Friday, January 19, 2018

blue finish, ufo finish, and more!

It's early in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and UFO Challenge season, so it's not too odd that I've got finishes to share already!

Last weekend it wasn't too cold in my sewing room, so I got busy!

First, I decided to work on my UFO for the month.  It was a single block from the Arcadia Avenue quilt I started a few years back.  It's paper pieced (four-letter words there!), and though I started strong, I've fallen off the wagon.  And just watched it drive off...

This one only has 108 pieces, so it's not as bad as some of them.  But those skinny pieces...

But it's done.


It will still need to be trimmed into a proper hexagon, but until I get all of the blocks made, I'm not going to do that.  I don't know why.  I just am.

Once this was done, I switched back to blue thread (part of the fun of the rainbow scrap challenge is using fun colors of thread!) and dug into my scraps to finish #8 "puddles":


And then, with more dreaded templates, #9 "tow away zone":


This one is supposed to be oriented the other say, but I cut the hedgehog upside down, so, well, it's gonna go this way now.  It's my quilt and my wagon.  The templates went better with this one, so either I'm getting better or this one wasn't so hard.  I hope it's the former.

Let's see all the blue blocks, shall we?



With all my monthly "assignments" done, I was allowed to do something fun.  Not that these projects aren't fun, but you know what I mean.

Shortly after Christmas, when Christmas fabrics were on a good sale everywhere, I suggested to the hubby that I make a quilt for his aunt for Christmas 2018.  She's hosted a family Christmas party for her side of the family (her siblings and their families) for as long as I've known her and probably longer.  We do a white elephant-type gift exchange between the adults and a potluck, but I've never done anything nicer or special for her.  I think it's time.  The hubby agreed before I even explained my thought process.  Aunt Linda is his favorite, I think!  (And I understand why - she's a sweetheart.)

After purchasing fabrics, I figured out a pattern.  I think I have WAAAAAY too much fabric, but that's better than not enough, right?  I've cut a lot and sewed some, but this block is not going together as fast as I thought it would, being fairly simple, but that's okay.  I've got about 10 more months until I really need to worry!


The center fabric will also be a 3" or so border and the back of the quilt.  With 25 blocks, this quilt will finish about 66"x66" - a fairly good-sized throw quilt, which is what I wanted.  The block is a Courthouse Square with cornerstones.  The rest of the pattern came out of my brain.

So that's it for me this week.

But we can't have a post without a cat, right?


My sweetheart, Luka, snuggling with my Christmas Pickle quilt.  He seems to be always cold in the winters lately, so he loves to snuggle with all the quilts.  With that face and my newly finished piles of quilts thanks to the 2017 UFO challenge, who could turn him down?


Happy quilting,
Katie

14 comments:

a good yarn said...

Yikes, that hexagon block is diabolical but it looks fantastic! The Blue blocks for your RSC quilt are great. I'm excited about this quilt. That's a lovely gesture to make a Christmas quilt for your DH's aunt. I made a Courthouse Steps quilt a long time ago using a fast piecing method. I wasn't that fast but it did make the construction a wee bite easier. Happily swap with Luka. Wonder if he'd fancy 42 degC? Probably not in that fur coat.

make.share.give said...

Only 108 pieces :) Oh my. Great work!

scraphappy said...

So glad that you finished you list and got to play. Even paper piecing and templates get easier with practice.

Ruth said...

Having goals does help get things done! Good job for this month!! I also went Christmas fabric shopping and have been trying to figure out what I will make with all of it - it has changed since I was in the store. Some of these will be for sale at craft shows, so I want to get a head start on them. I worked on the Scrap Attack challenge, but haven't done anything with any UFOs, but maybe I'll work on one of those next week. I've been sick, but not too sick to sew - that's good, at least.

maggie fellow said...

that will be a wonderful christmas quilt and gift. I look forward to seeing it come together

Marly said...

You've made an exceptionally good start to the year. I like all your blue blocks.

A Left-Handed Quilter said...

Your quilt and your wagon - LOL!! Love your blue blocks and the Christmas quilt fabrics you chose. They will both make very pretty quilts. As far as templates are concerned - they're just rulers without numbers - ;))

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

yay you for finishing the *list* the Christmas quilt will be lovely

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

I love your blue blocks! And beautiful Christmas fabrics !

Carol R. said...

:) just leaving a smile to let you know I was here. I'm sure I already made comments on the guild's FB page.

The Joyful Quilter said...

LOVE those little BLUE stars!! Sorry to hear that your pattern for Aunt Linda won't be as fast to make as you had hoped. Don't worry, though... she's going to LOVE it!!!

Marsha B said...

The Arcadia Avenue block is amazing. Those are ones to do a little at a time, bus so worth it. The blues are amazing, I love blue and the little stars are adorable. Your Christmas project looks like fun, can't wait to see how it progresses. Luka looks are warm and snuggly, he is a pretty cat. Have fun with your projects!

Cathy Tomm said...

I really love your Patchwork city blocks. The blue you have used is just so electric.

---"Love" said...

Somehow I missed this post until after I read your next post this morning. Now I clearly see the Christmas quilt for sure, and I love it. I don't know how you keep up with all the things you have going! I'd be lost for sure, but yours always turn out great. What's even better, you have fun, and can laugh a lot as you progress, as well as keep the rest of us laughing also. Thanks for that! ---"Love"