2017 UFO Challenge

     I  have lots of "oldies, but not yet moldies" on this list... many have been floating around as completed tops or parts since 2009!  (possibly even longer...)  

     2017 is the year I am pledging to get these done!   There are many projects that are not on this list that also need to be completed.  These include:

• Enough leftover blocks from previous projects, that they are an entire orphanage.  I would really prefer to call these something else... Orphans sound so hopeless and sad.   I recently unearthed 15 blocks from one completed project that each needed just one seam.  Really?  why didn't I stitch them then?  
• Blocks that are given to me, already stitched.... were they someone else's leftovers?  or from projects started but never finished?   They need to become quilts... that is all I know.  
• UFO's that needed some design thought, and then got put away when creative juices were flowing on something else...  
• Projects that are from block exchanges and block lottos....  I must have won a lot!  'cuz I have 2 project totes full of them!  (I have decided to not participate in any block swaps or lottos until I get these 2 totes whittled down.)  I don't really need to do any fabric swaps right now either!   
• Projects that decided to go wayward of what I had in mind.... and got set aside.  

#1  April -  Friends and Fellows - 

4/1/2017 -   Well,  April is usually a very busy month for me, and this is the largest of the quilts on my list...   I am the layout chair for our quilt show which is the first weekend in May... so once I get the list of entries, my evenings are full for about 2 weeks.. as I get the show laid out.   I also have to get the labels and sleeves on my 4 entries this month.   I'm hoping I can at least get it pinbasted before things get too hectic. 

5/1/2017 -  Still folded up under the table...  haven't even started it.  I am ready for the layout of quilts at our show in a week and a half, though!  Still have labels and sleeves to put on my entries!  

This was an internet forum Mystery from the Quilt and Needle.com in 2009.  I decided to add applique borders.  Done!  Now, it awaits backing, pinning, quilting and some binding.  Queen size I am ashamed to say this was on my UFO list back in 2011.... 

#2.  Phire's Radiance -  

another  Q&N mystery quilt... (guess I need to hold off on them for awhile, but they are addicting to me... I just can't resist a good mystery quilt! )  This will be a 60x60 wall hanging.   All it needs is a final border and then to be quilted. Also from my 2011 UFO list.    

#3.   January -  My Favorite  Green Blocks Quilt ...  

 Finished the Quilting and Binding on this one on 1/15/2017.   

This was an internet exchange.  I won the blocks for Feb 2010.  I actually got the top put together by June!  big shocker!   Now, it sits here waiting for quilting.  I have the backing purchased,  just need to pin, quilt and bind....  nearly twin size.   Also from my 2011, 2015, and 2016 UFO list.

After Quilting.   I took it out into some early February sunshine to get a good picture of the colors. 

After Quilting

Before Quilting  

#4.  Plaid Round Robin 2010 -  

                            Now called: "life is Good!" 

Finished the Binding on this one on 3/27/2017. 

This little beauty came back to me mid summer.  It needs one more plaid border, and then quilting.   It will be a lap size when complete.  Also from my 2011, 2015. and 2016 UFO lists.

Finally home!  Aug. 2010 

Late February 2017..... I don't know when this number will come up this year,  but this top had some issues.... the sides were WAVY!  (There must have been a reason I took the photo out on the uneven lawn.)  

I tried pressing, starching,  seam,  some blocking,  but it wasn't going into submission.   I took the bear and paw border off, to see what was going on.   The four patch on the top and bottom were square.... and the same  size as the applique one.

Wavy Sides!   February 2017

It appeared that the issue was in the flying geese,  so a couple nights of un-stitching and the two o borders were off.   Some more pressing,  starching,  and the flying geese with brown backgrounds were 1/2" longer than the center... but the geese with  green plaid were 1" longer than the center,  on the center side,  and 2" longer on the sides that the 4 patch border attached to.
  

I took a slightly larger seam on each of the geese in the brown ones, to bring it to the right size.  That green homespun plaid is a bit "gauzy",  and the seams were not true... So, I decided to take them apart, re-trim to square and see what I came up with... The dimensions still didn't want to work, and by the time I had a nice, square strip, it was too short!   Sew..... I chose to replace the corners with a single fabric,  and trimmed the row a bit short  with an uneven tip and tail effect.   Make do with what I have, right?  I don't have any of either of those fabrics in my homespuns.  

After re-working the flying geese section... Much Better!  
February 25, 2017

Then,  I  added the 2"  to use the four patch borders without re-making them,  A coping strip of green was used,  and Voila!  it works!  

I can now hang it without it bowing so much, and I'm satisfied with the way it looks.   Now the question remains... do I really need one more border?   

Finished!  "Life is Good"   3/27/2017

Update:  3/27/2017.... the answer to the border question was yes!   I added a 4"  checkerboard border which I feel does a great job of a final frame.   I spent several hours quilting in the ditch, to give stability to all those loosy goosy fabrics   It has Hobbs 80/20 as batting and with the scrappy homespun back,  it feels as soft as butter.   This quilt will go to some good friends who have a cabin we've visited near Yellowstone Park.   I've called it "Life is Good",  because Ted always ends his emails, Facebook posts and other correspondence with that phrase.  

#5. March   Roll Roll Cotton Boll  --- 

4/1/17 Update:  I pulled it out of the pile, and hung it up for some serious thought process regarding how I'm going to quilt it....  never got any further than that...  

Oops.... another internet mystery! This one was hosted by Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville.com

Originally, Bonnie had planned for this to be queen size... but I had to cut it down to a size I gift or use.... A twin size throw.... the extra pieces were put to use in a bonus quilt that I finished in 2012. 

This is ready to quilt and bind.... I think it is so beautiful just the way it is... it doesn't need a border. 

#6.  Autumn Leaves Happy Blocks 

I won the Autum leave Happy blocks from the Scrappyandhappy Yahoo Group. Since these are the colors in our home... and I have an extensive leaf fabric collection, I made an additional 28 blocks or so... to give me a nice large throw... 

This just needs the quilting and binding.... 

#7  -  June -  Boxy Stars - donation quilt - 

Made with leftover strips found in one of the boxes in the backroom of the church out in Corbett.....  The colors are very Retro!   These donation quilts don't help anyone out under the table at my house... I must get them done!  

#8 -  August  - A Quilt for All Seasons - Summer 

Oh No!  another mystery quilt from the internet that needs to be finished!  This one is from 2012 or 2013.... 

Ready for quilting  

#9 -  February  "Flurry"  

Finished the Binding on this one on 3/1/2017.  

Flurry  Complete!   Yeah... and only 1 day into March
57 x 75 

I chose a wavy line quilting for this one.  I wanted a bit of a modern feel,  and since this is a seasonal quilt, and will only be out on display for about 1 month each year,  I didn't want to put hours and hours into the quilting process.  I like the results, and will do it again.  


This quilt is the result of an internet block exchange that started in fall 2015.   Each member of the group made 1 block for each other member,  and included some of the squares of their fabrics to create the border.   This is a pattern by Kate Spain for Moda called "Flurry".   I added an extra row to get it the size I wanted.  Ready for quilting and binding. 

Flurry Top Complete.. Ready for Quilting  Nov. 2016

February 25,2017 ....  I am 3/4 done with the quilting on this one,  but I made the mistake of using a different table at work yesterday, instead of my desk with the keyboard tray because I needed to spread out a file to review..... and my left shoulder did not like the height difference.  It's a little too sore to wrestle this quilt around under my machine.... possibly tomorrow,  or if necessary.. next week....  but I'm attending a quilt retreat next weekend and don't want to be so sore I can't move...  

Partially quilted.... almost done!  February 25, 2017 

 Here is my progress so far.  The quilting is simple, and won't take me too long to complete.  I had figured one more evening when I left it the other night.    Meanwhile,  I'll get my  scrappy binding cut and ready. 

#10. - Corbett Donation Quilt III -   The last of the trio!  

borders are cut... and the backing is pieced.... it's getting close now, and I'm determined to clear this one out from under my table as well! 

#11. -  May -  Favorite Red Blocks quilt - 

These blocks were won from my friends at Block Central back in about 2010!   I finally pieced them into a top while at our spring retreat in 2014.   Now it needs to be quilted.  

#12.  July - Deer Throw II - 

The final quilt for our travel trailer... the bed is now decorated.... and the first throw is done.  This is ready for Quilting.....   The fabrics were purchased in the late spring of 2013.....  It's time to get this one in it's proper spot and out from under the cutting table!