getting serious about UFOs

like most quilters, i love starting new projects with new and/or pretty fabric or designs....leads to a cache of unfinished things.  this year have vowed not to start too many new things--only 3 thus far i think--and concentrate on the unfinished...here is one that has been quietly waiting for some action....

a drawer full of plaid scraps for a planned project, abandoned long ago due to far too many tiny pieces...but some blocks got done...what to do?

well only one completed block and a few others halfway....now to be a small table topper for fall...there are 4 more partial blocks that'll make 2 nice potholders...leaving me with those plaid strips...what to do?  thanks to bonnie hunter, the pied piper of scraps, decided on this...

this block will be about 8 inches finished and if i run out of navy (2 yards) will switch to another compatible solid...the idea is to empty the drawer.  about half my UFOs fit in the drawers, most of the others are flimsies waiting to be basted and/or quilted...so that is my quest.  there will no doubt be a few side small projects, but the main objective is to bust UFOs...and bonus effect is playing in my stash keeps the fabric buying siren at bay...LOL!

just for the record

 

so everyone who reads this will know....today is my birthday, one i would not have had without the expertise, knowledge, compassion and guidance from so many healthcare providers at Johns Hopkins and Frederick Health....life is indeed a precious thing...and most of all to the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, who bestowed those attributes on all those people...the day after my cardiac surgery, i promised the surgeon i would not squander the gift he gave, and a stellar report from cardioman yesterday confirmed that...i am blessed beyond measure.... thank you each and every one!

PS photo is of alma mater mascots, university of southern maine....go huskies!

monday report

the weekend started off with a zoom gathering of quilty blog pals....spent the time enjoying the techno-camaraderie working on this...

pattern came from an old magazine of christmas projects here....

i've made 2 of the santas and realized i didn't like the reindeer pictured because of the fabrics used, so with change-up, the reindeer is much cuter i think....no big rush on this but it'll get finished after vacation....

and remember this?

walked by it once too often so sunday pulled out all the scraps and folded them neatly, two separate piles of repros and everything else.  now when i want a repro, won't have to rummage thru the entire bag...
 

doesn't look like so much after all...they are smaller than FQs and just right for small projects and hope they will get used up quicker out in the open.

hot humid sticky icky weather back for the entire week.  got a list of to-dos before vacation, the first thing is staying cool of course!

just a reminder.....

 

Remember...Everyone....Deployed....with 2 nephews as brand new enlisted men, this takes on personal meaning....thank you Delaware sister daughters for posting this!

barb over at "fun with barb and mary" is sewing some pretty circle blocks with leftovers from friend wendy....  i too have a circles project in the beginning stages....

african wax resist prints to be appliqued on black and gray squares....couldn't decide on one or two prints so got a charm pack and using them all up for this project....

a new development!

welcome to mister fassett's neighborhood....it's a colorful and vibrant place to live, even on gray days there is brightness everywhere!  ready to move, are you?

it's about 36" square so a small development, but the residents have jumped right in and let their color fantasy come to life....i am really happy how it turned out and that my basic math skills didn't fail me...LOL!   it just makes me smile....

hump day and sewing has decreased my stress level a tiny bit....so much on my mind with concern for people with serious illness, working very hard at PT that leaves me drained, supplementing with fitness center visits and home exercises, attacks on my health from vile neighbors, an apartment that isn't secure despite the lock making it generally unpleasant living here for far too long, logistics of upcoming travel and what level my abilities will be, finances and my car....most of which are not life threatening but add up to significant and enough to keep relaxing off in the distance.  

this year so far i've held off quite well starting new projects, but the bookmobile is bringing me another kaffe fassett book so i just might cave...still have a lot of scraps to use up....like what quilter doesn't?  rhetorical question that....LOL!

monday design floor

today's post is brought to you by the letter "F"...first up, a "F"inish!

the blueberry bread cloth is done and looks right at home in a longaberger basket, formerly the scrap basket, which will now search for a new home.  that's another UFO off my conscience...LOL!

then, F is for "F"riend....my friend Nann to be specific.....she sent me this astounding package....

the package contained some finished blocks, also a few small applique kits and patterns and a stack of commercial hand dyed fabrics (all to feed my growing applique habit) for me to "F"inish, this begun by an anonymous quilter....it was a "F"ind at an estate sale, no doubt, as Nann is known to prowl around and find amazing things for cheap money....and today i "F"inished a wall quilt "F"limsy using some of the completed pieces with plans for those that remain....just right for some lovely hawaiian-style echo quilting, which i love to do.  

only 15 days to finish my One Monthly Goal and Monthly Mini....with September's OMG already chosen....and lastly, "F" is for "F"oggy, which  today has been but at least cooler "F"inally!

hot weather diversions

with the mercury topping 100 degrees here yesterday and humidity near that...it was my version of a snow day...with shorts and sandals...LOL!  felt like a bonus day, so the to-do list was mostly ignored in favor of some different tasks....first up was this....

years ago i bought this FQ bundle of chevron prints in a variety of colors....i didn't read the fine print and when it arrived, the pattern was bigger than i wanted so they have been percolating in the stash....so pulled them all and gave them the bonnie hunter treatment...cut them up!  larger blocks going to guild for charity quilts, remaining cut into squares and strips.  oh that felt good!  

next, an hour or so was spent trolling the internet for cross-stitch ideas and drooling over the work of others....the good angel on my shoulder reminded me i had a couple of projects yet unfinished, so pulled out the stitchery tote and unearthed this...

a breadcloth....really? remember those?  totally impractical, like who would put greasy muffins or breads on such a pretty thing?  but it needed to be finished and it's nearly done.  i have a nice basket for it to use as display when done...

and some of you may remember this project....the civil war diary.  the book has been sitting near the machine for a couple of weeks nagging at me....so yesterday was the day....

the fabrics were tucked inside this page so time to finish the block....no spark of creativity was ignited but i'll keep the book close at hand and make one block now and then....this one's called "glorious news" but the real glorious news is that today is the last of our oppressive heat, just in time for the weekend.  now today i really have to finish that to-do list!

dog days sewing

ay caramba!  it's another week of hot/humid/sticky days so except for PT, i'll be keeping busy inside.  so what has been going on?  aside from watching olympics, charity tops for the guild have been sewn so they can be delivered later this month...pin cushions have been stuffed....

my daughter's cross wall quilt has been finished and is ready to baste....shooting for a late august finish....and more prep work on the folk art nativity readied for travel....this block along with shepherds and angel are on my vacation sewing list.

and with murmurings of christmas about, just had to jump in with this....

it'll be a reindeer wall quilt and the antlers block is also traveling with me to be appliqued....last year at the beach, a lot of sewing got done sitting outdoors seaside and hoping weather permits again this year.  all this plus PT/exercising are keeping me as busy as i want to be....i also watched this cute movie...

roger ebert panned the irish accents in this movie but it is a cute story...i confess i watched it a second time and picked up more of the dialogue...with all the horror in the news, this was an enjoyable oasis...so keep cool and sew on!

PS i actually walked without aid TWICE...about 20 feet each time, but still walking independently....
 

fast finish

yes, only august 2nd and i can cross off another UFO....it's the "chop suey" wall quilt...pattern by steve flanagan seen in quiltmaker sometime in the last 10 years...LOL!  friend marianne had given me those brights and they were really small pieces but oh so pretty....had to use them....and this pattern was ideal.  

it's only about 28" square but colorful....might be able to sell it...and until the cross wall quilt is ready for the hoop, joseph's coat got selected.  this is probably sofa size or a bit larger and is proving easy to quilt but not sure if it'll be done by month's end....i like many quilt styles but traditional reproductions tick all the boxes for me....

the ongoing scrap saga update.....the basket is finally empty but the tote looms....pieces in there were pulled from stash and are smaller than FQs but bigger than small scraps....quilters will understand that...LOL!

first monday in august....bit of housework, some exercise, sewing....that'll round out this beautiful sunny and comfortable day.  it's my birthday month and am simply delighted to have another year,,,blessed indeed!

august one monthly goal

first a bit of housekeeping.....the christmas topper in yesterday's post was made from a pattern by karen schindler bialik...

august is shaping up to be busy with regular PT, usual other stuff, getting acclimated to the cane and packing for vacation....so have chosen a (hopefully) do-able finish....a wall quilt my daughter found on one of our lancaster jaunts....nearly all pieces are cut....

hoping to have it finished by the time i visit for my birthday dinner end of the month....it's 42x56, designer is judit hajdu of quiltfox design.....all fabrics are on hand...no surprise there!  until it's ready to quilt, my joseph's coat is in the hoop.  also have 2 tops to finish for guild, pincushions to stuff, wall quilt to bind, a few more houses/trees.....and so it goes.  have a blessed day and quilty week!