Wool Ewe...?

Do you ask questions? Why? Do your questions ask for information or do they inspire action? Which questions are the most important? Which questions are the most powerful? Which questions changed your life?

Week Three

I planned to make 4 different applique blocks this week using the same pastel batik fabric scraps as last week. There's a big difference between what I thought I could do and what I actually accomplished. Somehow in my quest to satisfy one goal of starting new quilt projects I forgot that I also wanted to complete some of the UFOs. And sometimes I want to do something else entirely, like read a book.

I did make one new block.

This is a friendship circle pattern that I love.



I wandered around my house and found this quilt block on a table runner (left photo) and a pillow (right photo).



It's also in a wall hanging (left photo) and an UFO (white on white quilt project).

Week Two

My friend Wendi let me borrow her book, "Schnibbles Times Two" by Carrie Nelson. The book explains how to make several different quilts from either 5" or 10" pre-cut squares, commonly called charms and layer cakes. Unfortunately I used a set of Christmas theme charms for the first quilt I attempted from the book. That little bit of space junk (not quite an UFO, not yet anyway) has been occupying the top of my pool table for several weeks. It's easy sewing, just lots of little pieces to manage.



I wanted to try the author's technique for making a flying geese unit (a three triangle rectangular unit) and I loved her star quilt. But I didn't know if I'd like it enough to commit to the quilt project in the book. My solution--use layer cake size scraps and make a few sample blocks. There are 4 flying geese units in each block.


Note to self: measure twice, cut once--NOT cut too small, measure, cut again.

Week One

I wanted my first project for the year to be cute and creative and, well to be honest, finished.

And...I did it!


Last Wednesday I watched Quilting Arts show 613 (http://www.quiltingartstv.com/) where Julie Fei Fan Balzer joined Pokey Bolton to create a portrait art quilt. The textured background of that project inspired me to make a fabric book.


I started with 6 pieces of black fabric, each cut 5" by 10".
The second layer was small pink scraps arranged to cover most of the black.
The third layer was a few embellishments such as rickrack, trim and paper flowers (from my scrapbooking bin).
I covered everything with the fourth layer, pink netting I saved from the bow on a birthday present.
Then I quilted each one using black thread.


Embellishments!

My heartfelt thanks go to Lisa Hunt for giving me the idea of using a piece of leftover quilt binding as an edging for one of the pages. It's great to have creative friends.

The finished project.

Happy New Year

I like quilting. I like buying fabric. I like looking at quilt patterns. But to me the best part of quilting is starting a new project. It's creative and energizing and gives me a rush almost as wonderful as chocolate. And then something happens. That feeling fades. And another UFO (un-finished object) is born. True, they don't all end up as UFOs. It just feels like it sometimes. I do finish many projects, but it's never quite as thrilling as starting something new.

In January, 2009 I had over 30 UFOs. They were sorted and labeled and neatly put away (I like to organize!). In 2009 I made 20 quilts, plus completed various sewing projects such as bibs, skirts, stuffed animals, purses and curtains for 3 rooms in my house.

In January, 2010 I had about 50 UFOs. I couldn't believe it! The UFOs were breeding like bunnies. In an effort to control the alien invasion, I decided I should finish as many of these projects as possible. My goal for that year was to finish one UFO for every new project I started.

I did that.

I cut the number of UFOs in half. I should be thrilled that I completed a goal, but I'm not. It was kind of a miserable year and I'm glad it's over. I don't want to do that again. This year I'm going to stop "working" on what I do badly (finishing projects) and focus on doing what I do best (starting projects).

I resolve to start one new project each week.