January 2024 - Time (again!) for UFOs

 HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 

So, here we go again; UFO's 2024! 

I was a slug last year! Out of 18 UFO's (quilts), I finished only one! And that was an Advent Calendar. I also finished two small cross stitched wall hangings. 

Did I make more UFO's to add to the list in 2023? Of course I did! 

Thanks to the RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023), I can add 4 UFO's to the list! Plus some scrappy blocks I started and a Patriotic Table Runner I had forgotten about. That makes it a total of 23 UFO's! YIKES! 

 My GOAL is to finish at least 12 UFO's this year. Will I manage? I have to do better than last year!!! LOL

1) New York Beauty Quilt

Progress: blocks pieced together, thread basted, ready for quilting

2) PSQ 36-patches

Progress: more blocks added

3) Wedding Ring Quilt

Progress: Zero! 

4) Scrappy Christmas Stars

Progress: Zero!

5) Christmas Card Holder

Progress: Decided on fabrics

6) Basket Quilt

Progress: Zero!

7) Scrappy 4" squares

Progress: Zero

8) Scrappy Pineapple Quilt

Progress: thread basted, ready for quilting

9) Crumb Quilt

Progress: Zero!

10) Irish Chain Quilt, blue & white

Progress: thread basted, ready for quilting

11) Got the Blues Quilt

Progress: all blocks done

12) Poppies Wall Hanging

Progress: Zero! 

13) Scrappy Flannel

Progress: Zero! 

14) Tomten's Quilt

Progress: Zero!

15) Granny Squares Quilt

Progress: Zero!

16) House Quilt

Progress: Purchased fabric for sashing

17) Snowman Wall Hanging

Progress: Thread basted, ready for quilting

UFO's added 2023:

18) Swirling Stars Quilt

Latest: all blocks done

19) Star Streams Quilt

Latest: Zero!

20) Bases Loaded, Purple Quilt

Latest: Purchased fabric for backing

21) Patchwork Potpourri Scrappy

Latest: Zero!

22) Orange/Brown Star Quilt  

Latest: Purchased a few orange FQ's / buy fabric for backing?

23) Patriotic Table Runner

Progress: Thread basted, ready for quilting

Knitting / Crocheting / Stitchery

24) Shawl (knitting)

25) Open Finger Gloves (knitting)

26) Santa (knitting)

27) Gnome (knitting)

28) Bed cover / Tablecloth (knitting)

29) Granny Squares Blanket (crocheting) 

30) Over the River and Through the Woods stitchery - here - Finished Dec 14, 2025

Progress: Nothing since the above photo was taken

WISH ME LUCK! 

This and That - In the Heat of Summer

We are at the heat of summer and it is HOT, HOT, HOT! 

Compared to other places in the world, I should not complain about +31C / 87.8F! 66% humidity is actually dry here in QB! It's comfortable inside, not too hot without A/C, until the afternoon the rooms facing west start heating up, although trees are shading.

In spite of the heat; it will be Christmas this year too! We've had an artificial tree for about 10 years. Last year we didn't put up the tree. With three one y/o kitties!!! Read: most probably a disaster! After all the decorations were put away, the tree was moved to the lower ground floor, without demounting and placed in its carton box. Of course the kitties discovered it was the perfect tree to practice climbing real trees! They had so much fun and in the end the tree looked like a scarecrow! It's time to buy a new tree, but for now it'll be a small one. I may have found one I like. It's a small tree for the table, which I can easily move to another room and close the door during the nights so that the kitties won't have fun, in that tree! 

Speaking of Christmas tree. A couple of weeks ago I had an errand in Port Louis. After the job was done, I went to Caudan Waterfront I like this area, not for the shopping (mostly tourist related shops), rather for the atmosphere next to the sea and there's always some refreshments to buy.

This year, they have put up a huge Christmas tree, decorated in red and gold baubles

I wanted to take a photo of this tree and went back earlier this week. Due to the strong glare from the sun, the baubles look a bit washed out. I wonder how many baubles there are and how long time it took to decorate it?! 

It was a nice, but HOT day in the city! Nice to see something else than the sewing table! Haha! 

Back to reality! 

A few more 36-patches are done

It has grown from 23 blocks here to 31 per yesterday. 

31 blocks x 36 = 1116 2.5" squares. 

What do you do with fabric pieces measuring approximately 6-7 inches or bigger that can't be used for anything? I turn them into round coasters, selling at my Etsy Shop

Binding is added to these, just left to hand sew to the back. 

These are nice spring / summer coasters, in lavender (batik) and light green.

Now, to the custom order; the birthday wall hanging

A sneak-peek; one of the pockets and some of the letters. The letters are 'glued' to the background and ready to be machine appliqued.

I so enjoy working on this one! With its bright and cheerful colors in mostly batik, indeed a fun quilt to make! It has also given me some ideas for future wall quilts. 

Are you busy preparing for Christmas? 

I'm not going to do much. Maybe buy a tree and decorate on Monday. I have a dentist appointment and have to go to town anyway. 

HAPPY SUNDAY & HAPPY QUILTING! 

Never ending Scraps

 How are your all doing? Are you in full swing finishing up gifts or decorating for Christmas? 

It has been way too long since my previous blogpost and I know I have missed a lot in blogland. Working on Advent Calendars for my Etsy Shop has taken up a lot of time. They are a bit tedious to make with all its pockets. I love making them though! 

I'm currently waiting for fabric to finish a custom order. The parcel is released from Customs and should be delivered today. It's a fun project; a birthday wall hanging with pockets to add gifts, made in bright rainbow colors. I also have another custom order to do; two small placemats. None are in a hurry getting it before Christmas, no stress.  

What do you do while waiting for material to continue working on a project? Do you work on another specific project? Or do you do a little bit here and there? I have a heap with USO's to attack, but decided against it. 

Instead, I'm doing this: 

Chain-piecing 2.5" squares into 36-patches blocks.

Per today; 23 blocks x 36 = 828 squares done the last week.

This is box #1. As you can see, almost empty. 

I have three different Moda mini charm packs I haven't opened. All cute squares I may turn into table quilts

Box #2. All sorted on colors. Can't believe I have all that green and brown! 

At the beginning of the year, the goal was to make one 36-patches each day. 'Of course' that didn't happen! lol I've been working on the 2.5" squares off and on Happy to say I have reduced the number of boxes and I think I have enough blocks for at least two twin quilts. Some blocks were UFO, you can see it here, picture #11 (and still is a UFO!)

Before I make the blocks, I pick one of each color and try not to get for example 3-4 of the same color next to each other. I know that is not needed, but I like doing it that way so there's a variation of light and dark squares. 

Today I may start decorating for Christmas. I love Christmas / winter quilts on the walls, even if it is summer, hot and humid here.