Tuesday, December 30, 2014

The Plan


During the creative hiatus this past fall, I didn't stop thinking about quilting... au contraire.  I thought a lot about it.... especially the part about how I promised myself that I would finish every project begun and would not let UFOs pile up.   Ha!  So, I took stock of works-in-progress and made a list, which will be my resolution for the coming year.

1.  Almost finished blue-and-yellow quilt.  One of the first I did and before I started blogging.  It's partially quilted but I stopped because I realized that I had goofed big time with the outer border, which is wavy, altho not as bad as this example I found online...

 

I was discouraged at the time because I didn't want to rip the border off and start again and I didn't know how to fix it.  So... on the shelf it went.  I learned from my mistake and don't have wavy borders anymore and I've even found an idea for quilting the border "as is"... so, wavy border quilt is first on the list of UFOs as the oldest one lying around.


2.  The quilt top from a 2013 QAL is hanging from a clothes hanger on the door to my sewing room along with the backing material.  It didn't get turned into a quilt because I couldn't find a backing fabric I was happy with.  This quilt top nagged at me all fall and started me thinking about the amassed UFOs.  So, the second item on the UFO list is the Aiming for Accuracy quilt top.


3.  The quilt top from Barbara Brackman's Civil War QAL is still a just a top. Why?  Because I had no idea how I wanted to quilt it... and still don't.  What I'd like to do is to send it out to be quilted in a Baptist Fan but my Scot ancestors are protesting at the cost.  I need to decide something and get this quilt top turned into a quilt.  Finished is better than perfect.....



4.  Pastel flower-star quilt....ran into a wall when it came to arranging the blocks.  My OCD tendencies kicked in and I balked at having two the the same fabrics in adjacent blocks.  I need to get over that and get 'er done.
 

5.  The final UFO on the list is the 1800s repro fabric hourglass project.  No problem with it; I just got side tracked.  It needs to get done!  No more quilter's ADHD... 



I do have one project planned that needs to be started/finished by May when my SIL graduates so I will not be restricted just to UFOs.  Hopefully, having a published UFO list will keep me from procrastinating in 2015.  So... my resolution for the coming year is to finish these five quilt projects.  Wish me luck!



11 comments:

  1. Being a Scot, I know all about the Scots ancestry thing - except it's still a thing. (Does that even make sense? LOL) The flowery OCD one - could you maybe add sashing between the blocks which would make the same-fabrics-next-to-each-other maybe not feel so bad? I dunno!

    Anyway, I wish you luck, Freda. I know you can do it! :o)

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  2. You certainly have put a lot of thought into your 2015 action plan! Have a very happy new year.

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  3. You have some great projects to finish up! They are so far along and will really finish off rather quick. Take one at a time....pin those quilt sandwiches and go for it. Wavy border.....loop and curls will eat up a lot of fullness in the border. I call it my cheat stitch when I end up with too much fabric in the border. Yes, it happens.
    Then a good overall quilting stitch for the pastel stars to blend it all together.....large stipple or wavy lines.
    Aiming for accuracy top is wonderful.....again a general overall pattern will finish this off. Or even practice doing baptist fans on it....
    Your Civil War quilt needs some thought....it is beautiful.

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  4. I do wish you luck and the strength it takes to stay on track for 2015. Your list of UFOs seems very doable. I only wish that my UFO list was so short. Love the saying done is better than perfect. I should make a wall hanging for my quilting space to remind me. Happy New Year!

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  5. You can do it, Freda! Your adoring fans are rooting for you. As for those Scot tendencies, Barb Vedder of Fun with Barb, has designed a large Baptist fan template. Or the Quilty Folks blog has directions on how to make one out of a strip of template plastic which I recently used. The quilt turned out great. And I machine quilted it. Good luck! Keep us posted. Here's to 2015!

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  6. Of Course YOU CAN and of Course YOU Will. In addition to that you have inspired many of us to aim at the same. Thanks for that.

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  7. The flower quilt is so busy I couldn't even see what you were unhappy about, but I do like the sashing idea, may be green or beige. I say quilt and be done. As for the Barbara Brackman I would consider it an investment and have it professionally quilted if you don't feel you can do it justice. I have an applique quilt I sent out hanging in my living room. Every single day it makes me happy I spent a zillion dollars to have it custom quilted. It is now an heirloom and a masterpiece and I'm worth it. So are you!

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  8. With the maiden name of "Kidd" I share that Scottish heritage--and also I share the OCD tendencies, so I relate to your feelings about your unfinished quilts.
    I applaud you going public with your list and hope it helps you stay on track and so that you have a more successful year of the UFO than mine was this year. : )

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  9. I believe it will be and have faith on your intentions. Happy new year and may your threads never become tangled. Lol

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  10. You have some awesome UFOs! They will be gorgeous when finished. I hope to finish some UFOs that I have before starting anything new too, although I am thinking about the fact that I would like to make twin size quilts for the grandbabies that are about to turn 2 ..... They are outgrowing their baby quilts.

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  11. How did your tiny houses quilt come out? I didn't see it go by as a finish, but then there was a long time there where I was moving.
    Love your UFOs they will be lovely finishes.
    Hugs and Happy New Year

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