Getting new projects organized

While I work to finish up some UFO and WIP projects, I need to have some new projects going as well to keep me motivated.  Besides, new projects are fun. 

The new Saturday Sampler will be a row quilt based on Fair Isle or stranded knitting patterns. The pattern was designed by a young local quilter, which is extra fun. I did a lot of Pinterest surfing while riding in the car on Saturday afternoon for ideas of colors that I wanted to use.  So many options!  I settled on 2 browns, a lime green, and 2 shades of burgundy with a cream background.  We won't get the first block pattern until February but it feels good to have a plan and to have the fabrics all gathered. 

Another sew-along that I've participated in for a few years is the Riley Blake Design Challenge.  One block per week is manageable.  I have these 3 fat quarter bundles of Tula Pink fabrics that just needed a plan on how to use them.  I think my usual background of scrappy white, and maybe a few solids thrown in will work for this sew-along.  

The first block was posted Tuesday morning, called Bloom and Grow by Lori Holt.  It was actually a very quick block to make.   Each week's block will be designed by a different designer, and the last week of each month will be a "catch up" week with no block release.  It's going to be very fun I think.  

Guild swap is no longer a UFO

In December 2021 our local guild did a fun challenge - Adopt a UFO.  Anyone wanting to participate would put a UFO (started or not) into a gift bag or box, so it couldn't be viewed.  We drew numbers to determine the order we got to choose a bag.  See my post about it HERE.

Even though we couldn't see what was in the bag before choosing, mine held a miniature quilt kit that had been purchased and then abandoned without being started.  And it was all 30s reproductions and English Paper Piecing.  

I made 9 of the 12 stars, all hand pieced, and then appliqued them onto muslin squares. Then I added the skinny yellow and lavender borders.  It stalled out at that point for a year.  Or maybe more than a year.  I finally decided I would NEVER get all that tiny applique of flowers and vines done, so I added a purple 30s print for a border.  That's about the time I decided to hand quilt it.  

The center section was easy enough to hand quilt - outline each star, add some lines through the star points, and then outline each square.  This was definitely a project that I started and stopped over and over again.  But finally, almost exactly 4 years from the "adoption" I decided to kick it into high gear and finish this little project.  

It's actually done!   My version of Granny's Stars is only 25" square.  I think it turned out very cute, and will probably hang in my sewing room to remind me to persevere.  And look!! We actually got a dusting of snow.  It was only 11 degrees BELOW zero out on the deck when I took this picture yesterday morning.  

And since the last stitches have gone into one UFO, I've begun the quilting on another.  

This UFO is going to be machine quilted, and I have a good start to it.  It's the Dresden Plate block that I used as a demo for Sew Vintage a couple years ago.  The partial Dresden Plate is the skirt on a girl wearing a bonnet.  This block became the starting point for last year's Stay At Home Round Robin.  It's wall hanging size.

A whole new plan for Woven Hearts

Earlier in the week I posted 2 layout options for Woven Hearts - one used 4 blocks, and the other used all 6 of the blocks I had made.  I had some great suggestions, including making a couple more blocks to use in 2 small quilts.
 

I liked that idea, so I made 2 more blocks.  Then I realized I had just enough of the tropical print to make 3 blocks.  So I did just that.  And now, I have a whole new plan that was hatched thanks to all the awesome suggestions.  One quilt - still square - but big enough to be a child size quilt instead of 2 small baby quilts.  It will end up just a bit more than 50" square.

It's all pinned into rows now, so I'll work on getting this to the flimsy stage.  It will make a great project to work on in between getting that Saturday Sampler to the flimsy stage too.    

SAHRR 2025

 I've followed along for a few years with the Stay At Home Round Robin. Sometimes I've joined in on the fun, and sometimes I've actually participated.  The idea is that we choose our own center block, and then 6 designers will challenge us to add something each week.  

Last year I kept it small and mostly simple, but actually participated each week.  The center block is 12", so the "rounds" are each fairly small.  This one is currently sandwiched and ready to quilt.  I just need a plan.  It's on my PHD list for 2025, so I've committed myself to finishing it before the end of the year.

I think this will be my center/beginning block for 2025.  It's 12" x 20" and there is a small version too that could end up in the project as well, depending on what the weekly challenges might be.  With the rainbow of colors in the pineapple it shouldn't limit me with what colors to use each week.  

I know that I really shouldn't start any new projects when there are so many UFOs and WIPs going on around here.  But where is the fun in that?  You know that isn't going to stop me - or even slow me down - from starting new projects that catch my eye.  And yes, there are more new projects on my radar for 2025.   

https://quiltinggail.com/2025/01/13/sahrr-25-centre-block/

Design Wall Monday - Jan. 13

Saturday morning I went to Saturday Sampler where we received the finishing instructions, and the new program was introduced.  The 2024 program was a very modern looking asymmetrical design.  The new one is going to be a row quilt.  I'll share more on that some other day - after I select some fabrics for it.

The finishing instructions suggest making this quilt in 4 quadrants. That is a very practical idea as the quilt finishes 96" square.  So far, I have the top left quadrant sewn together, and have the 16 blocks laid out for the top right.  That will be one goal for the week - getting that second quadrant made.  

My Sunday morning project was mainly spent making the extra 5 blocks for the Woven Heart UFO project discovered in my sewing room.  I even used the corner trimmings to make some little Hourglass blocks that might work as cornerstones.  The blocks are 15" square, so without sashing it would be 30 x 45 which is kind of long and narrow.  Adding 2-3" of sashing on the sides and center would help balance that. 

However, I'm also thinking that I could just use 4 of the hearts plus the cornerstones and make the baby quilt square.  Notice the lime green as a possible binding to pick up on the green in the floral print.  But of course that leaves 2 heart blocks leftover.  They could become pillows or used in something else eventually.

What do you think?  I'm kind of waffling between the 2 layouts. 

For handwork this week, I plan to bind this little wall hanging.  It's the UFO swap project from a couple of years ago.  Hand applique and hand quilted by me.  That's why it has taken so long to get to the binding stage.  LOL

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog

Circle of Friends block #7

 

The 7th block for Carol Doak's Circle of Friends is finished.  I had the parts all cut for this paper pieced block, and then realized that my purple was too dark and had no contrast with the black.  But there was a perfect size chunk of this lighter purple in the scrap bin and it worked out much better.  This was a fun block to make. 

Notice a change in background?  There wasn't enough of the one on the left to do all 12 blocks, but this dot has the same colors in it so I'll have 6 blocks with each background.  I think if I alternate them in the quilt top it will look fine. 

RSC25 - Week #2

Pink, pink, pink!  Who knew that playing with pink would be so much fun? 

Our local quilt guild has a tradition of exchanging 6" squares.  If we travel somewhere and visit any quilt shops, then we share a 6" square of fabric that we've purchased that reflects the location.  We have a smallish guild so it's not a huge investment as a yard and half is more than enough.  I've made several quilts over the years with those squares.  but the first one I did was a star block using the 6" square in the center.  It's queen size and in one of our extra bedrooms. 

But there are lots and lots of squares in the project box, along with a few star blocks that I made last year.  And I see plenty more pink squares to play with. 

I played with lots of strings early this week.  These are 9.5" square, and are hanging with more of them from 2024.  If I counted correctly there are 24 now.  

Some smaller string blocks happened as well.  There are more than 40 of the String Bead blocks, so they might end up making 2 or 3 quilts eventually.  

And I spent some time looking through the closet and bins to see what other pink UFOs might be hanging around.  One bag held this "woven heart" block and the fabric to make more.  I have no clue what the original plan was, but now my plan is to make a baby quilt.

The parts are now all cut for 5 more blocks.   These blocks are 15" square, so I think 6 blocks plus some sashing and cornerstones will make a decent baby quilt.  

I'm linking up with Rainbow Scrap Challenge . . .

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/