UFO Confession

How many UFOs do you have?  That's a question we quilters tend to ask each other.  Possibly helps us feel better about ourselves if the response is higher than our own list. LOL So what is a UFO?

A UFO is an unfinished quilting project.  In my mind, a few orphan blocks is not a UFO.  Setting aside fabric for a future quilt is not a UFO (because you can change your mind).  But actually cutting into the fabric with the intent of making blocks for a full quilt flips the switch to UFO until it is actually finished.  Finished means assembled, sandwiched, quilted, and bound.  Labeling is secondary, although some quilters believe until it is labeled, it is still unfinished.  Not me. I tend to label in a batch of several quilts at a time, so the quilt is done when binding is finished.

With that in mind, I decided to be honest with myself and compile a list. Whew, baby!  It was quite a list!  It got so long I had to put it in a spreadsheet. I'm an accountant, so I live and breathe in Excel. Then I figured out what stage each project was in (making blocks, ready for assembly, ready for quilting, ready to bind).  Deep breath. Okay, here goes:

I have TWENTY FIVE unfinished projects.

Not too bad, but not too good.  How many UFOs do you have?  'Cause I need to feel better.

Then, because my list was in a spreadsheet, I began to schedule which projects to work on. Those closest to being finished got to go first in line.

Top 10 quilts are:

1. Jamestown Landing, started in 2013. DONE in January. I have to take credit for my 2018 finishes, right?

2. Magnolia mystery from Meadow Mist designs, started in 2017. At the longarmer. I didn't get a pic of the final flimsy, but definitely will get a good picture when it comes back to me.

3. Big Star County mystery from Alycia Quilts, started in 2017. At the longarmer.

4. Grand Illusion, a Bonnie Hunter mystery from 2014. Blocks are done, need to assemble. Backing is on hand (it's that dark aqua I had found recently and forgotten it was for this quilt).

5.  In the 'Hood mystery from EvaPaige Quilt Designs, started in 2017. Backing is on hand. Need to sandwich & FMQ.  My plan is to quilt little scotties in the four blank square and do little swirls or tiny stipples around the block scotties. The big scotties need hair and sweater stiching. Not sure what to do with the border bones.

6. Floribunda, a Bonnie Hunter design started in 2012. Blocks are done, border is nearly complete. Need to assemble. Backing is on hand.

7. Sapphire Stars, a mystery from Kevin the Quilter, started in 2017.  Finished assembling the blocks in January, nearly done with the border. Backing has been ordered. I hope to drop off to longarmer in February.

8. Red Cross, started in 2013. Need to finish the FMQ. It's already bound.

9. Baby Fox, circa 2015. It is sandwiched and ready for FMQ.

10. En Provence, a Bonnie Hunter mystery from 2016. Six blocks done, need three more plus sashing and border. Will need to shop for backing.  Or maybe I should skip the sashing and do 12 blocks total. Looks pretty with the just the blocks, doesn't it.

As I said on January 1, my goal is to finish at least half of my UFOs. That means I need to finish THIRTEEN.  If I hold true to my Excel schedule, I could finish as many as 22. And my goal is to resist starting another project until three UFOs are done.

The remaining quilts are Garden Party, 1860's Revival, Red/White DSP4, 2015 Craftsy Sampler, RSC15 sampler, a t-shirt quilt, Lady of the Lake, a 199X baby blanket, fabric cut for a patriotic Tobacco Road, an assembled tree skirt, a Christmas table runner cut and ready to sew, a Crabapple Trees medallion, a batik Jewel Box, String X, and my first quilt which needs a border fix before it can be quilted.

Ummm, I must confess I have already kinda, sorta, started a new project already. Angela at SoScrappy announced her RSC18. Although my 2015 blocks are still languishing in the UFO bin, I just know I can keep up with RSC18. Yes, I know I can.  I pulled my light blue scraps and cut enough to make three 10" blocks. She announced the February purple block design today, so will need to cut some purple scraps and keep it going.

Just for fun, I also made a few Lady of the Lake blocks because I just cannot resist doing some piecing. This one is going to be so pretty!  After finishing my last blue & white quilt (Jamestown Landing), I had to push this blue/white one onto the active working list.

So it's your turn to confess. How many UFOs do you have?

Progress on Grand Illusion

I am actively working on two quilts at the same time - Blueberry Hill and Grand Illusion. That does not include several quilt projects set aside until I can focus on them.  Having two very different projects going allows me to switch back and forth when I get tired of one or the other.  Nope, focusing on only one project just isn't my cup of tea.

The center of Blueberry Hill is nearly finished. It's at a point where I need to lay out the final rows before sewing, so will need to wait until I can dedicate a few hours. Therefore, I switched to working on Grand Illusion. I had decided to change from dark green pieced sashing to light green, allowing the blocks to stand out better. Check out the difference:

  Ugh, a hot mess.

Switch to light green....

Much better!

I have to pause a moment and brag about my daughter. Her prom was last Friday and she looked so beautiful!

Testing a new sashing

Thanks to suggestions from fellow quilters, I tested a light green in the Grand Illusion sashing, rather than the dark green I originally chose.  What do you think?

I prefer the deeper green as a color, but in this pattern I think the lighter green will allow the pattern to flow without confusing the eye.  That means my seam ripper will be busy.....

but I will be MUCH happier with this quilt. I will have to augment my light green fabric selection, though. Most of my stash had been used up in the Celtic Solstice chevrons.

Fireside Chat

Baby, it's cold outside!  I know, I know. It's even colder in Wisconsin and the Dakotas. It's all relative, though.  I am dreaming of summer vacations and weekend trips to the beach. Instead, our fireplace is being used every day. It's warm next to the fire. Our tabby cat K.C. (for Kitty Cat), also known as Run KC, likes to stretch out by the fire. Unusual that he was not hanging out there when I snapped this pic.

After spending Saturday cooking and cleaning, including a sock drawer purge, my Sunday was clear for some power sewing. FINALLY finished the last 11 blocks for Celtic Solstice, as this king sized version has a total of 121 blocks !!!!

Here is a view of my Celtic Solstice with the inner and outer border. Oh no, can you see the flaw in the top row?  I will fix that - my seam ripper has been working overtime today - and begin assembling this week. Yes, I have the orange triangles ready to go, just forgot about them for the picture. Yesterday the backing was ordered from Connecting Threads, along with the backing for Grand Illusion.

Speaking of Grand Illusion, I made three more flower blocks, assembled the border, and laid out the pieces to see what it looked like. Hmmm....

If you squint to make the picture blurry, you can see the black grid pattern. I think my green is too dark to make it pop. I need your opinion, dear reader. Should I redo the checkerboard sashing with light green, or should I just put it together as is? Or should I substitute with solid yellow or neutral? It just isn't singing to me right now. The colors are so wonderful, and I really want to like this quilt. Not happening the way it is, though. Please, please, please add your comments to this post. I need your help!!!

Grand Illusion Progress report 5

In spite of spending nearly all day Saturday at a car dealership, I was able to fit in some sewing time this weekend.  My version of Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion mystery quilt is coming along nicely. Click on this link and you can see the color choices and slight variations of other quilters.

Step #1 Broken Dishes 1 - have 75, need 25 more

Step #2 Double Diamonds - have 58 need 42 more 

Step #3 Checkerboard - have 101 need 19 more

Step #4A Broken Dishes 2 - DONE

Step #4B Broken Dishes 3 - DONE

Step #5 - Four Patches - DONE

Fellow quilters, did you have problems turning the border blocks correctly?  Check out my initial attempt at the border. Something doesn't look quite right.  And I didn't figure it out until I laid it out with some blocks. The white triangles were supposed to be on the same 'row' as the black squares. I pulled some more blocks to make the sample above and will take the seam ripper to this one below.

Andee at Modern Diary blog called this pattern "busy" and it definitely is. Although to me, it reminds me of a painting. Up close the blobs of paint seem ugly, but when you step back you see the whole picture and the painting comes to life. That's what I think of Grand Illusion. As I followed along with each step, I would have sworn Bonnie was planning to use the yellow as the strong graphical element, but instead she surprised me by using the black to lead our eyes across the quilt.  You cannot see it up close, only when the blocks come together. Amazing!

Are you wondering about that car dealership visit? We finally bought a replacement car for my daughter, You might recall she was in a terrible accident just before Thanksgiving. She and my husband picked out a 2015 Hyundai Elantra. Oooh baby!  I drove it tonight and it was sweeeet!  Let's hope this one lasts longer than her belated Kia Rio (3 months 22 days).

Grand Illusion and Broncos Crossroads

Thank you, Bonnie, for an easy step #5 to your Grand Illusion mystery!  I quickly finished those four-patches and started trying to catch up with the remainder. I'm joining in her Linky Party today. 

I took inventory and discovered I have a lot more to go on this quilt.

Step #1 Broken Dishes 1 - have 40, need 60 more

Step #2 Double Diamonds - have 44 need 56 more 

Step #3 Checkerboard - have 50 need 70 more

Step #4A Broken Dishes 2 - have 23 need 17 more

Step #4B Broken Dishes 3 - have 5 need 35 more

Step #5 - Four Patches - DONE

Those double diamonds seem to be the set I feel I am really dragging on, even though my inventory shows I still have a lot more broken dishes sets to go. The piece is not that difficult either, but seems to be the most time-consuming.  With Celtic Solstice, it was both the chevrons and the birds-in-the-air pieces that were the last ones I finally finished.  (And they are DONE finally!!!)  What has been the most challenging piece for you?

Also.....Broncos Crossroads is finished!!! The binding and label were completed last night.  I intended this quilt to be a gift but I like it so much that I may just keep this one. It is also the fastest quilt I have ever done (three months).  I love all those blues. The quilting motif is swirls with an occasional star in a medium blue thread. It makes for great texture and touches all those tiny squares.  This is the first time all four corners of the binding came out perfect. Can't believe it took me so long to figure out the trick - pinning and no stitches at all beyond the 1/4 inch edge.

On a higher note, my hubby and I went flying on Saturday. The skies were clear blue and the windsock was completely limp. It felt fantastic to be back up in the air! I had been feeling down lately and after a little airtime, my mood was considerably lighter (I was feeling UP). It happens every time. Flying to me is being in that top triangle of Maslow's heirarchy of needs. Flying is my flow (look up Mihály Csíkszentmihályi).  After a nice burger at a nearby airport, we breezed back home. Aaah, it was a good day.

Grand Illusion progress report 4

Santa's quilting workshop has been busy! I haven't made quite as much progress as many others on this mystery quilt journey, but I AM making progress. I am linking up to Bonnie Hunter's website. Here's what my table looks like right now:

According to my calculations, our last step will be revealed this Friday. I am SO curious about all those broken dishes blocks, how they fit together and how more yellow will be incorporated into the design. The green checkerboard pieces must be the border, I think. Oooh, the suspense is killing me!

Wait a second, I just figured out that I haven't made any of the broken dishes #3 block. What I thought was #3 is actually #2 turned a different way.  Maybe I should pay more attention to the layout. At least I didn't make too many of them.

At the same time I am trying to finish last year's mystery Celtic Solstice. Only 11 more crystal blocks to go and I can start assembling my KING size version.

On a higher note, the weather outside is frightful and the fire [inside] is so delightful. I should have gone flying yesterday, but I decided to cook Runzas (meat-filled biscuits) and Penne ala Vodka. Yummy!  Hope you are enjoying good food with family and friends, too!

Grand Illusion Part 3

My progress on Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt Grand Illusion is slow but steady. It's not a race, I had to tell myself. Bonnie suggested that we make at least a few of each step and work on new steps as they are published. So that's what I am doing.  Those green square blocks are nice and quick. Bonnie definitely surprised us with this latest step. Many of the quilters in her last linky party arranged their parts into possible blocks that looked very interesting.  But now we have that 6.5 inch green/neutral block to fit in. Or maybe it's part of the border. Hmmm.... Anyway, here is the linkup:

By the way, I pressed the strip sets toward the greens, then pressed the long middle seam toward the black as Bonnie instructed. Pressing to the side helps the intersections to nest and I definitely need that extra bit of help to keep my seams aligned.

Today was the holiday party for my home airport pilots.I made pulled pork for the potluck dinner and it disappeared quickly. Then Santa arrived in a Cessna 172. My brother said Santa was supposed to be at a mall in Indiana today. I guess Santa made a quick trip to Pennsylvania to visit us, too!

Every year it seems to take me longer to get into the spirit of Christmas. Finally today I felt like decorating the tree and the rest of our house. I also made toffee, but am planning to give it away so I won't eat all that buttery, chocolately goodness.  I hope you are feeling the Christmas spirit, too!

Grand Illusion update part 2

Thank you, fellow quilters, for your tips and encouragement!  Tonight I started cutting pieces to compete step 2 of Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt.  I thought about the stitch-and-flip method and considered trying the method published by Kathleen at Rose Prairie Quilts. Then I checked my coral yardage. I'm not sure I have enough to risk, so I decided to go with Bonnie's No Waste method.

First strip of neutral .... I cut those slanted pieces and looked at them. Didn't look right. I think I cut them slanting the wrong way.

Second and third strip of neutral ... I cut those slanted pieces the other direction and laid out the coral and black triangles to check again. Oh, the long part goes across the rectangle.  That means I cut the slant wrong this time and my first strip was right.

Next few strips of neutral.  Got it right.  Now to sew a few and check how they look.

Eureka, it worked!  And when I sewed two rectangles together, the points matched!!!!

<Sigh> 94 more to go.

Hey, just for fun, you may want to check out a free block-of-the-month called Sew Sweet Simplicity by Jacquelynne Steves.  I need another project like a hole in my head, but it's calling to me!

Grand Illusion Progress Report 1

Have you already been to any holiday parties yet?  We went to one Saturday evening at my home airport. I had promised to bring appetizers, so I spent most of Saturday morning cooking. Thanks to some internet searches, I whipped up a couple trays filled with goodies. And just for fun I made these adorable penguins. They were the hit of the party!

Quilting Update:  As soon as Bonnie Hunter announced her latest mystery Grand Illusion, I checked my stash and found most of the yardage needed. I decided to stick close to the colors but lean more toward coral rather than pink, and dip into deeper hues of green and turquoise/teal. I did some judicious shopping and bought a few fat quarters to fill out the yardage needed. My yellow is a mottled tone-on-tone called Honeysuckle. I like that!  I also decided to use one black polka dot print. Everything else will be scrappy, and that's enough for me.

Given the events mentioned in my last post, I haven't had much time to keep up with Bonnie's first two steps, only cutting some of the pieces. But I did some power sewing recently and am halfway through the first step -- with just one "oops" to fix. Can you feel these bright colors are banishing the 'blahs'?

I will be linking up to Bonnie's column on Monday. If you have started step 2, I'd love to hear your tips for the easiest method for cutting and sewing those half chevrons.