Three Finishes

 

This is a UFO from over a year ago.  It was a mystery quilt.  This is the second piece I have finished for the fund raising auction. I am very happy to have one more UFO finished.

 

 

This is the finished quilt for Bella's baby sister to be.  We are expecting Hayden's arrival any time now.  I backed this one with flannel.

 

 

The last finished quilt is for our grandson who is due in May.  He and his parents live in France, so this one will be boxed with some other baby gifts and put in the mail in a few weeks.

 

I am very happy to have these done and checked off the to-do list.  Now, on to finishing up Criss Cross, the string quilt, the March AAQI quilt, and Bella's big sister quilt.  What fun!

Joyful quilting, everyone.

 

 

WIPs or UFOs?

When I started the year, I had four completed quilts under my belt, and plans to make as many quilts as I could with the time and fabric I had.  I didn't even know what a UFO was, and when they talked about them at my guild, I had to ask someone what it was all about.  Now, things are a bit different.  I haven't counted the number of quilts I have finished, but I soon will.  I have been looking at the stack of projects I have in various stages of completion.  In other words, UFOs.

There are a few things I just don't have any interest in finishing right now, but the others will be put back on my to-do list for the new year.  A few of them need backs, quilting, and binding.  A few of them need more borders before I can even think about finishing.  Some need more blocks.  I have listed six of them for the UFO challenge at my guild.  As I finish each of them, I have plenty more to add. 

As I think about next year and quilting, I wonder if I will finally settle into one style.  Do I really need to?  When I look at the list I have started of quilts I want to make, it looks like I will still be trying a bit of everything.  Over the next few weeks, I think I will be posting a bit about what I have accomplished this year, and what I hope to do next.  This is mostly because I am making Christmas presents and won't be able to show much of what I am doing.  I am also doing it so I will have it out there and will have a list to compare to at the end of next year.

In the meantime, I am still quilting and having great fun.  I will show you all the things I am making after they have been given.

Joyful quilting, everyone.

The oldest UFO

Today was the first full day back in my studio for about a week.  I decided to finish my 30+ year old UFO.  It has been hanging on the wall, unfinished, for a few months.  Then I listed it on my UFO list for my guild, and when the number was pulled, I had to finish it.  When I started it, Honey (my Bernina) was brand new.  I was doing a little bit of quilting, but fabrics were not what they are today.  What prompted me to use the fabrics I did when I really wanted an elegant piece amazes me today.  It was what I had back then.  The bead work center was from a 1920's dress that was falling apart.  The lace was also from vintage clothing that was beyond repair.  The beaded flower was from a neck wrap that was made of a whole mink pelt from the 20's or 30's.  Unfortunately, the applique work was done on all the old fabric, and I didn't want to redo the entire piece, so I decided to go with what I had to honor that young woman I was who created this piece long ago.  I chose fabrics for the last three borders that picked up colors in the bead work and the lace.  I am pretty happy with the new look.

Here is a detail of the old bead work.

This afternoon, I loaded the top, batting, and backing on Priscilla with the intention of getting it finished today.  Priscilla had other ideas.  Every time I start to quilt a new project, I have some sort of problem.  Today, it was the bobbin and a broken needle.  I don't really know what caused either problem, but I am becoming very familiar with the workings beneath the sewing plate.  I have had to remove it a few times to untangle threads, clean out lint, and remove broken needles.  I am sure this is happening because of things I am doing wrong, but I will get it all sorted out one day.  I made my repairs, and am ready to forge ahead.

My design wall is filled with several projects in various stages of design.  I have several orphan blocks that I want to do something with, my challenge block for 15 minutes play, another intuition style quilt, and Coming Home.  There are also several other projects stacked in baskets on my work table.  Tomorrow morning, I will start again.  I do love to create quilts.