Look at me!! You were expecting to see a quilt I bet. I’ve switched gears a bit and am tackling an old UFO done in wool applique.
This was my #3 project for the Dirty Dozen UFO challenge. I bought this a long time ago. It was from back when Country Threads was still in business…and it wasn’t from the last time I visited.
This project has been hanging over my head for a long time. Something about it was never right with me. I started it and had the words done…but still, it didn’t click.
I think I needed to be older and wiser. Look at the color of the fabric in the photo below. Look at the color of the fabric now.
I love it now. It’s clicking.
Back then I wasn’t a big fan of the cover photo. I didn’t like that background fabric at all. I thought it was because it was dark. Now I realize it’s not the dark background that I don’t love, it’s the staining in the background. I’m not a huge fan of it. I love a modeled look…just not that much.
Now with the start I have, I’m in LOVE! I’ve been working on stitching it a bit while the boys are here. It’s easier to do than cross stitch and there is no counting to have to do.
Carver is really good when he’s here but over nap time if I want him to stay in the living room and be quiet, I mostly have to sit by him…or at least in the living room. I’ve learned that if he watches “his” shows he doesn’t go to sleep…if he watches “my shows”…he sometimes does go to sleep. I learned this on Saturday with I watched Flosstube (cross-stitching shows on Youtube).
On Sunday when he was here I tried the same trick but he wasn’t very tired and didn’t fall to sleep. I ended up letting him get up but told him he had to play quietly. To ensure that, I stayed in my chair working on my wool applique and watching flosstube. Carver looked at the television seeing it was flosstube and said, “Where do you get all these flosstubes anyway?”
I explained to him they were on Youtube just like the things he liked to watch. Bahahahahaha.
Here is where I am at after working on it for the last five days a bit each day…
Everything you see is already stitched down-except the stars. I just need heads and legs on some of the sheep…then do the grass.
I’m so glad I pulled this out. I’m really happy to see it coming together.
I told you on Saturday that I was having the worst trouble abiding by the “rules” (they aren’t strict about it at all) of the Dirty Dozen. I did go over and see what they picked for a number for the month of November. It was #1.
These are my #1 projects…
Virginia Bound:
This one is a top…sort of. I have the center section done.
This is the original quilt….I made mine bigger.
But..when Kelli and I were in Moline for a quilt retreat with the Mississippi Valley Quilters years ago, I saw this version that someone else made….this…
It’s applique around the outside. I think I want to do something like this. The lady that did this is June. She had awesome quilts for the show and tell.
I have saved this picture as a reminder to try something different on the edges.  I love the look and like the challenge of trying something a little out of my box…even though I don’t love doing applique.
I also have a red spider web quilt…
This was a project I bought from the thrift store. I didn’t have all the red I needed to finish the blocks so I sent out an SOS to all of you and a reader donated some fabric. It matches perfectly.
I did pull this project and will be working on it. It was the perfect project as I will cut and prep the papers while I have Kalissa’s boys this week. Then the papers will be ready, complete with the center section in place, for the next time I get some machine time. PERFECT!
I had another UFO on that was a #1. That was these blocks. I ended up giving them to the Cresco ladies and that top is already donated on. YAHOO!!
My niece just had a little baby girl. I’ll need a quilt for her. I have two cut out baby quilts on my UFO list so I think I’ll finish one of them and give it to her. Both are the same quilt… This one.
It’s a very simple pattern and would be quick to finish.
It’s a free pattern on our blog find it HERE.
One is bright prints…
..and the other is in muted prints that are solid colored.
Either one of them would be cute.
So hopefully I’ll get some machine time and tackle one of them.
I went through and counted. I have 9 of the 32 UFOs finished or gone.  We started in June so that is respectable. I haven’t show them all to you yet. I will though in the up coming couple of weeks.
Here’s a peek at one of the UFO quilts I was working on this week.
Poor Rosie is getting so sick of quilting room time!!
So…I’m ready to dive into November and tackle a few more of these projects. What are you up to?
I started a block of the month quilt. I had the option to buy the entire kit, which I did. This quilt shop is 45 minutes from me and I don’t get there once a month….tooo $$$$ . I will be working on that plus some other things I’m sure.
JO, You are accomplishing so much! I really like the cross-stitching. I just made one of the stacking bricks quilts for a future great granddaughter and it was so fun and easy to do. I used a pretty jelly roll of yellows, blues, green, and lavender and then a lavender border. I really like it. Have fun with whatever you are doing!
Trying to finish a quilt, but meanwhile started a table runner called Pumpkin Spice., from the lady in Garner, iowa blog and my quilt club did a Facebook live mystery quilt on Saturday so have those pieces done. And I have two table runners to quilt. Can’t seem to drag anything over the finish line. Too much iPad time. I feel more connected online looking at everyone’s quilts. Missing my friends sewing group while face to face.
Thanks for sharing your progress with the needlework project. I have had that same project for a long time, but needed the motivation to get started. Today it will be prepped and the stitching will be started. I’m looking forward to having it framed.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who has multi unfinished projects. The problem I have lost family and friends members who had many unfinished objects. I have finished some of them and given them to their loves ones. I pray someone will cherish my items with ways to finish them. God Bless you!
I loved Country Threads quilt shop. Not at all my style of fabric or patterns; but, the atmosphere was what drew me to it. I loved the location, the hayloft conversion to a classroom, and all the cats. Of the many times I visited, I bought only one pattern! By the time it closed, I had already moved back to Tennessee. I was sad to hear it was “no more.” It was a lovely place to visit and spend a little time in the rocking chairs visiting with anyone who had decided to also sit for a while. Your project so very much reflects the aesthetics of this lovely quilt shop.
I’m elbows deep in flannel baby blankets. I piece a top and sometimes the back. Sew them right sides together and flip right side out. Topstitch the perimeter and hand tie at needed intervals. They are a good weight for multiple uses as a 2 layer flannel. I had many flannel remnants which I made into charm squares. Now it’s just fun to get them out and make fun designs. I did finish the DD numbers 3 and 11 which I combined because the project was so big! I also finished a baby quilt as my number 6. I’m optimistic about #1!
You are doing great on your UFO (Dirty Dozen) list, Jo! I am working on quilting up some of the Lutheran World Relief quilt tops that have been assembled by my Quilt Bee members. One down and five more to go on the first batch! I imagine I’ll be getting a few more when we do our 1st outdoor, in-person meeting later this week… along with another couple of client quilts. (Busy, busy! Just the way I like it!)
Hi Jo!
I too, have this project in my “want to get done” pile. I just love this, it has always appealed to me. What type of background fabric did you use? 9 projects done is a very good start! One of these days I’ll figure out just how many UFO’s I have –
Take care!
I e been dredging up lots of things in my sewing room. It’s not all quilts. I found two Things I started many years ago. This I’m finishing up a toddler dress with bloomers for a great granddaughter ( I started for my first granddaughter and she turned 18 in March). Then I found a small pair of overalls and I can’t tell you how about old they are because I’m to embarrassed but they still ok be going there a new great grandson I m excited to finish these up and pass them on
Loving your enthusiasm and the fact that you are getting them done. And wait see the next installment of your sewing room