Monday, July 1, 2013

June UFO Parade

Before we launch the parade, the number for the July UFO is

We're halfway through our 13 in 2013 Challenge. Aren't you proud?

I barely got my June UFO  finished before the Parade. But when I consider that it was only partially cut out, I don't feel too bad. Here is "Country Sunshine," from the 2002 edition of Better Homes & Garden's "Quilting Ideas." It is a UFO from my "30s Reproductions Period." (Hey, if Picasso can have a Blue Period, i can have a 30s Reproductions Period.)


The first June "13 in 2013" finish is by Deb Cline. I love this "Shadow" quilt -- sigh, another one for my "I want to make this quilt" list! The best part is, it's an original! Deb says "I made it up as I went along!"


I don't know if I missed adding this one to the May Parade, or if Deb is just our token "overachiever" this month, but she has two more UFOs to add to our Parade!

She confesses this one isn't really a "finish," but:
 My goal was to prep (cut, iron on fusible Pellon, trim, and arrange) all my oldest son's t-shirts for a quilt. I discovered he has enough for two quilts -- or one, two-sided quilt! So, I got the one side prepped as hoped. Now I just need to buy "filler" fabric since the shirt pieces are different sizes. (It feels a bit like cheating since I didn't sew it together, but I was really dreading getting this organized and had to force myself to do it!)


Hey, Deb, I think tackling one of the dreaded t-shirt quilts counts!  As a reward, she got to work on this incredible LeMoyne Star quilt:


I love your "Southwest-y" colors, Deb!

Martha finished this darling baby quilt:


She also can boast the first "Idaho Row Quilt" finish! Here is the link to all our Friends of Granny's Attic row quilts. Martha added a piano keys border and will save this in her "someday I will be a Grandma" stash.'

Stop the Presses!

At the last minute, I received an email from Martha with another baby quilt! She says "can you guess the reason?" I sure hope it's what I think it is!! (Notice the TWO exclamation points!)


Martha, this one is adorable -- and my favorite V. and Co. collection, too!


Sandi of KwiltnKats whipped up this lovely. She reports, "This is Kloudburst, a free pattern called Blue Storm that introduced a line of Marcus Fabrics by Laura Berringer/Faye Burgos awhile back.  Mine does not use the fabric line just the free pattern." Here is the link to Sandi's blog post about Kloudburst:  http://kwiltnkats.blogspot.com/2013/06/sunday-stash-report-june-16-2013.html



Irene has two finishes for June. First, she tied this nine-patch variation so it would be "light and fluffy." (It sure looks like it is, Irene!)


She also made another of her clever "photo frame" wall hangings. If you haven't seen Irene's wall hanging photo frames, go to her blog, here to see how she does it!


I must share two photos of Debra B's finish this month, because it is really an accomplishment! Debra says she only had the fabrics pulled for this one, so it was a start-to-finish UFO!  And she sent the photos of the finished project with more than a week left in June!


I have to share what Debra said about this quilt:
My #9 is Bonnie Hunter's Blue Ridge Beauty. I only had fabrics pulled when this number was drawn - I had to make the quilt from the very beginning.  I am very happy with the way it turned out. I love the blues and the barn raising layout. I was making quilts this year as Christmas gifts - now I am having second thoughts (smile, smile). I am soooo looking forward to the next challenge.


June must be a "blue" month -- Sue made three (yep, three!) gorgeous blue pillows this month.




She blogged about them here and here. I just have to share what she said about the "13 in 2013" Challenge:
I love Marti's UFO sew along. Its so much easier just knowing that you're going to get at least one project done and dusted each month, whereas a list just feels so daunting and you don't know where to start.
Thanks, Sue, couldn't have said it better myself!

See what I mean about blue? Gill in London made three pillows, also!


And I have to share what she said about them:
The fabric was bought and cut in 2005 - just before I had my first son. I naively thought that giving up work to have kids would result in lots of free time to quilt! I have 2 little boys and just like yours one is even called Jacob! Now both of them are at school I am picking up on the quilting again - and your UFO project has helped to focus me! The problem was with these cushions that I couldn't even remember which pieces went where, so a lot of guesswork was involved. I also hand quilted them as my free motion quilting is so rusty!
Ha ha Gill -- I thought when I left my job at the University to be a full-time Mom, I would have all the time in the world. I think many of us think that, to our sorrow!

Noela sends Independence Day greetings from Australia -- thanks, Noela! She finished two mini quilts for her June UFO project -- so cute!



Noela, I have 12 of these mini quilts in my UFO cupboard. Maybe that should be my UFO project for 2014!

Another Aussie friend, Susan, finished another blue quilt! I guess blue is the favorite color of most people -- I know my Mother loved "any color as long as it's blue!"


Here's a closeup of one of the blocks:


This quilt is the result of a block swap from Susan's patchwork group. The block is called "Happy Block" -- what a great idea for a super-easy block swap! The whole store is on Susan's Sewing Space. And thanks for the plug for Susie's Magic Binding, Susan!

Here is a first-time UFO Parade participant, Kerry from San Diego.


Kerry designed this darling baby quilt for her new granddaughter, just born June 20th. The animals are paper-pieced, and Kerry designed the rest of the quilt using EQ7. Nice job, Kerry, and congratulations on the new grandbaby!

Twenty finishes! That's a record for 2013!  I don't think anyone will object if I exercise my editorial power and choose Martha for the winner of this month's UFO Parade prize.  Because it's this book:

Martingale - Fast and Fun Baby Quilts (Print version + eBook bundle)

And it's an e-book, so it will be in your email inbox today! Congratulations, Martha!

Tomorrow, I'll show you a photo of my July UFO project. Lucky for me, it's almost finished, because July is going to be a busy, busy month around here!

From the desk of your auntmartisignature

13 comments:

  1. Wow, what an amazing collection of UFOs this month. I can't believe how much everyone gets done! Impressive work by Martha and well deserving of the very appropriate prize! Amazing effort by Deb B with her start to finish UFO too and some other lovely projects in there too, its going to take me a while to check out all the links this month.

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  2. I am in awe!!!!!!!!!! what inspiration you are... I am working on my new sewing room and have over 10 UFO's and you have given me hope that I can do it. Thank You!

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  3. Yea for Martha! The row quilt is lovely and how wonderful to make that second baby quilt! :-) Thanks again for everything Marti, the monthly UFO parades are really inspiring posts. I agree with Sue!

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  4. Even if I don't finish any other UFOs this year I am so much farther ahead than I ever expected to be this year. Thank you. Marti

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    1. Irene, you've decided me. We'll have to do the UFO Challenge again next year -- not 14 in 2014, though, I think one per month will be enough!

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    2. You can count me in! Does that mean I can relax the rest of the year? :-)

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  5. I would also like to put Deb's Shadow quilt on my list of quilts to make/

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  6. I always love the monthly parade you show us, Marti. This month's is especially fabulous! :o)

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  7. Martha absolutely deserves that book for a prize. Well done to every one on finishing their projects. So many fabulous quilts - I do like Debra's but I like a lot of others too - even if I never slept I couldn't get through everything I'd like to do...

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  8. You are right about blue, even my Kloudburst had navy in it. Congratulations to all the new grandmothers... Hey did I miss that the UFO for June was pillows :)! Lovely finishes to everyone. Sandi

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  9. Congratulations everyone on all your lovely quilts and thanks Marti for hosting. Hugs.....

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  10. Wow, these all look great. I actually got my UFO done for June but forgot to send you a photo before I headed off for vacation. I'll send it in July hopefully with my July finish as well.

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  11. I love your Blue Ridge Beauty quilt. I'm working on it too, but in purples. I have all my rows made. Now for assembly! Nice blog! I saw your plug on Kim's site.

    Molly in Sumner, WA

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