I have a small USPS flat rate box filled with scraps from Denyse Schmidt's fabrics from JoAnn's. Most pieces are bigger than 2 inches - but this is what remains from 2 quilts and cutting 3.5" squares for a third quilt. These pieces would be great for crumb blocks ala Bonnie Hunter!
First one to speak up gets them!
It's done! It's done! It's done!!!!
I have been wanting to have my Swoon quilt on my bed all summer - but it is just now finished. I was able to assemble the first row of blocks back on my sewing day for my birthday in June and then it just sat there, haunting me. A few weeks ago I finally assembled the rest of the top and then had to decide what to do about the quilting. Originally a friend was going to quilt it with a baptist fan pattern on her huge Gammill with a Statler stitcher. Then she had the nerve to move to Utah in July. I could have mailed it to her - but it is a huge quilt and since the background on the top and the entire backing are made of Kona cotton, I decided it would be too wrinkled by the time it got there. So then how do I quilt it here, on my long-arm? I really wanted Baptist fans. Was I brave enough to try them free-hand? Nina does beautiful free-hand baptist fans. She gave me several pep talks via email and I practiced on a small 1 yard square practice piece - and then just went for it. This quilt is HUGE - almost 100" x 100"! I love how it turned out. It is in the washer now and will be on my bed tonight!
All photos should be clickable. Now to quilt my yellow spiderweb quilt!
I wasn't very hopeful about getting much done in August because of several planned trips and then the start of school - but I was wrong! I began the month with an internal debate about whether I was even going to finish my August UFO. It was a small applique tree project - very little time invested in it so far and very little fabric - mostly scraps. Eventually I dragged it out and was surprised to finish top stitching all the leaves in only about half an hour. Then I pinned it onto the long arm and did a tiny little meander in all the open space. I also echo stitched around the leaves and the trunk to help hold the batting in place - and it made the back of the project much more exciting. I ended up loving this little project - but I sent it off to live at my sister's house. She couldn't believe I was willing to share it!
Since the first project was such a quick finish, I moved onto another UFO - my Christmas table runner. I had started three of these table runners last year before Christmas - one for my mom, sister, and myself. It came down to the end and I had to give up on mine and just get theirs done. Again I was surprised at how little there was left to do. The biggest problem came in putting on the outside borders. The outside borders measure almost 60 inches and I didn;t have enough yardage to do it legnth-wise - so I had to piece them. And I couldn't seem to measure correctly and kept coming up with a border that was too short! Eventually I got it done!
I made a lot of progress on other projects as well. I got my Swoon quilt top put together and quilted with free-hand baptist fans (thanks to Nina!!) She cheered me on and told me I could do it! I think she was just nervous that I would stick this huge quilt in a huge box and mail it her to quilt for me! I love how the baptist fans turned out. Now it is sitting on my sewing table, waiting for me to tackle the binding.
I also got my yellow spiderweb top put together. My mom and I have managed to get some quality sewing time this summer. We set up our sewing machines on the dining room table and got busy! I can't wait to get this top quilted and washed up and on the couch!
My September UFO is to use my Denyse Schmidt fabric. Technically speaking - the Swoon quilt will count for this - but I also have another secret project in the works. More on this after the recipient gets her present.
Are you getting your UFO's completed?
