August's UFO Finally Finished

Well, I didn't find my quilting gloves, but I did buy new ones.  As a result, August's UFO finally got finished.  It's found a new home on my coffee table.

 I've been nervous to try too much free motion quilting on my own.  I usually finish most quilts by stitching in the ditch (which I actually really like and am fairly good at), but this quilt needed something more interesting.  He're the close up of the quilting I chose.  

It is essentially a bunch of small meandering boxes.  I think it makes a nice effect.  I definitely won't be quilting a full sized quilt this way anytime soon, but it looks great on this mini.

August UFO and The Case of the Missing Quilt Gloves

I had hoped that this post was going to be my complete UFO for the month of August.  I haven't even worked on my UFOs for the last several months, but this months seemed easy and within range.

I pulled it out last week and it went together so quick!  (Of course it's only about 24" x 36" so that's not saying too much.)  My plan was to get it quilted and bound over the weekend.

I got all the basting pins in, picked out a free motion quilting design that I was determined to try out no matter how bad I thought I would be at it, reached into the drawer to pull out my quilting gloves, but the gloves were gone!  No bueno!

I searched and searched and searched, but they are nowhere to be found.  So here the UFO sits, unquilted.

I will probably break down and buy a new pair on Friday, but it put a big dampener in my plan to have this months UFO complete by now.  But, since I couldn't finish the UFO I did what any quilter does in this situation...I started a new project!  

I've been procrastinating...2012 UFO's

I've been procrastinating, but not because I can't find any UFOs to work on this year.  Rather, the problem is that I can't decide which ones I want to work on this year.  I have a lot.  Over the holiday break I went through and organized my drawer with projects in the works.  I put all the materials together for each project and placed them in a box or bag.  A good start right?

I can't believe how many projects I found.  Some I had completely forgotten about.  Others I still really want to get done.  After some thought I've settled on a list.

1. Pink and Brown Quilt Top- This was on last year's list and I got further, but I still really want to finish it.

2. Americana Table Topper - The top is finished.  I really want to get it quilted and binding on!


3 & 4: Black and Bold Blocks-   I put these on last year's list as one item.  I didn't even start on it since it seemed so overwhelming.    This year I'm going to break it down into two months.  There are five blocks to finish, so the first month I will get three down and the second will be the last two and joining the quilt top.  

5. Baby Blocks- I'm cheating and sneaking this one in at number 5 since that is the current months project. I started these fabric baby blocks for my friend's newborn last month.  I really want to force myself to get them done this month, so they are number 5.

6. Squared Charms Quilt Top-  Another old project that I didn't get to last year.  Here's to attempt number two.

7.  Snap Sack-  I picked up this mini quilt on a shop hop last year.  It should be a quick and easy project to get done.

8.  Picnic Blanket-  This was one of my first blog posts.  I started on it and then moved on before I got the borders on.  I'd like to get it finished up. 

9. Batik Bargello-  I started this years ago when bargello quilts became very popular around here.  Not having a book, I made it up as I went.  At the time, I had a plan.  I'd like to see if I can finish it into something.

10.  Sunflower Applique- I picked up the fabric for this years ago.  I put some work into it, but it still has lots of machine applique work to go.

11.  Fall Table Topper- Another started and not finished project.

12.  Snow Days Wall Hanging-  This pattern is for a full sized quilt, but our store worked it up in a little four patch wall hanging that I fell in love with.  This one isn't started.  I started cutting the fabric for it in December, but really want to get it together!

So that's the list.  Now to get cracking on it!

Happy 2012!

Happy New Years!  Do you make New Years resolutions?  For years I tried, but I always seemed to find that by February I have blown them and felt worse about myself than if I hadn't made them at all.  So I threw New Years resolutions out the window.

I do love making monthly resolutions.  I feel so much better if I blow one month and can immediately focus on a new resolution for a new month and pass by  what I didn't get done the month before.  They say that it takes 21 days to start a new habit, so if I'm good about my monthly resolution, by the end of the month I should have a new habit, right?  

My goal for January is to get to the gym more.  I'm aiming for three times a week, but will feel like I succeeded if I make it 10 times.

I love that Judy at Patchwork Times started the UFO Challenge for 2011.  It's great to have the feeling of accomplishment.  Especially on projects I had set aside and meant to finish, but never got around to.

Here's the review of what I finished in 2011 and what I didn't:
1. Snowman Placemats -Done!

2. Blue and Yellow Mystery Quilt Top-Done!

4. 'Lil Twister Table Topper -Done!

5. Black, White and Red Quilt Top - Done!  (Except for finding border fabric, which is turning out to be quite a challenge itself.)

6. 30's Buck-a-block - Done!

8. Birdies Layer Cake Quilt Top - Done!

10. Heart Wall Hanging --Done!

12. Paper-pieced Table Runner - Top Done!




There are four UFO's I didn't get finished.  In fact I didn't even start these, so these will be the start of my 2012 UFO list. 

3. Pink and Brown Quilt Top
7. Americana Table Topper
9. Black and Bold Blocks
11. Squared Charms Quilt Top


I spent a day this last week pulling all the stuff out of my quilting closet and organizing.  I have way more UFOs than I would like to admit.  So, the 2012 UFO list is to come shortly.

December UFO

The last month has been absolutely crazy.  I've been trying to get some quilting and down time in, but it hasn't happened too much.

My sister got married the second week of November, so we got to go back to Colorado and visit my parents and see lots of old friends.  It was fun, but crazy busy with last minute wedding prep.  Glad it is over!  We got back and immediately had some good friends from where we used to live come stay with us which was lots of fun.  Then we traveled for Thanksgiving and finally we are home.  The plan is to put up the Christmas decorations tonight.  So excited for that to happen!  Last year we barely got moved into our new place by Christmas, so this year it will be nice to have them up and enjoy them.

With November as busy as it was I got very little done other than travel.  I did get a few little things done I will try and get posted tomorrow.  Fun holiday stuff mostly.

I'm determined the end the year on a high note, so I am determined to get my December UFO done.  It is a table runner kit I picked up about three years ago that was my first attempt at English Paper piecing.  I got all the flowers done, but lost the pattern to put it together.  Oops!  I've looked everywhere, so I gave up and last night I made it up.  I think it was suppose to look something like this.  (Sorry, it's not the best picture, but due to the terrible wind storms we've been having this week a better picture and better lighting just isn't happening today).

I should have no problem finishing this off before the end of the month!

Another UFO Down

and so am I!

I actually finished this up a week or two ago, but I've been down with a stomach bug for a little bit now and haven't gotten around to posting it yet, or for that matter doing much of anything.

Here it is finished.

Due to the sheen in a lot of the fabrics I've had a hard time getting a good photo.  Here's a close up that shows it a little better.

I'm thinking it needs a dark blue border to set it off a little better.  I like the way it looks against the dark blue sofa in the photo above. 

This quilt actually started as a mystery quilt and the teacher wasn't too optimistic it was going to work, since I didn't follow the rules.  I think it worked just fine!  Blue and yellow has always been a color combo I've liked and I'm glad I decided not to listen.

The background fabric is a pale yellow fairy frost and the blues are a pack of eight fat quarters I had picked up at a quilt show.  If you look closely they are actually suppose to represent the four seasons.

Can't wait to see what UFO is next.  It's halfway through the year and it's feeling so nice to get some tops done!  (Well minus the borders anyway.)

July UFO

Remember this quilt?

I think it was one of the very first things I ever posted on my blog.  That was a year and a half ago.

This is what it looks like now.

 

I guess it's time to buckle down and finish it off as it is the lucky UFO number picked for this month.  I'm not sure why I lost motivation on it in the first place, but I did.  Maybe it's the prospect of sewing all the squares together.  I would like to have it done though, so here's to adding it to my monthly to do list.  I think I've started more projects in the last month than I have finished so far this year.  So not helping my UFO count, but making a nice long list for next year!

June UFO...All Finished!

The number for June was #8 which was a quilt I started almost exactly a year ago while on vacation. It was made using a Moda layer cake.  Since I skipped last month I must have been motivated this month because I finished it already.

Here's the finished top, minus the borders.

It definitely needs some borders, but they will have to wait until I find the right fabric and we are back to having two incomes.

I started this almost a year ago while on vacation.  Vacation ended and the top sat in a box until now.

 At the beginning of the month half the blocks had been pieced.  It didn't take too long to finish off the rest and piece it together.

I'm on such a roll!  Can't wait to get a few more tops finished this month.  Maybe I'll even get motivated to work on last months UFO.

May UFO

I've actually been rather excited to get to #9 on my UFO list.  In theory it's not very difficult, but something that has been a UFO longer than almost anything else in my stash.  A number of years ago I signed up for a "buck-a-block", or maybe it was $5 a block, I don't remember.  I got the first 7 of the blocks done, but before the monthly series ended I got engaged and then married and it just dropped off the radar. 

Here's the seven I completed way back when.   

There are five left.  Not too difficult in theory, although I had forgotten how large the blocks were.  16" each!  They hardly fit onto my design wall as is.  The photo on the right is what they should all look like when completed.  The colored ones have been completed.  It looks like I have the hard ones left.

My goal for the month is just to get the remaining blocks finished.  I don't know what I am going to do with them beyond that, so the blocks being done is a finish enough for me this month!

The dreaded UFO is no more!

I so dreaded this months UFO and all I can say is that I'm so glad I finished it!  I actually love the way it turned out.

It is going to have a semi-permanent home on our front entry table like this!  (You can see February's wall hanging is still on the wall above it.  I'm thinking a new 30's print wall hanging might be in the works.)

If you haven't yet joined in the UFO challenge sponsored by Judy at Patchwork Times I would recommend it highly.  It has felt great to finish all these projects I have been meaning to work on sometimes for years. 

Can't wait to see what number she picks for May!

What a difference!

After spending a few days looking at my Lil' Twister table runner on my design wall I decided it needed some sashing and cornerstones.  What a difference!

It's growing on me quickly.  Enough that I may add the other two blocks I have ready to put together.  Thanks for all the support to keep at it!

Progresss Report

So, as I expected, I am less than thrilled with my progress last night on my Lil' Twister blocks.  But since it is the UFO of the month, I am trying to power through it if only for the experience of what not to do.

Here's the three blocks I got done up on my design wall.  Oddly enough, I like the picture of this much better than when it is sitting on my design wall.  I have two more blocks I may add, or I may leave it a small table runner as such, I haven't decided yet.  Either way I am hoping some borders will tone it down. 

I think I have learned a few things now about the twisters:
1.  This fabric selection would have worked much better with the larger version.  The small scale prints are somehow all jumbled on the background blocks.  Larger pinwheels I think would have turned out much better.

2.  Contrast in color and value is key.  Both times I have had contrast when compared in large scale, but it is lost in the twisters.  Next time I will pick a distinctive contrast in color.  Somehow I am beginning to think that there is a reason that almost every example in the book uses a solid print for the background. 

After feeling a bit discouraged I moved on to my small charm pack quilt.  It's all up on my design wall too.  Altogether a productive night.  Now I just need to get working on my monkey quilt again.

Friday Night Sew In...The Dreaded UFO

I've been a little hesitant to mention my UFO for the month of April, but since it is half way though the month and tonight is the Friday Night Sew In, well I figured it was time to tackle it.

My UFO for the month is another attempt at the Lil' Twister tool.  My last attempt didn't quite work out the way I wanted.  Unfortunately at the time I bought the fabric for the first one, I also bought the fabric for a second.  With what I have learned I would not have bought this fabric for the second one quite the same way, but too late now. 

The fabric I have is a charm pack of 1930's prints, and a white and purple background.  I think that for the Lil' Twister to really stand out it needs more distinction in color and/or tone than this charm pack has.  So, after some recalculation I think instead of a table topper I will be shrinking the project down to this table runner, only using some of the fabrics.  Hopefully this time it will turn out as I am picturing in my head.  Wish me luck!



March UFO Completed!

The snowmen are all done! Well mostly.  I haven't decided what to use, if anything for eyes and buttons on these guys, so they are going to season for a while till I decide. I'm not sure that I want to use buttons or bead since I'm afraid heavy dishes might crack them, so I might do sequence or fabric paint. I just can't decide, so for now they are done.

I'm so excited for Christmas to roll around next year so I can have our table dressed up like this!

Of course, if you were paying attention I already had four completed, so just to prove that I did finish of the other two, here's all six lined up. Our current table isn't large enough to have six people at this point...but I'm preparing ahead.

It's a little strange finishing these the first week of Spring, but then again the last week has felt more like winter. We got a major storm through yesterday, and lets just say after wading through two feet of water to rescue my car from the flash flood that overtook our parking lot at work, I'm so ready for spring. (And I have a new appreciation for the sign in our parking lot that says "AREA SUBJECT TO FLOODING".)

There is a planter box on the porch of our new place that was dead when we moved in, but has sprung up with lots of bulbs in the last few weeks. I can't wait to see what flowers will come next!

March UFO...Let it snow!

Patchwork Times is hosting a UFO challenge and today Judy picked number #1 for the month of March.  Number 1 on my list is my Snowmen placemats!  I think March's UFO selection is strangely ironic as this weekend it snowed here for the first time in several decades  Not quite enough to actually make a snowman, but still, appropriate that my snowmen placemats are the project of the month!

These snowmen placemats were started three years ago as a Christmas gift for someone (I can't remember who).  After making four I decided I needed to expand the set to six and keep them for myself.  Four are mostly done.  The goal for the month is to finish the last two.  Here's where they stand now.

All that is needed is to finish some of the quilting/applique and bind them.  Shouldn't be too hard!  I also want to add black buttons or beads for eyes and buttons on all the snowmen on.  I'm so excited for this month since I've really wanted an applique project to work on.  Now to get quilting!

Have you ever seen an elephant seal?

So while quiting is one obsession in my life, my other is biology.  So I couldn't help sharing our day trip from the weekend with you.  We went up to Ano Nuevo State Park (about an hour and a half south of San Francisco).  It is now been added to one of my must see's for anyone visiting the Bay Area.

What is so unique about Ano Nuevo is that is is home to about 10,000 Northern Elephant Seals.  During the birthing/breeding season it is packed with seals.  Now if you have never seen an elephant seal, allow me to introduce you.

Aren't they fabulous?  I can't get over their big long noses.  I should mention that the bulls with the long noses weigh over 2 tons and are 14 to 16 feet long.

During the breeding season they allow only guided walks through the area and you have to make reservations months in ahead to be able to get one during the weekend.  It ended up being a really wet weekend, but when we got there we were the only people in our group of 20 who showed up.  Yeah for private tour!  And it was kind enough to stop raining just long enough to make the 3 mile walk through the park. 

On the more quilty aspect, I got my mystery quilt blocks finished.  In the end I had 16 finished blocks.  I decided rather than to finish them into one quilt that they would make really cute baby/toddler quilts.  So here's the first 6 blocks finished into a crib sized quilt top.

I have 10 blocks left.  I might do another crib quilt like this, or make a square quilt out of 9 blocks.  Haven't decided yet.  The border on the next one will be out of the pink polka dots. 

I also got my January UFO top finished and quilted.  I just need to get the binding on.

I decided on the thin red border and will probably bind it in red as well (I don't have any blue left).  You can't see the quilting too well in this photo, but I quilted with red thread which is very pronounced in person.  For a project I didn't really like to begin with, I'm pleased.

I'm feeling a little bored with all of my current projects and am thinking about starting a new one.  Maybe an Easter table topper, but we'll see...

January UFO Challenge

I found it!  My UFO project for January surfaced when I was going through a box of paperwork from the living room.  Random, but there they were.  I have no idea how they ended up there, but that's the downside of moving.  I'm sure I'll be finding random misplaced things for months.

Here's my project for January.  These blocks were part of a buck-a-block class I signed up for last year.  I think I got so busy that I never even picked up the last three months of blocks.  I had six completed, and three more to go.  So after I found them I pumped the last three out in quick secession.

Here's what they all look like put together.

I'm trying to decide what to do for a border.  These are the three options I have come up with.  A red border with either this red, or a 1930's red floral print, a thin red border with a wider blue outer border or just a blue border.

My goal for this month is to get the entire project quilted and binding on.  My little niece turns 2 next month and is just getting into playing with dolls.  I figured this would make a nice doll blanket for her birthday.

I also signed up for another Mystery Quilt class starting tomorrow.  I didn't even get close to finishing my last one, but i figured getting out of the house to go quilt a little right now would be a nice relief, so I signed up.

Here are the fabrics I'm going to use.  I hope it turns out looking the way I picture it in my head.  I haven't had the best of luck with that recently. 

This is what you get for trying to bend the rules...

Okay, so usually I am a stickler for rules.  I'm beginning to think that there is a good reason for that.  See this stack?

This is every UFO on my list except #6.  (Number 6 happens to be the number drawn for January).

If you read my last post, I cheated just a bit and peaked ahead to see which number January would be so that I could pick an easy project for the month.

My 30's buck-a-blocks are gone.  They have mysteriously disappeared!  That's what I get for peaking ahead right?  Hopefully with some more hunting and the last box to unpack they will reappear!

The reward of unpacking...finding all the UFO's

Unpacking my quilting stuff sure has given me the opportunity to go through all my drawers of UFOs and fabric.  It's been fun and a bit surprising to find things I had completely forgotten about. 

Since Judy at Patchwork Times is sponsoring a UFO Challenge, I thought it would be a good opportunity to take inventory and join in. 

Here's my list of UFOs that I hope to finish in 2011. 

1. Snowman Placemats-Finish off the set of six.
2. Blue and Yellow Mystery Quilt Top
3. Pink and Brown Quilt Top
4. Twist it table topper-Not started, but should go fast.
5. Black, White and Red Quilt Top
6. 30's Buck-a-blocks
7. Americana Table Topper
8. Birdies Layer Cake Top
9. Black and bold blocks
10. Heart Table Topper
11. Squared Charms Quilt Top
12. Paper-pieced Table Runner

I am ashamed to say that I thought I didn't really have very many UFOs and that I mostly finished what I started. This was a very sad reality when I got to 12 and still had more to add to the list. I guess that makes me a true quilter, right?


Since I'm on confessions, I have to admit that I did cheat a little this month by peaking at what number January was and picking an easy project.  I feel this is justified given that my sewing room is still partially in boxes from the move and I didn't want to set myself up for failure from the start.

Some of these are rather large undertakings, but it will be nice to have some accountability to finish a few projects this year.  Now to get started on the challenge!