Finished UFO's and New Project

It's not often I have two posts in one week, but I'm excited to share some (quilting) news with you!

First, I have some finished UFO's! 

The Scrappy Christmas Quilt was finished in April, but never got around taking photos

I've used red, green, grey, white and gold scraps (I almost ran out of greens!)

For the back I've chosen a beautiful poinsettia fabric

The stocking kit was given to me a couple of years ago (I never buy kits). This UFO was also one of the 'laying on the bench next to the table'.

 I rarely make stockings, so it took me an unpick to get the lining inside and not outside! lol

This photo shows what was meant to be the back of the stockings.  Aren't these too cute to be hidden on the back?! Instead of two, I made four! 

Those of you who read my blog regularly, know I love making scrappy quilts. I'm a member of the Quiltsy Team on Etsy. The team has monthly challenges and for July/August: Scraps! Make anything from table runner to twin size quilt. 

I have cut squares from leftover fabrics for years, separated Christmas from all other themes. 

Big shoe box full of 2.5' squares! 

Not so much sorted on colors,

that's what I did last night; sorted on colors! Phew! Here are only a few. 

Sorted on colors, and one of each. I'm thinking a lap quilt, but it won't be a unique one (meaning: no duplicates!). I have several of most fabric, it has to be duplicates. 

Fun seeing some of these fabrics again, and some I can't even remember what I made. So this is what will keep my fingers warm the coming days. 

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Update: 'What's-on-the-table/chair/bench' list:

- 3 Tea Cozies - quilted - fix loop on each

- PSQ blocks 36 patches - ongoing project - no new blocks

- Pineapple Quilt (UFO) - make a pieced backing - not done

- Double Wedding ring quilt (2021) - arcs done

- NYB - 48 blocks done (2021) - layout

- Christmas Stockings (kit / UFO) - DONE!

- Coffee menu - cross stitching - no progress

Updated APQ UFO list, July 2, 2021

#1 -Blue & White Irish Chain

#2 - Black/White Poppies Wall Haning - FEBRUARY

#3 - Got the Blues

#4 - Christmas Lap Quilt - APRIL - DONE!

#5 - Pineapple Quilt - JUNE

#6 - Christmas Stockings Kit - DONE!

#7 - Log Cabin Blocks (Nancy Halvorsen) - JANUARY - DONE!

#8 - Scrappy Quilt / Migration to Africa - DONE!

#9 - PSQuilt - MAY - DONE!

#10 - Basket Quilt

#11 - Kitchen Wall Hanging (Vegetables) - MARCH

#12 - PSQuilt Blocks - JULY - DONE! 

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#13 - Crumb Quilt

#14 - Scrappy Flannel Quilt 

#15 - Scrappy 4' Squares

HAPPY QUILTING / WEEKEND!

 

APQ UFO Challenge 2020: October and November Finishes

The weeks since my previous post have flown by like a whirlwind! I've been busy painting the bath/wash room, TV-room and part of the staircase. I can't say the reno is completed; a few things are left to be done. The reno has kept me away from sewing and I have enjoyed the break from sewing and doing something else! The Christmas Quilt top is done, that's all the sewing I've done lately. 

During the lock-down (April & May), I was determined to finish as many UFO's as possible. What else to do when you're not allowed to get out, except for grocery shopping twice a week?! Here are a few more finishes.  

This is APQ & Quiltsy Team's UFO challenge #3 (mine #15), November challenge

Another scrappy quilt, a lap quilt size. 

It is made of several 1.5" x 2.5" rectangles and 1.5" squares. Yep, insanity! LOL 

I had to be a bit creative with the back since I didn't have enough of the main fabric.

Some of the strips are fabric from years back, when I started quilting. Fun to work with them again. 

UFO Challenge #6 (mine #3) October challenge

Nurse Wall Hanging

https://www.etsy.com/listing/846910843/quilted-wall-hanging-nurse-wall-decor

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APQ & QUILTSY TEAM UFO CHALLENGE per November 2020  

  

#1 – Log Cabin #1 (my list #13) April – FINISHED!  

#2 – PSQ / Pinwheel Lap Quilt (my list #10) January – FINISHED!   

#3 – Scrappy 2” strips (my list #15) November - FINISHED!  

#4 – Black/White Wall Hanging (my list #7) December – NOT finished  

#5 – Deer Log Cabin TT (my list #17) July – FINISHED - photos missing 

#6 – Nifty Nurses WH (my list #3) October - FINISHED!  

#7 – Log Cabin #3 (my list #18) March – FINISHED!   

#8 – Snowman Village WH (my list #9) August – FINISHED - photos missing  

#9 – Log Cabin #2 (my list #14) February – FINISHED!   

#10 – Snowman Village Attic Window (my list #8) September - partly finished  

#11 – Scrappy 1” squares quilt (my list #16) June - FINISHED!  

#12 – Star batik quilt (my list #12) May – FINISHED! 

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APQ's UFO Challenge 2020 - May Finish

HAPPY SEPTEMBER! How come it's September already? That means we are heading towards summer (this side of the globe) AND Christmas! 

Thank you everyone for your comments on my previous post! I intended to make a few more blocks, but that did not happen. Instead I've made some mug rugs, but that is for another post.

As mentioned earlier, I worked on UFO's during the lock-down.

Here's Quiltsy Team and APQ's UFO Challenge 2020; #12 - May challenge (my UFO list #12)

Scrappy Star Batik Lap Quilt, finished May 3, 2020. The photo is not the best; too much light from the window makes the colors look washed out on the left corner.

I enjoyed working with these bright colors

Closeup of the star

Lots of yummy bright colors! 

For the back I have used a light blue batik.

I can't figure out what the problem was while quilting it; lots of skipped stitches that almost drove me nuts! I tried needles from 75/11 (as I usually use) to 90/14, (I always use a new needle), re-threaded several times, checked thread tension, Masterpiece quilting thread, a bucket with swear words! I'm quite sure the devil was sitting on my shoulder laughing his head off! lol Well, in the end I did finish it! 

Today's question; do you have skipped stitches issues while free motion quilting batik quilts on a domestic machine and how do you solve the problem? My sewing machine is Bernina Aurora 440 QE.

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APQ & QUILTSY TEAM UFO CHALLENGE per September 3, 2020.

#1 - Log Cabin #1 (my list #13) April - FINISHED!

#2 - PSQ / Pinwheel Lap Quilt (my list #10) January - FINISHED!

#3 - Scrappy 2" strips lap quilt (my list #15) ?? - FINISHED! photos missing

#4 - Black/White Wall Hanging (my list #7) 

#5 - Deer Log Cabin TT (my list #17) July - FINISHED! photos missing

#6 - Nifty Nurses WH (my list #3) ?? FINISHED! photos missing

#7 - Log Cabin bed quilt (my list #18) March - FINISHED!

#8 - Snowman village WH (my list #9) August - partly finished

#9 - Log Cabin bed quilt #2 (my list #14) February - FINISHED! 

#10 - Snowman Village WH Attic Window (my list #8) September - partly finished

#11 - Scrappy 1" bed quilt (my list #16) June - FINISHED!

#12 - Star batik lap quilt (my list #12) May - FINISHED! 

My UFO for July is finished as well, yet to take photos.

UFO's for August & September are partly finished. I ordered beads from the UK in July. Still haven't got them due to Covid-19, closed borders and no regular flights. 

HAPPY QUILTING!

 

Scrappy Quilting and Rainy Week

It has been a wet week weather wise. We had a 'cyclone warning class 3' caused by Moderate Tropical Cyclone 'Diane'. 'Class 3' means 'no venture out'. 'Diane' passed 40 km (24.85 miles) off the North coast before 04:00 a.m. Saturday morning and we did not even hear the wind or rain! Luckily it was not a strong cyclone; no flooding or other damages in our area.

I've been super busy with a couple of my scrappy UFO's and happy to say I have a FINISH!

   

This is my UFO #10 (my UFO list) and #2 (January challenge) for the APQ and Quiltsy Team UFO Challenge

The centre is made up of 504 squares, all from swaps I've done earlier. For the 116 pinwheels blocks, I have used 'ugly' fabric from my stash. Hmm.... Actually they don't look that ugly now! It is said all fabric are beautiful in small pieces. I think that is true! Oh, and the brown sashing and border is also from my scraps. 

I only had to buy the 108" backing fabric; a beautiful beige with tiny seaweeds pattern.

Friday we had the 'no venture out' (class 3) warning. While waiting for the storm to pass, I attacked another UFO, one of my 'insanity' project. Who told me some years ago I should cut rectangles 1.5 x 2.5 inches?! (I think I'm a bit lunatic!) Well, I can only blame myself, because I try not to throw fabric pieces that can be used. 

I'm pleased with the progress; two rows and the sashing. 

A fun 'I spy' quilt; do you spot the deer and the gingerbread man? 

It takes a little bit of time to piece the tiny rectangles together, but when that is done the rest goes rather quickly. Fun to rediscover fabric I had totally forgotten. I didn't have enough rectangles to finish another row. I still have some cut, but not enough to finish two more rows. No worries, I have plenty more strips to cut! :) 

Aren't these fabrics pretty? The fabric line is 'Zen' by Makower UK and I think they are OOP long time ago. I don't know how many times these fabrics have been in and out of the shelves and never have I come up with what to make, until yesterday....
...but that is going to be another blog post! :) 

HAPPY QUILTING SUNDAY! 

Week in Review / Some Finishes and WIPs

It's late Sunday afternoon and time for a blog update. 

The sun is shining again today after a couple of days with heavy showers. The temperature has dropped 2-3 degrees (Celsius) and we do hope this is finally the beginning of 'winter'! This summer has been hot! Hot! Hot! More showers to come the coming days, meteo predicts, which is just perfect for indoor activities; quilting! 

In my previous post I mentioned a batik quilt top I was going to work on. As said so done and here it is in all its glory! Finished! 

I love how it turned out! I have used about 40 different batiks. It measures approximately 63.50 x 71 inches / 161 x 180 cm, a good size lap quilt.

For the back I have used a fun batik designed by Pat Sloan.

Soon to be listed in my Etsy Shop

Some weeks ago I finished my 2nd batik jelly roll quilt (see previous post).  I had sew much fun making this one. Love the vibrant colors! 

Don't you just love the back? I have used a gorgeous color splash batik in turquoise, pink, yellow, green etc. Measures approximately 56 x 70 inches / 142 x 177 cm.

Soon to be listed in my Etsy Shop.

I'm still working with batik... 

Some of the blocks for my 3rd batik quilt. I'm not sure how big I want it; lap size or bigger... Currently I have 20 12 inch blocks (sewn into quilt). I need 35 blocks to make a 60 x 84 inch quilt.... 15 to go! ....or more! :) 

Sneak peek on the NYB wall hanging! It is done and ready to be quilted. 

I bet most of you are sick and tired of winter and don't want to hear the word 'Christmas'?! Look what I finished today:

 Another Advent Calendar! :) 

Coming soon in my Etsy Shop.

... and finally...

... a few more coasters for the upcoming Christmas Fair in Vadsø, Norway. 

Time to sign off and get some sewing done this evening. 

HAPPY QUILTING and have a fabulous Sunday! 

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Granny Square Quilt UFO is FINISHED!

A BIG THANK YOU to Jane, Karen, Elzaan and Rosemary for your lovely comments on my previous post! 

In between smaller projects, I've been working on UFO's. I don't have many, but those I have are lap or bed quilts. 

A couple of weeks ago (yes I know, I'm slow in blogging!), I finished the Granny Square batik quilt! 

Yep! It's green too... and brown! :) For years I have tried to convince myself green is not my favorite color... I think I have been wrong all these years! It's very easy to love greens; look out of your window and we are (most of us) fortunate to be surrounded by greens in all shades. The love of nature, I believe it affects us somehow... 

This is the first time I made granny square blocks and I really love them. They are easy and fast to make and gives a quilt a nice look. 

I think the yellow squares brighten up the corners...

I found a beautiful brown and green leaves batik for the back. Even better; it was on sale! :)

In the washing machine it went after it was finished. I threw in 3 color sheets and they came out RED! I thought I had pre-washed all the batiks earlier, but it could have been one of the browns I missed... Love the crinkled look after it was washed! 

I have 3 more UFO's to finish, but right now I can't decide on which one to attack! :) 

HAVE A WONDERFUL (QUILTING) WEEKEND!