Last week you might remember I sent out a UFO Challenge. Â I was hoping some of you might join me in finishing up some UFOs (unfinished projects) before Bonnie Hunter’s new book came out in September…there were quite a few of you who thought tackling some old projects to make way for new projects was a good idea (here’s a like to the other post in case you missed it). Â I was so happy…it’s always fun to sew with others even if it is virtual sewing.
Well I am limiting my UFO work to only Bonnie Hunter projects….Little did I know that I had so many!! Â Kelli was here as I was taking pictures of them and she was laughing and laughing. Â She thought I was more like one of those infomercials that kept saying “oh but wait”…because I have LOTS!!
Are you ready for the listing?? I’m almost, but not quite, embarrassed there are so many…but like Kelli said…”I know you’ll get to all of them someday”…and I will. Â I am so excited about each of the projects. Â I never “fell out of love with any of them”. Â I just don’t have enough hours in a day….So here’s the list and how far along they are.
Up first…Blue Skies. Â This is from the String Fling book…. Â I have a bag of strings ready to go for this and it’s all cut out. Â Not a stitch has been sewn.
Next up…Cheddar Bowties…This is from More Adventures with Leaders and Enders. Â I have about 1/3 of the blocks sewn. Â I have the border segments sewn too.
Fair and Square I fantasize about. Â Kelli has her’s done and I love it. Â It’s been a long time favorite of mine. Â It’s in Scraps and Shirttails II. Â I have the white strips cut and will just grab my 1 1/2″ bucket and start in sewing once the mood and time aligns. Â I’m very excited about this one…Not a stitch is sewn.
On the rack to be quilted are Bricks and Stepping Stones for a Wedding quilt….Jingle Bell Square and Wonky Wishes…. Â I’m excited about them all. Â I have backings prepped picked out for two of them. Â I know I am keeping Jingle Bell Square and Wonky Wishes for myself so, you know how it goes if you long arm, your own stuff gets finished last. Â UGH! Â Update: Â Jingle Bell Square is not finished. Â See it here.
Any guesses on how many more projects I have started that are Bonnie Hunter quilts??Here is Pfefferneuse. Â It’s all cut out. Â I cut it out over a week’s time during nap time of childcare before the new baby came. Â Cutting out quilts was something I could do during nap time was quiet and I could still see the kids. Â This is in String Fling.
Let’s not forget Pineapple Crazy…Also in String Fling. Â I have about 20 more center blocks to do and ALL of the outside border blocks to do.
Here is Virginia Bound. Â That one has been at a stand still. Â I had run out of shirt strings…well I didn’t run out. Â I did run out of variety. Â Being I have LOTS more shirts cut up now, I could get back to this project. Â It is in Scraps and Shirttails I. Â I started this in Moline when we saw Bonnie.
Rectangle Wrangle. Â I love this quilt. Â I adore this quilt. Â When I saw the book Scraps and Shirttails for the first time this is the quilt I most wanted to make. Â The strips for the inside blocks are all cut out. Â Not a stitch is sewn on it. Â I want this quilt for me and only me….again, things for me get set aside.
This is Rick Rack Nines. Â It is in Leaders and Enders. Â This one got started by accident. Â The 2″ bucket was overflowing and needed taming. Â I have all of the segments sewn and cut but only a few blocks are together.
Star Struck I started not to long ago. Â I’ve made good progress on it. Â It started as something I could work on over nap time. Â In the mornings before child care I’d get up early and sew. Â Then during nap time I’d cut the strips into segments. Â The blocks are all finished. Â I’m starting the sashing debate….it’s been stuck there. Â I have the border pieces cut and will start leader and ender sewing them soon.
Here is Santa Fe Star. Â I loved this quilt when I saw it in the book, String Fling, the first time and still do. Â I have the flying geese next to my sewing machine and have been leader and ender sewing them over the past month or so. Â I think this one stalled out because sewing those diamonds isn’t in my exact comfort zone. Â I need to just start sewing them. Â I am sure once I do, it will be no big deal…but then it’s the set in seams. Â UGH. Â I know…excuses-excuses. Â I am doing a little debate on what color to do the red/orange background….print or solid?? Â I just need to do it. Â I’ve given myself a reprieve on it until the flying geese are finished…then no excuses.
Talkin’ Turkey I started WAY back when that block was in Quiltmaker’s 100 blocks before the book even came out. Â I almost have the red string pieces sewn but that’s it. Â That’s in String Fling.
Here is Texas Braid. Â It’s in Leaders and Enders. Â I haven’t sewn a stitch on it. Â For a few years I had the pieces cut but not the red corner stones. Â I never had enough of the same reds. Â Then a couple month ago over nap time when I needed something to do, I cut them out. Â I ended up just using whatever reds I had. Â They don’t match and I’m actually happy that I came to that conclusion. Â Still no stitching….
Here’s Winston Ways. Â I’m not quite sure if some people would call this a UFO…I am though because I have ever intention of making it. Â This has been set aside for quite awhile now. Â It’s a box of red and white strips. Â Any day, I’ll grab this and start sewing the red and white four patches….I don’t have any other part cut out.
Hmmm….That’s 16 projects. Â That’s a lot…sadly many of them are in the “just cut out phase”.
I did finish two while I was off on my medical leave.  I’ll show those off on the next two coming Fridays….Garden Party and my Lozenges quilt got finished up…oh I finished Narragansett Blues and already showed that one off.  If you missed that, it’s here.
So Kelli asked which one are you going to start working on….I honestly said I didn’t know.
I do know that I am going to keep the flying geese for Santa Fe String Star next to the machine and continue “leader and ending” them. Â I think Rectangle Wrangle just might come out to play. Â I know in the summer we go on more road trips. Â That might be a good one to be working on as I could pin the blocks for that in the car….I also set aside a shirt front when I’ve been cutting shirts apart and I could cut the outside stars for it. Â I think I’ll keep Rick Rack Nines by the machine too. Â I could easily feed a few segments into the machine over the next week.
I’m getting excited to we working on these projects. Â You know me, I can’t work on only one. Â Check back here next Wednesday…some kind of progress on these UFO’s is going to happen. Â I’m not sure what…but something.
See you here again next week.
Wow, you are a brave woman. I don’t want to think about how many UFOs I have stashed away. I have made a promise to myself that I will finish one UFO before starting a new project. So far so good. I like the idea of working on an old project, then a new one, then an old one. Hope I can continue to make progress!
I’m still working on Allietare. I really, really, really way to make Orca Bay!
This may sound silly, but when I decide to work only on UFO’s, I like to start with the ones closes to completion and leave the ones that haven’t been started yet until later. Those work good at leader’s & ender’s. I’ll enjoy watching your progress. Blessings, Gretchen
I finished 2 UFO’s yesterday and this morning! It’s so excitingly! Thanks for all the inspirations.
I’m going to continue to work on a couple of Bonnie quilts that are going to be gifts in the coming year. (One started out as a Bonnie quilt and now it’s going to be a variation. I made a mistake coloring it in EQ7 and really liked it.) re: Santa Fe Star-The background should be a strong solid or read like one. Otherwise the star will be lost. For my taste, the quilt is too busy as it is, but there are plenty of other quilts to dive into.
Hi Jo, Good Morning from Southern Ontario. I too have a few Bonnie quilts in various stages. I am going to keep following your blog, because when you start Rectangle Wrangle I will be sewing along with you. It is the one from the book that caught my eye. Oh and Orca Bay. Hope you continue to keep well.
Denise
Good morning! Sitting here with my coffee I can think of at least six Bonnie quilts in some stage of recognizable point. I think I’ll tackle the ones closest to completion but I have a couple of other things that are almost done I MUST finish first. One is Bonnie’s Carolina Chain which is a graduation gift for our grandson! It has fabric from the quilt his father took to college as well as some from a baby quilt I made for him, as well as his first big boy quilt! It will be fun to quilt along!
In trying to choose a Bonnie quilt for this challenge, I counted. sigh… I have 45 started. I do have 5 that are finished tops but need quilted. I probably have that many more that are on my “maybe someday” list. and I have several of yours I want to work on soon. So couldn’t decide to go for the win by quilting the easy to finish 5, or reach back to get the ones with the mindless piecing that I love doing. I decided to split the difference and finish Easy street which needs to be assembled and then quilted.
I only have 2 of Bonnie’s quilts in the works, Grand Illusion and Allietare. Grand Illusions I was putting the rows together and then set it aside. I moved twice and have been getting my sewing space set. Yesterday I pulled the container out and will be working to put it together. On Allietare I am still at the first clue and am just trimming the hst units. I have all her books and have many more I’m putting together in my head but I have a hard time getting things cut out. I just need to get the mojo together to get the fabric cut into the sizes that will work for the quilts I want to make.
That is a totally dizzying list!!!!!! Since I’m more a quilter (machine) than a piecer, my UFO pile is a tad different……..stacks/hangers full of vintage treasures just waiting for their turn at a Cinderella make-over!!!!!
I have. Jamestown Landing and Old Tobacco Road ready for basting–I’ll start there. Thanks for the challenge to get me moving! :)
YAHOO! I guessed the number correctly! I think Maggie and I would be good friends, I don’t think I have 45, but it is certainly pushing 30. My Fair and Square and Boxy Stars are just waiting to be quilted. I have a scrappy Pineapple Blossom that needs the binding tacked down. I have Easy Street pieces all sewn and ready to assemble into blocks. I think maybe I will be brave and get them all out and posted on Instagram, so I can see progress. Since you were brave enough to share your Bonnie UFO number and pictures, I will, too. In one week, my summer sewing fest begins. I have to deep clean my house, but I use sewing as a reward. IF I get the oven cleaned, I can sew for an hour. OR if I spend a whole day scrubbing walls and cleaning, then I can spend the next whole day SEWING. I am going to get so much finished this summer, I can’t wait!
I quilted a UFO yesterday (not a Bonnie quilt) and hope to bind two quilts over the weekend. I finished piecing my son’s wedding quilt and will start quilting it next week. then next up will be a customer quilt. Our employee’s grandmother made a Dresden plate top sometime before she passed away , so I said I would quilt it for them. that was a year ago!! I have several of the same Bonnie quilts as you waiting to be finished. Sister’s Choice, Cactus Patch, cheddar Bowties, Star Struck, Scrappy Mountain Majesty, Lozenges, Split Nine Patch, and couple of your quilts to name a few. Thanks for the challenge and it will be fun to see how much you get done (and Me). Hoping you feel better every day.
I am still working on Allietare, it’s almost finished and would love to finish it. Thanks for the challenge and can’t wait to see your finished quilts!
Allietare is my leader ender while sewing on two mystery sew alongs.
WOW ! so much quilty goodness… just enjoy it all……. both having it and sewing it….it’s all good……..
Please tell me what leaders and enders are.
Looks like my guess of 7 was a little off. Reading about your projects, makes me think. I need to start planning ahead and get some cutting done for future projects and leader/ender to get small elements sewn while working on current projects. Good luck with getting some of your UFO’s done. Thanks for sharing.
I only have one Bonnie UFO, Celtic Solstice, but I have at least 20 other UFO’s. I am currently trying to finish a shoofly quilt I started a year or so ago.
Wow Jo, I will be cheering you on from the sidelines. I only have Easy Street, Orca Bay, Celtic Solstice, Smith Mountain Morning, Texas Braids and Allietare to finish piecing. I have Lazy Sunday, Grand Illusion, and Carolina Christmas ready for quilting. I just finished Roll Roll Cotton Boll last month, and it is on my bed. And I think *SOMEWHERE* in the bowels of the sewing room I have a Strip Twist in the works.
I’m still working on deboning shirts for Smith Mountain Morning, about 20 more to go. Leaving tomorrow for a retreat, but not taking them with me. Too much other stuff!
Gorgeous quilts in progress! I LOVE your quilts, and I love Bonnie’s style, especially since I’ve been quilting with shirt fabrics for ages! I have one Bonnie Quilt started, but I’ve got some almost-done UFOs that I’m probably going to work on first … I figure those might count for the challenge too, so I’m linking a blog post here.
Like the others, I admit to having “a few” BH quilts in progress:
4-Patch Revisited – ready to quilt!
Texas Braid – the piecing is torturing me…I work on this a very little bit each year.
Orange Crush – fabrics pulled and stored
Celtic Solstice – fabric pulled and stored
Allietare – fabrics pulled and stored
Then, there’s all my other UFOs….
Well, I’m not even going to try to think about how many UFOs I have stashed around the apartment. I’ve spent the past week or so trying to get fabrics cut to go out of town this weekend for a 48-hour quilting retreat. I had EIGHT projects that I initially was intending to take. Hello??? I’m only there for 48 hours! There’s one project that I doubt I’d get the top put together if that was the only one I worked on, so I definitely don’t need to take eight projects. I’ve decided to take four and one is really only as a ‘if I just can’t work on the others any more and need to switch to something totally different!”.
My focus for this weekend, and once I’m back home, is a log cabin based quilt that I’m doing for a friend. I’ve also got all my pieces for Allietare cut. Am thinking that for this weekend at least I’ll chain piece on my friend’s quilt, followed with chain piecing Allietare, then back to my friend’s quilt… each chain piecing being the LeaderEnder for the other. Normally my LeaderEnder is sewing precut Candies into pairs (eventually I’ll then match those up into 4patches), and I am taking those to the retreat. Candies will be my third project I’m taking and I plan to start and end each day with 5-10 minutes of just sewing together pairs of Candies. I probably won’t even iron them until I get home; that would be a great thing to do while catching up on The Voice episodes.
While I have plenty more UFOs, my friend’s Cozy Cabin and my Allietare are the ones that currently I want to finish up. It would be great if I could “gift” my friend her quilt for Christmas, and I’m just hankering to see my color choices for Allietare put together.
Good luck to everyone with their UFOs!
I have quite the list as well but none are on my short list. Did you see Bonnie’s Wanderlust or Razzle Dazzle? Both star quilts she did as mysteries in Plani, TX. They might be in her next book but we’re in past Quiltmakers. Just mentioning them in case you need more Bonnie quilts! They are both in my UFO pile.
wow and I thought I had alot. I had UFO’s before I went to come see Bonnie last year at Lou’s quilt retreat. Boy I sure had fun and I can’t wait until next year, not that I am counting(lol). I had some UFO’s then and then I had started the 2 she had for class and the 2 you guys had(still in the bins of the retreat).
the only thing I have to say is this, keep them near your machine and just sew one square at a time. have fun, love reading your post…
until we see you again in 2017.
Sue from WI