February UFO Challenge Projects

February is going to be a busy month! 

  I'm following and joined Judy Laquidera's challenge which is  here:    Judy's challenge
For February,  Judy has picked # 10.    This is a project that has been hanging around since 2009 - 2010.  It was from our guild's Block of the Month for that year.  It's called "A Year in the Garden"  

This quilt is ready for quilting and binding.  

I am also doing a Facebook group challenge here:   American Patchwork and Quilting 2019 UFO Challenge. 

Here is my List for that challenge:   The number for this February is #6. This is a Round Robin project from 2009.  Needs final borders and some applique work prior to quilting. 

Since our quilt show is in March,  I have two other projects that I've entered that need to be finished by the 15th of March.  (Earlier actually, as I'm show layout chair and will need to have my projects done by March 1st to allow time for show chores).  

The first one is Jamestown Landing,  which has been sandwiched, pin basted and I've started on the quilting.  I'm using a stencil for a large, edge to edge design on my domestic machine.  This quilt has lots of seams,  and it just seemed the way to go, rather than stitch in the ditch quilting with FMQ added.  The pieces are small! 

The other project is "On Ringo Lake",  a Quilt of Valor, and I have arranged to get it quilted on a long arm.  One of our guild members, who does a lot of QOV quilting, has offered to teach me how to run her longarm to quilt this one.   

January UFO Progress!

Yahoo!  I completed both of my main UFO challenge pieces this month!   As I posted earlier in the month, I am participating in two challenges.  The first one is Judy Lacquidera's  monthly UFO challenge at Patchwork Times.  I'm linking to her linky party.   Patchwork Times UFO Challenge

Judy's number this month was #7.   The #7 on my list for her challenge was "Lanterns of Hope".  This will be a Quilt Of Valor.  I was able to complete the quilting and binding this month.   I enjoyed using different quilting motifs in each color area.  

Pattern is "Lanterns of Hope" by HollyAnne Knight at  String and Story.  HollyAnne has also helped me gain confidence in my Free Motion Quilting skills  through classes on her site.  This is quilted on my domestic Janome 9400.   Finished at 60 x 76 approx. 

A great modern twist on the traditional log cabin block. 

This chicken wire pattern is fun to do. 

Some Swirly Goodness!  I'm so proud of the way they turned out! Paisley's too! 

Woodgrain texture in the deepest reds,  and square spirals in the lightest areas.  

 The second UFO challenge is with a facebook group for American Patchwork & Quilting.  Their number for January was #3.  My number 3 was my second quilt for the 70,273 Project.  This quilt is for the 70,273 Project, which is commemoratin 52  the lives of  people with disabilities that were murdered by the Nazi regime in the early years of WWII. 

You can google the project for more information. . This is the second quilt I've completed this year for this project.  I'm a retired special education teacher and this project pulls at my heart strings.

47 x 60    Commemorates 52 lives lost

Block Details

I can hardly wait to see what numbers are in store for February! 

2019 UFO Challenges

   I am joining 2 different UFO challenges for 2019.  There is no doubt that I have enough UFO's to go around for about 4... but I'll stick to two.

    I'm following and joining Judy Laquidera's challenge which is  here:    Judy's challenge
For January,  Judy has picked # 7.   This is my "Lanterns of Hope"  a Quilt of Valor that needs to be quilted and bound.   My list for Judy's challenge is here: My 2019 UFO list

Judy is also having a "12 things to Accomplish"  challenge. Judy explains it here.   This is a list of things we want to do this year,  but is not dictated by a list with assigned numbers each month.


I am also doing a Facebook group challenge here:   American Patchwork and Quilting 2019 UFO Challenge. 

Here is my List for that challenge:   The number for this January is # 3.   My second 70,273 quilt. 

 I have also created a third list of extra UFO projects,  just in case I run out of things to do.  

March projects and Finishes

It's nearly the end of March,  and I have some finishes!  I also made progress on a few other projects this month.   I'm linking to Judy's blog... patchworktimes.  Check it out to see what everyone else is working on

First, the finishes.... 

It wasn't my March UFO,  but It is a completion...  This is on my 2017 UFO challenge list. 

This quilt had it's beginnings as a medallion for a Round Robin I was involved in with some internet friends in 2010.   It came home to me in August of 2010.  It had some issues with laying flat,  and I wanted it to be bigger.  So it got folded up and placed in my UFO pile, waiting for inspiration and the patience to work on it.  Now we fast forward to the present.  

As I was sorting out my UFOs in early January,  this one  came to my attention once again.   I really do love the homespun fabrics and overall design elements my friends added as they each worked on it.   I decided that even though it wasn't my March number,  that if I was going to finish it this year, I had some work to do to address the fact that it was not square, and did not lay or hang straight.    I took a course of action to fix it, and then once it was to my satisfaction,  I decided it needed one more border.    I blogged about this process  at the end of February ... http://scraphappydenise.blogspot.com/p/1-and-fellows-this-was-internet-forum.html

Finished!  
"Life is Good"    3/27/2017

I worked on the border while I was at our guild retreat earlier this month and got the final border added.  When I brought it home and showed my husband the progress I had made, he mentioned that he would like it to go to our good friends, Ted and Cindy.  We have stayed at their cabin in Island Park, Idaho, which is about 15 miles from the entrance to Yellowstone Park.   Since it was out and ready to go,  I decided to go ahead and get it pinbasted and start on the quilting.   

Homespun fabrics are soft and loose,  so I decided to do ditch work, to stabilize the seams and keep them from morphing over time.    There are lots of seams in this quilt!  Many stops and starts, but it paid off.   The final results are great!  Since I wanted the quilt to be soft and cuddly,  I did not want to put too much quilting into it.    It measures 65 x 82"
Hobbs 80/20 for batting helped create the soft, snuggly effect.  

Back of  "Life is Good" 

The back was pieced with more homespuns, and the leftover four patches from the border.  Once again,  I over estimated while cutting and stitching,  but I used them all! 
WIN!  No orphan blocks were created in the making of this quilt.  

Homespun Lap Quilt  - finished! 

I also finished quilting and binding this lap quilt for our guild's "Comforting Quilts" project.  This is made with some leftover bits from my  orphan bin purge in January.   it is 46" square.   Our Guild has a need for this size for several groups who use them in pallative care units in our city.   This size of 45" approx. finished, is large enough to help cheer up a bed,  be used as a topper for extra warmth, or to be used when sitting in a chair.  It's a great way to use up leftover blocks and bits.  They will ultimately go to the families of the recipients.    

I did a simple ditch stitching on this one as well,  and added some straight lines in the two larger borders to keep it stable over time.   The backing for this was the same that I used on the Fall colored Lap I finished in February.  (With 2 yards and some creative piecing, I backed two 46" laps, and a 24" doll quilt.)    These were done with smaller pieces of batting from my batting bin, stitched together.
   

24" doll quilt 

This little doll quilt was 4 more orphan blocks from my bin purge.  It measures 24" square, and will go to the Toy and Joy Foundation that wraps dolls and teddy bears in quilts before giving to children for Christmas.  

My March Progress on Other Projects: 

Marble Madness:   I blogged about this quilt here in February  http://scraphappydenise.blogspot.com/2017/02/marble-madness.html

Marble Madness II -  Waiting for bottom zig-zag border 

At retreat this month, I got it all assembled, until I ran out of border units.  I have added the final borders.  It's been pinbasted, and is ready to start the quilting.   Since I've entered into our quilt show in early May... There is no time like the present.  I have a plan! 


Quilt of Valor:  

I have a blog post explaining the whole story here   

QOV  Stars and Geese
still needs final borders... 

Got the top assembled at the retreat,  but the border fabric had been given to me, and I decided to wait until I could pre-wash it at home prior to adding the final borders.   The fabric is now pre-washed and waiting....   The color catchers were very dark, so I am glad I made that decision.  This quilt has a lot of white space. 

February UFO Complete!

"Flurry"

It's complete!   I was only one day late, getting the binding done on "Flurry".  This was my #9 quilt on my UFO list,  which was the number drawn for February over on Judy Laquidera's blog.  You can check it out more on Judy's blog, by clicking here.

We were challenged to pick 12 Unfinished projects that we wanted to finish this year.... they were posted and numbered by myself.... but Judy draws a number every month, so we work on them in random order.   

I was part of a block exchange back in the fall of 2015 with 7 internet friends.  We each made 2 "gift" blocks for each of the participants.  I wanted my quilt a bit longer, so I added 4 more blocks.   

I laid out the completed blocks and planned my scrappy border while at our guild's retreat last fall.   It feels good to get another quilt off of my "NEEDS TO BE QUILTED" list.  

I chose to do a loose wavy vertical line type of free motion quilting on this, for an informal, modern look.  This is one I'm keeping to use on the back of the sofa for the Holidays.    It finished at 57 x 75".  

The number that Judy picked for March is #5... which is my "Roll Roll, Cotton Boll",  a mystery by Bonnie Hunter.  The top is pieced,  just needs to be Quilted...  (sounds like a familiar story).  

April Finish

Here is my April UFO progress!  Another finish!  I played with my new curved ruler set that I bought at our quilt show to get the curved cross hatching.  I definitely need to practice more.... but that's the story of my life.  For those of you who are just starting to follow, this was a bonus quilt from my "Roll Roll Cotton Boll" quilt that was Bonnie Hunter's 2010-2011 Mystery. 

I don't know where this quilt will go yet.... it's a small lap / crib size quilt.  

This little sunflower template seemed perfect for the alternate blocks.....

It's a wrap! My Dresden Plate quilt is finished!

Finally!  I got this quilt finished.   It was my February UFO quilt... and I got it finished on the 5th of March... so not too bad....

If you haven't heard (or read) the story.... I purchased the antique rings in 1999.  I then hand appliqued them with a needle turn technique to some muslin.  (this process took me a little over  a year of on again, off again handwork.)  

Then I needed a setting for 11 blocks.   A weird number..... but I did not want to make a 12th block. 

The setting I used was in an old quilt magazine, (can't remember the name, or the date) from the mid to late 80's.  I photocopied the pages I would need,  and purchased the blue fabric.   The original pattern had 4 dresden plates in the four corners, and then a scalloped border on four sides to make it a double size.   I had orignally planned on just using the solid blue for the corners, and leaving the scallops off, to make a twin size quilt.   

As I got around to piecing the top together 3 years ago.... I miscut the corners, (imagine that after 10 years, I had misplaced some of the pages).   And to make matters worse,  I did not have enough fabric to fix the situation.  I chose the scrappy block for the corners, and made 4 of them using my reproduction 30's.   (I felt that new dresden plates would look too new).   

The new corners I made with those blocks, were also not the right size, and I had a top that would not lay flat.  

Fast forward to now,  and by adding a "coping strip" to the corners,  I was able to get the top to lay nice and flat. 

Since I really wanted this quilt to have a vintage feeling to it,  I decided to quilt it with a grid.   This will be a quilt that will stay in my personal quilt collection.   I don't have plans to give it to anyone anytime soon.