Five Shadows

I’m so pleased to have this quilt top completed! I had parts of the border pieced, and took it along to my sewing day with the Curvy Quilters. I got the border all pieced and attached!

This is Sew Kind of Wonderful’s Curve It Up pattern. I used Moda’s Sphere by Zen Chic for the pieced blocks and Moda Grunge for the border. Moda solid white for the background.

The Grunge border just makes me happy! I think it plays well with Sphere. This quilt is going into the ‘to be quilted’ pile. Sorry dear quilt top, you are once again a UFO.

Here are a few of the triangles cut from the improv piecing for the Facets Quilt-Along I’m doing with Christa of Christa Quilts.

I’m using all Batik scraps from previous projects. I bought a pale blue batik with random splattered dots for the background fabric. I’m enjoying the process of this Quilt-Along. I like how Christa has broken the pattern down into weekly steps, with 8 weeks for the quilt-along. That includes machine quilting and binding, so I hope I can keep up!

How about you, are you particapating in any quilt-alongs or Block of the Months this year? If so, are you keeping up with the monthly schedule?

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List?

1. Wait patiently for fabrics for the Bargello quilt. (With Lots of praying!) Still waiting.
2. Work on T-shirt quilt while waiting for the Bargello fabric. Have to go shopping for the sashing, border, etc. ✔️Bought & washed fabrics, cutting sashing strips.
3. Cut triangles for Facets quilt. ✔️Triangles cut from the improv piecing. Background fabric purchased.
4. Back to next UFO – Sew border for Curve-It-Up quilt/Sew Kind of Wonderful pattern. ✔️ Another UFO top completed!

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Call quilt shop again, about fabric for the Bargello quilt. I’ve come up with a Plan B, that I hope they can accommodate.
2. Work on t-shirt quilt.
3. Cut background fabric for Facets Quilt-Along and start sewing top together.
4. FMQ February’s block for the Machine Quilting Block Party with Leah Day.

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

October was a good month. 5 UFOs completed. 1 new quilt- fabric purchased, quilt completed & gifted! One t-shirt quilt made and sent off to longarm quilter for a customer, so not a UFO but happy about that one!

UFO’s – honestly, almost too numerous to count!

UFO’s completed – 5!

UFO’s currently working on – 2

New projects completed – 2

New projects started – 2

One of the quilt shops in our area held their annual Birthday Sale this weekend. Yes, I did shop! Who wouldn’t at yardage 50% off!? I bought flannel fabric to have on hand for baby shower gifts, self-binding baby blankets.  I also bought fabrics for planned quilts, no more just buying lovely fabric because I like it. My stash needs to be used up, not added to at this point. Plus I bought 4 patterns at 25% off.

Scroll on through my older posts to see the quilts.

This coming week, I’m helping a friend with binding a pile of table runners. Then back to normal programing aka working on my own list!

So gals, are you continuing to build your stash? Or at you a point where you want to use it up?  I’m all for using mine up, and only buying when what I want to make I can’t find in my stash already.

Linking to Vicki Welsh’s UFO Busting.

NOT completed! I just could not bring myself to work on it! I’ve decided it was a bad idea. I’m moving it to a pile I call “OK to practice free motion quilting on.” And I’m just not going to worry about my original plans for these little tumbler blocks.

And for March we are to work on #8. Yeah! #8 on my list is a pattern and fabric I bought a few years ago but never got to it. I’m looking forward to working on this – Fire Escape pattern by Atkinson Designs. My goal is to have a complete top made this month. And then move it to the “needs to be FMQ” pile. Once I’m confident in my FMQ skills, I’ll attempt to work on tops in that pile. Pictures are the fabrics I’m planning on using.

The UFO challenge is sponsored by Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times.

I am participating in Judy Laquidara’s 2012 UFO Challenge. I’m happy to report that I completed my Garden Lattice quilt. One down, 11 to go! Why do we quilters start so many projects but move on to another with out finishing the first!?  This ‘finish’ is actually just the quilt top, as I am also participating in a Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I hope to have improved enough with my FMQ skills to quilt some of my tops by the end of the year.

February’s UFO is a Christmas table runner that I’m no longer excited about. Maybe I’ll have to think of it as a head start on gifts for December.

2012 finds me joining Judy Laquidara of Patchwork Times and Vicki Welsh of Field Trips in Fiber for their Color Palette Challenge and also Judy’s  UFO Challenge. I hate to say it, but while cleaning my sewing room, I’ve come across more purchased and unmade projects than I’d like to admit! I also unearthed several works in progress. I have found more than 12, but put the ones I’d really like to get to this year on the UFO Challenge list.

1. Christmas Table Runner – applique on words, quilt

2. Argyle Quilt Top – blocks made, piece together

3. Pie Safe Quilt – finish applique and piecing top

4. 3 Creative Studios BOM – blocks made, piece together top

5. Garden Lattice Quilt – fabric bought, need to cut and piece top

6. Journal Covers – fabric bought, need to make covers

7. Chinese Coins Quilt- finish hand applique vines, piece constructed strips together

8. Modern Chinese Coins with applique – fabric bought, start top

9. Fire Escape Quilt – fabric bought, cut and start piecing

10. Fairy Quilt Top – fabric bought, cut and start piecing

11. Wallet Pattern – pick fabric and make!

12. Purse Pattern – fabric bought, make!

I’m also participating in SewCalGal’s Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I’m very excited about learning to FMQ this year.  Maybe by the end of the year I’ll be using my new skills on the quilt tops finished in the UFO Challenge!

For the Color Palette Challenge I’m using  a Joined at the Hip  BOM I bought in 2000 but never made. And I also signed up for Craftsy’s BOM. I’ll use the color palette for that as well, and then use those blocks to practice the FMQ.

I’m feeling all set for sewing and quilting in 2012!