A name is just a name, unless it is surrounded by FMQ - WIP Wednesday

With Halloween almost upon us, and my husband out of town, I've been busy and had very little sewing time this week (especially compared to the last 2 weeks).  I only got one block done for the How Far Will You Go? QAL, and my item for the Free Motion Challenge at SewCalGal.

This month's challenge by Teri Lucas was to write your name (I actually did my daughter's) and practice several designs around it, including a grid of some kind.  She also suggested the shells and the feathers.  As you can see, feathers still plague me, but that is truly my fault as I have not practiced them as much as other designs.

Those shells were also difficult for me as my mind couldn't quite figure out how it wanted to accomplish the layers or rings of the shell - whether to travel stitch back to the inner circle or travel stitch along a spine in a serpentine fashion.  I tried it both ways and neither was very comfortable.  It was also nearly impossible for me to stitch the design at the speed I am most comfortable with (medium), thus the stitches of the shells are rather tiny from moving my hands much slower than the machine was going.  All in all though, I liked the design.

There was also a bonus tutorial by Diane Loomis released this month that I would really like to try involving trapunto.  It seems like a perfectly reasonable skill to have if you are quilting.  I will have to try it out soon, but I can't think of any projects I have in the works to add it to.  I will have to keep pondering that one.

This Wednesday......

Completed Projects:

• Free Motion Challenge item - my heart was broken after the Totally Groovy disaster, I could barely bring myself to get this one done.  I think I rallied well enough, and now my other two daughters want one of these too.

On-going Projects:

AKA - "stuff I plan to touch this week".

• Vintage Holiday Quilt Along - awaiting quilting.
• Totally Groovy Quilt Along - Ok, this one was done, but now it needs to be patched up, so back in the WIP pile.
• Star of Africa Bee - October's block is due soon.  I have an idea in my head, but I'm not sure it will be possible to translate into a block.  I'm going to have to spend a day of trial and error soon.
• Preschool Pillowcases - I started pulling out the fabric.  Thank goodness they don't have to be fancy!  Perhaps breaking it down a bit - like doing 4 cases a week - might be reasonable.  That way, I don't feel like it is the only thing I am working on.
• How Far Will You Go? QAL - Catch up in progress. 
• Miscellaneous sewn gifties - time to get started on gifts.

Back Burner:

These will likely be touched in a couple of weeks.

• Handstitched Medallion Quilt - The last borders still need to be redone and sewn back on.
• Olivia's Appliqued Quilt - this one is part of my 100 Day Hustle List.  The blocks are done, but need to be put together, backed, etc.

The Back, Back Burner:

Lightning would have to strike twice.

• Handstitched goodies - several small projects in limbo.  
• Beginner Quilt Along at Quilting Gallery - top needs to be put together 
• EPP project - in progress.
• Charity quilt for the guild - not started

This week's stats:
Completed projects - 1
New projects - 1
Currently in Progress - 6

Don't forget to link up any blocks you have been working on to yesterday's post!  The linky stays open for a whole week, so feel free to add them as you complete or wait for next Tuesday (or both)!



Linking up with Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday's and .