Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.com for the 2018 UFO Challenge

The 2018 UFO Challenge at Patchwork Times.com is scheduled to begin in January 2018.  Since I haven't done a link-up in so long, I'm hoping I can figure it out.  Well, Step 1 is done with all the projects listed on the Blog and in this Post, that I would like to accomplish in 2018.
Number #13 and #14 are the only projects that are complete.  My 12 projects are ready for 2018.

UFO Challenge 2018

• 1) 365 Quilty Circles Jan-June 2016
• 2) 365 Quilty Circles July-Dec 2016
• 3) Organize Sewing Room continues
• 4) Selvage Top-back,quilt,bind-Needs LAQ
• 5) Scraps & strips need organizing by color
• 6) Fabric Journal-add pages & details--DONE Feb.2018
• 7) TN Shop Hop Batiks-Sew blocks together-Label made Apr 2013
• 8) Make a 1930's Aunt Gracie quilt
• 9) Request LAQ for (2) QOV--DONE Apr. 2018
• 10) Finish "On the Go Tote"
• 11) Make something with my Serger
• 12) Pineapple Quilt needs to be found & finished
• 13) Design Cowboy Quilt for boy--DONE Jan.2018                                                                   
• 14) All 6 mini quilts are finished.  DONE Dec. 2017

I am linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.com  
                                                                                  

Questionnaire completed for my Guild

Yesterday, Mrs. Green (one of our Guild members) sent a Questionnaire to several guild members.  Each month, she hopes to highlight different members in our newsletters, as a way of "Getting to Know our fellow members".  As a Founding Member of our Guild, I was chosen as one of the first group to complete the questionnaire.
All the questions were rather interesting and I was happy to complete it.  Some of the questions were how long have you been quilting (since 1976) and how long have you been a member of the Guild (22 yrs.).

Then, she got personal with her questions; like how many UFO's do you have?
My answer was:  I have no idea and I don't have time to try and find them all at the moment.
Another question was:  What was my most challenging quilt Project?
My answer was:  My king-size baby quilt that I started in 1982 and finished in 2012 (it only took 30 years to complete).
The last question was:  What is your favorite quilt style?
My answer was:  I love---Signature quilts, Photo Transfer quilts, the 365 Day Quilts, and quilts that tell a story.

December 1st - so where did the year go?

I wish I could say that I finished my entire list of UFO's in 2017 but I'm not sure what I've finished at this point.  My goal in November was to organize my Sewing Room but that didn't happened.

Our little dog, Chipper went to the Vet yesterday and got her nails trimmed, teeth cleaned and her annual shots.  She was quite happy when we arrived to pick her up and come home to familiar surroundings and her cozy bed.  She's a little spoiled...

Quilting accomplishments and additional projects to be done:
#1-Finished the binding on (1) QOV made by Lolita from our Guild and quilted by Elizabeth H.
     Washed with label applied-Just needs a Presentation Case made.
#2-Piecing complete on (1) QOV (kit given to me by Tammy) from our Sewing Group--10" layer cake blocks from Missouri Star-the sashing has the 4 pointed stars at the corners of each block.
Ordered and received backing fabric (3 yds. from Connecting Threads)-now I can request LAQ.
#3-(1) QOV using 4th of July pattern-still needs 2 borders attached.  Have a 2 1/2 yard piece of white fabric for backing and then I can request a long arm quilter.

Just a few inches short of the fabric needed for the interlocking stars??

This afternoon, I was just finishing up on the last two pieces of sashing for the interlocking stars and a little panic set in....Did I have enough dark blue fabric to complete the quilt top?  Most quilts that I make; I do not plan ahead as to if there will be enough fabric to complete the quilt.  I just dig in and get to work.  The kit that was given to me by Tammy consisted of (42) 10" squares and probably more than enough white fabric for the sashing and the back.  Since she was so kind to give me the kit to make the Quilt of Valor, I used my own dark blue fabric for the sashing stars.  Almost done and no more dark blue fabric left to cut.  After digging through numerous baskets, I discovered about one and half yards of my same blue fabric.  Hooray!!!   Time for a break.  Maybe I can find enough fabric for the borders....    

Design Wall Monday

Too many projects and not enough time.....
Last Tuesday at Sewing, I discovered (2) kits that had come in as donated items.  Both were from Creekside Quilts-Pattern #402 Country Girl and Pattern #403 Country Boy.  All the pieces were DieCut.  I'm guessing from 20-25 years ago, maybe longer since the fabrics had the classic look of pale blue and pale pink.  I decided to begin with the Country Boy.  His shirt and hat band were cut from a floral blue.  I just couldn't make the boy wear a floral shirt, so I found some plaid fabric for his shirts.  I didn't use the black fabric for his shoes since they appeared to be too small.  In reviewing the pattern further, I realized they were supposed to be placed under his legs.  I cut brown fabric to be placed on top of his legs.  I think the brown looks better. 

Country Boys

Check out what others have designed this week....Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.blogspot.com

(3) Quilts in process

Tammy from my weekly Sewing Group, kindly gave me a Quilt of Valor kit, which included 10" squares, sashing fabrics and Missouri Star Quilt Company's Block book, which included the instructions for making a "Friendship Star Sashing Quilt".  I started early this morning, sub-cutting the strips and making the blocks for the QOV.  So far, I have 22 blocks with sashing attached, which is a little over half the blocks.

The last few weeks, I've been working on my "On the Go Tote".  It is almost complete, just need to hand sew the binding down on (3) sides, prior to inserting foam board or other type material to give
the tote bag some stability.


Last Tuesday at Sewing, I agreed to machine quilt a small quilt for Project Linus.  It began with a cute panel, which I added borders on two sides to increase the size of the quilt.  It had been months since I had done any free motion quilting, so I was glad to give it a try again and I'm happy with how it turned out.

Tuesday is our "Group Sewing Day"

Since 2012, I have been meeting with a delightful group of ladies every Tuesday to sew.  We begin about 10:00, sew until lunch and after lunch, sew until 2:00 and then pack every up and off we go, until we meet again.  We always bring our own sewing machines and all the supplies.  It's quite a production but we sure do enjoy getting together every week.  Today, we learned how to make a little
Stand-up "Tooly" for many of our sewing tools.

For the past couple of weeks, I have also been working on creating an "On The Go Tote" for carrying cutting mats, rulers, and other quilting supplies.  So far, I have completed the outside of the tote and am now working on the inside of the tote, which will have many pockets.  Both projects have overly detailed instructions, which have been giving me "fits".

If and when, I get these projects complete, I plan to go back to what I am comfortable making, Quilts.