UFO Club

I want to thank everyone who has stopped by to pick up stuff that I no longer need or want. I had a quick visit with France yesterday as she stopped by to pick up some stuff. There'll be more, in bits and pieces as I unearth the unwanted things. And knowing that I can make quilts tops for Quilts of Valour or Project Linus from the fabrics that I don't need or want is so freeing. The more that goes in those piles, the more I want to get rid of - OK - within reason! HUGE thanks to Diane, who is my quilt top piecing machine. I'm prepping FIVE more kits for her to pick up later today. That's good news. The bad news? There's still lots more where that came from.

It's all about using up, finding a new home, or getting it done! Today it's all about the UFO club. We had our monthly meet-up via Zoom, which is great since one of the ladies is at her cottage every weekend, and she still gets to participate. I think more and more people are getting used to this format!

And I get to sew longer to get my projects finished since we don't need to travel, no worries about the weather. It's a great thing!

Today we have Monday sewing and no need to pack up the sewing machine!

Let's get started on the show and tell because there's a lot. Even though it was summer and no money on the table, everyone was busy.

Dede got the two outer borders on this quilt. It was one of our $10 quilts from years ago. I think it was called The Patchwork Sampler. I love that black and white combination! Thankfully the recipient still is into black and white. One border left to go!

Dede's homework for August

Her homework for next month is to remove some quilting from the outer border of this next quilt and redo it. Don't you love how motivated we all are? That's a lot of work, but hey - if you're going to do something, you might as well be happy with the end result.

Dede's quilt for next month

Jane -- oh, Jane. She's like me - loads of little things to do each month. BUT instead of working on what she was supposed to, she made some placemats.

Jane's placemats

She made masks.

Jane's masks

And she worked out the calculations for a new quilt. This was actually part of her homework for the current month. Oh -- this is why I love EQ8 so much. I never have to worry about these kinds of calculations. But we all have our methods, and this works for Jane.

Quilt calculations

She even got started on some half-square triangles for the quilt.

Half-square triangles for her new quilt

Getting the binding on this quilt WAS on her list for this month.

Jane's quilt with the binding firmly attached

And it's firmly attached by machine. I love how more and more people are going that route!  It really depends on the eventual home for the quilt. A family heirloom? I'd hand-stitch the binding. But a giveaway quilt? By machine!!!

The binding is stitched in place by sewing machine

And she finished this quilt. I think the binding just needed to be put on. Now that's a lot to get done in one month. Go, Jane, GO!!!!

Another finished quilt

Linda got some blocks for the Vintage Christmas quilt done. She was a wee bit behind and is almost caught up now. The person who is behind is ME. I haven't got the homework for Friday out yet. That's a job for today or tomorrow.

Linda's Vintage Christmas blocks

Her project for next month is this quilt. It's gorgeous and definitely a Scandinavian feel for Christmas.

Scandi Christmas

I also got a lot accomplished. I'm only showing you the UFOs that were on my list. I won't bore you with all the other stuff that got done.

First up was my red/white log cabin quilt. The quilt top is together in one piece. No borders.

Red/white log cabin

The binding and backing are also made. Yeah!!!!

The binding, the backing, and the quilt top

Then I managed to get the final border on Easy Street - the mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter.

The final border on Easy Street

The binding, backing, and quilt top for Easy Street

And then there is the disappearing nine-patch. It's ALMOST together. All that's left to sew is ONE seam through the center of the quilt (the diagonal center that is) and add the four corner triangles.

The disappearing nine-patch

I'm going to add a border of some kind. I have some fat quarters, so I'll need to figure something out. But it's on my list for next month to have the top completely done.

Then there's the binding on the inside of the yoga bag. That was to be done this month - it didn't happen. I carried it over for next month.

The yoga bag that needs to be finished inside

There's also the snail's trail blocks. The blocks are all made, but it was supposed to be a quilt top by now. That's on the list for next month as well.

Snail's trail blocks

And I had to bring in a new UFO. This is PRISM squared. My goal is to get all the wedges cut for next month. The fabric strips are sewn together - the wedges just need to be cut.

My PRISM squared

Four projects - how hard can it be to get one done each week until our next UFO meeting?


Sharon got several projects completed as well. The border is on her shop hop quilt, and it's off to the quilter. I LOVE that pop of green with grey, white, and black. It's gorgeous.

Sharon's shop hop quilt

And she got some placemats finished. It honestly doesn't matter the size of the UFO - it's all about finishing.

Sharon's placemats

She'll be back working on her 2000 Piecemaker Calendar for next month. She's so close to getting that quilt done!!! I can't wait to see it done!

Last year, Ronda bought an embroidery machine and seems to be embroidering everything!! This is what she was working on this month. Onesies! The embroidery file is a new one from Kimberbell. But how cute is this, and how simple and fast to make compared to making a quilt for a new baby????

Onsie embroidered by Ronda

Lynne is also doing some machine embroidery. She got more sections of her Dream Big panel done. So hard to see in the photo, but I'm sure that it looks gorgeous. This is a fun panel to quilt or embroider. She'll be working on that this coming month as well.

Lynne's Dream Big panel

I think Laura abandoned her PRISM squared quilt for the summer. Instead, she got this quilt made. It's from flannel, and I LOVE IT!!!!

Laura's quilt

I think it's called Over and Under by Bonnie Sullivan.

Elaine is diligently working on her Stitcher's Garden. Two borders of five are now on the quilt.

Two borders on Elaine S quilt

Here are the other three borders being auditioned. We gave them the green light, and that's her goal for the coming month - get those last three borders on.

Auditioning the last three borders

Shelly is into hand embroidery these days. Her goal was to finish the stitching on this block.

Shelly's hand embroidery

She's started another block and going to try and finish TWO blocks for next month.

Diane is also working on Stitcher's Garden. She got the last set of blocks done!!!

Diane's blocks for Stitcher's Garden

More blocks

The final set of blocks

Some of those blocks are machine embroidery, and some are appliqued. It sure feels nice to get those blocks done! I know - I was in that position earlier this year.

One of the things that I love about our Zoom UFO group is that we get to ask questions like Elaine's border or, in Diane's case - how to finish off this cording.

Cording that needs to be finished off

Katheleen is also stitching up a storm with hand embroidery. This is Snow Days, and she got all her homework done and MORE. The quilt is stunning.

Katheleen's Snow Days

We have others in the group, and some of them took the summer off, but they have homework for September. Susan is going to be working on a Halloween quilt, Liz will be back with her Amy Bradley garden quilt, Diane was doing some repairs, and hopefully, Laura will be getting that PRISM squared done!

It's all fun, and the best part - we are getting those UFOs done. Some are just working on current projects to get some motivation. It doesn't matter - the point of the club is to get things DONE!!!

And it's going to be another busy day. Longarm quilting, making two magazine quilts, and well - that's probably all that I'm going to work on today. And those darn books - I'm reading a book and listening to an audiobook, and both are good! I hope to finish both today!

Hey - it's fun to sew all day, but you gotta take some time to just relax!!!

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!!!

Get out the ripper

The morning did not start out as I had planned. I was merrily sewing away and making significant progress. However, when I went to join A to B, it was WRONG - totally backward!! It would appear that I was a bit dyslexic this morning, and EVERYTHING I had sewn had to be ripped out. OK - I confess, I did say a bad word or two, and then I ripped. So when I go back to sewing, everything is laid out exactly how it needs to be sewn. We all have those days!

Thankfully, I had only sewn for a half-hour, but still!  It's a humbling experience, but I've moved on.

We had two great Zoom classes yesterday, and I'll share the homework from one of the classes today. Today is our UFO club. I see the e-mails coming in last night and this morning with the completed homework. Holy - this group is so motivated to get things done, including me. There is no money on the line this month, so if we slipped on our deadline, it's not that big of a deal. But next month, we all stand to lose money if we don't complete our assignment, so chose that assignment wisely. 

There will be another UFO club next year, so watch for that. And should we be able to get back together in person, I'll still have a UFO club via Zoom, so if you're interested and don't live close, you can sign up for that.

I did a wee bit more tidying. That's a very sobering job. However, I'm very excited about it and glad that I'm finally tackling that job. Let's just say that I've come a long way in the last five years (yes - it's probably been about five years since I decided to get a handle on this mess). If I were to just bite the bullet and tackle it, I'd have been done in a couple of months. But the decluttering thing is an evolutionary task. You have to be in the mood to sort and in the mindset to let things go. And you have to have homes for the stuff you want to keep. It takes time to learn that.

Seriously, this is the kind of thing that needs to be taught in school or at home (hopefully with NON-hoarding parents). Why don't we teach our kids how to deal with their excess toys, books, and clothes. If we get the kids involved, they'll learn what to do with stuff when they are adults. If the adults always deal with their stuff, the kids have no clue what happens to things they no longer want. Then it's just as easy to always ask for new, which is not good. They also learn about the environment at the same time. You are laughing, right? Well, some people think food comes from the grocery store. That's sad.

OK - on with the stuff I unearthed this morning.

I found this thimble. These things remind so much of jujubes! It's on its way to the container with the rest of the thimbles.

A rogue thimble

 Two placemats that had been taken apart so they could be appropriately interfaced and made into zippered pouches. I know - why do I do that to myself? These got put into one of the current project baskets.

Two placemats to make zippered pouches

Four pieces of chiffon type fabric. Why? No idea, but I suspect that it was to practice machine embroidery. They are going in the sample making box, so I know where they are when I need them.

Chiffon type fabric

A pile of silk fabrics. Now, why did I buy those? I've no idea. I do have a container with specialty fabrics, and they'll go in there. Can you believe this???

Silks

Two more fabrics with no clue why they were bought or set aside. One is like, gosh, the word escapes me this morning. It's not burlap, but it's a coarser weave, and the other is similar to chiffon. So much for my knowledge of non-cotton fabrics.

Two more rogue fabrics

A hunk of prequilted fabric. This is for making binding samples. That also goes into the sample making box.

Prequilted fabric

Another piece of silk and a piece of sparkly fabric. I do remember that I bought these to make something. But what? No idea. It's going to get put with the other specialty fabrics. I think it was a rope bowl, but I can't be sure. Again, no notes or a pattern. Sigh.....................

More silk and a sparkly fabric

Then I unearthed this green tub. I knew what was in it - my collage projects.

Collage project stuff

Oh my - there's the giraffe that I worked on several years ago. This went into one of the baskets of current projects. It needs to get finished before it gets damaged. Everything is there to finish it, including the background.

The giraffe collage project

There are several collage patterns that I'd love to make someday. There is fabric in the green tub that was pulled to make a specific project. I'm going to get that organized, and it'll go into the New project tub. The rest of the fabric, which is the leftovers from the giraffe, will go back in the appropriate fabric box.

It just amazes me at how easy it used to be to come home from a class and just leave stuff. I'm a new person now! Making the lists of the projects in those tubs is making me accountable for what I have and certainly makes me think when I go shopping.

This is what's left at the bottom of the stairs. Now some of this, I've already been through and didn't have time to thoroughly sort through the box or whatever. I need to get those things properly put away and the other few things that I left on the ironing board - they need to get dealt with properly. Then I can move on to what's left here.

The sorting pile

But that's super exciting to know that this stuff is getting put away and dealt with after YEARS of being moved around from place to place. Projects are bagged and labeled and nicely stored away. And what's nice is that once I did that, it'll all going to fit nicely under the long arm. Not an ideal situation, but better than it was! Yes - it looks like that closet is going to be next. There's still a closet and a shelf unit (OK - three shelf units) that should be sorted through. Oh yes - there are a few things upstairs that still need to be dealt with, but that's for another time. I do NOT need to tackle something new until the current stuff is taken care of.

And there are several baskets of current projects that need to be addressed, and I should really get those done before I go searching for more projects. My biggest issue was to deal with those bags of stuff that didn't have a home. The three shelf units are filled with projects that are labeled and in a box or a bag. My class materials are there as well, so they are mostly organized. It would just be good to go through them and see what needs to be done.

I'm thrilled with the whole exercise. Today is going to be a busy day! Yet again! There are now a couple of urgent things on the list, and I have a whole bunch of paperwork to deal with after the classes this weekend. Plus, I need to get more kits together for Diane! My quilt top sewing machine. If we don't watch out, she'll have tackled all that fabric for the Community Projects, and I'm OK with that.

OK -- I had to take Little Mister for a walk last night and well, he's just so darn cute, I snapped this picture of him. This was after we rolled in the grass in the park, trying to get some other shots. No - I wasn't trying to get grass stains on him. He's adorable, and M thinks that he's going to go back home next month. Ah -- possession is 9/10ths of the law, and he likes it here!

Little Bear

And look how much of a helper he is!

My little helper

 OK -- now I've run out of time to upload those other pictures. I shall do that tomorrow or sometime this coming week. There's just so much to chat about.

I hope that you all are working on UFOs or tidying up the sewing space. It's amazing how freeing it can be. In the past, I kept moving stuff from one space to another. But no more. I'm dealing with it. And it feels GREAT!!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Aviatrix Medallion

I was chatting with someone yesterday whom I knew is a teacher, and of course, she is madly getting ready for the school season. I thought she taught elementary school, but NO - she teaches at the university level. Who knew? So I had to ask what she taught. Guess what?? Archealogolgy!! Oh my - I love it! I've always thought that it would be something fun to do. Digging through the dirt to find artifacts.

That's just what I'm doing in that pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs. I'm making progress - slow but steady and making sure everything finds a home before it leaves that pile. I've done a pretty decent job so far.

What treasures did I find yesterday?

As I mentioned that I would, I moved the quilt tops that need backing, binding, or borders to that bicycle basket. Hmm - a wee bit overflowing. That's motivation enough to keep at this. I believe that all the IKEA bags from that pile are now gone. I've got a LOT of IKEA bags.

The basket of quilt tops that need borders, bindings, and backings

Seriously??? That's crazy since most of those quilt tops just need bindings and backings. Only a few require borders. Dare I say out loud how many tops are in that basket. OK - I'll whisper it. There are thirty quilt tops in there. 


Oh boy. I have two of those big tubs that were given to me. They are now in the "to be quilted" area, so I have a place to these quilt tops when they are ready to be quilted. 

I also "found" these. I had some fabric that looked like patchwork, so I thought it would be great to make doll quilts. Oh, just shoot me now! What was I going to do with all these doll quilts? Seriously??? What was I thinking??? 

Doll quilts

Another style of a doll quilt

The backings are there for all of them. I didn't count how many were there. Let me do that.

Here's the third style

Actually, I really like those prints. BUT let's get real - do I need them? There are a total of 7 little quilts—at least two of each fabric. I also found this hunk of material in with the mini-quilts. Why?? No idea.

A hunk of fabric

Unless someone has a useful purpose for them - these will make excellent pet mats, and I can easily do stitch in the ditch quilting, get them bound, and out the door. A perfect way to use up some small batting scraps. One more thing to add to the current project baskets.

I found two bindings. They are not labeled, and I've no idea which quilt they are for. They have been homeless for quite some time, and I've been through those tubs of quilt tops many times and still never found a home for them. I'll keep them with the binding scraps and hope that one day, when I pull a quilt to out that the fabrics will trigger something in my brain.

Two bindings for what quilts?

I decided there is nothing like the present to start on that basket of quilt tops. I pulled this little one off the top. It's a small Trip Around the World quilt. And LOOK - the binding fabric is with it. It's even labeled if it got separated from the quilt. So all I have to do is make the binding and find something for the backing. How hard can that be??

Trip Around the World quilt

And this is what remains of the stuff at the bottom of the stairs. I found more pieces of fabric with no patterns, no notes, so it got shelved in the stash room. But I think I'm getting down to just UFOs now.

The archeological dig at the bottom of the stairs

I've made excellent progress. I almost forgot why I'm doing this. Oh yes - it's to clear some space to set up tables to do some journaling!

I'll have just enough tubs. I know there are still some bags of stuff upstairs, and once this is cleared up, I might bring one or two down to deal with. I'm a good packer, and if it's just finding a home for a UFO - I'm sure I can do that. Actually, I should empty out one of the closets in Studio B first. Once I rearrange that stuff, I know I'll have loads of room. Perhaps I'll do that. I'm getting so close now!!!


Yesterday was our class for Aviatrix Medallion. It's so easy to share the photos with you since I had to prep them for the class last night.

What I love is that so many members of the group are up to date. Here's what the pattern looks like in case you're not familiar with it.

Aviatrix Medallion quilt

The first one is Corrie's. She's a couple of borders behind, but that's OK. She's determined to get caught up, and I love the rich jewel tones.

Corrie's quilt

This one is Gisele's. I love the way she's mixed and matched her three color families in the blocks. And that yellow sashing - just sets everything off without being in your face.

Gisele's quilt

This one belongs to Cathy. I LOVE what she did in the latest border. She made a pattern with the various colors, and it makes your eye move around the quilt—a very creative idea.

Cathy's quilt

This is Maria's quilt. She is pretty much following the pattern with colors and placement of the colors. She was one of the brave ones who went for that intricate center block. The rest of us choose something much more manageable.

Maria's quilt

Next up is Rita's. A very MODERN version of the same quilt. I almost wouldn't believe that her quilt is from the same pattern. It's nice to break out of the box and try new things, and Rita is up for the challenge each and every month.

Rita's quilt

Dana is almost up to date as well, although this is the only picture I have for her. I'll have to get her to send me the latest version of her quilt. We did get to see it on Zoom last night, so that was good.

The blocks for Dana's quilt

We didn't see Deb last night, but I don't want to forget her. This is what she had gotten accomplished so far. I'll be getting in touch to make sure things are OK.

Deb's quilt

We actually have one other person in the class, and I've never seen anything from her. Some people are coping better with jobs, kids, family, COVID. I'll be checking on her as well.

I'm in trouble this morning. I have two more presentations this morning, and I thought - I have a couple of hours to get them together. NO - I realized not that long ago - that I only have ONE hour to do that prep. Ooops - well, it shouldn't take that long to make that happen. It's just a matter of finding all the pictures!! Once I cull them from the e-mails, it's a snap to put them in the PowerPoint presentation.

Then it's going to be a busy afternoon to try and get more stuff accomplished. I have set the classes and the dates for the fall that I'll be teaching via Zoom. I just need to do the write-ups and get it posted, so stay tuned for that.

On that note, I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!!!