Working On My PhD

I usually call my unfinshed quilts "UFO's" (UnFinished Objects)."

I had recently had seen it referred to as "PhD's" (Projects Half Done).   And I love the new name!  Calling it a PhD makes me feel less ashamed about them.  In a way, the more PhD's you have, the prouder I should be.  Right?

I'm still working on my Kaleidoscope quilt.

Anybody got any catchy names for it?  A few names I've come up with:
            Organized Chaos
            Coming Out of the Dark
            Rainbows in the Dark  

I'm sorry to say that SeamUp, the online community for quilters and crafters, had to say "goodbye."  After two years, the developers, Brye, Allison, and Jennifer, had only part-time to devote to a project that needed full-time effort. Although I am sadden by the news, I am looking forward to hearing and seeing more of Brye, Allison, and Jennifer on their blogs and/or podcasts.  I really have missed them!!

Jane

Labor Day Sew In

During the Labor Day weekend, Seamed UP (click here--> seamedup.com), they had a Labor Day Sew In.  Since I don't have a twitter account, I couldn't officially participate.  I still felt the urge to take advantage of the three-day weekend.

I had worked on my Kaleidoscope quilt (I still need to have a catchy name for this one).  It will be completely hand pieced and I had pieced about two more rows.

Having to make new blocks, I had to draft more black triangles... lots and lots of triangles.

To give you an idea of how many triangles will be in this quilt, I'm planning 31 blocks across and 31 blocks down (making it a square quilt).  With 12 pieces in each block, that will make it about 11,500 triangles total!

I'm going to have to set this quilt aside for a little while.  My Cub Scout will be participating in his Pack's Raingutter Regatta next weekend.  He has selected the theme for his boat (his latest obsession) and we will have to decide the paint job.  Oh, the excitement!!!

Jane

Irresistible Creations

When I was ordering the fabric for the Sunflower quilt, I had seen these fabrics.  I just loved the colors.

For some reason, they reminded me of muffins.

So, I purchased them.  It was very impulsive. I'm not proud of myself.  But they do make me smile!!

So I thought they would make great pincushions shaped like muffins.  I don't know just how quickly I'll get to start on them.  I still have to make a pattern for them.

I hate it sometimes that I get so many ideas in my head.  If there were just more hours in the day!

Jane

Back In Black

I'm finally feeling that I'm accomplishing some progress in my UFO's.  No quilts are finished but I feeling I have been moving forward, at least.

I had decided to work on two different UFO's.  You had seen the Sunflower quilt from the last post.  I have appliqued all the sunflower on the body of the quilt.  I have just received the fabrics for the borders and once they are sewn on, I can continue with the appliqueing.

I've got a pile of sunflowers ready.

One good reason not to leave your UFO's unfinished for a long period of time is that it becomes difficult to find the same fabrics you may have used.  I've had to substitute the black fabric in the border for a solid black because I was unable to find it anywhere online or at my local quilts shops.

And you know that I can't work on just one quilt.  I have been avoiding this quilt for a while.  Although I still love this quilt, it is a very complex and tedious one.  But I think it will be all worth it once it is done.  Here's a sneak peak!

I hadn't planned it, but black is predominate in both of these quilts.

Jane

Working On The Next Quilt

After setting the hexagon quilt aside, I pulled out my Sunflower quilt to work on.

Once I had gotten to a point in this quilt, I was thinking that it missing something.  Nothing said "wow" to me.  So I had decided to add more sunflowers to it.

Here is a photo from about a years ago

                                                                     Here is the same quilt from today

Do you notice the additional flowers that were added to the cornerstones?  I'll be adding more along the border once they are placed.

I'm having to make about 40 more flowers for the borders.  That make makes 360 petals to be cut out and appliqued.   Whew!!

Jane  <3 p="p">

Catching Up on the Red and White

Little by little, I'm catching up on my Just Takes 2 BOM quilt.  I can't believe that we're up to block # 59!

I had finished a lot of blocks before we left for our family vacation.  We had  taken the boys to  Kings Island.  My younger son is finally tall enough to ride the BIG roller coasters.  When he was smaller, he would hear about them from Daddy and big brother and get a little upset because he was unable to ride them too.  He surprised all of us.  He was able to ride everything (within his height limit) without any problems.  I believe I have another roller coaster geek.  Me, on the other hand, after not riding on coasters for about 10 years, I've realized that my body doesn't react the same as it had in the past.  I find it very sad because I used to ride a lot of the them before the kids.  I guess I have to slowly work my way back up to that level again!

Now back to quilting...

I'm still a little behind, but I think I'm accomplishing a lot.  Here's a few of them.

I have to reorganize the blocks I have finished and will have more photos soon.

Jane  <3 p="p">

Quilt Burn Out

Humdrum...monotonous...routine...uninteresting...

That's how I'm feeling about this quilt.

This is not unusual for me.  I love the feeling of starting a new quilt.  About halfway through the process, I start getting very bored doing what seems like the same thing over and over again.  In this case, making the hexagons.  But once that is a finished, I will have to construct about 400 flowers out of them.

I'm going to have to set this quilt away for a while and pull out another UFO.

Before I can set it aside, I had to sew some of the hexagons together.  A sneak a peek of what it would look like once I have it done.

Now, what to decide to work on next?

Jane  <3 p="p">