UFO report - January 2013

Earlier this month I linked up to 'Nothing but UFO's in 2013' - hosted by Carrie from 'A Passion for Applique'. We are to pick three UFO's to work on for each month and the aim for us all is the finish them too! :)

For January, my aim was to work on these quilts, and I had in mind to finish at least the 'Colorado Star' quilt and do some progress on the two others.

When I pulled out the batting for this quilt, I discovered it wasn't enough! :( This batting I get only at a small shop in the neighbor town... Who wants to go there in the heat of the summer?! Not me!

 

 

Well, my plans had to change and I'm really happy to say I have sewn 40 New York Beauty blocks! When all the blocks for the 'New York Beauty Quilt-Along' were done - I had a square of 48 inch / 120 cm. To me that is an odd size, so I decided to turn it into a single bed quilt by adding more blocks.

 

 

Here are the blocks I have sewn over the last couple of weeks.

This block is from the Quilt-Along. It will be two of this one in the quilt.

 

 

Another block I love from the Quilt-Along, is this one.... It will be two of this one too.

Love the center piece of this one!

 

 

Since I wanted some variation in the quilt, the next blocks are printed from EQ7.

Checked Arc Beauty - this one was a pain! Look at the tiny pieces that forms the center piece! Perhaps they look big here, but actually they are a little bit less than 1 1/4 inch. I'm not used to work with that tiny pieces though..... :)

 

 

The next one from EQ7 - is New York Compass

 

 

The last one from EQ7; Sunburst Beauty

 

 

The other blocks from the Quilt-Along I have sewn this month, you can see here, here and here.

 

I've been so obsessed by the New York Beauty blocks that I have not even looked at this one! The only thing I have done to it, is to pull out the fabrics from the shelf! Perhaps some progress next month?? :)

 

 

Tomorrow the blog post will be about what I intend to work on for February.

 

When I needed a break from the New York Beauties - I made these small projects. They are not UFO's, just some fun projects I decided to make. :)  

 

 

 

 



Weekend projects...

... that took the whole week to finish!

After finishing the blocks for the New York Beauty Quilt-Along last week, I felt sooo for making something else. While I was looking for some fabrics, my hands fell on a plastic bag with leftovers from these projects, so why not create something out of it? I find it very difficult to throw fabric, especially these cute chickens, so here is what I came up with.

 

Teapot cozy...

 

 

... with a matching mug rug...

 

 

Teapot cozy... one side...

 

 

...the other side.

 

 

Matching mug rugs

 

 

Matching placemats

 

 

More mug rugs

 

 

... and the last one...

 

 

Lots of fun making these projects and now there is not a single chicken left! :)

 

As I mentioned above, I have finished all the NYB blocks and I have sewn them together. I will do a blog post about it in a few days.  Now I have a 48 inch square quilt, but I want to make it bigger so that it fits at least a single bed. I have to check out sizes etc. So that is what I will be working on again this week - I think..... You know, it's always fun to start new projects, but I have to restrain myself - if possible! :)) If I get bored, which I know I will, there's always other UFO's to work on!

Have a wonderful week!

 

  

New York Beauty blocks #2 and #9

YIPPY!
They are all done and here are the two last ones.

Block #2 - has Amy from Amy Lou Who's tutorial. Click here for the tutorial.


And finally, block #9 - the last one.
This block has Lindsay from Lindsay Sews' tutorial. Click here for the tutorial.


The New York Beauty Quilt Along is hosted by Kim from My Go-Go Life.
There are lots of New York Beauty photos in the Flickr Group.

Since I now have sewn all the blocks, time has come putting them together. I have 40 blocks - 8 inch sewn into quilt. I have no idea how I'm going to do it... I think I will have to spread all the blocks on the floor and play with a pattern.... One idea is to add the four blocks of each pattern together and then add a narrow sashing around it... But that is just a thought right now...
What I have learnt by making all these blocks, is how important contrast is. I would love to make more NYB's, but right now I need a break! :)  

New York Beauty blocks #3 and #4

I'm just back home after a wonderful 1 hour+ fast walk together with one of our dogs. The morning was a bit crisp - if I can say so during the Mauritian tropical summer. I'm an early bird, so out we went at 05:30 a.m. Sunrise, and the sky was so pretty blue and pink. This was the first day out after some 3-4 mornings when it has been raining cats and dogs when we were ready to go out. The path was a bit muddy, but that doesn't really matter; out is out! :) 
Update: I wrote this draft in the morning, but then decided to do some gardening. I spent about 4 hours in the garden and was able to do more than I expected! Feels good! :)

We had lots of rain Sunday morning, so what felt better than to snuggle up in front of the sewing machine to finish more NY Beauty blocks. See my previous post.

 

This is block #3.
The tutorial is by Katy at 'The Littlest Thistle' - click here. What I noticed now after looking at the tutorial (I didn't do so while sewing), is that two of the center pieces should have been inverted! :( When I sewed them together, I had the feeling something was wrong, but couldn't figure out what and I was too lazy putting on the computer to verify. Oh well.. the blocks are not sewn together, so perhaps I'll redo two of them - it all depends on how I'm placing all the blocks in the quilt...
 

...and block #4.

This block has Lee from 'Freshly Pieced' tutorial. Click here.

As you can see, I'm making 4 of each blocks. Last night I made one from the next block, was 'interrupted' by gardening earlier today, so perhaps I'll sew more tonight - if I'm not dead tired after all the exercise today! :))

 

New York Beauty Blocks - workings on UFO's

If you read my previous post, you already know I have joined 'Nothing but UFO's in 2013. My goal was to sandwich the 'Colorado Star' quilt, because I have batting and backing - I said... WRONG! I pulled out the batting, measured and it was absolutely not enough! :(( I have to go to the neighbor town to get the batting and I don't know when that will be.

Well, since that project has to wait, I decided to work on the New York Beauty blocks. The NYB QAL was hosted last year by Kim over at My Go-Go Life. You can still get the tutorials there.  
This is block #6. Amy over at Sukie Don't You Know Who I Am has the tutorial.

 

The next block I will be working on is block #2.

 

 

Nothing But UFO's in 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season and that 2013 so far has treated you well. This side of the planet, tropical cyclone 'Dumile' paid us a visit, but it was never a threat. I have more about 'Dumile' here.

Do you make New Year's resolutions? Do I make New Year's resolutions? No, never! Because they last not more than 3-4 weeks, so there's no point.

Ever since before Christmas the only (almost!) thing I can think of, are my UFO's! Resolutions or not; I do want to finish as many as possible. My sewing machine and I have taken a break from quilting over the Holidays and in about one week my sewing machine has to go to the dealer for service. I hope that won't take too long, because I know I will be eager to start sewing again after - then - 4-5 weeks 'holiday'.

Carrie over at 'A passion for Applique' is hosting 'Nothing but UFO's in 2013'. You will also find all the info by clicking on link.

If you want to finish at least three of your UFO's this year - come and join!

My oldest UFO is the 'Colorado Star' quilt, the second one for our couches. The first one was finished back in April 2012 - you can see it here.

 

The second UFO I want to finish, is the NYB QAL It started March 2012. I decided to make 4 blocks of each pattern... PHEW! I must confess I got fed up with them and tucked them away - didn't even want to see them - LOL! I don't have many left to do.



This is also a project I started early in 2012. The plan is to make a baby quilt, but didn't have enough fabric to proceed at that time. I had to buy more and when I finally got it, I was again occupied with other projects and the HST- blocks were tucked away.

 

Since my sewing machine has to go in for service later this month, there's no chance I can sew. Therefore - when the Christmas decorations are packed away - my goal for January is to start sandwiching the 'Colorado Star' quilt. I have batting and backing, so it is just to get going - but not until next week. :) I don't think I will be able to finish it this month, it all depends on when I'll get my sewing machine back so that I can do the quilting.