Trouble with UFOs....

If they become too old, you can forget what you were doing.  At least that is what I have been finding for the last two that I have been working on. 

These blocks are from a pattern called Painted Daisy.  I don't have the pattern, but someone at a retreat was making this quilt in batiks and it was so beautiful, but the one that really struck me the most was the one black and white one she had done.  So...on my way home from the retreat, I stopped at a quilt shop and bought a variety of blacks (in the number that I thought I would need), the yellow for the centers and the chartreuse for the stem and leaf.  Then I drew up a rough sketch of the pattern as I remembered it.  This was a year and a half ago.  I think I remember even drawing out the layout that I wanted. 

Well, I pulled the blocks out a couple days ago.  All my backgrounds were sewn together, all the flower and leaf petals were made and the edges starched over, and all the flower centers were made, but do you think I can remember how I was going to lay it out?  I thought I remembered, but then I am short three blocks....so was I thinking of something else?  I don't know.

This is the layout that the gal at the  retreat  was using.  I know I was going to do something a little different, but I am still short some blocks.  I have these four totally sewn down.  There are nine others that are prepped and ready to sew.  I am going to have to go through my stash to see what other blacks I have to make the extra three blocks that are needed. 

I pulled this UFO with the intention of only working on it for a day or two but it is going so quickly, that I might just keep at it until it is finished.  I am hoping to do that before #6 Cherry Tree BOM comes out because I really want to stay on top of that one.

I did mention that the last UFO I was working on also had some problems.  This was the toile one that was going to be made bigger and then I just decided to get it done at the size it was. I spoke of this one a week or so ago (a blog post or two ago).  When I opened that box, there were a bunch of blocks already made and I thought that I was all set to make my border, but most of those blocks didn't even go with this quilt.  Don't know why they were made the way they were made, but they will just be some orphan pieces.  So, I had to make the extra blocks that were needed and now that top is done and hopefully going to the quilter this coming weekend. 

So, the lesson here is not to let a UFO sit too long  or it may take a totally different direction than what you originally intended. 

The whole kit'n'kaboodle.....

It just arrived this afternoon and was in the kitchen when I got home from work. This is the kit that I won as a blog giveaway fromVicky and Penny over at  http://www.laquilter.blogspot.com/. 

Upon opening it, this is what I saw.

There is almost 25 yards of fabric in there. How lucky can one gal get?!!!  Thank you again Vicky and Penny. 

Now to decide when I will get to this big project.  I have so many UFO's calling my name. Maybe if I can get a few of them out of the way, I won't feel so guilty starting a new one. 

Thanks again!!!!

Just when you think you are done.....

The borders were pieced

Then they were all attached and looked so great.....

and then I noticed that something wasn't quite right.....

so now I realize that I have five sections that need to be changed on one side only.  How'd that happen? ...and would I be lucky enough to just be able to flip the sections?.....No!

So now I am thinking, do I rip out the whole border or just piece by piece?....

I did piece by piece.

All this and after I was so picky about getting all my toile pieces to lay in the upright position and took pains to get all my points to match and all my seam lines to align.

Oh well.......it's done.

What was I thinking?

I am committing myself.....or maybe I should commit myself.  Not sure which.  If I post this "UFO", I am hoping to get it done and onto the "to be quilted" list.
 

These are  close ups of the two blocks that are in this quilt.

The pattern is in the December 2002 McCall's Quilting magazine.  I sure hope this hasn't been a UFO since then.  I am thinking not, but you know how UFO's can get lost in the scheme of things.  The name of the pattern is "Holiday Elegance", but my plan all along was to name it "My Greenfield Village".  If you are familiar with Henry Ford's Museum and Greenfield Village here in Michigan, you will understand, but this toile reminds me of that great historic area.

Anyways, I was really on a roll with this quilt as I was making it.  I had bought the toile and the black without knowing exactly what pattern I was going to use.  After seeing this pattern, I figured this is where I was going to use these fabrics.  I then went and bought the shirting that is in the sashing.  

I told myself that I loved this toile so much that I ordered more online so that I could make the quilt bigger  than the  66 1/2" x 78 1/2".  Luckily I had no problem finding the toile, but I did have a hard time finding the black which was a Moda tone on tone rose pattern.  So, knowing I didn't have enough black, I went on a search and buying binge for blacks.  I bought a  sateen black (3 yards) and just figured I would make the additional blocks go all the way around that portion of the quilt that was already made, but the black just wasn't right, so I bought 2 yards of Kansas City Troubles black tone on tone, but I just wasn't satisfied, then I bought a Moda tone on tone black dot which I later figured was too contemporary for this quilt.  That dot fabric I sold to a friend who was making a dot quilt for her granddaughter and she used it for her sashings on her quilt and it turned out great. 

Anyways, way too much time has passed on this quilt; and now I have decided that I don't love the toile as much as I did when I bought it.  There are much more appealing (to me) toiles out there.  I am liking the black and brown toiles so much better than this black and cream one.  So I have decided to just add the final border and call it done. 

 I have a few of the pieces for the pieced border already made as you can see.

....and the center of the quilt is already finished.....

....so I am going to finish the border and there is probably a good 4 more yards of the toile left over which I will make the backing out of.  I have plenty of blacks to choose from to make my binding (I'll roll my eyes here!!) and if I have to piece the backing to get it large enough, there will probably be enough of the shirting  and there are even some more of the snowball blocks cut out that I am sure I can get the right sized backing made without buying anymore fabric. 

So while I am waiting for block #6 of the Beyond the Cherry Trees Album Quilt to come out, I am going to work on a UFO. 

I think I will just commit to getting this one done and onto the quilter. 

Finally Up-To-Date.....

Number 5 block is done!  Yeah! ...and double "yeah" because there was red in this block.

I didn't start this BOM until there were three blocks offered up as free and as I started my first one, #4 showed up.  Well, I was sure I would never get caught up.  In actuality, as one block was offered, it was only to be available for one month and by the time the next month's block was up, the first block would be locked out as free and then you would have to purchase it.  So, how lucky was I that 1-3 were still free when I came upon this BOM?  As soon as block #4 showed up, then 1-3 were locked out. 

Anyways, I have been working like a dog to get these caught up so that I wouldn't fall too far behind and just possibly lose interest (although I am loving these blocks so much right now that I can't imagine losing interest).  So, I finished block #4 one day AFTER #5 was offered up.  Since this basket block was done in seven days, if I can keep this up, I don't think I will fall behind.  Now if I can only keep this up through 25 blocks AND a very leafy border with a bushel of berries to applique. 

So, here are all five blocks together on my design wall.  I think they are going to look great (at least in my mind's eye). 

This is going to be one BIG quilt (each are 17") and won't fit on my design wall for very long, but it sure is fun to just get an idea on how it is starting to look.

So, I now have until the 10th of March before #6 comes along.  I am hoping to get to some of my UFO's and get something totally completed there.  Since Beyond the Cherry Trees Album Quilt is going to take a while to complete, I need some satisfaction of getting a few other things done in the meantime.

So, please check back occasionally to see the progress of the "Cherry Trees".  I know I am axious to see its progress. 

Done!

.......at least  with this one boring and very green block.

Well, I shouldn't dwell on the fact that I found this block to be "not so exciting" as I am sure it will fit in well with the whole scheme of things, but I am glad to be moving on to block #5 that was just posted. over at Sentimental Stitches. 

Just to refresh your memories, Gay over at Sentimental Stitches is duplicating these patterns from an antique quilt that she has ; and I am taking the liberty of not making it in the colors of the original quilt, but making it in a "controlled", scrappy, red and green.

Well, now I can look forward to making a little more happy (something with red) block; and it's a basket block to boot, too!  I love baskets!

OMG!!!!

I just won a blog give away from  http://www.laquilter.blogspot.com/.  I am so excited, so shocked, so.....speechless.  Vicky is such a generous person when it comes to her give aways and I am so lucky to be the recipient of one of her best give aways ever (at least in my humble opinion). 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Vicky!!!!

and a Happy birthday to your Penny and Happy Anniversary on your great blog, too.

One pineapple, two pineapple, three pineapple, four.....

Am I dating myself with that? or do kids still say those little rhymes?  Of course I changed out potato for pineapple, but that is what came to mind  as I was working on my next block for Beyond the Cherry Trees Album Quilt. 

Of course if you remember, I have been putting off this block because of all the tight hairpin turns, but little by little it is coming along.  One is done and I am ready to start the second one tonight. 

It's a very "simple" block and I mean that only because there aren't a lot of pieces and this is the one that I just couldn't figure out how to incorporate some red, but I am hoping there will be other blocks that will help balance out this rather boring and very green block. 

Well, back to stitching...some very tiny stitches so that I can make those very tight little curves. 

Happy quilting!

Needed some motivation.....

I needed a kick start this weekend.  I have been such a slug.  It must be the cold weather and wanting to come home from work and just hibernate.  Well, I got a bunch of motivation from friends and it got me going on finishing my third block for "Beyond the Cherry Trees Album Quilt". 

Now I just need to get to the fourth block that I have uploaded and get it started and finished as the fifth block will be posted (or should be) by the 10th of this month.  I have been putting off doing the fourth block as there are a lot of tight curves and I just know they are going to give me some problems, but I will do it.  Also, unless I can figure out how to do it, there will be no red in this block and I really love my reds, so this block may be a little boring for me.  Oh well, we'll see.....and hopefully we will see soon. 

Happy Quilting!