The Project Girl, 2011 UFO Challenge and "The Big Dig"

I'm very excited to announce that I have been chosen to be on "The Project Girl Contributor Team!!!" Starting in October you can find me (and 6 other fabulous ladies) at The Project Girl blog sharing some great projects, tips, inspiration and craftiness. Below is a sneak peak at my first project... Holly Jolly by Jen Allyson of My Minds Eye for Riley Blake.

Speaking of projects.... I finally got a start on my craft room (husband calls it the crap room). Talk about a work in progress. One of the first things I wanted to accomplish is to get my computer and printer set up in the room. This way it forces me to enter the room and work on it a little each day. I think I filled up 3 large trash bags of just trash that had accumulated in the room. Then I pulled out all the empty boxes. My first idea was to box everything up and move it out of the room to paint but I found that I was just jumbling up the room instead. So this project is being called "The Big Dig." I am digging through the stack of stuff (crap) that has accumulated in the center of the room. I am tossing stuff that I don't need, donating stuff that is usable and not feeling guilty for the years it has sat untouched.

I also finished a UFO this last month and finally got a picture of it. This is my 30's Brown and Teal lap quilt. Just in time to start the decorating for fall.

UFO Challenge: CathyO Mystery DONE

This was an interesting finish for me. I started this quilt back in 2009 when I was just starting to quilt. (Do you see where I am going with this...) I can really appreciate how far I have grown after working with this one!


Here are a few things that I have learned since this quilt:

1. The most obvious is the color combination. I still like the fabrics and the colors but just wish I had used a white or dark chocolate to contrast the blue and green.



2. When sewing a ton of little pieces an accurate 1/4 inch is a must.



3. While many will tell you to only press seams to one side, again because of all the little pieces and seams, I should have pressed everything open. (I now press most of my seams open.)
   I have been trying to get all these UFO's done and out of the way so I can make new and exciting things.... I will be working on 2 more this weekend. Hopefully I will have some new pictures to share by Monday.
   
   

UFO Challenge: Dan's Quilt DONE

I finished another UFO in May/June. Dan's quilt started as a sketch during one of my more boring classes when I was attending grad school. My classmate Dan thought I was crazy. I love the way it turned out. I love the colors, the design (super simple half square triangles) and the modern guy feel to it.
Again taking advantage of my Parent's ranch for the awesome pictures. I was getting tired of my backyard fence.

Scrappy Blue Flowers DONE

My first finish for the UFO Challenge. There are a few things I want to mention about this little quilt. First, the whole quilt is from my stash. The backing fabric was gifted to me from my Grandmother this summer. She was cleaning out her hall closets and came across a bunch of fabric. This fabric still had the original tags stapled to it from Demas' Department Store which was located in downtown Lincoln. My Grandmother managed this store when I was little. Demas' was the only place in town where you could purchase clothing, fabric, notions, shoes and many other odds and ends. I spent many hours there with my Mom and Grandmother and brings back many wonderful memories of Pete and Ellie Demas.

The next thing I want to mention is the binding (again gifted to me from my Grandmother from Demas' Dept. Store). I tried a new technique in machine stitching the binding. I attached it to the back of the quilt and then top stitched it down on the front. I like this method for quilts that will be used or washed frequently. My only regret is that I should have used a matching thread color. Oh well....

My Official 2011 UFO Challenge List

Judy L has asked us to make a list and number the UFO’s 1-12, my list is located in a seperate page here on the blog. The first number picked for the month of January was number 6.

6. Blue scrappy flowers (flimsy) January

As I finish the first 12 I will work on the second list. If I finish the current month’s UFO with at least 2 weeks to spare, I will start and try to complete a second UFO from the second list. When UFO is finished I will scratch it off the list!

Something new for 2011

This year I will focus on completing projects.

Not just new projects that I start in the New Year but projects that I have already started. Many things work against me in this goal; one, that I am the world’s biggest procrastinator. (There I said it…. But it doesn’t make me feel any better.) Two, I have yet to clean out or establish any sort of order in my sewing rooms. Yes, rooms. I have made such a mess of my sewing room that I have expanded (exploded) into our bedroom. See above picture of the mess in my bedroom ;)

My modes of inspiration and encouragement will come from two online places; Patchwork Times by Judy L and Stashbuster’s yahoo group. Both are hosting 2011 UFO Challenges. By participating in one, I can easily qualify for the other. The big question is, can I commit to it and finish it?

When finishing these said UFO’s I will be trying out a “no buy” on fabric. I will however be able to purchase some neutral backgrounds, solids, backing and binding fabric, but only fabric to complete the UFO currently being worked on/finished. I must shop my stash first before going to the store.

I can only start something new after I have finished two UFO’s. Finishing includes machine quilting, binding and label. (I have a huge habit of starting and bagging projects, right now I am close to running out of bags, should be a clear warning sign but somehow I keep missing the signs...)

Cue the song (Tesla version) “Oh, Signs, Signs, everywhere there’s signs, blocking up the scenery breaking my mind, do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?”