APQ 2016 March UFO

My March UFO turned out to be an attic windows quilt that I started way back when.  I believe this panel was purchased at the Rag Shop in Hamilton, NJ so that may give some folks an idea of how long this one has been in hibernation.  I enjoyed doing the attic window and I loved the fabrics I was using so I have no idea why I didn't get this one done then.  Once my UFO projects go into a bin, also known as the "abyss", I lose track of them.  I am glad this one surfaced.  This is how it looked when I found it again.  (The white blob at the bottom of the picture is my socked foot).  It really only needed to be sandwiched with the backing, then quilted and bound.  It's a small wall hanging measuring 29" x 36".  Easy, right?  Think again. 

 



I already had the fabrics for the backing and binding, along with the batting.  So I didn't need to go scavenging for those items.  I learned that lesson the hard way and have packaged my pieces and parts together ever since. 

My biggest challenge with this one was the quilting.  Not the process since I have now gotten the hang of machine quilting with my Bernina and walking foot.  This time, the issue was "how" to do the quilting.  I knew I wanted to keep it simple, straight lines focusing on the windows.  I didn't want to have a lot of stops and starts.  Another lesson I learned recently.  I needed to find a way to go around each window along with it's frame and sill with one section of quilting.  Although I love to do puzzles,  this one tried my patience.  I traced and traced the lines with my finger and finally found a way to do the quilting with only two starts and stops.  One would have been nice but I'll take it! 

I used a topstitch needle with black Aurifil 50wt thread.  I recently switched to the Aurifil threads and I think it was a great move.  I love this thread!  I stitched in the ditch around each of the 12 windows and then around the outside of the narrow sashing.  I then did an echo stitch in the center of the border and mimicked the mitered corners. 

My lesson learned from this project was in the choice of batting.  Since this was a small project I looked through my batting stash.  I found a piece that was a perfect size and, a bonus (so I thought), it was double sided fusible batting.   It didn't iron down as smoothly as I wanted, creating bunching on the back.  I needed to lift the batting in spots and smooth it all out.  I was not impressed with this batting and it is not anything I would use again.  I will stick with spray basting when at all possible in the future! 

So here is the finished project.  I even remembered to sew on the hanging sleeve! 

 

So, 3 UFOs done, 9 more to go!

Double Header Day!

I have been striving to complete my UFOs over the last several months.  So far I have been making good progress.  I have now just finished two small wall hangings that have been in my UFO pile for quite a while now, years in fact.  All they needed were bindings.  It took a while but I finally attached the binding.  Once the binding was attached, it was a long time until I found time to do the hand sewing part of the binding.  They just never seemed to rise to the top of the pile.  Until now. 

My strategy has been to work on the low hanging fruit first.  There was no overwhelming need to have them done.  They were not gifts, they were not needed for a holiday decoration.  But, in the scheme of things, they required very little time to complete so it made sense to finish these first.

These are the two completed wall hangings.  The blocks are the same and in the same arrangement in each one, but they are done in a positive-negative setting. 

 

This picture shows the back of the wall hangings.  The quilting was done by Karen Thompson.  She used the leaf pattern on the backing as an inspiration for the overall quilting.  It works very well! 

 

This is one of the wall hangings finally on the quilt rack on one side of the fireplace!  It is actually hanging very straight, the Hubs is an engineer, so the shelf is perfectly level and centered.  I just didn't take a very straight photo!  The other wall hanging is on the opposite side of the fireplace.  Unfortunately, it hangs behind our flat screen TV so you only get to see the top block and half of the second block but you get the idea.  The quilt racks were purchased at a quilt show sometime in 2009.  They were custom made and stained to match our furniture.  The shelf is the perfect place to display some of my Jim Shore pieces. 

 

 

Next "fruit" to be picked is a small lap quilt that needs to be bound.  The binding strips are cut but need to be sewn together and attached to the lap quilt.  This binding will be all done by machine.  I think I see a pattern here!  After that is completed, there are two small table runners that need to be sandwiched, quilted and bound.  I won't go more than those three projects ahead since you never know when Murphy's Law will rear it's ugly head! 

 

Stay tuned!