Needles and Pens

One of the reasons I really enjoy sewing and quilting is that when I finish something, it's finished for good, unlike so many other things I do every day (i.e., laundry, cleaning, paperwork, etc., etc.) But some finishes are even more rewarding than others, and this is one of them. I never expected to actually get it done. I didn't have a place for it, or any particular use for it in mind. I enjoy a little paper-piecing now and then, but I tend to lose momentum rather quickly once I start. For the past five years, this has never been made a priority to finish... but thanks to the UFO Challenge at Patchwork Times , it's done. I'm so pumped! So, this is what I started out with, three finished blocks, a stack of patterns, and the overwhelming feeling that I would, once again, not be finishing my challenge project for the month... But I gave it a go anyway, and found that these little blocks really aren't all that time-consuming... Being rather challenge motiv...

I've been sewing like a maniac this week, attempting to catch up on my stacks and stacks of projects. I'm happy to report, I've made a ton of progress... 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 forg...

While visiting all the awesome bloggers who commented on my UFO challenge post today, I learned about a fun fall giveaway being hosted by Trish at Notes of Sincerity . Check it out! You could win this cute owl candle holder and a candle for your fall decor. :o) And speaking of UFOs, finishing that last one and then seeing all the other September finishes really lit a fire under me to get started on the next one. Yet, when I found out the number drawn for October was #5, I thought, "No way. Can't be done." I have at least another 9 blocks to make (some of them require two of the same block for the quilt layout), and then putting them all together, quilting, binding... I had flashbacks of January's UFO , which seriously almost did me in. But then I dug out the little baggie with my three finished blocks, looked at the next block in line, started poking through my stash for fabrics... ... and finished the block in less than 30 minutes. Sweet! (I just noticed a ...