Unfinished Projects Challenge

Spider Lilly's in the Moonlight, sometimes wonderful things happen that we never planned. These Lilly's were right in that very spot in when we bought the house, and right next to it is a Spineless Cactus that has grown from knee high to as big as a man in the time we've owned the place.

Hi everyone, one of the members of the quilting board has issued a challenge to finish our UFO's by the 31st of December, those are unfinished projects that were left for a period of time. Abandoned. Lost. Forgotten, for whatever reason. Perhaps it had nothing to do with the project itself, but rather other things that needed to happen first, a different project, children. Whatever. Any project that has been left for a period of time is eligible. I have really taken this to heart, and have been working diligently on my first UFO. The Perinatal Quilts. I love working on these really I do, but life has gotten in the way a couple of times.

As some of you may know this is grief work for me, so it's very emotional and raw. Okay not so raw now but certainly tender. I had wanted to get them done and in the mail to the charity by Christmas and this has just been the drive I needed. Currently I have 16 done! Of my two part set of 20, number seventeen has it's binding more than halfway on and then it's down to three. Perhaps I can even have them done by the end of the month. It has surprised me with these. What started out as just ten tiny little quilts, how long could it take? Has turned into at least 20 blocks and an untold number of borders. I'm here to tell you that's a quilt! One nice big quilt. No photos of this UFO will be posted again until it's done and ready to mail. I'm hoping by not posting I will continue to stay motivated.

What are your current UFO's? It doesn't have to be quilting, it could be any craft, perhaps it's the flower bed that you haven't done anything with. Just think if you winterise it now, it will be already to plant in this coming spring. Of course if you plant Gladiola's, Tulips or Daffodils you wont have to plan in the spring at all.

My other UFO's you all know about. The red 18 point star quilt that I love to hate. Honestly, I'm afraid when I cut it down to fix it I will mess it up and then I'll be out of the right kind of fabric or something. DH tells me I should create the block as I think it needs to be on a completely different fabric (scrap of course) to be sure it will be the right size. I think he's right, but tell me what can I do with a 17" triangle filled with half square triangles? LOL!

The next one is the Blue applique quilt. It needs a couple of things a butterfly embroidered on the basket handle, rosebud blocks to go all around for the first border, and then hopefully embroidery flowers of all types to go around. How many of you can see that in your head? Trust me it will be beautiful I just know it. Anything dealing with embroidery is on hold until my thread order gets here. Oh there goes the mail man! It's here! Finally!

Now with all that excitement where was I? Oh yes I've also been waiting to finish the Bargello until the new thread got here. since from here on out it's a quilt as you go, I needed thread to match the muslin I plan to use on the back. You can see it in the photo the smaller of the two big spools. Boy I hope that Maxi-Lock thread works out swell. My New Machine has made even Sulky Rayon make lint! I'll write a review after I've used a bit of it.

Now see that pretty purse clasp? Oh how I've wanted that. Just knowing I have it to make a little kisslock change holder, or perhaps a small purse just delights me. I was thinking about using it on my Halloween trick or treat challenge, but I might like it to much to put goolies on it!

Oh and those teal blue string beads? Those are to fix my sister's pants. Then have little sequins on the pockets and while she didn't point it out I noticed they were coming off. So I'm replacing them with some of these, I'm planning on hand sewing them on real good that way I can get a couple of passes through the bead with the needle.

Any other UFO's? Oh yes, I'll need to quilt all of the quilts above, and the last heart baby clothes quilt, but one thing at a time. I think I have enough to keep me busy till the end of the year!

An old HS friend of mine is having knee surgery, so I was thinking of sending a care package, but you know that's just one of the little things we do at the drop of the hat because we want to.