I do have a finish but no photo yet...

I found a tin with two half done stitchery kits in it. I have been trying to remember how long they have been there and I guess it is about 7 - 8 years. So I finished one stitchery and have made it into a wallhanging. At least that is what the design is for.... I think though that it might become a little table topper or mug rug. It is an early Anni Downs pattern and still cute. It might be small but it is finished !
My camera battery is flat and it is too dark for a photo with my phone so hopefully I will be able to edit this post in the morning and add a photo.
Lynda. (bettsylyn)

YEAH, my first finish

 does it qualify for May, since there is only an hour before midnight?  The wallhanging was finished a few hours ago, but I had to master the camera and uploading the photo to prove the finish - too much technology for this old soul, but I should do better next month.  I've also been unwell all month, hence the really late finish, sorry.

The wallhanging is my version of one of Julie Haddrick's wonderful South Australian art quilt patterns, and I started it ambitiously nearly 5 years ago, to surprise my husband for his 60th birthday.  The real surprise is that he'll be 65 soon, when the eagle will finally be given pride of place amongst his collection of eagle pictures.  It has truly been a labour of love, and I'm delighted to have had the motivation of joining this group to ensure the eagle is no longer grounded.

It's not a super clear photo, but all the stitching is raw-edge machined [not my strong point] onto pellon, then outline quilted with multi-colour thread through a second layer of pellon and matching backing same as the cream background fabric.  I'm hoping this will help it hang nicely.

A night's rest, then I'll think what's the next project in line.
Happy stitching everyone, and congratulations to all the other finishers
Liz

May a Little finish do?

This piece was started a couple of years as part of a bigger project which didn't eventuate. So I  found another home for it. Unfortunately my photo doesn't show the bejewels applied to it. They do glitter nicely.......I appliqued the fish and some coral from another piece of fabric. This panel will be used in a classroom for littlies.  

YES!!!! I got one finished.

I was running late again this month but I DID get my 8th project finished and marked off the list.

 

Blocks left over from my Star Quilt –A Long last year.
Don’t they look good together make up into a baby quilt..



You can read more about it here.  http://maria-lifeontheblock.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/finishes-for-may.html

I hope to be more organised for next months finish.

Hugz, Maria

A sad story but happy ending

Once upon a time, like about 16 years ago, I had just joined my first Craft Group.  We made an applique project, which was fine.  I enjoyed learning how to do needleturn applique, and choosing the fabrics. Sewing on the hair of the doll was fun.  But – what was I going to do with this little item?  Well, into the cupboard she went.

Advance about 6 years, and I bought a new sewing machine.  Out came my little applique piece, and I practised a little embroidery on it, using the stitches built into my machine.  I sandwiched it, and did my first stippling using my new machine.  I quilted a fancy stitch in the border, trimmed it off and…….

Back into the UFO cupboard it went.  I still didnt know what I was going to do with it.  So I left it languishing there for all those years.  We moved house 3 times and still she came with me, but didnt venture out into the light of day.   That is until this month. 

Some of my Grandies were visiting, and playing putting the “babies” to bed.  They needed blankets and pillows. Suddenly it hit me.  Of course this little piece would be wonderful as a doll blanket.  Out it came, the binding has been added and it is no longer a UFO. Maybe it will live happily ever after.

Technorati Tags: 2012,6th finish 2012,Marilyn,Mardi Meanderings,doll quilt

Finish #11

Another project finished - Yeah!!!  This tablemat started out as a challenge in March of 2011 for Playing with Blocks Club.  I needed to make something using the green fabric provided and the Stack and Whack method.  I completed the top by the next month but I finally quilted and bound the table topper this last weekend.

May finish!

Here it is the end of another month, and I'm just squeaking by.  I literally made just a few stitches of this back in 2009, from a sale kit I bought after Christmas 2008.  I recently found it in a basket along with a similar project.  It was quick to work up, and I can't believe I didn't finish it sooner.  Maybe because I forgot I had it??

Keep on stitching....Sunny

May Finish - Just in time again

Gosh - I know I work best when I have a deadline - but  . . .  maybe next month I will be earlier??  (Maybe not)
I found a Christmas stitchery in the "cupboard" so it was perfect for a quick finish and I thought I'd try a new binding method  at the same time.  For the full long drawn out story of why it wasn't as quick as it should have been go here.
But for the short version - here it is.

OK - off to look for June's UFO

Happy Sewing everyone!

May Finish

This month, I just have one tiny finish. I cut out the pieces for a couple embellished gift bags for Christmas 2010. When I realized I wasn't going to get them done in time, I pinned the pieces together and stuck them in a tub. I came across them when I started trying to inventory my UFO's for 2012. I knew I'd need some smaller hand pieces to keep up with my goal of at least one UFO finish a month, so kept them handy. I didn't expect to need a smaller project until June, at least, but summer came early this year! I changed my mind on how I wanted to finish it and turned it into a door-knob-hanger instead - another item to pop in my box for small Christmas gifts for the next holiday season. I'm happy to say that this is my 6th UFO finish for the year! What a great feeling!

 

An Angel for May

The only finish for this month is left over from last November when I was in the Tilda Christmas swap run by Cat of Catalina's Cottage. I had to make a prototype of the angel as I found some of the instructions a little lacking in information.  She only needed really minor things finished, like sewing up turning seams and hemming her dress.  Why do we always leave the little things unfinished?
This is my green Angel.  She matches the colour of the walls so perfectly too.

She sits all by herself because I modified the wings  slightly.

 I think that she will live in or around the buffet when it is cleared and is all nice and neat again.

The planned finishes for May are now carried over for June.  At least I have a bigger head start on them now.

Karen

Justpurrfick.

A Soldier's Star

I recently finished this quilt, A Soldier's Star, in preparation to teach a class (finally, my first quilt finish this year!).  And since it is also Memorial Day here in the US, honoring soldiers - I thought it was doubly appropriate to share today.



"A Soldier's Star" Lap Quilt, 62" x 62"



Designed for the 2011 AccuQuilt Barn Quilt Design contest (← story), the layout was inspired by my son's service with his army combat engineer unit in Afghanistan.  Their mission was "route clearance", sweeping for mines and protecting roadways.  He returned safely last October, and I intended to give it to him then, but haven't been able to quilt it until now!

The design won 2nd place in last year's contest, and if you ever find yourself in Fremont, Nebraska, you can see a 6-ft billboard of it mounted on the side of the AccuQuilt company headquarters. 

Easily made with squares and half-square triangles, I've made it into an 8" potholder, a 22" table topper, now this 62" lap quilt for my son, which he can fold up on the couch or hang on his wall.  All of those sizes can be easily cut out using AccuQuilt dies.  You can see a slideshow from my recent class:  SLIDESHOW

My next goal is to make a bed-size quilt for myself.  I've put together a pattern with instructions to make the quilt in all sizes (except for the potholder - those were 1" finished squares.)  PDF downloadable patterns are available for purchase HERE or HERE.

Happy Quilting!

Quiltscapes

 

Last month’s gift block

Hi all,

how are you going with your ufo-busting this month???

I’ve got one in the fire and hopefully will be finished by next Thursday….yep, that’s right, NEXT THURSDAY is the last day of May so get those needles working overtime, find yourself a smallish finish to get done (if you haven’t started yet) and posted on the blog to qualify for your free block of the month! 

Remember a ufo is one you’ve started BEFORE the 31 Dec 2011 !

I just thought I’d show you last month’s freebie stitched out…..

This is another of Dawn’s beautiful designs…..two poppies symbolising Anzac Day on April 25th…..such an important day in Australia and New Zealand, and the Cross behind them symbolising Easter……both representing how much has been given so that we might live.

You’ll notice I varied the stitching as per Dawn’s instructions…..(I do like to be different!!!! LOL)  I added satin stitch to the poppy pods, backstitched the cross and then echoed it with running stitch in gold thread….don’t know if you can see that in the photo but perhaps if you click on it it might show up better?!

This month will be my design month and it’s all ready to go….something special for May…..I wonder if you can guess what it will be?????

Our computers are all going well (touch wood!) so we’ll have no delays in getting them to you this month!

So keep working on reducing those piles …. (of ufo’s, that is!)

Sew many hugs xox

Wendy :O)

 

How T(s)weet It Is..

-since I love yoyo´s I had to sew this pattern

made by Lynette Anderson and publiced in

Quiltmarker´s 100 BLOCKS vol 3.

I prepared the block last year,

and last week I finally sew a cushion.

I like to QuiltBlog

Makes my heart melt

I have been making each of my grand children a cot quilt when they are born and then a BIG boy (or girl) bed quilt when they move from the cot into a single bed.

A couple of weeks ago I showed you Leo's which I managed to get done in time for his second birthday, and today I finished Mitchell's. 

Mitchell is the oldest of our six grandchildren, which is quite amazing since he was only 2 in December  (our kids all had babies at the same time).

Here is Mitchell proud as punch snuggled under his new quilt with his Nonno, doesn't it make your heart melt.

Made it in May

Imagine my *sad face* because due to unforseen family issues and a dash over to the UK, I missed out on getting a finish in for April but here is what I finished today so since I did two finishes in March, I am still on target to do my own challenge of "12 in 12".  I also bought some backing today, for my next finish that I am planning.....more on that later.

For now here is my "made it in May"

A cushion cover that I started way back in 2006. I finished the top and quilted it, then appliqued the stems and attached the yo-yo flowers. Then I couldn't decide how to finish it off.....piping around the edges? a frilled edging? do I put in a zip? or buttons on the back? Ughh, that means buttonholes! Easier to put it on the "get around to it" pile. Then I got a surprise from Sue (Quilted Hugs) a couple of weeks ago which was a cushion cover and I made my decision how to finish it off.  On the back, I ended up using brad buttons that are attached using a hammer and a special tool. I had some left over from an outfit I made my daughter "20" years ago!!!!!

Till next time,

xoxox
@ Bits 'n Bobs

Does Anyone Have . .

I am wondering if anyone has a pattern called "A Friend is a Treasured Gift" - a pattern by Wendy Briggs which they might be willing to sell / give / swap etc.  Its a stitchery pattern made into a small wall hanging and was advertised in a magazine in  . . 2002. 
If you could comment here or email me on  oh2sew at bigpond.net.au   Thanks
Better get a move on with my May project - time is running out.

my granny-rose cushion

I have just finished this granny rose cushion for my mum for her mothers day prezzy.  I hope she likes it!  It will match her bedroom colours perfectly too.  I loved making these little roses...so easy and no sewing them up either or sewing on, just joining the squares as you go. A lot of roses you have to stitch up afterwards but not these.  I think I can just about make these blindfolded.

my granny rose cushion

the picot edging

Finish #9 Graphic Mixx

I took a class in February with Terry Atkinson who  designs all those fun and easy patterns, like the Yellow Brick Road and Happy Hour.  The quilt has been finished for a while but we were asked not to write about it until the pattern came out in the spring.  It's spring and the pattern has been released.

It's called Graphic Mixx.  I believe Terry has another winner with this book, but I might be a little partial since we helped with the testing!  

This my ninth finish for the year.  I am glad I joined this group because I sure wouldn't have nine finishes without you all.

Nancy R

A Quick May Finish

While digging through a box of wool I found about 2 inches of knitting on a needle with a pattern so ....

I finished it off and just in time for the cooler weather.  This is a crossover collar scarf where one end tucks through a button hole knitted into the other end.  I'm also working on a second UFO scarf found in the same box.

Finish # 8 Rick Rack Nines

I am so happy to have this very large quilt finished.  It's called Rick Rack Nines and is from Bonnie Hunter's book Leaders and Enders.
Bonnie says it is a Big quilt and she was right but it was quite easy to make using the leader ender method.
The quilt used 2,670 - 2" squares to make the nine patch blocks. 

Two little projects

Rather than just working on big projects last weekend I started and completed two little projects

The first one is slippers, that I was planning to give to mum for Mothers Day, but the lining is a bit loose, and now I know what I am doing I will make a better pair for mum

But not bad for my first effort at footwear.

The second is a simple little card purse from a pattern I received as a gift for my Birthday this month.  This was so quick and easy to make I plan on doing a few more as little tuck in gifts. 

Its nice to get a couple of little projects done isn't it.

Quilted hugs, Sue x

First project planned

Thanks to Robyn and Susan for your welcome messages, and your helpful ideas on handling my big cupboard full of PhD's.  I've decided that the Julie Haddrick 'wedge-tailed eagle' wall-hanging I partially completed for my husband's 60th will be my first priority.  Progress stopped when he didn't like the beak on the eagle, and it has been grounded ever since.  I'll try to master uploading photos too, so you can see the finished item soon.  I'm committed to it now - what have I done!

I've been busy...

Last weekend, we had our Quilting Retreat - the first one I have ever been to :-) Was lovely, and I got heaps done: I finished my 6 screen printed place mats for BiL and family (thank goodness I worked on them there, I ran out of thread outlining the last two letters but lovely Carol had exactly that thread with her so I could finish it!), I made a reusable shopping tote that folds up into a neat little bag, I pieced the backing, sandwiched and quilted the second of four of my pastel tessellation pieces that will eventually go onto my bed and I made a reverse applique block for the Club's Heart Quilt. I also pulled out the leftovers from my blue/green/purple Stratavarious quilt I made a few years ago. I still love the colours, and when I had a look into that box, I realised there were heaps of pre-cut strips left as well:

The colours were inspired by the NZ Paua Shell (Abalone)

I took some of the already pieced bits and with a bit of juggling pieced them into four patches which I then pieced into a larger four patch, about 16" square, to be made into a cushion cover. Originally I had wanted to do some reverse applique, but it somehow felt wrong cutting this mass of pieced strips up again! In the end, using cotton batting and a piece of my cotton organdy dropcloth from a silk organza painting session as backing, I free motion quilted instead by outlining melon shapes so they look like interlocking circles and microstippled inside the squarish shapes (there must be a name for this shape!). On the back I inserted a recycled zip (quite bulky and in white not quite matching but it will do). So that's my finish No. 10 for this year!

I also started playing with the remaining strips, the colours are just so lovely I couldn't leave them alone! Here are a couple of blocks I made, logcabin type style, not sure yet where I am heading with this but I will figure it out!

Mother's Day weekend was spent on a different (new) project, I pieced the top for a quilt I am donating to my younger boys' school for fundraising, using Robert Kauffmann's The Lorax fabric. As it is all about the actual pictures, I kept the pattern simple. I am itching to get into the quilting, even though I'm not sure yet what exactly I will do (probably some sort of stippling), but first I have to get into a shop to by some decent polar fleece.

Not a UFO but bright and cheerful :-)

Happy Mother's Day to you all!

Funkey Monkey Finish!

Finally!! A 2012 finish!! A funky Monkey Finish!

This quilt is for for my six year old niece who loves sock monkeys!

I gave it to her today and she loved it. My son told me he "should have ordered one". What he doesn't realize is there is a Pirates quilt in the closet for him I need to finish! I need to get busy!!

The pictured quilt features Moda's Funky Monkey line.

Hello, I'm Liz,  another new member, with a mass of works in progress.  I don't really admit to UFO's, I prefer the term PhD's, as it makes me seem slightly more determined to finish.  For those who have not heard the definition, PhD = projects half done.

I've been patchworking for about 10 years, and have managed to completely fill a double wardrobe with bags of PhD's, so I'm in dire need of working my way through them, and hope to make at least some progress this year.  Looking for ideas and tips on how others have made a start on their backlogs - with the oldest? the ones closest to being finished? the smallest projects?  any suggestions would be welcome, as I'm swamped.  Thanks.

New member

Hi all

I have just joined the Sew its Finished group.  I have approx 10 quilts in progress and yesterday evening downloaded two patterns and ordered enough fabric to make one of them and a enough to make a pinwheel quilt for my daughter.  So by early next week I will have 12-13 tops on the go.  I had a small bonus from work which has now gone so no more fabric for me!  I know this is a modest amount of unfinished items compared to some of you!  I do not have a huge stash either and what little I have, I have been making into mini pinwheels. 
I hope to have something to show you all soon.

My belated April Finish post due to holidays

I am back from holidays and ready to post my April finish. Stupid me forgot to take a pic before going away. I went to two stitching days and there were 10 projects in total. This is my second finish from them and my 5^th on here!!!! I started this the afternoon of the stitching day in october 2010 and finished it just beofe I went away...

Hope everyone is making some progress with thier UFO's

Cheers Geniene

Finally a finish of my own!

It seems so long since I’ve posted a finish of my own on our blog!!!   I’ve been admiring all of your work and never actually getting around to a finish of my own but today, I did!
Ta dah……

….only a littly but it IS a finish……at last!
I will post more about it on my blog HERE later on tonight….or maybe in the morning…..I’m so lacksa-daisy lately…..must give my mojo a bit of a kick to help move it on its way!
Sew many hugs
Wendy :O) xox

#9 is 9 little needlecases.....

These hexagon stitcheries (designed by Michelle Ridgeway) have been a great 'pick up and this year they were marked with my UFO mark!!! UFO#4

Here are all my stitched and self - bound hexagons

I decided make individual needle cases

now I have nine little needlecases which will be great for the gifties box.... 

Righto, Gotto Go....  there still seems to be an awfully long UFO list at my house