APQ 2016 September UFO - Almost

We are nearing the end of this challenge and I have actually surprised myself with how much I accomplished.  These UFO projects were not the only projects I was working on each month. 

This month's challenge was to complete a BOM (block of the month) that I started in 2015.  I have a separate area on this blog to describe this project.  This was a mystery quilt of sorts.  One block was assigned per month.  I managed to get 4 of the blocks completed during the month it was assigned.  Then Murphy's Law set in and I became a bit overwhelmed with all my irons in the fire and the diminished time I had to work on them. 

At the time of the UFO challenge, I had four more 12.5" blocks to complete as well as fifty-one 6.6" blocks and 50 border blocks that were comprised of 2-HST and two 2.5" squares per block.  I decided to work on the border blocks first.  Lots of cutting, making HST construction, then joining those with 2.5" blocks to make the border units. 

Now, all of the fabrics have already been chosen and assigned a number which needed to match the numbers assigned to each block.  I like this method, it gets me out of my comfort level! 

So, I started cutting 200 squares and sewing them into 50 block units.  I had just finished the 22 inner border blocks and was started to work on the 28 outer border blocks when my world stopped spinning - my workhorse of a sewing machine, my Pfaff 7570 just stopped working. 

No warning signs, it just went kaput!  Now I do have to confess that I have another machine, a Bernina 350PE.  Ok, and a Featherweight.  Oh, alright I also have a Singer Futura and another Singer handed down to me from my sweet mother-in-law.  Both of those are in cabinets.  But, I have been using my Pfaff for over 20 years and just wanted her back!  I looked online for all the information I could find on what could possibly have gone wrong.  I check my online groups as well.  Then I finally decided I needed to get her into my Pfaff expert for a proper diagnosis. 

I was truly worried! 

The news wasn't good.  Parts for older Pfaffs are not easy to come by, and they are expensive.  My sweet husband was going to pick up the $450 tab to replace the LCD screen, but I was so surprised when the repair tech said he would not recommend going forward with the repair.  He said there was no way of knowing what else could be wrong since he needed the LCD to be working to finish the diagnostics.  Given the age of the machine, it was not a good financial decision to replace the LCD screen.  So, I said goodbye to my Pfaff.  Her working space is now occupied by my Bernina and she has been a dream to use.

On a positive note, I need to tell you about my new favorite tool - Block_Loc!  It was a miracle worker for the little HST blocks that needed to be made for the border units.  Here is the squaring up in progress and all the scraps I created. The rulers come in a variety of sizes.  I have (and love, love, love) the 6.5", 4.5" and 2.5" rulers. 


However, with all the time spent on getting Pfaff back up and running, there was no more time to finish the September project.  But, it WILL get done early next year, hopefully in the first quarter.  I did make progress, so I decided that I would consider this an interrupted project and not an unfinished one! 

And life goes on......

The project for October is a tumbling blocks project in Christmas fabrics.  Perfect timing!