Last year I jumped on the bandwagon with Mary at Country Threads as she was hosting a “Dirty Dozen UFO Challenge”. Essentially we picked 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.
It started July 1st so with it being June 30th, today ends the challenge.
I thought participating in the Dirty Dozen 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 was gung-ho at first. I was actually in overdrive. It was awesome. I followed the rules like a good girl. Then I went rogue and I finished so many projects working from the list but not adhering to the number that was picked. I would just grab the project that was closest to be being finished.
I thought I would do a recap of what I got done.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Another top I was afraid wouldn’t get done was 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.
This was 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.
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 had this wool project…I’m so happy this got done-THIS IS FINISHED.
I am so glad I darkened the background fabric. You can read more about it HERE.
4-I needed to stitch the stems and make this into a pincushion. THIS IS FINISHED.
It was a quick finish…
You can read about it HERE.
I had baby quilts 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.
I also finished 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.
11-This is my Quilted Twins Mystery. This was slow going but I finally got it finished. 
Here it is finished. It was one of those projects I should have never stopped. I lost steam and then it was so hard to pick up again.
You can read more about it HERE.
I had a red spider web quilt…
Here it is finished.
You can read more about it HERE.
I’m pretty happy with that. I finished 16 projects. I had made a much longer list than was suggested. Mary said to put 12 on the list. I put 32 on my list.
I have a few other projects that came off that list.
These were started blocks….THIS IS FINISHED.
I handed them off to the Cresco ladies. They forwarded the top to Ray and Ray finished it. So…that is off my list.
Here are a couple of projects I was putzing with. THIS IS FINISHED. I passed this on as well.
I think it’s totally okay to look at a project and just pass it on. So I finished 16 and passed three on. That means 19 projects are gone. That’s much better. Having 32 projects started was too many. I’m pretty happy with that progress. I’ll be making another post soon of a new UFO or Dirty Dozen Plus listing. I like keeping track of the projects I have that need attention. It sometimes prevents me from starting more projects.
At one point a blog reader offered to take some and finish them. I honestly really like everything on my list and want to finish it myself. I am still completely in love with all of the projects and if I had more time, I’d have more of them finished.
All the quilts look amazing! What an accomplishment to finish all those, especially in-between family commitments, childcare and gardening! :)
WOW WOW WOW, Amazing . Lord you make me feel so guilty I definitely have more hours in the day than you and yet I’ve accomplished so little. You have given my mojo a huge kickstart. For that I thank you and I’m definitely going to buy the books that have inspired you to move on with the hope they will put me in the mindset of Jo Kramer !!
Beautiful quilts Jo , you are such a talented lady.
Just smashing finishes and amazing work, Jo!! Love them all–the plaid churn dash is fantastic and I also really like your grandson’s mickey mouse quilt–so darn cute…you are the piecing queen for sure thanks for sharing (you make me feel like going and sitting down and finishing up my hangers-on!!
Hugs, Julierose
Wow, you did GREAT! Fantastic finishes!
Wow, Jo! You really ROCKED that Dirty Dozen challenge!!! Congratulations on marking SEW many projects off your list.
What an inspiring way to start the day!! Whoo hoo!! Many deep bows to your success :) Your Civil War Tribute quilt reminded me of a comment/request from another reader awhile back looking for a complete copy of the original instructions. I have one I would be happy to send. Sorry for the delay- I thought it had been moved out in an earlier purge!
Gorgeous finishes all of them. I was really getting tired by the time you got to the last three. I think I got a little more energy when you said you sent those on to another home to be finished. I know that was hard to do. For some reason, if I start them, I want to finish them. My goal is to finish them and start with a new slate. I do still get sidetracked with squirrels though. Fortunately, I usually get them finished. Go figure.
I love all of your quilts but the brown ones stand out the most to me. Those are #1 to me and all the rest are a very close second!
Give yourself a Victory lap around the house cheering all the way! Hooray, you finished such gorgeous quilts, each is outstanding. You are an inspiration to all of us to get off our duffs and sew. I’m sure ready to get going after this moving to a different house. My fabric is waiting….
Wow, talk about completing a challenge! Fantastic Jo. I really like the blue bargello quilt,so colorful!
Wow! What an amazing group of finishes! Your quilts are so beautiful . It’s wonderful to see so many quilts first things the morning. I can’t believe all you get finished and each is lovelier than the one before. Thanks for sharing with us and inspiring us.
I have liked every single on of your dirty dozen challenge. Seeing them all ltogethermakes me realize how coordinated your life is. Fantastic accomplishment. Of the quilts I like the Bagello best. Of you cross stitch the sheep safely grazing is best. You were so right to darken the background cloth for the sheep to standout. Otherwise you would have had to use black and brown sheep. : ) well done.
Wow! Beautiful quilts! You always amaze me with how much you get done. On your Bricks in the Barnyard quilt did you use a plain solid red & if so did you wash it first? I’m thinking that finding a red that doesn’t bleed could be a problem. Thanks for your help!
I did not wash the red. It is a Bella red…not sure which on though. I’ve not had a problem with it.
I do believe you get the prize for finishing the most UFO’s! Absolutely amazing
Awesome, Amazing, Astounding! In other words: A+++!!! You are such an inspiration to us. I always feel like I get nothing accomplished tho when I see your results and know the other things you do. Keep up the wonderful work and the generous sharing you do! Hugs,
You have been a busy girl these last 12 months. New GG-babies, quilts, cross-stitching, new G-babies, home improvement, new G-babies, gardening, daycare, new G-babies, mail-calls, charity shipping, new G-babies ;-)
Great job Jo!!!! What a wonderful year! When do you breathe? ;-)
Oh Jo, you amaze me. I am such a slow producer that just one of the Bonnie Hunter quilts would take me 6 months of continuous work to finish. Bravo for you—I think you are amazing.
Wow! Many beautiful quilts! I love scrappy quilts!
Great work, hurricane Jo! You have cleared out so much, you get to go shopping for new inspiration!!!
Oh Gail…I don’t shop for fabric anymore. I can’t tell you the last time I was in a quilt shop. I might have to go and get some sashing for a quilt I’m currently working on but that’s it…although Lori Holt fabric is becoming a real temptation for me.
WOW!! You are an inspiration. I have SO MANY unfinished projects. I too made a commitment not to buy any more fabric until I finish what I have. Guess I never get to pet fabric again!
Your quilt finishes are amazing! Congratulations :) I love the one so much with the frog fabric and the green sashing. I have some wonderful fabric that I have been looking for the right pattern and that one is it! Can you tell me please the name of the pattern? I see the corners are snow balled rather than 1/2 squares. If you didn’t use a pattern If I can just have the size of the squares to cut and the measurement where to place the seam for the snow ball corner? Thank you SO MUCH for giving us all hope of finishing our UFO pile.
Hi Lori. I’m so sorry. I don’t know the sizes. That left my hands a long time ago. I am guessing 4 1/2 for the inner square and 2″ finished on the outer.