That's a WRAP!

So no presents to wrap, but my goal is to WRAP up some UFOs before the end of this year. I'm running out of time. 

If I were a bit better at time management and focus, I'd be working on those UFOs a bit more often during the year and putting a push on to make that happen. 

However, in my defense, the quilt that I'm about to show you was a TON of work, and it wasn't really a UFO in the sense that any of it was done, and I needed to finish it up. NOPE -- I had started the ONE block, the fabrics were set aside for the most part, but NOTHING else was done. Oops -- lied again. ONE of the maple leaf blocks was done, and the bird and pumpkin block components. 

That means I had to do the entire quilt! I started to focus on it in September! I'm checking back in my UFO book, and that's when it became a focus, and HERE IT IS!!!

Enchanted Autumn quilt top

I had started to sew it together the previous day. But before I did that, all the applique blocks had to be trimmed, and while we chatted at the Virtual Retreat, I kept sewing. One section at a time and then onto the borders. 

I started the day by finishing all the hand embroidery. Well, that's not true either. There is about ½" of brown that I forgot to do, so I'll finish that off first thing this morning. 

And then, by the end of the Virtual Retreat, the entire top was together. 

There was no stopping me, so I made the binding and then searched in the pile of backings to find some fabric for the backing. Hmmm -- saying "pile" of backings is a bit of a misnomer since they are all stacked and labeled very neatly. 

The shelf of backings

And I'm happy to report these backings that didn't fit are now on the shelf. That means that I've removed enough fabric from there to make that happen. It's time to start going through the fabric baskets to find other large yardages that can be used as backings. Oh yes -- I can, at last, say that I'm making dents in my stash!

Neatly labeled backing fabrics

The backing and the binding got made as well. 

The backing and the binding

Hmmm -- so later today, I'll be able to cross off the LAST UFO on the 2018 UFO list. I've often said that I do NOT care if I'm late in crossing those UFOs off, as it would never have gotten completed if not on that list. 

My book is downstairs, or I'd give you a recap of where I sit with the UFOs, but they will continue to be my focus of the UFO club in 2022. And they will be my focus for the remainder of the year. I'm very obsessive, and I'm, well, I'm POSSESSED right now. 

After reviewing my UFO assignments for this year, this is what I accomplished. 

I finished Quilter's Patch, which was another quilt that I taught as a Sew Along at The Hobby Horse, and again -- another HUGE quilt with APPLIQUE. 

Quilter's Patch -- UFO - DONE

Let's see, then I moved on to the Winter Wonderland quilt. 

Another UFO - DONE

This was NOT a sew-along, but I had started it independently. The embroidery was done, the blocks were cut. And it got completed and off the UFO list. 

Then it was onto a Border Creek Mystery. A queen-sized, mostly done, but I had run into a snag, which is usually why projects become UFOs. 

Bordercreek Mystery UFO - DONE

I decided to turn it into two quilts, and this is one of the quilt tops that I made. The blocks were supposed to be part of the border of the large quilt. 

And this is the center of the quilt, which I turned into a square lap quilt. 

The rest of the Borer Creek Mystery UFO - DONE

That one just needed borders, but it got done, and CHECK! It was removed from the UFO list. 

OK -- so as I'm looking back, and thanks to the UFO Club, I see that I did, in fact, focus on my UFOs. I could NOT have done it without their help, and I'm fired up for the 2022 UFO Club. There are TWO sessions to accommodate everyone. The big question will be - do I choose TWO different assignments each month? 

Then I also completed the top of that Double Wedding Ring bed runner. 

Double Wedding Ring Quilt - UFO - DONE

I could not find the picture of it completed, but trust me, the top is done. The backing and the binding need to be made before it gets moved off the UFO list. 

Now keep in mind that I do not get mine quilted, they are only moved into the "to be quilted" pile, and I'm OK with that. 

And of course, there's Enchanted Autumn, which was HUGE. I did select a few smaller UFOs for some of the subsequent years, so hopefully, those won't take as long as these ones did! 

But it's only December 27, and that leaves FOUR days before the end of the year. I am pretty sure that with a wee bit of focus, that I can knock THREE more UFOs off the lists. YES  -- I've advanced the Double Wedding ring above so that it could be complete by the end of the year. And there are two others! I'm determined. I'm on a mission, and I WILL get those UFOs done. 

The best news is that there are NO new UFOs to worsen the situation. OK -- that's a lie as well. My Long Time Gone still needs a border, and my All in a Row also needs a border. They are hanging around the studio, and I should start working on those right after I finish these ones on the list. 

I accomplished a whole lot of other things as well. That Double Wedding Ring quilt for Paula's daughter. That was pieced, quilted, and bound. My Cherrywood Challenge was also pieced and quilted, and it's traveling in a show. I completed my Bonnie and Camille quilt top, as well as Schoolgirl Sampler and the Tula Pink Sampler. Oh, let's not forget Urbanologie. All of those quilts had their challenges, and I'm happy to report that all of those are sitting in the "to be quilted" pile.  

So I'm pretty happy with my progress this year. The next batch of UFOs will get added to the list later this week, and then I'll be setting up a plan and using the UFO Club to keep me on track. Oh yes -- I feel that this coming year will be a year of significant progress. I've got the bug now to complete these things and not add to the mess. 

And should I need to start a new project? Well, I have enough "new" with the ongoing sew alongs, stuff that I do for QUILTsocial, and my freelance job, that I don't need to start anything "new." 

And I don't think there are any applique quilts on the next UFO lists. Thank goodness, as they take forever to do!! Wait -- I lied about that as well. I did add ONE applique quilt to the 2022 list, and it's adorable and time to get that one done!

This is all that remained of the inner border fabric for Enchanted Autumn. And all the other fabrics have already been shelved, and the project box is EMPTY. I had to make that inner border slightly narrower than the pattern, and who cares!! 

Leftovers from the inner border

Wow -- I'm on Cloud Nine for having completed that quilt!!! And to see the progress I made this past year. 

On that happy note, I'm off to spin class. Yeah!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!