the List - UFO Sunday

If you feel overwhelmed by reading other people's to do lists, avert your eyes, this one is a doozie!  Like when you open a closet door at a friends house expecting to hang up your coat, but the darn thing is so stuffed with junk it falls out all over you -- that kind of doozie!

A few weeks ago, Leah Day over at Free Motion Quilting Project, started a new weekly link up called UFO Sunday.  One of the things I like best about Leah's blog is that it is deeply introspective.  She really probes into the emotions and thoughts behind why we do what we do with our projects and our lives.  She makes me think (heaven forbid)!  This new link up was sparked by a bunch of feelings - the need to practice on real quilts, the desire to feel less oppressed by the pile of UFOs lying around and the hope that getting some things done might make one feel, well, happy.

Now, I know I have been participating somewhat sporadically in Patchwork Times UFO Challenge.  But unlike that challenge that assumes you will finish a UFO each month, Leah's premise was rather simple.  Just work on a languishing UFO for one day, even if it was only for 15 minutes.  Progress is progress.

She also explored some thoughts on why some UFOs end up languishing in the first place.  I can totally relate to some of the reasons.  Like the quilts for my mom that took forever because I didn't really enjoy the fabrics.  At the moment, I feel like I have too many other pressing projects that need my time and attention more.  Leah suggests making a list and really determining which projects deserve your time and which should be trashed.  Yes, trashed.  "Time is a precious resource", it shouldn't be wasted!

So, here is my list of languishing UFO's:

The Handstitched projects:

• the stitched headband - actually I wanted to make a band for a hat I have.  Still want to do this.
• Sashiko coasters - the bases are actually made.  I need to transfer a few more designs and get stitching.  I still want to do this.
• the Hexagon tote bag - I have my hexies all basted.  I have the linen to make the bag.  I have someone I would like to give it to.  But I am hesitant.  This one needs to go into a different category, a wait until you are jazzed about getting stuff done and then finish this one category.
• The star blossom wall art - I have everything I need for this one, but I am having trouble choosing fabrics.  I am just having a hard time imagining those little pieces working together.  Plus, EPP just seems to take forever!  I need another trip to Hawaii to get it started and done.
• The flower applique pillow - this is adorable, but I don't know that I really need a pillow right now, nor do the kids.  I mean shouldn't we actually have quilts for our beds first?  Maybe not, but at the moment, I am leaning toward trash.  Thankfully, I didn't get very far on this project before setting it down, so only 4 scraps of fabric would be trashed.
• The Medallion quilt top - I love this quilt, but the last step put a bit of a funk on it.  I need to rip out all the seams for the last border and redo them.  Seam ripping is not much fun even when it is only a few inches.  I probably have about 250 inches to rip out.  Not fun.  I need to just do it one day, then back and sandwich it.  The hand quilting will take a while, no doubt.  Perhaps this will be my holiday project while the kids are home and I can't sneak off to my sewing "studio".

Other projects:

• Hawaiian applique pillow - from the class I took 2 years ago!  The darn applique is nearly finished.  I think I have 2 more small circles to go.  But, I don't need a green and yellow pillow.  Although, now that I know how to make these things into wall art, that could be an option.  Undecided which category this goes in.
• The fusible rose project - this one is partially "pieced".  I need to add it to the background fabric and then thread paint it.  The thread painting aspect is why I took a class last January.  I'm not sure I know enough to make it look nice enough.  It WOULD be an excellent practice piece though!  Leaning toward Trash, but perhaps it makes more sense for it to languish a little more.
• The thread painting wall art - this was what we worked on in class.  I only have a few more steps until it is done.  I had hoped to finish it up and give it to my grandmother for a gift.  But, my excitement level for this project is null.  Trash.
• The Batik Tile quilt - fabric is cut, some blocks put together, basically "piecing in progress".  The problem is that I am just not in love with these fabrics anymore.  I really appreciated the picture of the pattern and thought it was beautiful, but once I got into making one myself, my interest dwindled.  It is quite possible, I am just not a Batik person.  A shame really, considering I have a whole box of them. I am leaning toward Trash.
• Blue and White One Block Wonder top - I actually like this one.  I think it would make a great charity quilt.  I was hoping to send one more this year to the woman collecting for Happy Chemo.  She said in a post that she is always looking for more "manly" quilts for the patients.  This would be a good one for that.  If I allowed myself to just quilt it with a simple all-over design, it could even be done relatively quickly.
• Brown and Blue Land of Lincoln Quilt - I like this one too.  It is a little too dark for our home here, but I think it would be a perfect addition to our family's vacation home up in the mountains.  It needs the final border added and then quilted.  The drawback - it is BIG.  Yes, I have a new machine that should make this easier with its large throat space, but it is BIG.  I think I am balking at finishing it just because of the size.  Solution: send it out.  I don't know why I am so hesitant to do that.  I really want to finish my own projects!  But it really boils down to this one sitting in a box for another 6-9 months or getting done by someone else.
• Star Circles (a New York Beauty quilt) - piecing in progress.  I love the look of this quilt and when I am in the mood to paper piece, I try to do a few more blocks here and there.  I think this one will get done, eventually.
• Olivia's applique quilt (the copy of my niece's quilt from last Christmas) - The darn blocks are all done, applique and all.  I literally just need to put the top together and quilt it!  Olivia is just getting to the age too, where she might want a special blankie of her own.  This Christmas?
• The Batik Stripe Quilt - it is one of my FAVORITES, why can't I get this done???  It is sandwiched and ready.  Why don't I just start it?  Fear.  I am at the point where the quilting happens, and I want it to stand out and be seen, but I am terrified that I will mess it up.  And, I am having difficulty choosing a thread, but that is really just a secondary excuse.  This one needs to be done, like yesterday!
• Paper-pieced block pillows - I have several paper-pieced blocks with no homes.  I can't really see them going into a quilt, but they would make pretty pillows.  Did I mention, I don't really need any pillows.  These may need to just be trashed or given away to unsuspecting bee mates.

My New-FO's (these really haven't been languishing, YET):

• The Beginner Quilt Along Top - I don't have a lot of emotions invested in this one and plan to give it to my guild to either auction off or give to their charity causes.
• The Vintage Holiday Quilt Along top - I love this one and want to keep it for myself.  Excitement level is still high on this one, an excellent time to keep going and get it done.
• The How Far Will You Go Quilt Along - the top is not yet completed and the quilt along is still going. I have had to put this one aside for a while to finish up some other items, like bee blocks, which puts it in the danger zone of being forgotten.  The design is lovely, and the quilt along has been a great experience, but I have no plans yet for the quilt itself.
• The Totally Groovy Quilt Along top - I would really like to give this one as a gift to someone special.  I need to get it done.

Seems like I don't have many for the Trash category.  I guess I need to get to work then!

I am not actually linking up this post at Leah's blog today, because I haven't actually worked on any of these projects.  I just feel writing them down was the first step and publishing it might help me be more accountable.  Baby steps, people, baby steps.  I'm leaving town tomorrow and will have a whole week to decide which of these projects to spend some time on first.  Also, I plan on trimming down this list to fit with Kelsey Sews 100 Day Hustle, which I will post in a few days.

What do you have languishing around that spending 15 minutes on might make you feel better?

Jen

March UFO progress - Land of Lincoln

It is officially a flimsy.  Now, I know that doesn't count as completely done, but considering this was just a bunch of fat quarters at the beginning of the month, I say it is still progress.  It is a pretty big top too!

The pattern calls for some borders, which I haven't decided if I want to add yet.  Part of the problem is that the only brown fabric that I have enough of, I'm not crazy about how it looks next to the rest of the quilt.  I suppose it would make a suitable backing, but I think I should keep looking for something else.  Of course, Lent is not over yet, so I won't be purchasing any border material for at least another week.  :(

Now, I know you are wondering, when will I actually finish this quilt?  Honestly, probably not for a while.  I was just thinking a few days ago what a complete failure I have been at Judy's UFO challenge.  The first month, I rearranged my list so I could work on the quilt that was at the greatest stage of completion.  It is the only quilt on the list that I have actually finished.  February's quilt - well I did get the backing done. It is marked and sandwiched and awaiting quilting - but it is not done.  March, not finished.  As I was thinking all this, I wondered which quilt would be chosen for the April challenge.   I was really hoping it would be one of the small, partially completed quilts on my list. "Please", I thought, "don't let it be those T-shirt quilts for the girls".  While it would help my spring cleaning along to have those done, T-shirt quilting is an involved process.  You have to iron on interfacing to your knit fabrics, then cut it to size, then sew together, then sandwich and quilt as you would a regular quilt.  OK, so that's really one extra step, but I have a lot of little T-shirts to do.  It's going to be a lengthy process, and my April is shortened because next week is Spring Break and we are going on a trip, so no sewing for a while.... So which quilt was chosen for April?  You got it, the T-shirt quilts.

I won't be doing them this month.  There just isn't time, and I have other more important projects that need to be completed first.  Primarily the quilt I have promised for the Hands 2 Help challenge.  I feel a quilt promised to someone else takes priority over one you might be making to live in your own house.  I have a pattern picked out, some of the fabric in my stash to be used, a few additional purchased to be made after Easter, and a quilt to be made for April.  Thus, I will be replacing my T-shirt quilts on my UFO list, with the Hands 2 Help quilt.  And you know what, I feel pretty good about it!

Lincoln UFO (slow) progress

My goal for today was to lay out my blocks and get my flimsy put together so I could say I at least had THAT done by the end of the month.  Somehow, laying out the blocks took me all day!  I just didn't have a good system going into it and I had to start over at least once.  It was harder than I thought to make sure that I didn't have any repeated fabric right next to each other.  Several hours later and I had the layout complete:

But that's all I had time to do.  I labeled and stacked them and they are ready for sewing.  Of course, that won't happen until after the weekend at the earliest!  Maybe Monday...

Lincoln UFO progress

As promised, here are pics of what I have been working on in my free moments.

It doesn't look like much from this angle, but...

I've already made a boatload of them.  Unfortunately, this is only about half of what I am supposed to make.

This gives you a very rough idea of what they are supposed to look like together.

How now brown cow?

I spent nearly the whole day yesterday cutting for my March UFO.  Today in between volunteering at the elementary school and driving the carpool, I was able to sew the first step together.  Here's an idea of what will be at the center of the quilt.

I told you it was all blues and browns!  The center is much bigger than I expected, but it is a little hard to picture a queen size layout without the rest of the quilt around it!

Tomorrow, the piecing will really begin.  Most of the quilts I have made in the past consisted of small shapes chain pieced together one at a time, but this pattern calls for an interesting way of putting everything together by sewing strips, then cutting them on a 45 degree angle, adding a rectangle, splitting it, and somehow I am supposed to end up with square blocks.  We shall see.....