Sewing/Quilting UFOs completed in 2011 for the UFO Challenge
Projects completed for the 2011 Get 'er Done Challenge (all from "cheater panels")
Quilts started and finished in 2011
And then there was the Christmas Sewing Rush of 2011, of course. LoL
I have a short list of quilts-to-do for 2012, and one project I started in 2011 which still needs finishing. Other than that, I'm actually... caught up??? Amazing.
And after, quilted and bound:
Approximate size, 34" x 43"
I'm still just amazed at how these challenges motivated me this year. Even when I fell way behind over the summer, it just made me even more determined to catch up and finish by the end of the year. I just made it, but I did it! I hope the Better Home Challenge works as well!
This is my last post for 2011, so I want to say thank you to all who have taken the time to read my blog, and to those who have left kind and encouraging comments throughout the year. I wish you all a very blessed and prosperous 2012. Happy New Year!!
Here's the panel before:
And after borders, quilting and binding:
I also discovered I had a matching pillow panel (where was that when I took my "before" picture?) so I made those up, too.
There was an extra Santa pillow, too, which I gave to my grandson. I had to steal pillow forms from other pillows, so I'll have to watch for the next sale on those and replenish my supply.
They look so cute on the couch here in my office/family room space. It's nice to have a little touch of Christmas in this room!
Lots yet to do this week, but first priority is to finish my mom's birthday quilt. I discovered last week that I won't be able to quilt it without destroying some of the decorative blocks, so my sister and I will be tying it today, and then I'll just have the binding to add. After that, I really must get going on my Christmas gifts. I can't believe it's just around the corner!
At the same time, I bought this panel for myself, titled "Santa's Teddy Bear."
Mine, of course, languished in a box in my sewing room until I was finally challenged to finish it for the "Get 'er Done" Challenge this year. It should have been my August project, and I nearly let it slip by me again, but this weekend I pulled it out to work on "just for fun." Like so many other projects, once I started on it, I wondered why I had put off doing it for so long. The whole project was finished in an afternoon. Here is the 20" top, completed:
The pattern was designed for use as a wall hanging or pillow, and since I have quite a few wall hangings already (and NO Christmas pillows!), I opted for the pillow:
Finally finishing this project made me want to go back and visit Jackie at Heart to Heart Folk Art, but unfortunately, the website could not be found and a Google search of her name brought up very little information. I remember chatting with her by email back in '06, telling her how her painting had brought up those childhood memories. She wrote me the sweetest note, and even shared with me her original childhood photo that inspired "Watch the Lamb." Such a kind and talented lady! I wonder what she is doing with her artwork today...
Made lots of progress on my sewing "to-do's" for this week:
Finish shoe blocks for UFO challenge (and the top is ready to quilt!)
Add borders, layer and pin my mom's birthday quilt
Plan two baby quilts that I need to start on soon! (hopefully cutting/sewing this weekend!)
Get started on my November "Get 'er Done" pillow project (Started yesterday and finished today, just in time for Sew & Tell Friday at Amylouwho's!)
My November "Get 'er Done Challenge" project was four throw pillows made from this Psalm 23 panel:
I was given this panel by a friend who was clearing out some of her stash, and she also gave me some coordinating fabric for the pillow backs. I was particularly happy to see this panel among the rest, because it had special significance to me... but more on that in a bit.
On past pillow projects, I sort of muddled my way through on the zippers. This time around, I found a really nice tutorial by Erin at the House on Hill Road blog, which resulted in perfect zippers for my pillows. If you've struggled with pillow zippers like I have, be sure and check out this link: Put a Zipper in Your Pillow
Here are my finished pillows, showing the fronts and backs. There are two sets, so I have one to keep, and one to give as a gift:
And I have to keep one set, because when I first discovered this fabric collection back in fall 2005, I bought the wall hanging panel without a second thought. The horse in the picture so reminded me of my sweet Tristan, who had passed away that April. Both the resemblance and the timing were just uncanny. Here's the wall hanging I finished in 2006, in her memory.
And now I have pillows to match. :o)
I still think of Tristan and get to reminiscing whenever I see this fabric. She was a part of my life from age 11 to 39. We literally grew up together. I have pictures of myself riding her when I was just a little girl, and pictures of my kids riding her at the same age I was then. Twenty-eight years is a long time with one pet -- she truly was family.
And even after all these years, I still miss her...
This is the "Northwoods Noel" wall hanging that I blogged about on Monday, another of my "Get 'er Done Challenge" panel projects. It's a little early for Christmas decorating, but it looks so perfect hanging at the top of our stairs, might as well leave it there and have a head start this year. LoL
I've also finished a few blocks for a special project I just learned about this week. John'aLee from The Scrappy Appleyard is making five quilts for the loved ones of her daughter's fiance, who was killed in Afghanistan in September -- so heartbreaking. If you would like to help out, here is her original post requesting help with blocks. She has since extended her deadline to November 30th, so there is still a need.
Here are the blocks I've finished so far. I have one more cut out like the center block, but with the colors reversed. I'll be finishing that one later today and then they'll be off in the mail.
And finally, it's time for the Fall Giveaway drawing!
I did the drawing the old-fashioned way. Look at all those awesome comments! You guys are the best. :o)
I woke my daughter up from a dead sleep to reach in and pick the winner. (I did make her give them a good stir first!) And the winner is...
Michelle! (from Michelle's Romantic Tangle)
Congratulations, Michelle! I'll be in touch shortly for your mailing address. And a big, big thanks to everyone who took the time to comment. This week got a little crazy for me, so I didn't quite manage to thank you each personally for your sweet comments, but each and every one of them was so, so appreciated. I wish I had a lot more prizes to give! :o)
I managed to squeeze in one last finish for October today. I did the last few binding stitches on my July "Get 'er Done" challenge, the "Northwoods Noel" wall hanging, made from this panel:
And here's the finished product (measuring 36" x 41"), already hanging on the quilt hanger at the top of our stairway. (Wrong holiday, I realize, but I couldn't wait to see it hanging.) It'll go perfectly with the garlands I hang on the stair railing at Christmas time:
While finishing this up, I was also supervising pumpkin carving and helping with last-minute touches on Halloween costumes, so I haven't completely mixed up my holidays. It just looks that way. LoL
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Just realized, this is my 300th post! There's still time to enter the drawing for my Fall Giveaway, to be held this Friday, November 4th....
(More on this wall hanging in my last post, if you'd like to see the details...)
With all the sewing I've been doing this week, it's hard to believe I only have one actual finish to show for it. But I am on the verge of a few more...
I'm working on two sets of Bug Jar blocks for a swap. So far, the 20 ladybug blocks are done:
And I'm almost finished with the butterfly blocks (ten down, ten to go). These will probably be finished today, so I guess this swap could be considered finished -- for now. lol
And what I've spent the most time on this week is the Fresh Fruit quilt from my UFO challenge list. I got my top together this week and am almost finished with the quilting. I stitched in the ditch around each of the fruits and then densely stippled all over the background, thinking it would make the fruits "pop." I just have the border to finish quilting today and then it'll be ready for binding.
My free-motion is still far from perfect, but definitely passable. lol I love it!
(If you're sitting on the fence about trying free-motion quilting, as I have been for years, I encourage you to just go for it. I am having so much fun since I finally took the plunge just a couple weeks ago. It's amazing how quickly you catch on once you get started, and the quilting possibilities seem endless now. Give it a try!)
I'm linking up today with Amylouwho's Sew & Tell Friday and Crazy Mom Quilts' Finish it Up Friday. Check them out! ;o)
Here's the "before" picture again:
This panel was a gift from a quilting friend, and I've always wanted to make it into a wall hanging for my sewing room, but it was one of those "I'll get to it someday" kind of things. It's so nice to finally "get 'er done!"
It's a little hard to see all the cute details in the picture, so here are a few closeups of the quilter blocks.
My free-motion stippling is definitely smoothing out. These panels are a great way to practice!
Isn't it just perfect above my sewing cabinet? I love it!
First accomplishment this week, my April "Get 'er Done" challenge project, the Pledge of Allegiance wall hanging. Here's the panel before (after being folded up in a box for far too long):
And after, borders added, quilted and bound:
I actually had this one ready to quilt back in June, but got stuck on the "how to quilt" question, as usual. Since my attempt at free-motion last month went relatively well, I thought I should give it another shot on this one. With the help of my quilting buddies, I figured out my tension dilemma was due to a loose top thread (my thread holder thingie was cracked and not keeping the spool tight on the spool holder), and this time it went extremely well. I think I'm actually getting the hang of it! I see many more stippled quilts in my future...
With that one finished I have started on the next, which is the Quilter's Wall Hanging (my June "Get 'er Done" project). Here's the "before":
I've been having a lot of fun with this one, and look forward to seeing it hang on my sewing room wall very soon. I've separated the blocks and rearranged them into more of a square with sashings. It should fit perfectly on the wall above my sewing cabinet, and it's ready to quilt and bind -- hopefully a finish for next week...
I'm getting closer and closer on the Fresh Fruit quilt (my October UFO challenge project). Sewed the last of my paper pieced fruit blocks this week:
Watermelon, apples, oranges, cherries and a kiwi fruit (I love, love, love the watermelon block!)
A few of the blocks needed some embroidered details (watermelon and kiwi seeds, etc.), so I did that yesterday:
So now I'm ready to set these together and finish this little quilt. It's going to be a lot smaller than I realized when I started these blocks years ago -- which is a good thing. I think it'll actually fit on the limited wall space in my kitchen. :o)
I find that when I'm going through these productive phases, I prefer to have several projects going at once. Ideally, something to piece in my upstairs sewing room, handwork or quilting to do downstairs while watching TV, and something in the planning/cutting stage. That way, I can go from one project to another when I need a change of pace.
This week, I cut the pieces for 40 Bug Jar blocks for an upcoming swap, and finished embroidering this 6" block for my mom. (My sisters and I are making her a quilt for her 80th birthday in December.)
(I started this block months ago, but thankfully was inspired to finish it while embroidering those fruit blocks.) Now I just need to do something simple for my kids' and grandson's blocks... December will be here before you know it!
(I just found out about "Finish it Up Friday" at Crazy Mom Quilts, so I'm linking there, too. I can use all the motivation I can get!)
My first finish was this, the October "Get 'er Done" Challenge project. (I joined this challenge back in January, hoping to use up some of the panels I've collected over the years.) The Snowman Draft Stopper is one of the few panels I actually bought for myself. Most of my collection came from other peoples' stashes.
He's cute, if not actually useful. (His legs aren't long enough to span the doorway, so not likely to stop many drafts.) I think he'll end up on the mantle or hearth this winter.
I was impressed with all the details, especially his little jacket, complete with buttonholes.
I also got a few more fruit blocks finished for my October UFO Challenge project; the pineapple, strawberries, lemon and lime. (The lime is actually a filler block, because I somehow forgot to download the last block-of-the-month pattern back when they were free to download. argh.)
I'm beginning to think the Fruit Quilt could actually be finished this month, too! So, there's that.
And the other... well, lately I've been thinking a lot about making some things to sell. I attempted this about 15 years ago, before I had internet access, so I was limited to schlepping bins of stuff around to craft sales where I had minimal success. Needless to say, that endeavor was short-lived. But every so often, someone will ask me if I have any quilts for sale, and heaven knows we could use the money. I'm thinking it might be time to give selling another try. So... I need to start building an inventory.
Earlier this year, I had made a simple baby quilt top out of fabric leftover from another project. I figured it would be as good a start as any. Just had to add a border, quilt and bind...
And I had some good-quality, bright yellow/gold flannel on hand, so used it for the backing. Maybe not exactly what I would have chosen, but I think it works. It's super cozy, and it reminds me of a giraffe. :o) Does anyone know what you would call this type of print? Tie dye? It's kind of batik-y with the floral design. Is there such a thing as batik flannel?? I don't know...
Back/front...
And these are the labels I used for my original craft business. Might as well keep the same name and use these up!
This is getting really long, but there's just one more thing. My daughter asked me a long time ago if I would make a sheet and pillowcase to go with the John Deere quilt I made for my grandson earlier this year. I bought the fabric months ago, but didn't get around to the sewing until this week, the day before his third birthday. (I can't believe how fast he's growing up!) So the sheet and pillowcase are now a birthday gift...
If you're going to drag your feet on a project, at least make it look like it was intentional! hehe
(Be sure to stop by Amy's Sew & Tell Fridays and see what everyone else has been up to this week!)
