UFOs, WIPs, PIGs - Part One

Black & White has been in a box since March 2010 – It’s currently 70” square, too big for a lap quilt, and too small for a bed quilt.  I really enjoyed  working on this.  When I opened the box, I realized there is about $100 of brand new fabrics – black on white, and white on black – so I have plenty.  I think I’d like to add another narrow black border, and continue to add borders until it’s a decent queen sized quilt.  Do – some designing, some piecing, then sandwich, quilt, and bind.  Lots of work to do here!

Bookmarks I have 21 of them completed, and 10 to finish

These should be pretty quick.  But what to do with them?  I’ve been carrying these around December 2009!  There is a community literacy centre, where one of my colleagues does public legal education presentations.  I’ll send these with her for the clients at this agency http://www.actionread.com/

Plaid Obsession I have been obsessed with this quilt ever since I first saw it in the header of JulieKQuilts. I have been collecting plaids for a number of years now, I have a box of strings, I’ve copied the pattern from Evelyn Sloppy’s book which I borrowed from the library, and I plan to paper piece the blocks. 

Technically, I would have to say that this is not a UFO, but more on the side of PIG.  But I declare, it counts.

I stole the photo above from Mary at Hill Country Quilter (with her kind permission, of course).  I love it.  I want to do one with lots of reds in it.  I’d like to do a second one with all pastel coloured plaids too.  Loooove the idea of all that mindless sewing!

Shirt Stripe Boxes I started this quilt – the 2^nd time making this quilt, having finished the first in April 2010 – in November 2011. This one will be 50% bigger than the first quilt. The blocks are done, and I’ve pieced one of six strips.  So – finish piecing, piece the back, sandwich, quilt, bind.

Here’s a photo of my first Shirt Strip boxes.

  

Oh! My Stars! I don’t remember when I started this – a couple of years ago anyway.  This looks like it could be a good “leader & ender” project to get the blocks and flying geese pieced.  I have 10 blocks done, of 64, and 0 of 184 Flying Geese units.  I will use recycled shirts for this, plaids and shirtings.  I’ve got a pale purple on white shirting that would be a great fit for this!  The pattern was in Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine, Jan/Feb 1998.  This is a long term project.

Bunny Hill Basket of the Month This was a free BOM from Bunny Hill Designs.  You can buy the pattern now. It started in January 2009, but I only completed 4 blocks.  I did have the foresight to print off all the patterns, and even printed the templates onto freezer paper!  Some pretty relaxing handwork here.  I think I got rid of all of my embroidery floss when we moved - - so I will have to make some purchases here to finish it off.  Finish the blocks, design a layout, piece, sandwich, and quilt - - I might even want to hand quilt it! and bind.

Simply Christmas Again – not started – it’s a PIG.  But the pattern was probably $20, the Layer Cake I bought to piece it was $42, and the Misty Fuse was $12.  That’s a pretty big investment to sit on a shelf.  Yes, we don’t “do” Christmas – but it could be a nice gift for someone, or maybe a silent auction item for some good cause.  Appliqué, piece, sandwich, quilt, bind.

Christmas Lights – a Quiltville Mystery The blocks are completed.  However, I don’t have the pattern to finish this – ugh!  I’ll look at the library and see if they have the Sept/Oct, and Nov/Dec ’09 issues of Quiltmaker Magazine!

I started this in June of 2009.  I don’t have any Christmas print fabrics in my stash, but I’m sure I can find something to finish it off.

Colonial Ladies I have six blocks done, and another six to go.  The pieces are vintage that I bought at a thrift store a number of years ago.  I don’t know if this is going on the UFO list - - I currently have no desire to work on this at all.  I’m not ready to get rid of them though, so they are in the keeper pile.

Cottage Basket Table Runner Appliqué, sandwich, quilt, bind.  I bought this as a kit at a quilt show in April 2010.  The pattern came from this book:

Baltimore Folk Fusion I increased the pattern by 200%, and started making these blocks with reproductions CWs.  I have four blocks done.   Appliqué, piece, sandwich, quilt, bind.  Not sure where my pattern book is though!  I’m sure I’m going to find it as I go through the stash.

Grandmother’s Flower Garden I’ve been working on this since May of 2012.  I now have 101 blocks finished.  I have a couple more to piece, as you can see - - but I don’t know what I’m going to do to finish the quilt.  I know hexies are HUGE right now.  I’m sure I’ll find some inspiration on the world wide web. By the way – the best hexie tutorial ever?  Right here 

Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler I started this in September 2007 when this was a BOW project.  The pattern has now been published in a book - - which I have seen in the public library.  I have 68 of the 140 blocks done.  I don’t intend to do all of the blocks at this point.  But perhaps I will have to piece a few more blocks to have enough to piece together a decent sized quilt.  Maybe another 4?  Or 12?  I’ll have to design a block setting, piece it, sandwich, quilt, and bind.  I’ll check out the book for some design inspiration.

The quilt represents the quilt that was created in Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilters novel “The Master Quilter”.  I’ve read all but one of Jennifer’s books – and I’m excited to see a new one is coming out next month!  “Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker” 

  

Siggie Swap Blocks I don’t know how many I have here - - probably 100?  These siggies are based on the Dear Jane D-13Field of Dreams block.  I need to trim these up to size, design some sort of setting, piece, sandwich, quilt, and bind.  After I do a count, I’ll see if I need to swap any more.

Dear Jane We all know this quilt. Check out the pinterest board. I have 150 of the 225 blocks – I think it`s 225!  Most of the squares are done – it`s the kites and tris that are lagging.  This is a long term project.  I will need to find the software – I don`t have the computer that I had software installed on.  I have lots of pink and grey CW repros.  I am thinking that the best way to finish this is to challenge myself to a block a week.  Hmmm...I`ll have to find my DJ rulers too!

Buttons & Bows I started this in Feb `09.  I have a bit more of the embroidery done than is shown in the photo.  So – embroidery, embellishment, piece, sandwich, quilt, bind.  It`s not terribly large, but would make a very big wall hanging.  Some fun handwork to do here. It comes from a back issue of an Australian quilting magazine.

Cross Stitch pillows I bought two pieces of cross stitch on linen at yard sales in `09.  I would like to piece some pillows with them, and I have a box of Thimbleberries type fabrics that I`ve set aside to do this, and should be a nice fit with the colours in the stitchery, but that`s about as far as I`ve gotten.  Design, piece, maybe quilt, and finish.

Desired Quilt I started this quilt in Dec '09.  The pattern came from Piece & Quilt.  I have to finish the appliqué  blanket stitch around the pieces, sandwich, quilt, and bind.

Kimono Quilt I started this quilt in Aug '10 and have 30 blocks done, and a pretty good idea of how I want to set them. So, I have to trim them up, piece the top, sandwich, quilt and bind.  The pattern was a free download from HERE

Aunt Lizzie`s Scrap Bag - this is a fairly current UFO.  In fact it is still spread all over my ironing board and sewing table.  I've got more than half of the blocks done, but there is plenty of piecing left to do.

UFOs, WIPs & PIGs - PART TWO

North of the Forty-Nine I fell in love with this quilt after seeing it hanging in a Quilt Shop. I remember having to order the book online, but barely got past a couple of blocks. Still lots of work to do on the blocks, then sandwich, quilt and bind.

Grateful Hearts Sampler I started this quilt top in Jan `10.  All the fabric is purchased, and a handful of blocks are done - but lots to go yet!  

Tea Cups - This is a very oooold project, when I first learning about paper piecing.  I have 11 blocks done.  I think these are destined to be orphan blocks, but I`m not quite ready to give them up.

Civil War Diary – Another oldie but goodie.  I have 13 blocks done - and a huge stack of CW repro fabrics.  I`ll get back to this. I enjoyed fussy cutting for these blocks.  This is a long term project.

Quilt Kits - I spent some time a couple of years ago cutting up stash to prepare kits.  I have 7 kits still in their ziplocs.

Erin's Visit – This was a "homemade quilt kit in a ziploc" and I've sewn 10 blocks so far.

Black & Bright – I've got 35 blocks done.  I'm not sure if I need to make more blocks or not. I pieced the bonus triangles as I went along, and I think I would incorporate them into a border or some kind.  This is going to take some design work, possibly some more blocks, piecing, then sandwich, quilt and bind.

Rural Jardin – I am sure I had a plan for this at some point-- why else would I purchase 2yds of fabric, plus a $40 Jelly Roll? I wouldn't mind some suggestions! 

Mill House Inn – Yep, I remember buying the3 charm packs, as well as 1 metre & 2 metre cuts of coordinating fabric.  But do I remember what I was going to make with it? Nope. Again, I'm open to suggestions! Gibby heard the camera turn on, and instantly jumped into the photo - my favourite ham!

Beatles panels – pillows and quilt and 2 metre cut of keyboard printed fabric - I intended to stitch these up into some fast project for Hubby's "man room".  He doesn't have a "man room" any longer, but I'm not ready to get rid of this yet.

Granny Squares - I have wanted to make this quilt for a long time.  I found a great tutorial HERE at Lori's blog Bee In My Bonnet.  I've been cutting fabric for it, and test laying out blocks.  I am planning on using black fabrics instead of brown in this pic, or white in the tutorial.

Sweet Tea - I bought this fabric in Dec '09.  I think about starting this quilt all the time, and it was especially on my mind as I sorted through my fabrics over the last couple of days and noticed all the lovely pink prints I have in my stash.

Grandmother`s Choice - Another recent WIP.  This BOW is to be found at http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.ca/ and I am behind!  I have two blocks to catch up, and another one is going to be posted tomorrow morning. I have a box full of black and red CW repro FQs that I've set aside for this project.

School of Rock - I started this quilt in Aug '10.  It's nearly done.  It's pin basted and half quilted.  I just need to finish quilting it, and then bind.

Spinning Four-Patches - I made these blocks in Dec 09  and I do want to finish them off.  

Scrappy Mountain Majesty - this is a more recent WIP.  It's a Bonnie Hunter pattern, and the first pair of blocks - - yeah, I screwed them up. I tore the first block apart twice before I finally realized, it cannot be fixed. I'm using up recycled men's shirts.

Mug Mats - another recent WIP.  I just have to hand stitch down the binding on the last two.

 Finished tops to be Sandwiched, Quilted, and Bound

• Cranberry Garland - I understand my mom is in serious like with this quilt.  I recently finished this top.

• Nine Patch - this photo doesn't represent what the finished top looks like.  It was a free pattern from Moda Bake Shop: Sweet Menagerie. It has a couple of borders on it now.

                

• Courthouse Steps  - I love this quilt.  This photo doesn't represent what the finished top looks like, but I guess I didn't take a photo of it. This was pieced entirely from recycled men's shirts, and it is queen sized.  I have the back pieced as well, and included lots of left overs from the top.

• Virginia Bound  - this is one of my favourite quilts I've ever made.  It's from Bonnie Hunter's first book, I believe -- Scraps & Shirttails.  Now that I look at it though...I wonder if I should consider adding a border to it - or perhaps I already did!  I didn't unfold it! :)  This was such a pleasure to sew.

•  Heart of the Home - not too old of a UFO - I finished piecing the top about a year ago I guess.  

A few others, very low on the list of UFO's:

Some English Paper Piecing

A couple of kits - a Christmas table runner, and a tote bag

Another tote bag

And lastly, several assorted jelly rolls and charm packs - no specific plans for them, yet. 

A Lot More Lazy Days

This pretty much describes my last two days.  Loving it!

I spent much of yesterday sorting through fabric - and there's a big pile of reeealy uuuhhhgly fabrics.  I don't know what the heck I'm gonna do with them!

Bonnie Hunter would say "If it's still ugly, you just didn't cut is small enough!"  I don't know Bonnie....some of this fabric is just a whole different brand of uuuhhhgly!  I'll take a photo later - - no one should have to see this before breakfast!

I got most of my yardage wrapped onto comic book cardboard.  Today, I will work on dragging out the rest of the stash and making some tough decisions.  I have a very small space to sew now - - just half a bedroom, no longer half a basement.  Since Itty Bitty has been home for the holidays, every night I have to stack all of my 'stuff' on the ironing board and sewing table, and every morning, spread it back out on his bed.

One of the biggest issues is all of the UFOs and WIPs and PIGs (project in grocery bag). While surfing around some of my favourite quilt blogs last night, I took note of a challenge Carrie at A Passion for Applique has thrown down: Nothing But UFOs in 2013.

You'll notice I put the button in my sidebar - - but it might take a couple of days for me to completely commit to NOTHING but UFOs?  

Lazy Sunday

Can you believe I ran out of thread today?  I tried to think of where I could get thread, and yet miss the masses of last minute Christmas shoppers.  Ah ha!  Len's Mills!  We all went, just for the ride, and I found some neutrals in the remnant bin (as well as a smidgen of pink!).  We can always use some neutrals, right?

I nearly napped right through Quilt Cam with Bonnie Hunter this afternoon!  But woke up in time to catch the last hour.  I've got her perched on top of a pile of telephone books that I snagged from the office for paper piecing.  I should be good for a long while!

I pieced together two more mug mats last night, and this afternoon I quilted them.  Now to add the binding!

While I'm off this week, I want to get some organizing of the stash done.  I saw a great post at Smashed Peas and Carrots that recommended wrapping fabric onto comic book storage boards to make neat mini bolts.  I just happen to have a comic book store downstairs, so I picked up a package of 100.  That should get me started!

Locked & Loaded

Itty Bitty and I headed out early this morning, and loaded up with groceries - - even got some fantastic deals on meat!  I think the grocery store was trying to get rid of perishables before they close down for Christmas - I got chicken breasts, hamburger, steaks, pork and beef roasts - all at 50% off!

As you might remember, this is our sixth year not "doing" Christmas. All that is explained HERE.  We shouldn't have to go out for days!  Actually, Hubby and I both do have to work on the 24th.  But then it's a week off for me!  Whoot!  I have creative plans!

I saw this cute little project on Pinterest, which linked to a tutorial at Stamp, Stitch & Swizzle Stix (photo below is from her blog) and I thought - HEY!  That looks fun!

I whipped up a few in just minutes using scraps.  I don't have a serger, as shown in the tutorial - so I used a quarter inch seam, and then zig-zagged the raw edges.

I'm just about done putting the binding on the mug mats I made last week.  Just 1 and a 1/2 to go!