Well, after an evening of fingers itching to start something new, I stayed on the straight and narrow and finished up the sashings for Ladder to the Stars. They are all finished, and I’ve got the setting triangles cut. Now to sew them together.
Category Archives: Ufos
Stayed on the Straight and Narrow
Itching to Start Something New
Someone please stop me.
I’m itching to start something new.
I’m so close to completing the piecing of my DWR. Just two more rows.
I’m just over halfway through the sashings on Ladder to the Stars.
There are another 24 projects in various stages of completion on my UFO list which I want to finish — eventually — and that doesn’t include the tops which need to be quilted.
But I want to start something new. I’m not sure if it’s one of my various kits or something else completely.
Stop me. I need to finish a few more UFOs (Or at least get them to the top stage.)
This is Just a Technique Block
If you don’t count the Blue and Brown Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler Swap I joined in late July, I haven’t started anything new since May 17th. That’s nearly 5 months! Unbelievable! I didn’t know I could go that long without starting anything new.
Wait — I’m looking at my sidebar. Perhaps I should say I haven’t started anything new that I haven’t FINISHED since May 17th. Cherry Frolic was started and finished in June, and the Cranberry Wishes Table Runner was started and essentially completed in June, although it didn’t get declared finished until August. I didn’t think I had enough focus for 5 months. I’m still surprised it’s been 3 1/2 months.
Over the past couple of months I’ve been looking at my strip bins — which are full — and thinking I need to do something with them (but refraining). If you asked me a 3 or 4 weeks ago, I would have told you I was leaning toward a log cabin. The last couple of weeks I’ve browsed Bonnie’s site, Quiltville.com eyeing Star Struck. Today, it’s the pineapple block.
I’ve seen several pineapple quilt’s recently. The ones last night at the quilt shop, Mary’s mom made one, and I suspect I saw one as part of the Blogger’s Quilt Festival. Anyway, I decided I had to try to make one of these blocks.
I used the instructions on the Possibilities website.
If I decide to make a pineapple quilt, I think I’ll either use them a leader/enders for the first few rows, or at least cut up the strips to the right length and do a bunch at a time.
Meanwhile this block will go in the orphan box to be put in some future quilt, and I’ll get back to the UFOs I’m currently working on – Ladder to the Stars, DWR, SBS and Josh’s Quilt.
Off the UFO List and on the To-Be Quilted List
Last night I pulled out a set of 5-patch blocks which I made from my pre-cut fabrics Spring of 2008. I’m not sure that this was the original intent, but they didn’t look right w/o the cornerstones and sashing.
I’ve made the binding from the cornerstone fabrics, and dug around in my stash to find a piece of fabric large enough for the backing. I found this:
Now to get it quilted — one of these days.
Where has the Quilting Mojo Gone?
About once a year I get into a quilting slump. For several years it was around October or November, usually after I spent several intensive weekends sewing non-stop. Then one year I kept right on quilting through October and November, only to go into a forced stop last July.
I had decided to rearrange the entire office/studio, paint and pull up the carpet. Needless to say there was no quilting going on for several weeks as I moved everything out, sorted, ripped up the carpet and painted.
Not everything got done. The floors could stand to be refinished, the chair still needs to be recovered, the window coverings are temporary paper shades and there are still boxes to be gone through, but I finally got the room back together to the point where I could quilt.
Which is what I’ve been doing for the past year.
I’m horrible at finishing projects — perhaps that explains the 29 UFOs and 36 quilt tops.
For the last 4 weeks or so, I’ve been into another forced stop. The computer and phone issues have been eating up all of my time. Now that they are nearly resolved, I have time for a few other things — like cleaning the office/studio. I did stop yesterday and print off the pages for the paper piecing for Ladder to the Stars. That had been on hold pending the computers and printer issues getting resolved.
So, I’m off to see how much I can accomplish today.
There have been no photos in my blog for a while, so this morning I played with my new photo editing software. Those are the 23 blocks I’ve completed so far on my Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler — the one I started in January 2007.
Finished a UFO!
As I mentioned on Monday, I started making this quilt in the early 90’s as a high school graduation gift. This was before quilting took over my life, so I didn’t really know what I was doing.
Today, it’s finished. It’s not perfect, but it’s done. I think I’ll call it Stars & Stripes.
What’s on My Design Wall – 6/15
Nothing at the moment. I finished up the quilt from last week and haven’t gotten anything else out.
That’s not to say I haven’t been quiting. I’ve made the next three Kansas Spirit BOM samples for the LQS, I finished the Pink and Brown quilt and I made a birthday block for a swap I’m in.
Currently, I suppose you could say my design wall is the ironing board.
This is a UFO from the early 90’s. It was supposed to be my husband’s godson’s high school graduation present. I never finished it. One of the QCC (Quality Control Cats) threw up on it. But don’t worry, he eventually got this quilt a few years ago.
Anyway, the front of this quilt is alternating squares of stars on a blue background with a red and white stripe. It seems I pieced the front and was going to do wide sew flip borders. The center section and the top and bottom borders were already sewn down, but there is no quilting in the center. I’m going to have to do some sort of ‘tacking’ to quilt it, as I’ll quilt more puckers into it doing anything else. I’ve got one of the side borders on and just need to fix a spot on the other borer and then I’ll be ready to do whatever quilting it’s going to get.
Part of me says rip the border off and ‘do it right’. But the part of me who wants it finished says just go with it. There’s nothing special about this quilt, but I’m sure it will keep someone warm this winter.
Hand Quilting Update
I’ve completed 2 1/2 more blocks on my nephew’s quilt and have 9 1/2 more to go. I’d like to finish this quilt up by the end of June for my 2nd Quarter UFO, but I don’t know if I’ll get it done. I may have to pull out a baby quilt and quilt it to have a finish this quarter.
Can I Stop Cleaning?
In two weeks I’m going to a 4 day quilt retreat. Invariatebly, I take way more than I can accomplish, but I like a variety of projects so I don’t get bored. Not finishing what I take is not an issue for me (if it was, my UFO list wouldn’t have 33 partially completed tops on it). Anyway, this year I’m going to focus on borders. – Note to self, find knee pads for crawling around on cement floor.
However, working or borders all weekend will get boring, so I’m going to take atleast one PIG (project in grocery sack). I easily have a dozen to choose from, but decided I wanted to work on Springtime at Heritage which is the kit pictured above.
I bought it in Septemeber and it’s been kicking around in my sewing room ever since. The only problem was I couldn’t find it.
My sewing room is divided into two main spaces — a u-shaped area with my personal computer, work computer and sewing table and the rest of the room where I hope someday to have two casual chairs and an occassional table. Or where I can set up a couple of tables and have friends over for a sew-a-thon. On the wall are shelving units with my fabric, completed tops, ufos and pigs. That’s the only area which is really well organized. The u-shaped area is messy but functional and the other half of the room needs cleaning.
So, for the last couple of days I’ve been “cleaning at” the other side of the room a couple of minutes at a time looking for the fabric kit. Tonight I finally found it. So can I stop cleaning?
Oh, click here for the quilt pattern I’m using.
No More Tears – And a Finished UFO
I’m counting this quilt DONE! I started it in 2005. It’s been tossed into the UFO pile on several occasions, but I finally decided DONE is better than PERFECT. There’s still a hint of pink on the background which is not showing up in the picture. And there are only 2 packages of crystals – amber and red. When I ran out of crystals, I sewed the bead back on that came off in the wash, turned it over and signed it with a Pigma Pen.
