February and March UFOs

I made progress!  I also decided that needle turn applique is not for me!  Here's February's UFO now.  I got the second swirl and two flowers down.

Since several of you asked, yes this pattern is from the X-Lands book by Patricia Pepe.  I love this book!

I don't know if it counts as progress that I also sewed three other flowers down at some point during the month and tore them back out because they were really bumpy and did not look good at all.

It was definitely a learning experience and   I may add a few larger pink dots at some point this month.  I also plan to get the borders on this month since the UFO for March shouldn't take me too much time.

Here's a closer view of the flowers.  They are still a little bumpy.  All those curves were more difficult than I expected.  I think I tried three different methods of prepping the applique.  The one thing I did learn was the benefit of heavy starch.

March's UFO is #8, this picnic blanket I started several years ago.  All it needs is the borders.  Should be easy!  Since it's fast, I'm also going to count getting the borders on February's UFO as part of the UFO for the March.  I'm starting to realize how many quilt tops I have that are just missing borders.  I think I could put borders on one quilt a month through the end of the year.  I might have to start on that!

January UFO

The number that Judy pulled for the UFO challenge this month was #1.  Funny how excited I was to get working on this months UFO right up until I saw that number.  I can't figure out why I put the ones I didn't finish last year on the top of list.  I guess it doesn't matter where I put them since it is random, but I wasn't too happy to see this one pop up so early in the year. 

My #1 is the bubble gum and chocolate quilt I started two years ago.  The top is put together, all it needs is the hand appliqued flowers and swirlies down the entire brown strip.  I have two done.  Since this is my first attempt at needle-turn applique, it's been a slow process that I'm not sure I'm totally pleased with, but I think I want to push through and finish it.  I want to push through right? 

It also needs borders.  Since I didn't cut those and set them aside back when I started this, I hope I still have enough fabric to do so.  Another reason not to put projects in the UFO black hole.  :-)

Ok, enough procrastination on this one! Besides, since this months UFO is a hand quilting project and I'm out of piecing projects, you know what that means, right? I get to start a new project. Yeah!

Now, what to start on?

The Blocks!

I promised to post pictures of the finished blocks, so here they are.  I like the way they turned out, although if I had to do it again, I might pick out fabrics that coordinated a little more than just using my leftover scraps.  They are fun, even if they don't coordinate as much as I would like.

They are all "double sided" with a different letter on the back, so they also can spell other words.  Here's a few examples.

I sure hope Josephina (Fini) loves them!






That's my first UFO of the year done.  I'm so anxious to see what project is next.  (I even started working ahead on one, but who's telling??)

UFO Progress

Since last night was the Friday Night Sew In, I got busy on my UFO for the month.  Nine baby blocks are now done!

I still need two more and that requires cutting a few more blocks and appliqueing the last two letters.  The last seam hadn't been sewn closed yet on these ones either, so that should help them sit better.  The end is near!

Fini's Blocks (January UFO)

I realized that it is two thirds of the way through the month and I still haven't shared my UFO project for the month.  That does not make it look good for it actually getting completed, but I'm working at it slowly.

At the beginning of last month one of my roommates from college had a baby girl.  Since I was a little busy with the holidays, I just wasn't on top of getting a gift done for her.  I haven't been very good about getting baby quilts done recently, and in this case I knew they had made blocks for a quilt at her baby shower over the summer, so I didn't want to send her a quilt.  I found the pattern for these "Soft Baby Blocks" on the All People Quilt website and decided that they were a winner.

I'm making sure the blocks spell out her name (Josephine), but the back of the blocks have other letters so they can spell their last name, mom, dad, love and I'm sure a variety of other words.  Originally I had planned to do only 10 blocks, but since they have started calling her Fini, I decided I needed to add an extra one with the letter F (not part of my original letter selection).

It is rainy and cold here today.  So thankful as this is our "rainy" season and this is the first rain we have had since Halloween.  I had the afternoon off, and it is perfect quilting weather, so I sat down and got the first four done.  (Well almost, I have to get the last seam hand sewn up, but that should be easy.)  I'm hoping that the last seam helps them sit a little flatter as well.

Tonight is also the Friday Night Sew In, so I'm hoping to keep at it and get a few more done before I turn in for the night.  All but two of the applique blocks are done, so it's mostly just a matter of getting them sewn into block form.