Cleaning out the UFOs

I feel like I am making great progress finishing up my list of UFOs.  Right now, I have them worked down to just 16!  That sounds like a lot but I will always be one of those quilters that always has a lot of projects on the go.  My goal is to get the list down to about 12.

I think I started the blocks for this quilt back in early 2017.  I had a bunch of vegetable fabric I had started making an apron out of in about 2014.  I failed miserably at the apron and stuffed the whole project deep into a cupboard.  I decided to play around with the fabric and turn it into an improv scrappy quilt.

All of the blocks have a fussy cut vegetable in the center and each scrap is completed in improv style using scraps.

It was fun playing with each individual block.  I tried my best to weave in more of the vegetable fabric to use it up.

My favorite block is probably the one with the fan-dancing carrot in it.

I used the background fabric as I constructed the blocks, which makes it look like fabrics are floating in the background.

On the back, I used a fun green print I had purchased at Connecting Threads.  I was hoping it was one of the ones on sale as I have used up everything I had.  

But it looks like they no longer have it in stock.

And I should note that the completion of this quilt was my February APQ UFO Challenge quilt.

I met my goal but I just didn't have any internet access to write about it.

That means I have already finished up two UFOs this year.  THAT makes me so very happy!

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APQ UFO Challenge for February

On the tail of my successful UFO finish for January, I am hoping to keep up my momentum.

The number six was drawn for February.  Which means my Veggie Improv project will hopefully get finished this month. (Remember this one?!)

I was happy to see this project get chosen.  So many UFOs on my list, I know I am going to dig in and drag my feet on finishing.  But this one has all the blocks completed and I just need to sew the blocks together.  

I even have the background fabrics....so there is really nothing stopping me!

If you want to read more about the event, you can do so here.

If I can finish half of the twelve items on my list by year's end, I am going to be one happy girl!

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Getting Re-Focused!

This summer I found myself getting involved in a number of Quilt Alongs and new projects.  That meant many of the older works were stuffed in bins and neglected. 

I am now working at getting back to many of them and finishing a few!

Remember these Scrap-A-Palooza blocks?  The last time I wrote about them was way back in May.

I am ready now to get back to these cuties.

I think I have enough blocks finished to go to the next step.  But first, I have to get them up on a design wall.


The goal of this process will be to have an improv quilt.  What I hope to achieve is to share a simplified process for those of you that express fear or doubt that you can do it.


Note that all of my blocks are different sizes, different designs and even different techniques.  When I am laying them out, I simply want to somewhat balance out the color.

Next, I added a few scraps of fabrics to fill in spaces and further balance out the color.  You don't have to be exact here - just trust your eye.  You can add more later as you go.

Even though none of the blocks are lined up, you can see that they are kind of layed out in a 3 x 5 layout.

Now I need to settle on a background.  I have no idea how much fabric I am going to need but I want to be sure I have enough so I don't run out.  I am thinking I will need at least three yards.  Here are four I am considering - white, cerise, shadow and tarragon.  I keep bolts of all these colors so I have plenty.

I think too many blocks will disappear in the green so that one is out right away.  The white and the gray - Maybe.  I am really tempted to use the dark turquoise.  Maybe I will go to my stash and see if I have a bit lighter shade.  What are your thoughts?

I will be back with the next steps as soon as I make a decision...

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Scrap-A-Palooza! Quilt #22 Part Two

No finish to share this weekend...but I have been making some fun progress on my newest Scrap-A-Palooza quilt.  This quilt is going to be silly and bright!

I started out by fussy cutting these silly little veggies out of an older fabric.  Then it was just a matter of pulling scraps that complimented the colors and getting out my sewing machine.

Some of these veggies I simply started sewing on strings in a log cabin method.  I didn't worry about strip width - I just had fun!

 

 Here are a couple examples of some blocks I made using this design.  A couple things to point out, you can see one block has some very wonky cuts.  And I used the original veggie print for some of the logs in one of the blocks. (This is one more way to use more of that fabric up!)

Just letting my mood guide me!

I also used a few of these characters to build blocks using a courthouse steps design.

Here are a few more examples of some blocks made this way.  Once again, I did not worry about the width of the strips.  I really want to keep these blocks playful!

 I also made a few quarter log cabin blocks...

There is really no rules in how these can be sewn together.  On some of the above blocks, I added in more veggies in the blocks.  And I also added in some strips of color to add interest to a block I thought was a bit boring.

At this point in making these blocks, I am not worrying about their size or even their shape.  These blocks are not in their finished form - I will be sharing that process in the next part of this series. 

Right now I am just giving myself some inspiration to work with as I build these blocks into a quilt top.  I will be showing you my next steps hopefully next week!

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Scrap-A-Palooza! Quilt # 22 Part One

 I was recently reminded of a fun scrappy quilt I have made a few times in the past that is great for those silly novelty prints.  I thought it would be a great Scrap-A-Palooza quilt so I immediately went to my fabric room for some inspiration.

Here is one of the adorable blocks on a client's quilt that inspired me.  So stinking cute!

After digging around in my scraps and stash, I decided to use this really old print I bought to make an apron out of at one time.  It is time this fabric found a home!

 So the first thing I did was to fussy cut out the various veggies.  The size and shape doesn't matter, but it is important to remember there is a quarter inch seam allowance around the outer edge - so I needed to cut accordingly!

I will be back with ideas for the next step soon.  Right now I am busy pulling out scraps that compliment this fabric.  Then I will get to sewing, taking photos as I go!

Feel free to grab your own novelty print and sew along!

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