UFO landing

Well, a UFO has landed but not the one I had planned for January. My husband's family will be having a couple of babies in the next two months. One we know will be a girl and the other one will be a surprise. I was trying to think about what in my stash I could use to make a quilt when this popped into my head.

They are the squares I did in my colour block swap in the summer of 2009. I had no idea what to do with them. I had tried many different designs but ended up not choosing any and putting the blocks away. I had been reading the Ace of Cakes book and I thought that this quote was quite appropriate:

"You have to remain open while creating a cake. You want it to look like your original concept, your drawing, but you can't get stuck in it. Sometimes the cake is going to go a different way, and you just have to let it." - Duff Goldman

I ended up having a brain wave about these blocks Saturday evening, and I put them all together and got the whole quilt top done. I was looking through my stash too and found the perfect border. I have had that fabric for years waiting for the right place to use it.

It feels great to have a quilt top done ready for the quilter's ahead of the baby's arrival. I am going to count this, as one for myself by creating less stress. On to the next UFO!

One word

I have seen a couple of different groups talking about choosing a word for the year which reflects something you want to focus on in 2011. I thought I would play along too, and did some thinking about what my word would be. I came up with the word:

MYSELF

To me, it means being more true to myself in my quilting, making time for myself, and organizing myself better so that I have less stress. One of the things I did this weekend for myself was meet Ariane for coffee/tea. We had a great time and she gave me this beautiful mug rug, along with a beautiful cup and saucer.

She is so amazingly talented. She wrapped it up in snowmen fabric, and I love snowmen. She also made a beautiful purse for my daughter which I have to admit I already borrowed yesterday.

I am hoping by focusing on myself, I will better be able to support and help the people I care for. I'll let you know how I do.

Re"Fresh" My Memory

Number 6 was the number chosen for the UFO Challenge this month. That is my Fresh quilt.

I was very excited on Saturday to find out the number and I did start working on it. For the full story on it you can go to this post.

I also took time on the weekend to clean up my quilt room and organize all of my UFO projects. I moved them all into their own shelving unit and I am hoping to have it completely empty by December.


I had fun playing with the mosaic pictures so I made another one of all my 2011 UFOs.

1. Mountain Mystery, 2. Half Square Triangles, 3. Butterfly Blooms, 4. Jelly Rolly Sampler, 5. Tulip, 6. Fresh, 7. Red/Aqua, 8. Cameo Block, 9. Cherry, 10. Winter Wonderland, 11. Snowman Applique Quilt, 12. Purple/Aqua Quilt

2010 In Review

2010 was a good year for me. I made many quilts, made new friends and started lots of projects just in time for the year of UFOs. I joined 2 bees and got to try out many different block styles. My friends and family were given the warmth of a quilt and I actually made one for myself.

1. Happy Halloween, 2. From Apple to Zigzag, 3. Blue turns into Green, 4. Potholder Pass Swap, 5. Winter Table Topper, 6. Potholder Pass 2, 7. Potholder Pass 2, 8. Walking down the garden path, 9. school's_out_03, 10. Wind, Sand and Stars, 11. Brother's Quilt, 12. DSCN2054, 13. Friendship Bag, 14. Holly Berry Table runner, 15. Summer Fun, 16. Summer/Fall Table runner, 17. Summer/Fall Table runner, 18. Grammie's garden, 19. Signature Quilt20. Not available



I have decided not to make any promises this year, but I do hope to improve, grow and as always be inspired by you!

Hers

Well, after much time and agonizing my sister's quilt finally got finished late last night. I did give it to her on Christmas Day. The binding was on but it just needed to be sewn to the back.  I am so thrilled that it is finished, and now I came move on to finishing many UFO's.

Happy New Year to Everyone!

His

I was in a panic 3 weeks before Christmas. I had a date with a quilter and did not have my brother's quilt ready. I called her up on a Thursday and got a week's extension. The only problem with that is that I knew the quilt I had started making for him would not be ready in time. I had to scrap it, and come up with something quick. I started searching the Internet desperate for an idea, when I happened to look in the sidebar of Piecemeal Quilts, a blog I read on a regular basis. There was this gorgeous quilt that Sandi had designed for her mom to make for somebody else. It was easy to make and had all of the same colours that were in my sister's quilt. I could not believe it. It felt like the angels were singing. I had quite a bit of fabric left from my sister's quilt because I had bought fat quarters. It was going to be used for my nephew, but I could easily change and give the quilt I started for my brother to my nephew. I started on it right that night. I changed up a few of the fabrics from my sister's quilt and I had a great brown that did not look good in her quilt that looked great in his. I did not have enough time to get a good fabric for a border but it was still big enough for a lap size quilt and it allowed me to use that great green/blue fabric that I had gotten 3 yards for $11. My brother was thrilled with the quilt and I think quite stunned. Anyhow without further ado, here it is:

I love how it turned out and so did my husband. We both wanted to keep this one. I think another one will be in the works.

Patchwork Times UFO Challenge 2011

Swaps - 2009, Bees - 2010, 2011 - UFO's

I have decided that 2011 will be the year of the UFO. I am joining Judy's UFO Challenge. What happens is that you make a list of 12 UFO's you would like to get finished. You get to decide what finished means to you, whether it be as a quilt top or a completed quilt. For me it will mean quilt top, since I have mine quilted by someone else. Each month she will post a number, and whatever quilt matches with the number on your list will be the one you are working on. My husband did question whether this would increase my stress level for this, feeling as though I had to get them finished by the end of the month but since most of these quilts are for me, I think I will be okay. I do have my nephew/niece's quilt on the list to finish and I will have a new niece or nephew come February.


Here is my list:

1. Mountain Mystery
2. Wandering Star
3. Butterfly
4. Jelly Roll Sampler
5. Tulip
6. Fresh
7. Red/Aqua
8. Cameo
9. Cherry
10. Snowmen
11. Snowman Applique
12. Purple/Aqua

There is still time to sign up. The first number will be posted January 1, 2011.

Jill was the winner of my Mystery Giveaway.