Featherstone Quiltworks

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.)

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

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!)

Thursday’s Child Has Far to Sew…

I would love to be able to say I’m devoting all my time, 24/7, to finishing up my many, many UFOs.  That is not the case.  However, my goal is to keep at least one UFO project in the foreground so that particular UFO doesn’t slip back into the dreadful black hole known as my sewing closet.  Right now I have selected three projects to enjoy the light of day as well as some weekly attention:

1.  Shine On Bayou Cane (a Judy Laquidara quilt-along pattern from last fall).  I determined that to make a queen-sized quilt, I need 56 blocks.  Previously: 1 block done.  This week: 8 additional blocks done!!  Woo-hoo!!! 

2.  Nana’s Posies & Pinwheels.  I started this throw-sized pieced-and-appliqued quilt in a class last summer two summers ago, and since appliqué isn’t my thing (shudder), it got stuck in the closet.  Previously: the 13 pieced blocks are done, as well as 5 of the 12 appliqued blocks. This week: 2 lousy leaves appliqued!!!  That’s 1/6th of one block.  Not much to brag about, but hey, progress is progress!   Aren’t the blocks pretty with the leaves?  I was hoping that by doing this quilt, applique and I would become one.  Isn’t happening.

3.  Moda Posh Charm Pack Quilt.  The top was done many months ago, the binding is made – it just needs to be quilted and bound!  This is earmarked as a birthday gift for SIL Marilyn’s July birthday, so it has worked its way to the top of my quilting pile.  This week: thought about loading it on the longarm, but four customer quilts are ahead of it.  I guess “thinking about it” doesn’t count for much, or else all my projects would be done by now. 

It occurs to me that this is an ideal combination of UFOs to be working on.  I have some piecing to do at the sewing machine, some portable handwork, and a top to pin onto the longarm.  I didn’t work on all three items this week — only two of them – but that still smells like victory to me.

How are you doing?  Did you do at least a little bit of work on a UFO this week, just to get reacquainted with it?  It feels really good to see progress, no matter the amount.  Hang in there.  A little bit every week will add up to eventually finishing an item. 

Here’s something that is working for me:  I now have a design wall (thanks again, Judy).  I pulled out a manageable number of unfinished blocks to complete this week (eight) and pinned them up on the design wall.  Instead of being mystery fabric in a plastic tote (which is all too easy to ignore), they became a visible reminder of what I needed to get done this week so I could blog about it today.

You may post any UFO photos on our UFO Busters’ Challenge album on Flickr if you’d like, and it would be fun if you leave a comment about your UFO progress, or lack thereof! 

–Sue

My First 10 UFO Projects Slated for Completion, with the year project was started:

Shine On Bayou Cane (components made; need to make 56 blocks)  2008
Nana’s Posies & Pinwheels (need to finish applique on 6 blocks) 2007
Posh Charm Quilt (need to quilt) 2008
Amandajean’s 9-Patch (50 blocks made/30 to go) 2009
Afternoon Tea (24 blocks made / 5 to go; assembling top will be some work!) 2004
Fruit Ladies (needs quilting) 2008
Minnesota Quilt (needs quilting) 2008
Large Wholecloth (sew on borders and quilt) 2009
Rose Basket Wallhanging (quilt it) 2002
One Block Wonder (figure out what the heck to do with it; don’t like it thus far.  I think I will make it smaller and get rid of a bunch of blocks.) 2007

Thursday’s Child Has Far to Sew…

Thursdays I’m posting my UFO progress made over the previous week.  If you have unfinished projects that you’re working on (or should be working on), add a comment to tomorrow’s post and let us know how you’re doing!

I will also have a link to a photo album where anyone interested can post photos of their UFO progress.  I know everyone is extra busy in the summertime; I know I am!  But I’m determined to whittle away at my UFOs until I have a clean slate.  Of course, I may have to find a way to live to 150 years of age, or figure out a way to have more than 24 hours in a day! 

I’m just going to do the best I can, one seam, one block, one quilt at a time.  See you tomorrow!

–Sue

Today’s the day to start finishing!

As I was thinking about working on my UFOs, the phrase “Thursday’s child has far to go” kept creeping into my mind.  Aha!  That’s why I have so many UFOs!  I must have been born on a Thursday!  I checked the perpetual calendar and found – nope, I’m a Saturday’s child, and Saturday’s child works hard for a living.   Well, obviously I’m an honorary Thursday’s Child, judging by the large number of unfinished projects in my sewing room, but I am going to work hard at finishing up some UFO (unfinished objects), PhDs, WIPs, PIGS, or whatever you call them!

It’s so much fun to get together and sew with friends, but we aren’t able to do that often enough.  This is our chance!  We can work on our UFO busting together, post pictures of our progress, and be supportive and encouraging to one another!  Here’s the approach I’m taking:

1. Choose an unfinished project; pick one that you still like!   I chose Shine On Bayou Cane by Judy Laquidara.  I have a lot of the components for the blocks made, but not the blocks themselves. 
2. Regardless of how much or how little time you have to work on this project, try scheduling a specific time each day or each week — whatever you can work out.  Mondays are going to be my UFO Busting Days. 
3. The most important thing is to make steady progress.  Don’t put your project away out of sight.  It will die again.  Keep it alive!

Contemplating finishing a stack of UFOs makes me think of the old question:  “How do you eat an elephant?” Answer:  “One bite at a time”!  That approach will work for us too!

I’ve set up an album on Flickr where we can record our progress on a weekly basis.  Start by posting a photo of your chosen project showing whatever state it is in.  You can do that at any time, but today would be good!  Also add some information in the comment area about your project, including approximately when you started, why it stalled out, and any other info you’d like to include.

Each Thursday will be a Thursday’s UFO Challenge post, chat a bit about our UFOs and remind you to post another picture showing your progress.  Actually, you can add photo updates on your progress as often as you’d like.

So what do you think?  Are you in?

This Thursday’s Child has far to sew, and I’m going to start working on my UFO on Monday!

Sue