very many NEW projects this year. I'll see if I can keep to this plan.

Sara

Gratitudes:

A holiday morning to sleep in

Dinner with Bob, Lynne and Peter in Holland

Bright full (almost) moon tonight shining on the snow

Back is improving, only a few twinges today

YES! UFO # 9 is done!

These madras patches were already sewn together in strips when I found the bag.

Now it is a 34 ' X 35" baby quilt for the Butterworth neonatal unit.

I got it done even tho' I seems to be having muscle spasms in my back. I tied the heating pad around me and sat very erect at the sewing machine. But twisting is not in my program!

Sara

Gratitudes:

Had the grocery shopping done before this started

Had a heating pad in the house

Have Charlie here

UFO #8 finished

Binding in process this morning. Note: a bit of the black and white batik backing is showing down near the floor.

Catherine Martin's excellent idea for the quilting pattern.

The whole thing, 66" X 96", hanging on the kitchen wall before I took a walk through the meadow. The SUNSHINE outdoors was its own thrill, but it was also fun to see this through the kitchen window as I returned to the house.

This was my idea for the Black and White Challenge , which was to include one other color. And the simple, simple plan for a zig-zag [two-rail fence] came from Amandajean at http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com .

This was finished well before dinner, so I looked through my cabinet of UFOs for some pineapple appliques already sewn together that Dianne gave me "to do something with". I found it. But I also found these blocks which leapt into my hands. They are now put together into a baby quilt, and I have started quilting.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Sunshine after much dark gray sky

Christmas stocking candy--a big pile like Halloween!

Another C.J. Box mystery

UFO #7 finished

Here is my seventh UFO finish since the beginning of November. Back from my quilter today and I quickly made the binding, applied it, and wrote the label on the back with a permanent marker.

I made this from 12 Fat Quarters at a retreat back in February.

But wait!

That's not the front of the quilt, that's the BACK, Bonnie Hunter style!

Here's the front:

I made it a little longer by adding top and bottom borders, which were made from leftovers of the FQs. In the end it was 48" x 78", really a good length for adult napping.

I picked up another quilt from my long-arm quilter with this one, so I can get that bound and labelled tomorrow for my eighth finish. Then to find ONE more UFO that I can finish on Wednesday and Thursday. Whoopee! I think I'm going to make my goal of NINE.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Zeke returned from the kennel all clean and fluffy

Kate's vegetable soup for lunch

Quiet plans for New Year's Eve

UFO #6 finished

The Christmas goodies . . . . Mint Melts from Crate & Barrel and I made my second batch of Russian Tea Cakes. The first batch were left too long in the oven, not really burnt but some scraping needed on their bottoms, and then the taste was a little too "brown" for my memories.
Around the baking procedures I finished off this Bargello baby quilt.

For the borders I tried a freehand stem and pointed, drooping leaves. Now it looks to me like Corn Everlasting. But it fills the space adequately and makes me feel more competent on machine quilting.

And here is the flannel back. I caught a few small tucks, but overall it looks really fine-- rather like a whole cloth quilt.

Need to wrap presents now, and make some Rum Balls. Then on to another UFO [or maybe sewing a few blocks together for Bonnie's Caroline Xmas mystery].

Sara

Gratitudes:

Charlie goes shopping and asks, "What can I pick up for you?"

O Antiphon service last night at Dominican Center

Marion McPartland's "Piano Jazz" on NPR

SpoolSpinners' Holiday Party

Last night our quilting bee had good food, and a fun pin cushion exchange. After they were unwrapped, we put them all on this table so we could do more oooing and aahhing. Since I don't use a pin cushion, I did play along, but was really impressed with the creativity shown. All very different and hand made.

Secret Sisters were revealed. I received EIGHT round napkins that can be folded in to Christmas trees. And then there were the straight pins. . . . At our September retreat, I forgot my box of pins at home, so I went around the room and begged or stole two of three pins from each other quilter. I was roundly roasted for this thievery then. And my Secret Sister, MargEd Kwapil, gave me 450 pins at this party in December! Don't think I will ever run out again.

My own Secret Sister was glad to get her table topper and a Jim Shore tree ornament, but I forgot to take a photo.

Back home I have been machine quilting this baby UFO that was also bordered at the September retreat. Now to figure out how to quilt that outer green section.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Relaxing and skin cleansing facial this AM

A few Christmas cookies have been made

Presents I was awaiting came in the mail

Daughter of UFO #5

This morning I finished quilting the "Leaded Leaves" table runner for my Secret Sister.

Then I made the binding [to match the outer border] and applied it to the back of the sandwich.

I fold it over to the front and sew right along the edge. I am helped by moving my needle position one step to the right. This, mostly, keeps me from falling off the edge and missing the binding edge altogether.

Here's the final look, with the quilting following the leaves pattern in the batik in the bottom and top panels.

Finally with the binding finished, I wrote the date and my town, name and recipient on the backing between the two lines of quilting.

This went so quickly that I decided I SHOULD really also make the second one which is for myself, before I could say that I had "finished" this UFO. After all, all the blocks were in the same bag, and I had originally thought that they would all be used in ONE project.

So here is the second one at dinner time. This is NOT fall colors.

I had no acorn, but only seven leaves. The oddest leaf went in the Orphans' box. I am putting more sashing in this one to make it long enough to serve as a double placemat on our dining table. Charlie and I sit on opposite sides of the table, across the short dimension. This can lay across the middle and serve both of us.

I'm going to get this done before returning to the Carolina Christmas mystery.

Meanwhile I am enjoying another C.J. Box mystery novel about Joe Pickett, a Fish and Game Warden in Wyoming.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Charlie is cooking dinner

SPRAY basting worked well today

UFO progress

UFO #5 in process

Before Bonnie came out with the next clue, which she did today, I decided I was going to finally make something intentional for my Secret Sister.

These blocks were made maybe two and a half years ago, when my good friend Dianne had a workshop at her house for about twenty of us. We all brought "fall" batiks and black fabric and she taught us the technique for theleaves. [Later she gave us each one acorn block.]

After we had all cut out blocks in half on the diagonal, we had an exchange....so everyone ended up with much more variety than when we came. I came home with enough halves to make 12 blocks.

I am going to make this table runner for my Secret Sister, and then make another for myself.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Exercise class today

Christmas shopping on the internet, almost finished!

Pork roast and Waldorf salad

T is for Tessellation

Fourth UFO finish since November 1. Hurray!

The blocks for this one were made many moons ago at a workshop where we were to design our own tessellation, a single shape that interlocks to cover the field. After these blocks 'rested' for quite awhile, I sewed them together, more or less to keep them form getting lost. At a September bee retreat I finally found the right fabric and put the borders on.

Yesterday and today I did the machine quilting and binding. It has finished to 38.5" square. How's that for an ODD size? Oh, well, that's just the way I work. If it's not big enough to be a bed sized quilt, I just stop when it seems to be done. This could be a neonatal quilt for the Guild collection next March--or I could give it to my Secret Sister.

Advent 3 and we were at Bethlehem Lutheran this AM. We had a close encounter with John the Baptizer asking us why we owned TWO coats when there were cold people out on the street. Good question. If we have food, why are we not sharing it with the hungry? Hmm, another good question.

Darn! These questions make me think I need to change my life.

Maybe I'll stop going to church.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Good preaching

Warm coats!

Plenty of food!