Yahoo!!  I’m over here in NE Iowa doing a happy dance.  I am officially and completely caught up on cutting up my shirts.  I told you all my goal was to get through all four garbages of shirts that I had here waiting to be cut up.  Last week I forged ahead and just finished them all!!

My easy goal had been to cut up one shirt a day but once I saw that the finish line was close I decided to just go for it.  Here what I did last week.

I have the shirts, a bag of blue and yellow scraps, more scraps, and a bowl of buttons.  I already have everything cleaned up and put away.  I’m so happy.  I can’t remember the last time I was completely caught up on shirts!!

To be honest, I don’t know if I was ever completely caught up on shirts!!  This is HUGE accomplishment for me.  I know those of you who love working with shirts can likely relate.

Do you want to know what is happening next??  I’m… Continue reading →

Mary at Country Threads is hosting a “Dirty Dozen UFO Challenge”.  Essentially you pick 12 unfinished projects and number them 1-12.  Each month she picks a number and that’s the project you finish.  Read more about it at Country Threads.

I thought this would be a good way to tackle a few of my UFOs. I started out adhering to the guideline and then went rogue finishing whatever I could.  I wanted to give you all an update and check for myself to see how I am doing.  So, here goes.

1-Virginia Bound:  THIS ONE HAS NOT BEEN TOUCHED!!
This one is a top…sort of.  I have the center section done.

This is the original quilt….

But..when Kelli and I were in Moline for a quilt retreat with the Mississippi Valley Quilters years ago, I saw this one that June did….this…
It’s applique around the outside.  I think I want to do something like this.   She had awesome quilts for the show and tell.

I love the look and like the challenge of trying something a little out of my box.  I might not get it completely finished in a month but I sure can try.

2-Churn Dash Shirt Quilt:  THIS IS FINISHED.

That was the before picture…this is the after.

I completely adore this quilt!!  You can find more pictures along with a tutorial by following THIS LINK.

3-Hawk’s Nest-THIS IS FINISHED.
This wasn’t really very far along.  I had the triangles..and I had the fabric.

Here is my finished version.  You can see more pictures and read about it HERE.

It’s a Bonnie Hunter pattern found in the book Scraps and Shirttails II.

4-Hawaiian Sunset- I haven’t touched this.
If you’re a long time blog reader, you know I’ve wanted to do this for YEARS.

5-Scrap Bargello in Plaids-THIS IS FINISHED.

I’ve made this quilt before…but wanted to make another.  Here is where I was when I started…
Here’s the finished quilt…

The pattern is in the book Scraps and Shirttails Book One.  You can find it HERE.

6-Garlic Knots- I haven’t touched this.
Several years ago a blog reader gifted me a bunch of batik scraps.  All were on the small side.  About the same time, Bonnie Hunter was making this quilt, Garlic Knots.  I thought the batiks would be perfect.

So over nap time over the course of a week or two, I cut out this quilt.  It sat and then last fall I sewed about 10 of the blocks together, then it got put away again.  It’s time to get it out and finish it.

7-Floribunda- I haven’t touched this.
This is Bonnie Hunter’s quilt:  I have most everything here to make this.  I collected floral scraps over the years.  There was enough for me and Kelli to make the quilt.  Kelli ended up taking the fabric and cutting strips for us both.

That’s as far as the quilt got.

It supposed to look like this.  (Picture from Bonnie’s blog)  The free pattern for this quilt is HERE.

8-Oregon or Bust- I haven’t touched this.  Well, I’ve cut more shirts for it.
This is another Bonnie Hunter quilt.  It’s from the book Scraps and Shirttails II.  I have long wanted to make this ever since I found Mary from Country Threads version.

I collected shirts for several years as Mary’s version was made with only blue and orange 100% cotton upcycled shirts and I wanted to make mine like hers.  I am as in love with Mary’s version.  I have the shirts deboned but that’s as far as I am.  I can’t wait to make this!!

9-Sofie’s Quilt- I haven’t touched this.
This is a quilt of a friend of mine.  They found it in grandma’s cedar chest.  They asked if I could quilt it.  I’m super nervous about this as the white background is thin.  I think I’ll consult with my friend Carla from Longarm Quilting Inspirations about this.

I LOVE the design.  I’d like to replicate this quilt.

10-Sugar Bowl- I haven’t touched this.
This is another FREE Pattern from Bonnie Hunter you can find HERE.

I have some strips cut but that’s about it.  This finished quilt (Picture from Bonnie’s blog) suppose to look like this….

11-Show Off- I haven’t touched this.
This is a free Quilted Twins pattern.  This is a 100% cotton recycled quilt.  (Find the pattern HERE)

Kelli just made on in all blues…

I have to admit, I wish mine was all in blues.

12-Holy Toledo
This was cut out but that’s it.   This is another Bonnie Hunter quilt.  This one is from Scraps and Shirttails II.  I LOVE this book.

Here it is finished…

You can read more about it HERE.

 

I have a
1-red spider web quilt…I am currently working on this-blocks are done.
2-black spider web quilt started too but forgot to take a picture.  Update:  I can’t find this anywhere.  I’m wondering if I passed it on.

3-I have this wool project…I’d love to get this done-THIS IS FINISHED.

I am so glad I darkened the background fabric.  You can read more about it HERE.

4-I need to stitch the stems and make this into a pincushion. THIS IS FINISHED.
It was a quick finish…

You can read about it HERE.

5-I have scrap vortex that I started-  It’s the project in the bag on the left in the photo below.  Some asked what Scrap Vortex is.  You can find more about it HERE.  Scroll to the bottom..it was a quilt along.  I haven’t touched this.

6-I have this project in the basket on the right, with the red square in the middle.  I’d really love to finish that up.  It was so fun to make.  I haven’t touched this.

7-I have this baby quilt cut out….THIS IS FINISHED.

It turns out there were actually two of these quilts that were cut out.  I finished this one too.

It’s a free pattern on our blog find it HERE.

8…and this baby quilt…same quilt as the above quilts. THIS IS FINISHED.

9-I also have this quilt I started for my grandson Scotty. THIS IS FINISHED.

I think this was the first of the UFO projects that I completed.  You can read more about it HERE.

10-Double Wedding Ring Quilt
I hope to get to this soon.  I want this finished.

This is how it was.  It’s a top now.  That last seam is sewn…and I found that binding fabric but that’s as far as I am.  Some progress even if only a little.

11-This is my Quilted Twins Mystery.  I have made a little progress on this.  I have the top about halfway assembled.  I am currently, slowly working on this. I powered through and finished this up over the weekend.  I’ll be showing this to you soon.

12-I have other things too…these were started back in January of 2020….
I have an idea for this that was sparked after a blog reader shared her quilt.  We’ll see where it goes from here.  An idea is a start!!

1.  These were started last fall….THIS IS FINISHED. I handed it off to the Cresco ladies.  They forwarded the top to Ray and Ray finished it.

Here are a couple of projects I was putzing with. THIS IS FINISHED.  I passed this on as well.
…and of course, the dog quilt.  I want to make that too.  That will be #4.

There are more projects…These are the ones I just found….

#5-This is a simple rectangle quilt. THIS IS FINISHED.

This was designed by us and put in our shop.   HERE is a link to the Shop.

This was so fun to make.  I gifted this quilt to Kalissa for Christmas.  See more pictures and read about it HERE.

#6- This is my finished Civil War Tribute top. THIS IS FINISHED.

You can read the whole post and see more pictures by following THIS LINK.

#7- Another top I’m afraid won’t get done is Bricks in the Barnyard.  THIS IS FINISHED.

This quilt is Bricks in the Barnyard.  It’s a Bonnie Hunter pattern in the book Scraps and Shirttails Book Two.  You can find it HERE on Amazon.   It’s one of my favorite books.

Mine is larger than the original. HERE is the link to see more pictures and info about the quilt.

#8- This is just a charm square top. THIS IS FINISHED.

This was made from a $10 bag of charm squares from a garage sale.  I added a few more charms to get it to this size.  Simple but nice.

You can read more about it HERE.

Oh, my word.  Did you tally that all up?  12+12+8= 32….  I had 32 projects that I classified as UFOs.  So where am I at 7 months into the challenge??

I have 19 projects that are done or I have passed on.

I have 13 more to finish.

I am thrilled with those numbers.  Sadly, I’ve done most of the quick projects already and am left with the ones that are going to take more concentration.  I am happy to see that the list is whittled down and hopefully if all goes well, I will be down to at least 12 by July 1st.  That means I can join the UFO Challenge again and I might actually be able to tackle them in the following year.  That is EXCITING!!  I love the prospect of being in control of my UFOs!!