For September I would like to get these four shirting quilts quilted. But before I can do that I need to finish piecing 3 backings. I hope, given that I have two 4 day weekends this month, I can pull this off. If I get it all done, there is more to do as the quilts pictured below are on my list to finish by the end of the year as well.
I did mention I set a crazy challenge for myself, didn’t I?
Several years ago I was challenged to finish 6 quilts in the space of about 4 months and the count ultimately rose to 13. Some of those quilts are in the photo at the top of the page. Most were tops, but I was in the middle of piecing a few and one I started from scratch.
Well, today I’m challenging myself to completely finish at least 7 quilts by the end of the year. The six quilts pictured above plus the Green Disappearing 9-patch that I’ve been working on for the past few weeks. The only catch is that I’ll be piecing the backings for at least 5 of the quilt tops — 8 1/2″ finished squares of shirting fabric for the 4 shirting quilts and a similarly pieced backing for the pink floral. I may have a wide black backing for the quilt with the bright green strip – if not I’ll buy it since it’s 103″ square and quite frankly I have no idea what I’ll do for the orange quilt on the end.
Four and a half months. I should be able to get this done. Right?
It’s time to report on our UFO progress. It seems like I didn’t get anything done except the yard, but looking at my notes, I did make some progress.
I completed the Red Disappearing 9-Patch quilt top that I cut out in late May, and I’ve stitched together 10 of the 36 green 9-patches I need for the Green Disappearing 9-Patch. The pile of large squares (50 of them) will be used to make the backing for the 3 Disappearing 9-Patch quilt tops. I still need to cut another 270 squares!
July 1st I joined in the Bonnie Hunter Tumbler Challenge. But my total count has not changed as I crossed off Rectangle Wrangler as I repurposed the 2-1/2″ strips I had cut it into tumblers.
So, my numbers are as follows:
My goal this month is to get all three of the Disappearing 9-patch quilts finished now that the yard work is done. We’ll see if it happens.
Check out the links and comments over at Field Trips in Fiber to see how others are doing with their UFOs.
It’s time to link up our lists of what we plan to finish in the 3rd quarter with Adrianne at On the Windy Side. Normally, I’d go back and add the link to the July 1st post were I outlined a selection of projects from my WIP and TBQ lists. But with all that is going on around here, it’s entirely possible I’ll need a quick finish to say I’ve gotten anything done. Given there is no penalty for not finishing everything on the list, I’m just going to list everything that is in progress, plus a few PIGS.
Works In Progress:
Quilted Sweatshirt, Just Takes Two, Sisters Swap, Compass Lone Star, Lee’s Christmas Blocks, Lilbet’s Garden, Hexie Hand Project, Hancock Stars BOM, Estate DWR, Faux applique, QIAD Flying Dutchmen Lotto, Sew Scrappy, QAYG String Blocks, Border Class Sampler, Mom’s Thangles BOM, ‘Twas Night Before Christmas I, Sheryl’s Churn Dash, Jane’s Hourglass, Red DP9, Alphabet BOM, Redwork Snowmen, Lee’s Baskets, Blue Strings, Green DP9, ‘Twas Night Before Christmas II, Tumbler L/E, Candy Sunflower Seed, Green & Cream Swap, Star-A-Day, Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler, String HST, Postage Stamp L/E. That’s 32.
Tops to Be Quilted:
Whitework, 2008 Retreat Swap, Fairy Frost Sunset, Estate Dove in the Window, QIAD Christmas Row Quilt, Thangles II, Machine Quilting Sampler, Nifty Thrifty, Raising Cane, Old Tobacco Row, Mom’s Stacked 4-patch, Black & Bright Sampler, David’s DP9, B & W Strip Twist, ModaU Sampler, 2011 Retreat Mystery (small), Out of the Blue, AAQAL, Christmas BOM, 2011 Retreat Mystery (large), Orange Crush, Pink & Black 4-patch Stacked Posie, Diamond Links, B&W stacked 4-patch, Blue & Brown SBS swap, 2012 Retreat Mystery, Christmas Crazy 8, Stack-n-Whack, Scrap Patch Hearts, Baby B&M stacked 4-patch, Pink & Brown. That should be 31 tops.
Projects In Grocery Sacks:
Squedge Ruler project, “August A”, the Hardware quilt and a Triangle Frenzy table runner. There are another 9 on my list – 4 of them could probably be broken up and put back into my stash, but I don’t see a hurry since I’m trying not to start anything new. The other 5 are large projects and I don’t see me starting them any time soon. These 4 pictured are smaller projects and potentially doable over the course of a few days.
Works Hidden In My Mind:
This list fluctuates and doesn’t have fabric picked out – except in my mind. An example is I really want to make a Trip Around the World set on point using 30’s solids and prints. I’ve wanted to make this quilt for at least 20 years, but other than a few hen-scratched notes, I haven’t done anything about it. So, given the state of this list, they are officially excluded from the Finish Along.
So the above is my official 3rd Quarter Finish-Along list. The question is not will I finish everything — it’s a given that I won’t — but will I finish ANYTHING on the list. Since I’m doing my best to not start anything new if I get anything finished I hope the answer is yes.
Since this is the 4th of July, I thought I would start with a picture of my red, white & blue Ladder to the Stars and Gracie that I took this morning. Ladder to the Stars was worked on in several stages. Started in 2009, the blocks came together quickly, but then the pieced sashing required thought and it was nearly 5 months later before I got them made and the center of the quilt assembled. It was another 3 months before I got the borders on the top. Then it sat for 3 years before I got it quilted. It was finished in 2013.
The short answer to the June UFO report is that I started with 63 UFOs and I finished June with 63 UFOs. The only change is that one quilt moved from the Work in Progress list to the To Be Quilted list. So I’m going to recap the first 6 months of the year.
January 1st I started off with 36 quilts in progress, I’ve started 5 new projects, declared 1 orphan blocks and finished 7 quilt tops bringing my total Works in Progress to 33 as of June 30th.
The year started off with 33 quilt top waiting to be quilted, those 7 quilt tops I finished were added to the list, I personally quilted and finished 5 quilt tops and donated 5 quilt tops bringing my total to 30.
So in summary I’m making progress I’m down 6 projects for the year.
I may not have sat at the sewing machine much in June, but I made the most of the time I had at the machine.
The smaller of the three Disappearing 9-Patches became a top:
About 1/3 of the second DP9 blocks are made and 22 of the Sew Scrappy Blocks are done:
3 Star-A-Day Blocks were made:
That’s 165 blocks for the Prairie Moon Quilts 350 Block Project.
There is nothing to report on for the UFO Parade, but others had finishes in June.
So what’s on the agenda for July and the 3rd Quarter? Well, more than I realistically can get done even if we weren’t still working in the backyard, aka “The Jungle”.
On deck are the following.
I would like to get Diamond Links finished. The last couple of rows and the borders need quilting.
The rest of the 3rd Quarter goals for the 2015 Finish-A-Long include new projects (shh! I’m supposed to be working on my UFOs.)
Squedge Ruler project, “August A”, the Hardware quilt and a Triangle Frenzy table runner.
UFOs are on my list. These tops need borders, more blocks, or setting together (the orange and purple is Orca Bay and it was finished in May!)
Candy Sunflower Seeds, Star-A-Day , String HST, Sister Swap Blocks, Alphabet BOM
And last, but not least there are quilts that are partially quilted.
Cream & Green swap, Whitework, Hancock Star BOM, a quilted sweatshirt & the Compass Lone Star
Along the way I’ll be working on the new Bonnie Hunter Leader/Ender Challenge – Tumblers. I’ve already started by cutting a tumblers from my 2-1/2″ shirt strips that were previously designated at “Rectangle Wrangler” so this does not add to my UFO count.
Well, I’m off to stitch a few DP9 blocks to say I’ve sat at my sewing machine today.
Here it is the first of June and time to check on my quilting goals. Except for the Star-A-Day (my husband is calling Star-A-Week) I got everything done.
Finishing Eye Fooler allowed me to add to my Block Count over at Prairie Moon Quilts.
The UFO Busting Report with these finishes and starts looks like this:
So, what’s up for June?
Will I get everything done or get diverted by another project? Only time will tell.
Actually, it is more a realization that this quilt will not get made — that and I wanted to clear a project box. These are the first two blocks of the 2010-2011 BOM that my guild was doing. I managed to print off the first 4 blocks, but then between a computer melt down and dropping out of the guild I didn’t get the rest of the patterns. So, I’m crossing this quilt off my WIP list and putting the two blocks in my Orphan Quilt Block Box. One of these days I’m going to have to make something with all of those blocks.
The Graduation Quilt is finished and delivered.
This quilt was on my UFO list in several challenges. I’ll add the links when the corresponding post goes live.
I hoped to have a picture of the finished graduation quilt top for today’ post, but I went backing shopping and came home with BRIGHT ORANGE fabric which will not go on the graduation quilt. It’s getting a dusty black. So, between now and next Thursday, I need to finish the top, pin it and the backing to the zippers, figure out how I’m going to quilt it and decide on a thread color.
Orca Bay is not quilted either. But I know what thread color I’m going to use (purple on the top, orange on the bottom) and have the backing fabric. I just need to decide how I’m going to quilt it, make the backing, and pin it to the zippers by the Wednesday after I quilt the graduation quilt.
The third thing I wanted to do in April was make 30 stars for my Star-A-Day quilt. That didn’t happen either. In fact, no stars were made in April.
What did I accomplish? 35 blocks towards the graduation quilt; 2 blocks toward my postage stamp quilt; cut 1-1/2″ charms for the PSQ swap; planted a container vegetable garden (cucumbers & spinach or carrots popped through the dirt today to go with the lettuce from earlier in the week); cleared out a bit of “junk” via Craigslist and Ebay (who knew the price of a vintage ashtray would be more than a few bucks?) ; and worked part of 3 weekends.
So, what’s up for May?
In between all of this, I’m attending my niece senior presentation, working one weekend, going to her graduation, babysitting my garden and of course continuing to work full time (I’m taking 2 afternoons off to rent time on the longarm). I probably need to fit in laundry and cooking as well.
I promise to find a picture of something for my next blog post. Thanks for reading this far.
