April 1 UFO Parade -- No Foolin' this time!

Sorry the UFO Parade is late this month. I'm tellin' ya, this having a job is interfering with my blogging! But I love it. Can you believe I get paid to play with fabric all day?

March was a busy month for UFO challengers!  Nineteen finishes. Before the parade begins, here is the number to work on for April

Ethel sent this photo of her pineapple quilt early in the month. I love it so much, I'm thinking it might be the next "A Quilt Block a Day" quilt. (Although it would might be hard to make one of these blocks every day!)

Ethel writes:

I had a lot (I still do) of CW (Civil War reproduction) fabrics that were approaching 2-decades old.  I played with the Pineapple Trim Tool, using those 'scrap fabrics' and fell in love with the 1st block.  So, I just kept going, using the same fabric theme.  I'm so happy with the results!  The top is now being custom-quilted and I should have it back by end of April!  Yippee!! 

Ethel, I can't wait to see how this one looks  after it is quilted!

Jennifer has had a hard month, and I hope you all will send good karma her way. But she still managed to get a lot of things finished!


Her second finish is this darling baby quilt. She even quilted sentences in the borders!

This side reads, "A dream is a wish your heart makes."

And this side reads, "Go to bed, get some sleep!"

Here is a table runner Jennifer also finished:

Look at this adorable "princess" quilt Jennifer made!

And she's ready for summer entertaining with her watermelon placemats:

I think my favorite of Jenn's finishes is this cute bag. And the story behind it is so funny:

Here's my bag #2, hot off the machine.  I'll be binding it tomorrow. I'm not sure what to call it just yet,  but probably something with Nana in it.  My grandmother passed away on Dec 6, 2015, at the age of 92.  it was a running gag to get her things with squirrels and chipmunks since she was absolutely petrified of squirrels or chipmunks  taking over her house.  So I'm up for any name suggestions!

Jenn, I have the candle burning for you and your Mom. I'm so impressed with all you've finished this year!

Donna also had a productive month. First is her block (well, two)  for a raffle for her local guild. Donna tells me the blocks are designed after the house in the Disney movie "Up."

Donna, I never saw that movie, but now I will be checking Netflix for it!

Her second finish has a charming story, read below the photo:

The second one is a quilt I started several years ago for my granddaughter, Kathryn.  I wanted the name of the blocks, as well as the whole quilt, to have a meaning/story to them.  I found a block pattern named "Grandmother's Dream" that I sorta liked, changed it up a little and called it "Nana's Dream" because that is what my grandkids call me. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to piece the blocks and wound up setting it aside for a bit.  I picked it up again in late 2014.  The blocks have words embroidered that are the dreams I have for her as she grows up.  The dream bubbles in the center are her current dreams, or things she likes to do.  I decided to use a quilt as you go method and was working on the embroidery one evening at my daughter's house. Kathryn started watching me (she was then almost 7 years old) and wanted to learn. She chose which picture to put in each block (and had a logical explanation for her choices) and embroidered some of them.  Her first embroidery project was the doll on the "laughter" block of this quilt.  The blocks were partly machine quilted and partly hand quilted then joined together with a fabric that Kathryn picked out.  She also decided the layout of the blocks and the dream bubbles. And yes, that is Susie's Magic Binding.

Donna, that is the sweetest story. And I'm delighted you used Susie's Magic Binding!

Sue's "finish that isn't quite" made me laugh. And it also makes me want to make this quilt!

Check out the rest of the story at Sue's Quilty Bits and Bobs.

Friend Martha in Idaho is looking forward to another new grandbaby in September. She says since she doesn't know whether it will be a boy or a girl, she made a quilt for each!

I can't decide which I like better, Martha!

Kerry is another two-time finisher. She welcomed a new granddaughter in February, and made "Square Dance" from Gigi's Thimble for her.

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The second one is a mini called Tidbit from  Miss Rosie’s Quilt Co. This was the pattern and charm squares that Kerry won in  last year's UFO parade!

Kerry, thanks for sharing your prize. I wondered if people enjoyed the UFO prizes, or if they just added to the UFO stashes!

Clever Becky finished her "Scrappy Bargello" quilt -- and look what she did for the backing!

Her explanation made me proud:

"Scrappy Bargello" was going to be my March UFO, but I didn't get it back from the longarmer in time.  I finally got the binding on last Saturday (Susie's magic binding, of course) so it can at least make it in the April parade! :)  When I got the top done the fabric I had in mind for the backing just didn't seem like a good match anymore, but I was determined to only use what I had on hand.  A good mix of browns I wanted to clear out of my stash was the perfect answer.

 Good on you, Becky!

And yet another two-finisher, Mary J send photos of these lovelies. First is her modern sampler. Clever layout for disparate blocks, MJ!

And second, blocks from a batik swap she participated in several years ago:

Details at Zippy Quilts.

Just look at these adorable placemats Irene finished in March -- perfect for Easter!

She tells me her grandchildren always use cloth napkins at home, and the ears on these bunnies are really napkins.  Too cute!

Sandi burned the midnight oil to finish this beauty from Pat Spaeth. It's made from 5" squares, and is called "Five Inch is a Cinch," from Pat's collection called "Chesapeake."

Sandi calls it "Kalvert Kliffs," after a location in Maryland (Calvert Cliffs) off the Chesapeake Bay. Check out her blog at KwiltnKats.

And one more finish from Jennifer. She wrote me, 

Last one for March, I'm cutting it really close! Tried to relax a bit today and couldn't shut my mind off, so I started to quilt another top.   Once bound, it'll go to Project Linus. I'm considering this one a finish though. So, despite everything, this has been a relatively productive month. Here's hoping April is better. :)

I hope so, too, Jennifer!

Happy April Fool's Day!

From the desk of your

July UFO Parade

Even with the advent of Summer, 52 Quilts "12 in 2014" challengers are continuing to complete UFOs at a record pace!

Before I share the projects finished in June, here is the number for your July UFO challenge:

I confess that my #12 UFO is not going to be a finish! It is a Buck-a-Block project from several years ago. All the Buck-a-Blocks I've done are based on Thangles, a paper-pieced half square triangle method. Although I've made three or four of them, I've decided I hate Thangles. And guess what? I'm not going to finish this one! So this project will be the Sunday "De-Stash" offer on July 6. (Why yes, yes it is the same UFO I thought I would finish in June. Not gonna happen.)

And so, on with the show!

A long-time challenger, Debra B, sent in this lovely finish for June.

Here's a close up, Debra, your piecing is so precise, I love it!

 Here's what she says about it:

My UFO #10 is called Secret Window and it was a Quiltmaker 3-part mystery that started back in May/June 2011. I have had this fabric pulled and in all 3-parts of the Quiltmaker magazines. It was sitting by my sewing room window and, you know what happens to fabric when it sits by a window, that was my cue to add this quilt to this years challenge. The quilt was designed by Debbie Caffrey and Sandi Delman was the "go to" hostess for the online Quilt-Along. Thank you so much for all you do and I am looking forward to next month's challenge.

Mary finished this quilt top for a donation quilt and says, "Obviously it isn't quilted, but I am considering it not just a finish but a victory because those darn HSTs have been sitting around for 2 years since I got them in a swap."

Mary, it's so pretty!  Someone will love receiving this quilt. Check out Mary's blog here. 

Katie finished a QOV (Quilts of Valor) project this month, and her story made me tear up:

 It is a Quilt of Valor. It measures 90" x 90". I am going to dedicate it to my dad, 2nd Lt Ralph Peters who served in WW11 in the Army Air Corp as a bomber pilot out of Adak, Alaska flying bombing missions over the northern Pacific ocean. I will put all that on a label and then send it of to the QOV org to give to a deserving vet. 

Katie's little sister, Peggy, was one of my closest friends through high school. And I never knew her daddy was a pilot! How I wish I had known him when I was in the Air Force, the stories he could have told!

Irene is making up for lost time by submitting two finishes for June. The first one is part of a series of the four seasons, Winter. She says Summer and Fall are completed, and Spring is in the UFO collection!

I love her second finish. Irene, I should have asked you to include the source! Irene says the book is out of print, but she found a copy on Amazon.

Heather's June finish is close to my heart. Yes, I hate making Flying Geese. But isn't this just the prettiest quilt?

Heather gives the details about "Lockridge Mill," the third project in Prairie Women's Sewing Circle - Journey 3, on her blog, here.  

Betsy "whipped up" this cute quilt for a friend's new baby:

Lucky friend, lucky baby!

Sue also has two finishes this month, after a hiatus for "doggy distractions!" 

First is this incredible trapunto project. I wish I could see it in person (maybe Jacob's ship will visit Australia again and I can come see you, Sue!)

Even in the photo, you can see the shimmer of the organza!  Sue's second finish is one that's on my "Quilter's Bucket List," the "Star Surround" quilt.

Gorgeous, Sue!  Be sure to visit Sue's blog, here, for details on the trapunto -- and scroll back to June to see photos of her new puppy!

   

Kerry has a "big" finish -- one of Bonnie Hunter's scrappy quilts. If you've ever sewn one of Bonnie's patterns, you know they have lots of pieces!

"Crabapple" is from Bonnie's book, "Adventures with Leaders and Enders." Kerry reports this quilt started as a swap with some quilty friends -- full details on her blog, here.

Elisa made this sweet baby quilt with a rainbow batik jelly roll. Her original idea was to make a "learn your colors" quilt for her granddaughters. When the project was relegated to the UFO pile, it re-surfaced as a gift for a friend's first grandchild.

I'm thinking the model is one of Elisa's granddaughter? Details on Elisa's blog, here.

It's always fun to see what "K" kwilt name Sandi comes up with. This one is Kolumbia, named for the first US space shuttle, Columbia.

I'll let Sandi explain:

It was fun sewing red, white, and blue (although I used ivory) fabrics this flag month.  Well, quite frankly I always enjoy a patriotic project.  The fabrics all came from my stash; a wonderful thing.  The challenge was finding a suitable setting triangle fabric, that gold.  I really had to dig deep to locate a piece that would be the right color AND enough yardage.
I'll have to admit that it is getting difficult to come up with "K" names for patriotic projects.  I have made quite a few.  This one comes from one of the NASA space shuttles.  "On April 12, 1981, a bright white Columbia roared into a deep blue sky as the nation's first reusable Space Shuttle. Named after the first American ocean vessel to circle the globe and the command module for the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Columbia continued this heritage of intrepid exploration. "  The design is by Wendy Gilbert of Morning Star Designs (wlgquilt@aol.com) called Scrappy Star Quilt.  I made the miniature wall hanging.  

If you'd like to see more of Sandi's "kwilts," visit her blog, here.

Twelve finishes, even in the midst of Summer!  How about a Parade giveaway?

(Drumroll, please.)

And that would be Elisa. I'm sending you an email, Elisa, asking for your postal address. 

A last minute entry! Becky's email arrived after I had gone to bed last night, but before I had the post set to "publish." It's worth the last-minute add, though!

Perfecto for Independence Day! And Becky's story is charming:

When my sister was in high school she loved all things space so I made her some spaceship pajamas.  There were some good sized scraps leftover and I figured someday they would make a good focus fabric for a quilt.  Last fall I saw a quilt pattern that I thought would be perfect for the spaceship fabric.  So now 15 years later, those scraps finally made it into a quilt for our nephew who is due to arrive in August.

Tomorrow is WIP Wednesday -- and my WIP is the Summer "A Quilt Block a Day" block. Come back to see how I'm doing!

From the desk of your

We Have a Winner!

It's always so fun to read the comments on 52 Quilts. And best when one of them wins a prize!

The winner of the "Prairie Windmill" pattern, chosen by the Random Number Generator, is:

Which is Brenda, who wrote:

I'll be mailing Brenda a copy of "Prairie Windmill" quilts from August Wind Quilt Designs. Sorry not everyone could win, but you can buy your own copy at Kathleen's website, here.

  

And oh yeah. I can't resist showing this photo of the original pattern cover.

Notice anything about the quarter-square triangles? I don't know if Kathy did that on purpose, or if she had the same problem I did keeping the block in order!

Congratulations, Brenda! I'm sending you an email asking for your postal address so I can mail you the pattern (and a few fat quarters for your stash!).

From the desk of your

What's Wrong With This Picture

Has this ever happened to you? You get a quilt top all finished, pressed, hung to photograph -- and notice "hey, something is wrong."

No, it's not that the top edge is missing -- that's folded over the deck railing so I could take the photo.

It's the flying geese in the outside border. The background and colored prints are reversed! I can't believe I got the quilt top completely finished without noticing this mistake!

Sigh.

This is the 2012 Fat Quarter Shop "Designer Mystery BOM" quilt. It's made from Bonnie & Camille's "Vintage Modern" fabric, a collection I loved so much I bought the entire fat quarter bundle. And made four extra blocks so the quilt would be big enough for my queen sized-bed.

Guess it's not really finished, huh?

Linking up to TGIFF, hosted this week by Julie at That's Sew Julie.

As well as "Can I Get a Whoop Whoop" at Confessions of a Fabric Addict:

And with Richard and Tanya at Link-a-Finish Friday:

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"Designer Mystery" is my first UFO finish for 2014 -- I promise I'll have those flying geese flying by February 1. Are you working on your UFO #7?


From the desk of your