17 ufos in 2017 - Ben Biggs Wedding Quilt

This was the BOM from sentimental stitches and dear jane in 2014-2015. I collected all the blocks when they were free. You have to buy them now but it is worth every penny. Wait! We don't use pennies in Canada anymore. Anyway, I was working on several other hand projects at the time so thought that doing this one by machine applique would be faster. I was wrong. I cannot take a machine with me when I travel. I usually prep and take along several hand applique blocks. I get a lot done that way.

This is all I got done at the Shipshewana retreat earlier this month. 

I have not touched this project since I completed my  first OMG more than a year and a half ago.
This is number 17 on my 17 ufos in 2017. I have all the border swags cut out and fused ready to prep and applique onto the mere 10 inch borders. Four of them. Borders. This will be done by machine.

My plan is to machine quilt each block as I go then connect them together somehow. I don't think I want contrasting sashing strips between the blocks. But I don't have to worry about that for now, do I since I still have about 20 blocks to complete. 

Blessings,
Chris
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Reality Check

I have had the most amazing adventures this year but it is mid November and the year is fast coming to an end. I have been invited to jury duty this coming week and do not yet know what time lines that might encompass. Last time, 25 years ago, I had to report daily for 2 weeks. We shall see on Monday.

Two days ago lost internet access and wondered how I ever managed to get through a day without being on the computer and on line. I should do it more often. The desk top is still out. Something about an IP address? The laptop works. But the big desk top is more fun and it has a touch screen. So much easier to see and to play  . . . uh . . . never mind.

The little boys keep coming for 4 days a week and we are having a lot of fun. Well, until little David keeps climbing onto my lap and pushing buttons, hence the internet issue. Also, some of the house phones do not ring. Something about pushing buttons. And Jonathan glued everything in his room at home with a jar of vaseline. Glad it was there so I did not have to clean it up here. Dawn dish soap helps.

This year I completely completed, including quilting and binding and gifting, 5 whole quilts. I started 3 new ones which is the norm for me. So actually, I am ahead in the numbers game. No, I guess I started 4. Not much work done on any of those at this point.

I worked on 11 of the 17 ufos for 2017. I have one more to post about that but I will save it for December. I did do a bit of work on that one at the retreat last week.

I am clearing the tables and decluttering some of the many project boxes that I pulled out and the new ones I started so there is room in the quilt room for the Q@F retreat here the first 2 days of December. My intent then is, while I have both 8 foot tables clear, to stretch out and layer the Dear Jane quilt and get it ready to big stitch hand quilt. It was suggested to quilt for just 20 minutes each day. I could do that. Maybe.

I have also been pre-washing the new fabrics I brought home so I can get at those broderie perse birds and flowers. 

I got the oil changed in my car before driving 7 hours to Shipshewana, but now have to find time to get my snow tires put on since winter is coming. And I have registered for the April retreat and booked not one, but two rooms.

The potted geraniums finally made it into the house for the winter last week when I was away. Now to clean up the wilted leaves and spent blossoms. Five down 12 to go.

The cows are all settled in the barns for the winter and we passed the bi-annual quality  milk inspection so we can carry on dairy farming for 2 more years.

The corn is not  yet combined nor is the high moisture corn in the small silo. Next week some time I hear.

So some of the amazing adventures were a trip to Poland with my now 10 year old Ava. A short term mission trip to Rwanda Africa. I have yet to post my Rwanda Reflections. And a quilt retreat and workshops with the Australian Di Ford-Hall. But the most amazing adventure of them all has to be publishing my first book. The temporary web site is up for proofing.

I have also been doing a bit of house work (yes really) and laundry. How come I do little boy laundry every week? Oh yes, on Thurs nights they get supper, a bath and clean pjs then I load them in their van and meet Mommy, who has my car, at the university so she can drive them home after her last class. They get home around 9:30-10 pm. We swap cars and I come home after picking up a few groceries since I am in town.

So the reality check is realizing that I will never complete the course work for my doctorate at the pace I am going and the procrastinating attitude I have had towards it. I have typed out exactly 3 pages in the past year. One of my OMG goals for November is to complete and submit one course. The text book has been on my desk for the past 2 months. That's when I typed out those pages. And I remembered to save them. I dropped all the hand written notes behind the desk just before I left for the retreat and now I have to figure out how to retrieve them.

Elly came over for a visit today and she offered  to help, until she saw how many spider webs there were back there after we got a light to look down. So we got out the spider web catcher and got rid of them. She could not fit down under the side of the desk to get them and I could not reach that far down from the top. There is a big book shelf beside the really heavy desk. Grampa had the outrageously creative idea to get a broom and weep them out. What a smart fella I am married to. Now I have all the notes and a cleared off desk. And fewer spider webs.

My OMG and slow sunday stitching project is to complete this 1857 block. I have been fiddling around with it this month. You have to figure out what you want and what leaves to cut out, them what order to stitch them down. I thought I had the first set of leaves placed equidistant on the circle I drew in the middle, until I got to the last triplet of leaves. I don't care that they are not straight and even, they are almost done. I kinda like the dark around those leaves. I get to do a tad bit more of this in the Bally Hall Birds Quilt. I have decided to do some of it by machine so I stand a chance to get it done before the end of this century.

And I found a whole bunch more of the Only2 red and white blocks and nicely organized bits for many more blocks as I was tidying up the quilt closet so I have somewhere to put away the project boxes.

But in reality, I was looking for the heat-n-bond lite to fuse to the new fabric. I cannot believe I used more than 80 yards of the stuff. There has to be some more here somewhere. I will keep looking.

blessings,
Chris

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Dear Jane 2: 17 ufos for 2017

(there is a rainbow I promise  show-me-something-rainbow)
Although I have posted about my Dear Jane 2 quilt throughout the year, I have not done an official post for the 17 ufos for 2017.
I started this second Dear Jane quilt in the brightest colours I could find. Actually, I ordered several fat eighths bundles from  twiddletails the online store at thatquilt.blogspot. Everything you need to know about how to sew up and assemble your own Dear Jane Quilt is there. I have the D J software and preferred the foundation piecing with Carol Doak's foundation paper rather than using freezer paper. But that is my personal preference. I am using a crisp white background fabric. 

 I started the first squares in the fall of 2014 shortly after completing my first Dear Jane Quilt. 

I had 7 quilters sign up to do classes at the FARM but one by one they all dropped out before we even got started.

 But I started anyway and made blocks in fits and starts over the next 3 years. The first blocks were the very easy ones. Nine patch variations. Easey peasey. 

I started a blog called Quilting Jane at the Farm. The plan was to post tutorials for my students.

 And I did post tutorials for a while but not so much for the foundation pieced blocks since you need the software to do them that way. 

  About that time, I discovered needle turn hand applique and started several large quilts.
DJ 2 took a back seat. Sigh.
I made a few more blocks. 

Then started some machine applique using a wash away fusible.  

After a while I started on the foundation blocks with the easiest square-in-a-square.

Then in January 2017 
I discovered the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) 
and decided to join in the fun and hope that I would be motivated to make more blocks. 

And I did make a few.

And a few more.

And still more.

Each month, when the colour was announced, I pulled fabrics and got them organized with the foundation papers. It was going to be so easy. 

And finally I cut all the outer border triangles so I would have enough of each colour and have the odd sized left overs for piecing later. 

Some months I only got one block made. 

And another.

I have packed all the blocks and fabrics and books into their respective project boxes and have sent them off on a winter vacation to a sturdy shelf. For now anyway. I have a doctorate to complete. This can wait. 

Everyone needs a ten year old to visit once in a while so we can learn new things.

Blessings, 
Chris

And then her four year old sister came over and changed the design wall much to her annoyance. 

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Several More 17 ufos for 2017

The initial goal of the 17 ufos for 2017 was to revisit 17 unfinished projects and add a few stitches to progress them along. If a completion took place than that is a bonus. I completed 4 ufos and made substantial progress on several others. However, there are a few on the list that I have no intention of trying to move forward at this time.

For example, on my list were a disappearing 9-patch that only needs a border and to be quilted and a disappearing 4-patch that is so simple but I will have to find it, organize it and figure out how to complete it. The plan was to practice my machine quilting skills and I have started playing with rulers. But not right now. There are, after all, only 24 hours in each day and little boys occupy a lot of those.

This red and white sampler will remain in the project box for a while longer. There are more blocks made than show in the picture but not sure where they are. In a box somewhere. I did an amazing feathered star with embroidery but it is hiding. I will let it stay hidden for now.

This $10 sampler will remain in its box for now also. I cannot decide how to complete that center so will not fret about it for now. I need a deadline and a purpose for my quilts.

My completed Civil War Dear Jane quilt has been kicking around since I completed the top three years ago. I have finally decided to hand quilt it with big stitches using Perle Cotton and a wool batting. But I have not yet stretched it out and layered it. I need to clear off some of the paper work that is scattered all over my quilt room tables. I am, after all, still working on my doctorate if way too slowly.

In two weeks I drive out to Shipshewana for the fall retreat where I will be starting not one, not two but possibly 3 new quilts. I am taking workshops with the infamous Di Ford-Hall from Australia. I met her when I visited there two and a half years ago and have been waiting for an opportunity to learn from her. Do I need to start more quilts? NO. Of course not. Do I want to start more quilts? NO. Not exactly. But I love every quilt of hers I have ever seen. And I have already paid for the classes and the kits.

In the meantime, I have injured my right wrist and will have to let it rest up for the next couple of weeks so I can go the distance at the retreat where all three workshops will be focusing on hand work. I should probably stay off the computer, but I still have to change diapers on two little boys who were not exactly thrilled when I presented them both with big boy underwear this week. The first term is half over and my daughter just got her placement. She has so much reading to do for this intense one year masters program and now she begins her 500 placement hours.

I have been thinking about goals for next year. Crazy things like completing one block per week for each of the ones I am presently working on. That would add up to completing a block a day. So that is not practical. But what about a block per month? That would have me complete the BTCT, Morrell and Antique Wedding Sampler by July 2019. Doable. But what about the Di Ford new blocks? And Bright Jane and  . . .

Wait I hear a boy crying so I get to grand parent some more. In the meantime, I did complete one more BTCT block. This will satisfy my one-monthly-goal-for-october .

BTCT  Block # 14

Blessings,
Chris
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17 ufos in 2017 - Shades of Pemberly

This was a 3 week workshop at my local quilt shop a mere 10 years ago. I was going to be clever and do my sashing in black instead of white like everyone else. It was much later that I saw a picture of the original Austin Coverlet. The sashing is white. But ALAS . . . Jane and Cassandra never competed theirs so I am in good company. These were among the first reproduction fabrics I ever bought. A fat quarter bundle of Austin Reproductions. Each of the prints had names from the books.

Those triangles are 70 degrees. Not the common angle to stitch up with all those bias edges. We made a template for the center medallion and used it to measure against each section to make sure it was going to fit. I spent days arranging the fabrics to be exactly opposite each other then pinned onto the flannel backed table cloth. Clever idea.  Until I put it in a box and forgot it existed. There are a lot of pins in there that could be used in another ufo.

Speaking of another ufo, I took time last night after my little boys went home to prep a few more blocks on the 1857 Album Quilt. Since I had decided to make only 36 blocks, I prepped 12 blocks with the corner leaves. These will be cut in half for the borders. If I stitch at least one leaf each day, it will take me until the beginning of December. If I stitch one block a day it will take me until the beginning of November. If I get off the computer, I could get one leaf stitched before I leave for a day filled with appointments.

I finally finished the leaves and buds here in this Beyond the Cherry Trees block. Now that I have back basted the wreath, I can start stitching around the outside. I find it easier to tuck in the extra convex outer curves first then spread out the concave inner circle after. I certainly am getting tired of those inny-outy tight curves on the leaves.

I did not get any stitching in before I left, but I got a pedicure, did some banking, filled the car with gas, had a chilly waterfit workout before getting groceries and dropping them off at home then indulged in a 90 minute deep massage. Sigh. I will sleep tonight. First night in a week with no little boys in the house. They are so cute but they do get a bit noisy in the night. Especially the three year old who has been sick. And the first term is half over. 

Blessings, 
Chris

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1857 Sampler for 17 ufos for 2017

I wasn't planning to start a new quilt that winter 2016.

But these double pink fabrics left over from 
my first Dear Jane quilt

 accidentally jumped into my GO cutter

 and a lot of leaves got cut out using one of my custom leaf dies

and just landed in a project box.

 What was I to do?

The corner leaves were easy to stitch in place.

 Many doing this QAL are waiting until the end to do the corner leaves or diamonds.

 I did mine first because I could.

I even posted a tutorial-for-melon-points.

 A few blocks got completed and set up on the design wall.

I eventually found my Karen K Buckley Perfect Circles
 and made a few.

However, I was not comfortable with some of the block designs

and wanted to complete the thing quickly, so

 I substituted a few patterns from Sentimental Stitches
 Sally Post Sampler.

My new helper had lots of fun putting blocks on the wall

Then she added the Bright Jane blocks and still had room for more

so pulled out the antique Princess Feather block.

So much for wanting to complete the thing quickly.

 I have not done any work on it for more than a year. 

I had already decided to stop at 36 blocks and not do all 64. 

The final blocks were released July 1 and I really 

disliked working with that solid reproduction limey green fabric.

 Not so nice to needle turn by hand. 

If I pull the thing out, I could blitz it this month and

 have a finished top. 

Well, 36 finished blocks. 

Sewing all those corner leaves together might be a challenge.

I usually like a challenge, but  I went to Rwanda in August 

and all the grandchildren keep showing up.

Come to think of it, I usually worked on this when I was babysitting.

 But they have been coming to my house for the past few months 

and I get nothing done then.

I am thinking about adding more pink leaves around the outside. 

Since I cut out 64 background squares and I am only using 36 then 

I should have lots of them to cut in half for a border.  

That dark purple in the heart block stands out too much.

 Maybe I should use that purple again or replace it. 

My omg-one-monthly-goal  for November could be

 to complete the 11 blocks. No pressure. 

If I wanted pressure

 I would add assemble all the blocks and quilt the thing.

 But I haven't completed this month's OMG and

 I have little boy grandchildren 

coming each week for three sleepovers 

while their mom is in school and 

Gay has another QAL up her sleeve for the new year. 

Having said all that, 

I took along 2 blocks with me today

 and completed one sitting in not one but 3 waiting rooms. 

It was easy peasey. 

Blessings,
Chris

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Think of Me Dear One (TOMDO)

I am still waiting for photos from my Rwanda trip before sharing more about my adventures there. 
In the meantime I wrote several posts back in June. 

When I first saw the invitation to do 17-ufos-in-2017 

I quickly wrote down the first 17 ufos that came to mind

that I thought I could advance by a few stitches.

This was one of them.

 I have not touched this quilt since winter 2012 when I recall doing some early needle turn

 applique on the last day of my last class in the last semester of my masters.

I dared ask if we who showed up that night would get bonus marks for,

you know,

 showing up on the last day knowing full well we all had a final exam the next day.

Didn't get any bonus marks but did pass the exam.

I took a series of classes with Kathy Dunigan when she was living in Oakville ON Canada

before moving back to Texas and starting the Kathy Dunigan Applique Academy

 after Elly Sienkiewicz retired.



Don't get too excited.

This is as far as I got.

It was way out of my league as far as applique skills went.

She even did a weekend retreat

(an evening and 2 afternoons with no sleep-over or meals)

on colouring fabric with oil pastels.

Need to work on that skill.

 

My first attempt with needle turned hand applique.

We were using the sticky mailing labels for our templates

on the top and turning the seam allowance under.

It was tricky since I could not see what I was doing,

let alone, knowing what I was doing.



My first feeble attempt at inlaid or reverse applique.



We learned crazy things like making baskets with ribbon. 
I love the attitude of those handles. 

I even took a workshop with Renske Helmuth to learn about

dimensional applique using silk flowers.

This still needs a few lilies of the valley stitched on.

They are in the box

somewhere.

I was trying out different ways to do the elusive needle turn hand applique.

I initially ironed the freezer paper on the back

and started turning the edges over the freezer paper, but it kept unsticking 

so I basted it in place and it behaved.

This is one of 18 setting triangles that will eventually frame all 29 blocks set on point. 

I did not know how to relax with the handwork  in those days.

I just wanted to get the block done so I could move on to the next thing.

After getting this far, I took a summer course on Abnormal Behaviour and People Who Drive you Crazy then went to India a month ahead of schedule to do some teaching and speaking at  a women's conference. I wonder what, if any, 

handwork I took on that trip?

What I do recall is food poisoning on a 15 hour train ride

and not being able to sleep for a couple of days after I got home.

With the focus this year on the 17 ufos for 2017 

I have been looking at other incomplete projects. 

I could just keep making blocks forever 

and never actually make a quilt.

But then I could not call myself a quilter. 

Blessings, 

Chris

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