2017 UFO Challenge – Kelly's Kwilts

November Goals … MET!

I did it! I finished the 2 quilts this month that I wanted to get done this month. It was a VERY busy month, with multiple birthdays and a lot of days that I was helping out at school either in Alex’s classroom or at the Book Fair.

So all I had left to do on the Dear Jane quilt was complete the binding and the applique of the triangles I had completed. Back in 2016 I decided that I just wasn’t happy with the colors in this quilt and I wasn’t going to get back to it. So I finished it with what I had completed. I’m happy with the quilting, it was VERY time consuming since each block was quilted on it’s own, but it was actually worth it. I had many ladies at guild telling me that they’d take it since I wasn’t happy with it. 🙂

My second quilt to get done this month is also a Dear Jane related quilt. In 2012 I signed up to participate in the signature swap. We all made I think it was 50 blocks and signed each one, sent them to the coordinator and then eventually we got one of each person’s block sent to us. Mine didn’t sit here long for me to decide what I was going to do with them. In January 2013 I finished putting the top together. Then it sat for years until I got it basted and quilted. I’m happy it’s finished and it didn’t take too long to quilt either.

Dear Jane Quilt

Dear Jane Quilt – Back

So back to work on something, I have lots of EPP, a knitting project and a Secret Santa box to finish up! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

Linking up to Elm Street Quilts.

October OMG

So I decided to pull out a couple more quilts and get them basted so I can quilt them this month. The first one is a Dear Jane Signature quilt from 2012. Everyone made 50 blocks (if I remember correctly) and sent them to the coordinator who then made sure we all got one of each. It took me a few years to decide how I wanted to set them and decide on the 9 patch as the alternate blocks. I really would love to get this quilted and bound, not sure what I’ll use it for or where I’ll put it, but it will at least be finished!

My second quilt that I basted and want to get quilted is my Dear Jane quilt that I started back in 2009/10. I talked about it here when I finished the top in March, and at the time I was going to just stipple the whole thing. Since I’ve been playing with FMQ lately I decided that each block would be done separately.

October is going to be a busy month, Alex turns 7 in just 8 days and I have a lot to do for the party. I’ve also started helping out in his classroom at school, plus there’s a field trip next week that I’m a chaperone for – so I’m not sure how much sewing time I’m going to get this month!

September OMG Results

It was easier than I thought to finish my projects this month! I decided I needed to practice my FMQ on the table runner and I added some walking foot quilting in other sections. Happy to finally get another item off my todo list. This one has been around since 2008 just waiting to be quilted. I think I originally was going to quilt this on the frame I bought, then I was going to hand quilt it. So, it’s just been sitting here for all these years waiting. Unfortunately I can’t use it on the dining room table right now, which is the intended place for it, due to the dog. She just doesn’t seem to understand she’s not allowed on the table!

So, Sunday I worked on piecing together a backing from a batik I bought when we went to Lolly’s in August (which I’m just now realizing I never posted about!). They had a shelving unit full of batiks already marked with the yardage – and it was on sale for $8 a yard. I bought 2 of the bolts, one of them was this pink batik and almost 6 yards which I knew would be perfect for a backing. Piecing backings is one of the things I do not like about quilting, basting is at the top! So I quickly sewed the backing, got everything taped to the floor in the living room (only place big enough!) and worked on basting while I watched the Browns lose (yet again!). Not only did I get it basted but I started the quilting that night. I’ve been working hard this week and I and hoping to get binding made and machine stitched down today. Since I never got the rugs put back in place Sunday, I need to pull another quilt out and find a backing so I can baste another one. I’m on a roll and want to continue! I’ve bought about 4-5 packages of batting during Craftsy sales so I just need to get backings out.

Linking Elm Street Quilts and NTT.

September OMG

Here’s what I’d like to get done in September – I have 1 large-ish quilt I want to get basted and I have a table runner that I really want to get quilted.

Back in 2015 I finished putting together a scrappy top with some hexies appliquéd on the alternate squares. I think it’s time to pull this out and get it done so we can use it on the couch this winter. Not yet sure how I’ll quilt it, maybe while I baste it I’ll think of something!

Way back in 2008 I made a table runner using my favorite fabrics – Equinox which isn’t being made anymore. I’ve basted it and started quilting it, but I’d like to get all the quilting done this month.

Here’s hoping I get it all done this month! Linking up to Elm Street Quilts.

August OMG Results

I did it! I finished 2 of my UFO’s that have been sitting around for years and will now be donated to our guild community service group.

So back in 2013 I finished piecing the Red, White and Blue top and was waiting for the size so I could decide on border and backing. Doggone thing has been sitting here for awhile waiting to be quilted! I started working through the quilting on this and as I was winding another set of bobbins, I ran out of thread! Had to make an emergency trip to Joann’s to get another spool for red, white and blue thread so I could finish. Looking back I should have just done an all over pattern, but that’s ok it still looks good!

I don’t even know how long I’ve had this UFO, I wanted to play with fusible interfacing and just started pulling 2″ scraps. You fold each row and do your 1/4″ seam, then do the same going in the opposite direction. It’s been sitting here so long, but I remember a lot of these fabrics and wish I had saved them for hexies.

I’m happy to finally have 2 more off the UFO list, now I need to get busy on some of the bigger ones!!

Linking up with Elm Street Quilts.

August OMG

I’ve chosen 2 quilts from my UFO list to finish this month. Both just need quilted and it will be simple quilting on both. I’m pretty sure that I will be donating both of them to our community service group at guild. I don’t have a use for them and they are small so my kids can’t really use them. I’ve gotten them pinned today and I’m hoping to start the quilting this weekend. We have a weekend at home with no plans, I’m hoping I can spend a lot of it quilting!

Linking up to Elm Street Quilts.

June OMG Results

Hexie Diamonds 062417 I did it! After almost exactly 5 years I have finished hexagon diamonds. I started piecing the diamonds June 28, 2012 and finished the hexie top on July 28, 2014. It then took another year and a half until I got the border added on, and another year and a half to get it quilted. I don’t know why I procrastinate so much about things, but I am thrilled to finally have this quilt finished.

Hexie Diamonds quilting 062417 This is the first quilt that I’ve pretty much done all free motion quilting. It’s not all perfect, there’s some eyelashing on the back and some skips in places. There’s some puckering here and there (border, backing, etc). And you know what? I don’t care! I am happy that it’s done, and that I did it all myself on my domestic machine. The quilt doesn’t 100% fit on our bed, I should have made the borders wider and didn’t. I’m happy with the finished product and that’s all that matters right?

Hexie Diamonds - back 062417 I love the patterns that resulted on the back from the light colored thread (click on the picture to see it bigger!) I wasn’t sure what color thread to use, I didn’t want all the messed up quilting to show up on the back. BUT since the back is on the bed, who cares what the back looks like? 🙂 I was more concerned what the front would look like and for the most part most of the quilting blends in on the front. Hexie Diamonds - label 062417

Bottom line, this quilt is now done, washed and on my bed and I have another item off the UFO list. On to the next UFO!

Linking up to Elm Street Quilts, Crazy Mom Quilts and My Quilt Infatuation.

Many Projects

Dear Jane 031217 I’ve been working diligently on various projects today. Some cutting for hexies, some cutting for bow tie blocks and getting them matched up and ready for sewing as leader/enders, commission quilt work (2 tops now ready for basting and quilting), and some work adding borders to 2 different quilts. I’m not showing one of them because it’s one of my OMGs, and I want to save it for the end of the month. I have FINALLY added the borders to my redesigned original Dear Jane quilt. The problem is I can’t decide if I should add another border to it or not. I’m planning on doing a simple meander on this since the fabrics didn’t excite me. I don’t want to spend a lot of time quilting this one. The EPP one that is in progress will most likely get some special quilting – once I figure out how to do it! 🙂 So tell me, what do I do with this? I know I’m going to use the muslin for the backing, but do I add another border or leave it as is? I just can’t decide!

Design Wall Monday – 03-06-17

Commission Progress 030617.jpg I started working on the last 2 commission quilts for my friend. I got all of the blocks cut out and put together for both quilts, I just need to get them put together. These quilts go together so quickly that I don’t mind that I’ve made so many of them. My friend is coming to visit this weekend, so I’d like to have the tops done before she gets here.

Good Night Irene 030617 While I work on the commission quilts, I’m working on the border blocks for Good Night Irene, which has been in progress since 2014. I slowly worked on the top during 2014, but it was hard with a newborn in the house. The border blocks are just simple 9 patches, and use 162 white squares and 162 colored squares. My 2.5″ square bin doesn’t even look any emptier! I finished half the blocks needed, I hope to finish the other half today.

Cassie 030617 Cassie is LOVING playing with fabrics. She asks at least once a day if she can play with them. Sometimes she wants the 2.5″ square bin, sometimes she wants “her fabrics”. I have a container full of fabrics I’ve collected for her, including 3-4 Minnie Mouse fabrics. At some point I’ll make something with them, haven’t decided yet what it will be. I might wait until she gets her big girl bed and make a large quilt like I did for Alex. Her birthday is in 2 weeks and she’ll be 3, I still can’t believe how fast the last 3 years has gone by! I bought her some Minnie Mouse sewing cards for her birthday, I’ll start her sewing with something easy for her little hands.

Linking up with Patchwork Times.

Dear Jane Update and March OMG

I finished the last block in Row B!! This one too awhile, so many tiny pieces! I spent a lot of time this week working on prepping Row C, picking the colors is fun, I’m trying to spread them out in the rows. Once I finished B6, I finished putting together Row B with the sashing and then I put Rows A and B together. OMG I am loving how it looks! I started piecing the first block of Row C yesterday while I was waiting for Alex’s bus and I would have worked on it more last night, but by the time we got home from Mother/Son night at his school I was exhausted!

Row A-B

Good Night Irene 071015 I did a good job on my February OMG, now it’s time to chose March’s goal(s). This is a busy month for us, every weekend is booked – out of town guest next weekend, Cassie’s birthday party the following weekend. I think I’ve decided that my goals this month are to finish the border on my Good Night Irene quilt (started in 2014, centered completed July 2015) and to get Hexagon Diamonds basted. I really want to start quilting it and get it finished this year, it’s been sitting here waiting since July 2014! I have the backing and black batting, I just need to baste! I should be able to do it during the day on guild day, since we have the building all day and there are lots of large tables. I’m pretty sure I can work on Good Night Irene border blocks while I work on the last 2 commission quilts that need to be done in the next month or so (still waiting for a due date). Hexie Diamonds 123115

Linking up to Elm Street Quilts and Crazy Mom Quilts.