(This is kind of a UFO Thursday Prevention post) 

Reflecting on my choices in life, I’m not disappointed.  I have a wonderful husband, love my kids, enjoy my neighbors, both in Minnesota and Texas; I maybe would have made different career choices early on if I would have had the opportunity to go to college (but then I wouldn’t have met Wonderful Husband).  All in all, not too bad and no regrets.

When it comes to fabric choices though, I don’t always hit a home run.  In making this apron, I’m barely making it to first base.  In fact, if I make it to first base, it will be on an error.

I mimicked the light/dark arrangement that was shown on the pattern cover.  My light fabric has MUCH too large a print for this pattern, and it really bothers me.  It would be marginally better (maybe 2nd base, but doubtful) if I had switched the light and the dark and put the bigger print on the trim and scallop pieces.  I also think it would have been better if I had left off the contrasting pockets on this one — it just cuts into the big print too much.  I think in my second go-around (or second at-bat), I will make one of the fabrics a nearly solid. 

When I reach this stage of not loving a project, that’s when it’s so easy to pack it away somewhere and it becomes a dreaded UFO.  I’m about 75% done with this apron, and the construction is going so well, I’m going to hold my nose and power sew right through to completion.

I love this pattern, and it is going together nicely.  I can’t wait to try it again with much smaller scale fabrics.  How are your projects going?  I hope you are loving whatever you’re working on!  It’s so much more fun.

–Sue

Nothing new done over and above what I reported earlier — two pairs of socks finished this past week.

I have a BIG UFO DEADLINE coming up the first week in December.  Our Wednesday stitching group has a PhD program going right now (Projects half Done), and I chose a challenging one to finish.  (I’m always so optimistic.)  Some years back, I started an Afternoon Tea quilt.  The blocks are quite small, I think 10″, with lots of pieces.  I have I think 23 blocks done, five to go, then it’s set in a zig-zag setting.

This has to be DONE done (quilted, bound, done done done!) the first week in December.  It will be fabulous to get it completed as it is one of my older UFOs.  And it’s for ME.

I also owe DS#3 a quilt, and it looks like he will be closing on his first house the end of this month.  I am doing JudyL’s Shine On Bayou Cane for him, and have quite a bit of work to do on that one as well. 

So what am I doing today?  I’m hurrying to get my postings done so I can go to a LQS with a friend and then out to lunch!  Of course.  Makes perfect sense to me.

–Sue

(I sense an intervention coming…)

Now that I have a little more experience in applique, I’ve been working on the posies blocks for my Posies & Pinwheels UFO (started in the summer of 2007).  I really love this quilt.  I started it in a class taught by friend June, and I got bogged down in my inefficient and less-than-effective applique of the little leaves (NOTE:  June is an excellent teacher!  It was me that had the problem).  I’m making progress making the leaves and glue-basting them down, so they will be ready for stitching during the Wednesday afternoons I spend at DayStitchers (a local handsewing group).

I’m also pleased with my sock progress lately, having finished the tan socks this past week, and I am working the gusset on the yellow and gray socks.  Pretty good progress on the yellow and gray sock for two days:

I am making progress just generally as a sock knitter.  I used to dread coming to the heel flap.  Now I enjoy the heel flap, and even the heel turn.  I still don’t enjoy the gusset so much.  And I used to dread the toes, and now I think the toes are fun.  If you’re a new sock knitter, hang in there.  It all makes better sense the more times you repeat it.  You even start to remember some of the pattern so you don’t have to have your nose in your pattern book all the time!  And for those who give a rat’s patootie, here’s a link to a very good explanation/picture of the anatomy of a sock.

Thanks for the support in your previous comments on my purchases of sock yarn!  What good friends!  I’ve been doing most of my yarn shopping at http://simplysockyarn.com.   I usually try a skein of this or that (who am I kidding? it’s a skein of this AND that and that and that..) from the list of yarns that are on sale. 

I have some yarn that I’ve picked up at JoAnn’s.  I’ve also purchased yarn in yarn shops, and that’s when it gets dangerous.  I don’t look for what’s on sale; there’s always been something gorgeous that justs leaps into my arms and begs me to take it home.  And yes, I’m talking about yarn.  Yummy, non-fattening, only-slightly-addicting yarn.

So how are you doing on your UFOs?  Pick a day to be your UFO day, and try to get at least a little bit done on that day each week.  It will eventually add up to a whole lot done, then at last a completion!  Who cares how long it takes?  It will be a whole lot better than just letting those UFOs stay hidden away for your kids to eventually use for oil rags in the garage!

–Sue (Thursday’s Child)

Do other people’s UFOs count?  I got three small quilts done this week that weren’t mine.  I used a favorite pantograph on one that I haven’t used for a while.  I have to remember it more often; it was just the right quilting for this throw-sized quilt.  It’s Double Rose Vine by Norma Sharp.  This isn’t a very sharp picture because the light was so bad, and if I used flash, I would lose the quilting in the picture.

I’m working on finishing up three pairs of socks that are waiting for their mates to get knitted up so they can go in my sock drawer.  Winter’s comin’, and my feet will be cold!

Since I finished the applique class, I’m going to re-tackle the appliqued leaves on the Pinwheels & Posies quilt from 2.5 years ago.  I have 72 leaves appliqued on, and 72 to go.  Hopefully, with my new-found applique skills, the second half will go better.

–Sue

I always THINK about my UFOs on Thursdays — I just don’t always DO anything about them.

Today, I took out my Shine On Bayou Cane (Judy Laquidara’s design) which has  been an on-again/off-again project since last fall about this time.  I started out by making two smaller quilts.  Since that time, I’ve decided to make one big quilt for DS#1 Rob, if he likes it when it’s done.  

I have 24 blocks done, and I have 24 more blocks semi-ready to sew together (above).  I’m short 72 of the corner HSTs for the blocks and 23 of the assorted-color centers.  Today I cut the 23 additional centers.  I decided to use Thangles ™ for the HSTs (half-square triangles, for you non-quilters) instead of the draw-a-line-diagonally, sew-1/4″ each-side-of-line, cut-on-diagonal-line method!  *whew*  That was hard to type.  So I have my strips cut and all ready to start sewing those HSTs.  Once they are done, these blocks are easy-peasy nine-patches.

I have tons of the light and dark background fabrics, so I know I will have no problem changing methods half-way through like this.

So a QUESTION OF THE DAY:  There are many ways of doing HSTs.  If given a choice, what’s your favorite method of doing HST blocks?

–Sue

PS:  Hang in there and keep working on your UFOs.  (I’ve been bad.  I’ved started two new things since I’ve finished one old thing.)

Wow, it’s Monday again???  I’m sure I’m not getting a full seven-day week any more.  Maybe my calendar is fast.  I do have projects on my design wall to share, however.  First is some painting I did with PaintStiks (these could become addicting).  I purchased the sticks and a set of leaf rubbing plates at the ND quilt show this past week.  I only bought a set of copper, silver, and gold paints.

I was having so much fun, I decided to go back to Shelly’s placemat tutorial and see what I needed to do to make the placemats she demonstrated.  I found a sort of gradient (it’s a purple and black Paula Nadelstern)that I had been saving for “something special”, and decided to only use the silver for some dining room place mats.

Oh, there’s just nothing like diving into a new art project, is there? 

I’m up to date (haven’t done today’s assignment yet) on JudyL’s QFAH, Freeze Frame.

Next is a deep purple border, then the white again.  The third border will be more of these small “frames” around the whole quilt.  Very fun!

Part of the fun is my Aunt Bert in Huntsville is also playing along and making this QFAH!  So fun that we can sew together.  I believe this is also her first “big” project, having made some table mats and smaller items this summer (Bert, correct me if I’m wrong…).  Here is her quilt so far, in fall colors, with Tanner standing guard:
 
 

What, you say?  It’s not Thursday???  I’ve got to get my calendar fixed.

I have actual UFO progress to report!!!  My 9-patch new antique quilt, a sew-along with Amandajean on CrazyMomQuilts, is FINALLY a completed top!!!  Now it’s off to the longarmer for quilting.  Oh, wait, that’s me.  This is the one I’m going to do the wonky freehand Baptist fans on, so I’m quite excited about getting this one done.  I’ve decided to use wool batting, and this will be the winter quilt in our guest room when we pop down the Murphy bed. 

I like the little border of leftover blocks framed with the navy.  Very cool!  I think the original design was 8 x 9 blocks, for a total of 72.  I did mine 8 x 10 for a total of 80 blocks.  It wouldn’t fit a traditional queen-sized bed, but I like how it fits on the Murphy bed, even allowing for a little “shrinkage” that will happen when it’s quilted.  This will be a nice contrast to the summer quilt (and full-time husband) in this photo:

 I also did another 8 blocks on Judy L’s Shine On Bayou Cane quilt, which is slated for DS #3.  24 blocks done, 32 to go!!!  I really like the civil war reproduction fabrics in this quilt, and the secondary design the light and dark background fabrics make will make it pretty unique. 

• And on an unrelated note, is anyone out there planning on taking in the North Dakota quilt show next weekend in Fargo?  I am thinking about packing a bag and going up there for a couple of days.
• –Sue
• p.s.  Let us know how are you doing on your UFOs???

(Note:  Photos of most of these projects can be seen by clicking the UFOs tab at the top of this page.)

Guild BOM in Asian Fabrics – Three more blocks done on my quilt guild’s BOM.  I guess this is a reverse UFO because I am working ahead to finish it up early.  I just want it done so I don’t have to get the fabrics out once a month any more.  Nine down, three to go. This one is slated for DIL Lynn’s Christmas present; can’t let it disappear into the closet!

Nine Patch Buffet — This project stalled again for a month or so (too many vacations/finishing quilts for the fair/going to the fair), and I decided I’m not 100% pleased with the sashing color.  I am going to take the brighter blue sashing off the ten or so blocks that I’ve sewed it on, and replace it with a very dark navy sashing/border/binding.

Shine On Bayou Cane — Eight more blocks to put together this week.  Have to keep working on this one, as it’s promised to DS Rob (if he still likes it when it’s done).  I’m going to a quilting get-together today, and we’re working on fall-themed projects.  I plan to finish my fall project early (small table mat) and sneak in working some of these stars!

Posh Charm Squares Quilt — This top is finished and needs to go on the Gammill to experience the miracle of quilting.  Friend Betty said she would bind it for me, so I really need to get it quilted!  Slated for SIL Marilyn.

How are you doing on your UFOs? 

–Sue

UFOs — Because this is UFO Thursday, I do want to do a quick post about How Are You Doing on Your UFOs???  I’m taking small steps that are adding up to some bigger steps, and I’m happy with that.  As long as I don’t totally lose momentum and pack all my projects back into the closet again – then I might as well dig a hole in the back yard and throw them in!  That’s been my strategy so far:  keep two projects out where I can see them, and do something on both of them each week.  Let me know how you’re doing and what is working for you.

Socks — Judy Laquidara is giving away a skein of sock yarn (I hope I’m not too late, as I meant to post a picture for my entry last night and then I forgot about it).  So here is my picture of my socks knitted so far (with the exception of my apple-green-and-orange socks that are at a county fair).

Clockwise from the top:  lime-green & raspberry socks, 3/4 done; caramel stripes, one sock almost done; lumberjack socks, done.  I love my lumberjack socks, even though the first time I wore them, I fell and broke my wrist!  I was wearing shoes at the time, and I want to make it clear that these socks were in no way responsible for my injury!

Sue

Report time!  How did you do this week?

I completed 7 more blocks for Judy L’s Shine On Bayou Cane quilt = 16 blocks completed, 40 to go.  I need 56 blocks to make it a bed-sized quilt, which is divisible by 8, so my goal is to complete 8 of these a week.  That computes out to 5 more weeks of Bayou Cane blocks.  Not so bad, huh?

I bravely added my short list of UFOs to my UFO menu tab at the top of my site.  There is a UFO tab, and I have my first 10 (we won’t discuss how many more to go after that) that I will be working on.

When we start on a quilt, it’s so exciting to choose the pattern, the colors, and the anticipation to see how it’s all going to go together.  Nobody starts a quilt with the idea that they are going to lose interest in it and relegate shelf space somewhere for perpetual storage of an uncompleted item.

Somewhere these quilts got lost.  As I pulled them out for their photo-op (don’t have the pictures all added yet, so check back on the UFO tab in the future), I could remember why each one ended up in the closet. 

• One-Block Wonder.  Hated it (not the pattern, but my fabric choice).  Solution:  I’m going to rework the blocks into a smaller configuration, doing a lot of editing out of blocks.  I’ll be happy with a small baby quilt.
• Checkered Table Topper.  Wasn’t able to get matching black fabric for the binding.  Solution:  Put ANY black binding on.   Really, what a no-brainer.
• Roses Wall Hanging.  (This UFO is so old, the lady who helped me pick out the fabrics has worked at two other shops since then.  Jenny, do you read me?)  Couldn’t decide how to quilt it.  Solution:  I’m going to try my hand at handquilting it.  It’s a nice small size for a non-handquilter like me.
• Lucky Stars.  This quilt was made from fabric purchased on an Alaskan cruise some years back.  I made this for my DH’s next “zero” birthday, which was a very long time away when I made this.  It’s now next month.  Solution:  Quilt the darn thing already!
• Shine On Bayou Cane.  I think I got overwhelmed by making two quilts at the same time (60 blocks), then I broke my wrist, into the closet it went.  Solution:  Good News!  DS#3 likes it, and I’m going to make one big quilt instead of two smaller ones.
• Posies & Pinwheels:  Has some *shudder* applique’.  Been working at it off and on, mostly off.  Solution:  Keep working at those little leaves.  I’m going to hit it hard the next two weeks!  I love applique’, I love applique’, I love applique. . .
• Posh Charm Pack quilt.  I made this one for fun, for no particular person.  Translates to no deadline, no urgency, into the closet.  Solution:  It’s now for Marilyn.  A real person.  Just needs quilting & binding.

I found it was helpful to travel in the way-back machine and try to remember why a UFO got stalled out to begin with.  That is helpful in finding a solution and getting that project back on track.  Now, to keep it on track!!!  Don’t put it all the away out of sight.  Give yourself some homework each week on that project, and DO IT!!!

Good luck, and please share your progress, either by way of a comment or photos (or both) — you can post photos on our Flickr site.  Hang in there!

–Sue

(ooops!  a couple of times lately I’ve forgotten to click “allow comments” when preparing my posts!  Sorry.  Too much hurry up!)