Progress!

On March 24, I finally finished my January UFO project!  I didn't want to rush my work just to meet a deadline that was sort of artificial in the first place.  In January, I completed all of the straight line quilting with the walking foot.  Then in the beginning of March, I completed the free motion machine quilting. I used different motifs in the various areas.  This past Saturday, I added the binding and the hanging sleeve.  I am quite pleased with the project, and it only took a decade or two from start to finish!

I am in the midst of a major decluttering/reorganizing project in my bedroom.  My bedroom is also my craft room.  This project has been ongoing for months, but became more accelerated at the end of February when I bought my new friend Sergio home.

Sergio is a new Viking Husqvarna serger.  I have resisted buying a serger for quite some time, but I do so much garment sewing that it really makes sense to have one.  Anyway, I want to set it up on a little table so I can leave it up most of the time and move back and forth between sewing and serging without having to switch out the machines on the same table.  To be able to do this I need to declutter and rearrange the room to make room for a table.  I might try to put the serger on top of a lovely cabinet I bought that houses an antique treadle sewing machine.  I have the new owner classes for the machine in early April, I just can't decide if I will try to figure it out myself before that.

I also finished my Easter (2017) dress.  I started it for last Easter.  I redrew the neckline to match some embroidery I was using at the neckline, with no thought to the fact my neck still needed to fit the neckline, which of course it didn't.  I threw the dress aside, and then it turned out we stayed home last Easter anyway, because my husband Bob was not up to going anywhere.  I resurrected the dress recently.  I recut the neckline, chopping off the embroidery.  I redid the embroidery once I had a neckline that fit well.  I used bias binding in place of the ruined facings.  I definitely needed a refresher on order of assembly: for some reason I left installing the zipper until last, and that was not a good idea at all!  Since my return to sewing, my husband had been my helper to mark my hems for me.  For this dress I tried a new gadget I bought that one can use to shoot chalk along a line around the level of your dress where the hem should go.  It worked like a charm on the front, I think getting the markings on the back will take some practice.

Yesterday I made a t-shirt!  I used my old tried and true pattern and the remainder of a big piece of grey knit I bought years ago at the Goodville Fabric Outlet (now Zincks).  I wanted to try out the heat transfer vinyl and my Cricut machine to make a graphic T.  

I added one of the little Maggie Made This labels I had made.  I used thread that matched my vinyl.  I really enjoyed making this!

February UFO

I am following along with Judy at Patchwork Times on her UFO challenge.  Each month we are supposed to finish up a designated UFO.  I think I will just be happy to make some progress each month.

My UFO for February was my quilt from the English Paper Piecing party run by Mister Domestic and and Pat Bravo.  I was sick a whole week in February with the flu, but I did manage to make some progress.

Here are the six blocks that are now completed:

While I had the blocks all together for the photo, I took out my Kona sample card to choose a few colors for frames/sashing.  I decided on colors called Artichoke and Khaki.

I also took some time this month to work on the free motion quilting on my January UFO.  I am taking my time and enjoying the process.  

The UFO for the March challenge is my Scrappy Trip around the world quilt.  I am looking forward to working on it!

UFOs for 2018 Part 2

Here are projects 7-12 for my UFO 2018 list:

#7 Cumulative Action Blanket

This is a blanket I am making using my leftover sock yarns.  I started it in 2012.

#8  Scrappy Trip Around the World Quilt

Some years ago I cut strips from all of the fabrics that were in my sewing area and started on a trip around the world quilt.  This is a really fun quilt and I love scrappy things.

#9  Blue Shawl

This is a lovely shawl that I didn't enter in Ravelry, so I hope I can figure out what pattern I am knitting!  Anyway, I am using a lovely gradient set of yarn and beautiful beads, and it will go nicely with a blue capsule wardrobe I've been working on.

#10  Round Robin Quilt

Many moons ago, three quilting friends and I made round robin quilts.  We each made a center square and then passed them along for the next person to add a border.  I have a quilt hanging in my living room that has probably been there at least 20 years, and I'd love to get the round robin quilt finished and hang it in that place.

#11  Prayer shawl

A friend sent me a book about prayer shawls, and I started knitting one with some long color change yarn I found at JoAnn's, using various stitches from a stitch dictionary.

#12  Mojo quilt

I pieced this quilt top as part of a quiltalong online, I think it was called Something New Sampler.  Anyway it was a way for me to try to get my sewing mojo back when I was in a funk.  I want to experiment with colorful threads and some awesome free motion filler designs on all that white.

So those are my current choices of project for the UFO 2018 campaign.  IF I happen to finish up something ahead of schedule, I have other projects in the wings that I can substitute.  There is a list in the notes on my phone in case I wonder later what I was thinking.

UFOs for 2018 part 1

Judy over at Patchwork Times is hosting UFO 2018, where we choose 12 unfinished projects for the year, and then each month we will work on finishing up one of the projects.  So this post will be the start of my list for that campaign.  I am numbering them randomly, as I find photos of them to post.

#1  EPP party quilt

This quilt was part of a big online quiltalong, all English paper pieced blocks, sewn by hand. I think I have 2 out of 12 done.  

#2  Amy Shawl by Romi Hill

I started this shawl in 2014.  I "only" have to knit on the rest of the lace border.

#3  Bedroom quilt

 The blocks for this quilt were pieced eons ago as part of a class I took on the Stack and Whack method.  It was originally intended as a bedspread sized quilt, but now I want to make it a throw.  I need to finish sewing the top together and quilt it.

#4  Lost in Time shawl

I crocheted this shawl in August as part of Camp Loopy, but I have decided I want it to be much bigger.  I will order more yarn and continue on the pattern.  I think I will add the border this time as well.

#5  Project Linus Quilt

I pieced these rail fence blocks from precuts some time ago, I have it clipped together in rows.  I need to sew them together and quilt and bind the quilt.  I am not sure what I planned to back this with.

#6  Swirl Shawl

I started this shawl in 2011.  It involves counting to the extreme,  so is not very portable at all.  I think that is why it is not done.  

I will compile part 2 in the next few days.  I need to take some photos.