Good-bye 2017, Hello 2018!

It's a windy and chilly New Year's Day here in the Crescent City.  The temperature is hovering in the upper 20s (-2º C), but at least the sun is shining!  Dear Hubby and I are recuperating from a rather whirlwind trip to the mountains of North Carolina to see family and friends.  All in all, the perfect day to take stock of what's happening in my quilting studio and make plans for the coming year.

For the past several years, I've made a list of quilting priorities - based on WIPs and UFOs - for the coming year.  I keep the list pinned to a bulletin board in my studio and refer to it when I need to stay focused.

Last year, I joined in with Meredithe's 17UFOsin2017 project, which was a challenge to at least move 17 UFOs a little farther toward the "complete" category.  

I tweaked my notecard list and compiled 17 projects to work on during 2017.  (Many thanks to Kyle for the fancy stationery!)  The new list helped intensify my focus on UFOs and I managed to finish many of my projects and move some others along.  Unfortunately, there were still several projects that went untouched for the entire year!

Of course, one never knows when inspiration will strike, so several projects were begun in 2017 that weren't on any list!

Diane Knott's Scrappy Star Sew-Along called my name during the summer of 2017.

Inspired by Cathy and Gayle, I was also bitten by the Burgoyne Surrounded bug - as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  If you find yourself being tugged toward Burgoyne - here is a link to the great free pattern by Becky of Quilted Twins.

Flamingo hexies also crept into my 2017 quilting world.

Then there are all of the quilts still hanging out on my Quilting Bucket List.  

I've had this pattern by Edyta Sitar for years.  Will 2018 be the year I tackle it?

Or how about a Double Wedding Ring style quilt, like this one by Diane Knott?

I still haven't decided on my final list of quilting priorities for 2018, but I'm sure whatever piques my imagination will be colorful, challenging and great fabric therapy!

July: 17ufosin2017

The end of July means it's time for another 17ufosin2017 report.

I missed reporting on my UFO projects at the end of June, but my July report will be identical to what I would've reported in June!

One of my most ambitious projects for 17ufosin2017 was to assemble all these Sawtooth Star and Uneven 9-Patch blocks.  I got that accomplished, only to realize the quilt was not going to be the size I expected.  What can I say, sometimes long-term projects play tricks on your memory!

I did not have the willpower to make another big batch of stars and 9-patches, so I decided to add a border of Flying Geese to help reach my desired size.  I made about 90 of these FG blocks, so now they need to be pieced together and attached.  I'll finish this quilt eventually!

Another 17ufosin2017 project is to get the binding on this Scrap Jar Star quilt.  I did get the binding made and machine-stitched to the front, but I still need to do the hand-stitching part.  I confess I have a mental block against stitching bindings down in the summertime.  My house is air conditioned, so I really can't say it's too hot to have a quilt on my lap.  Maybe it's the lack of appropriate television programming in the summer?  (i.e. I get lots of quilt binding done during American football season!)

I've also made some progress on the Nae Shawl over the past two months.  This one is kind of tedious, because it's mostly stockinette stitch and only gets decreased one stitch per round (front and back).  I'm down to about 40 stitches, so the rounds go quickly.  Once it's bound off I'll have to find a place to block it where the cat and dogs won't pester it.

I'm looking forward to seeing what progress others have made on their 17ufosin2017.  Check out the link-up at Meredithe's blog to see what's being worked on!

May: 17ufosin2017

Time for another 17ufosin2017 report.  I missed last month's link-up, mostly because I posted my only progress for the month as a link to Audrey's Quilty 365 wrap-up post.  

I'm so glad I pushed myself to assemble all those Quilty 365 blocks into a top - otherwise I'd probably still have a basket full of blocks 5 years from now!  My son came up with the name "Full Circle".   I don't have a timetable for the quilting, but it will happen eventually.

Another of my 17 projects for 2017 was to simply add borders to a scrappy RWB quilt that has been in the making for a year or two.  

The photograph makes the border look very dark, but in person it's a great frame for all those red, white and blue fabrics.  At some point later this year, the top will get quilted and gifted.

Once the red, white and blue quilt was off the design wall, I started pinning up these Sawtooth Star and Uneven 9-Patch blocks.  I've had the blocks made for several years, so it was a priority for me to get them assembled into a top this year.  I still have a lot of stitching to do on this project, but 17ufosin 2017 will help keep me motivated!

Last, but not least, I finished hand-stitching the binding and label for one of my Austen Family Album quilts.  It was gifted to my sister just this past weekend.  I think she liked it!

That's all my progress to date.  It's been very satisfying to check off projects on my 17ufosin2017 list, although there are still some very large projects left to complete!  Meredithe has a linky party over at her blog, pomegranate and chintz, so do check out all the other ufo progress.

March: 17ufosin2017 Progress

My Quilting Muse must have taken a Caribbean vacation this month.  I have not had much motivation to work on any quilting projects, be they new or old.  I did make a little progress on my 17ufosin2017, so maybe seeing that progress laid out here will help inspire me!

My Quilty 365 circles are almost a flimsy.  I stitched all the 30 circle sets together with a narrow, light gray sashing.  I have 7 circles that didn't fit into the block scheme.  My plan is to add another row of sashing on the bottom, then a narrow row of the 7 circles and some words.  The gray sashing will get repeated on all the outer edges of the quilt.  I'm not sure if that will complete the flimsy - the quilt hasn't spoken yet.

I made the continuous bias binding for my Austen Family Album quilt and attached it.  However, I have yet to pick up a needle and start stitching the binding to the back of the quilt.  

March also found me stitching up another batch of string blocks for the Spring Clean quilt.  I now have 2 completed blocks - only 7 left to go!  I've been working on the string blocks on the weekends we go to our camp.  In the interest of speeding things up, I brought home all the strings so I could make blocks on weekday evenings after work - great therapy!  

Having the 17ufosin2017 challenge has helped with the quilting motivation, even if that doggone Muse went on vacation!

February: 17ufosin2017 Progress

First item to report:  A Finish!  

All I needed for this finish was to complete the hand stitching on the binding.  Completed that today while recuperating from the flu and watching Mardi Gras festivities on TV.

The quilt was an attempt to use up a large portion of my purple and gold fabric scraps.  I still have a lot of purple and gold fabric (scraps and yardage), but that's OK, purple and gold are the school colors for Louisiana State University and there will probably be other school quilts in my future.

The back of the quilt features a purple bandana print.  Now that it's finished, it will go to my youngest son.  He asked for the first LSU quilt when he was in college - even designed it - so it's only fitting he gets a quilt made from some of the scraps from his quilt.

Now it's on to binding the next quilt in the pile/on the 17ufosin2017 list!

Next up:  Another Finish!

I have had this Joanna Figueroa pattern for over a year, and the fabrics (not hers) longer than that.  I put this project high on my 2017 UFO list hoping I would get motivated to finally turn the fabrics into a tote bag.

I was able to finish the medium-sized Feed Sack in early February.  The result is as cute as I expected, but for the next bag I think I'll make a few changes.  The outer pocket is too small to hold much (see the top picture of my iPod peeping out of the pocket).  The pattern included directions for a matching (half-round) inner pocket, but I didn't make that.   The next bag will have a deeper outside pocket and one or two inside pockets as well.  I already have the fabrics cut for the large version of the bag, so maybe I'll have that to show next month.

OK, that's enough with the Finishes.  

I've been working on assembling my Quilty 365 blocks.  I grouped the blocks into sets of 30, so they resemble calendar pages.  The last seven blocks (I made a few more than 365) will get spread out across the "bottom" of the quilt.  

I can't fit all the sets of 30 on my design wall at one time - here are the other 6 sets.  I'd like to get this to the completed flimsy stage by the end of March - wish me luck!

I'm still finding Meredithe's challenge inspirational and I'm excited to see what progress the other participants have made!

17 UFOs in 2017 Report

Is it already the end of January?  The month has been crazy and I'm glad I had plenty of quilty therapy to help keep me sane!  I've given attention to a good number of my 2017 UFO projects, but most don't have a great deal of visible progress, so I'll just pick a few to focus on.

My Bind-A-Thon has slowed a little this month.  This is quilt #5 of 5 that started the Bind-A-Thon back in late November.  I'm about to turn the corner and start hand stitching the 3rd side of this quilt.  When this one is finished, there are 4 additional quilts in need of binding by the end of 2017.

I need to get started on assembling the Quilty 365 blocks if I'm to have anything to show for Audrey's final linky party in May!  I originally thought I would set the blocks on point, but after doing some math, I realized I didn't want a quilt that large (over 100" x 100").  Back to the design wall.  I'll be thinking about this one for the next little while...

I did enough knitting on the Nae shawl to convince myself I need to purchase more yarn in order to finish.  Usually I over-purchase yarn for a project, but not this time.  Fortunately, the yarn and colorway are still available online, so getting more shouldn't be a problem.  I'll wait for the new yarn before I continue, so I can mix the two yarns and avoid an obvious demarcation between skeins.

 

Close to a finish here!  I've got all the parts and pieces done for the Fig Tree Feed Sack bag, just need to stitch everything together. 

Last, but not least - a completed flimsy.  This was kind of a cheat, because I only needed to add the final border.  Adding this top to the UFO project inspired me to "get 'er done!"  The Maverick Stars were a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project.  I was inspired by Julie Sefton's "Just Wing It" quilt to use some string pieced alternate blocks.  And the selvage Square in a Square blocks were inspired by Diane Knott's book, Scrap Quilt Secrets.  After all that piecing, the quilt was a little short on size, so I looked for some great fabric to add a final border.  The picture doesn't do it justice - it's a gorgeous magenta batik!  This one isn't high on the priority list for quilting, so I'm calling it finished for now.

That wraps up my January 17 UFOs in 2017 progress report.  I'm glad I joined the project - it's really motivating me to stay focused on finishing! 

String Star Progress

One of my goals for the 17 UFOs in 2017 challenge is to make significant progress on a string quilt that's been hanging around for awhile. 

My quilt was inspired by Brioni Greenburg's Spring Clean Quilt*.  I love string quilts and was quite taken with this block arrangement that created stars.  I purchased the pattern and decided to use fabric scraps and strings leftover from making memory quilts from my late father's shirts.  I knew my quilt wouldn't be as bright and colorful as the inspiration, but it would be full of memories.

 

I can't say for sure when I started constructing blocks for the quilt - definitely over a year ago.  I decided to use white cotton fabric as foundation for the blocks instead of paper.  Once I got the foundation blocks cut, I dug through the shirting scraps and started slicing pieces into strings.  I didn't think I'd have enough fabric variety, so I threw in some sliced up novelty fabrics I had also purchased with my dad in mind. 

All the string components and blocks are at our weekend camp, so I only get to work on construction occasionally.  This weekend was one of those occasions.  I finally finished enough blocks to lay out my first star.  Only 8 stars left to complete!   

As I worked on the individual blocks (light blocks, dark blocks and half & half blocks), I was concerned that some of my "light" fabrics weren't light enough.  I think I will have to be careful in how I use some of the lights, but when the quilt is done and quilted, I don't think it will matter all that much.  I'm looking forward to making more string blocks next weekend!

*The Spring Clean Quilt was published in Issue 8 of the online sewing magazine Fat Quarterly.  I've tried to find an active link for the magazine, or a stand-alone publication of the pattern, but so far I haven't been successful.  Apparently there are some issues with Fat Quarterly's website, and it's currently inaccessible.  I'll keep checking so I can add an active link to the pattern in case anyone is interested in making the quilt.

2017 UFO Goals

For the past two years, I've created a quilting focus list to help me remember which projects need attention in the coming year.  The list is not about new projects I want to try, just unfinished projects that have accumulated.  Some of the unfinished projects have been languishing for years, others are more recent.  It's been a successful plan - as long as I don't get too distracted by new projects!

This year I'm planning to join in with 17 UFOs in 2017, sponsored by Meredithe at pomegranate and chintz.  The goal is to make substantial progress on at least 17 UFOs.  The UFOs don't have to be quilting-related.  Meredithe mentioned knitting and crochet, but I imagine any hand-work project would count.  There will be a monthly linky party for everyone to share their progress.  Finishing projects is not required, but is a happy side effect, if achieved.

My list has quilts in various states of UFO-ism.  Some only lack binding, others need design planning as well as assembly.  I even have a knitting project that needs to get off the needles.  I may add or remove projects as things evolve - I have plenty of UFOs that need attention.

1. Purple and gold string quilt - complete binding & label
2. Austen Family Album straight set - binding & label
3. Repro Scrap Jar Star - binding & label
4. Chocolate TOBE - binding & label
5. Carpenter's Wheel - binding & label

  

   6. Red, White & Blue Scrappy - complete piecing 

                                               7. Maverick Star Scrappy - complete flimsy

8. Origami Bow Tie - fuse applique' border design and do machine blanket stitch
9. New Orleans Houses - add wonky borders (RSC project?)
10. Blue Sawtooth Stars & Uneven 9-patch - assemble blocks
11. Fun w/Barb 9-Patch swap blocks -  assemble blocks (Tanganoxie 9-patch setting)
12. Grandmother's Choice BOW - plan block arrangement, acquire fabrics PRN, begin block assembly
13. Quilty 365 - start assembling blocks

14. Mark, baste & hand quilt 4 block eagle quilt

  15. Fig Tree Feed Sack bag(s) - make at least 1 size 

 16. Finish knitting Nae shawl

17. String stars made w/Dad's shirts and novelty fabric - keep making blocks during weekends at the camp.  I don't have any pictures of ~my~ string blocks, so I'm using a picture of the pattern - Spring Clean Quilt by Brioni Greenberg - to give you an idea of what's in progress.  

Focusing on 17 UFOs sounds a little intimidating, but many of these projects just need a little work to get them to the completed stage.  Others will require more intensive attention, but that's OK, as long as they get at least a little TLC this year!  I look forward to blogging about each individual project during the coming year.  

I'll be adding my list to the 17 UFOs in 2017 linky party as soon as it's published.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's projects and progress.