August UFO Parade: Update!

I received email with two more finishes after the blog post went live -- so I hope you'll scroll down and look at Carol's and Kerry's finishes.

Worth waiting for!

But of course, first the challenge number for September.  It's:

#6

My #6 UFO is already cut out. It's the "Cosmo Cricket" FQ bundle I won in the very first "Schnibbles Parade" I ever entered, back in June 2012! I cut out a "Cobblestone Road" quilt from these fun fabrics, stuffed it into a "Eleanor Burns Made a Stripper Out of Me" bag and . . . . that was as far as I got!

Only four "finishes" left for 2013. Are you starting to pile up UFOs for 2014? I'm considering joining the "slow quilt" movement in 2014, making quilts that are more complicated and take more time. Shall I continue to host the UFO challenge, or are you "caught up?"

My own August UFO was fairly new. I just started it in April as part of Jamie's Brick Road Quilt Along. It's her own pattern, "Brick Road."

Here is the link to the finished quilt, and here is the link to the kick-off of the QAL.

Kerry sent this photo of her "Jeweled Trees Quilt," from the December 2009 McCall's Quilting magazine. Isn't it lovely?

Here is her blog post with details.

Carol finished the "B" block of her hand-embroidered alphabet quilt. She doesn't say how she did the coloring, maybe in the comments, Carol?

Here is her report:

You probably thought that I had given the project up since I have not been sending any pictures.  Summer is usually weed pulling time for me but I have been trying to do something on my quilting too.  This is an embroidery project.  This is the B block for an alphabet quilt.  I have been working on it for almost a year.  It is good to have it done.

Sorry I didn't get them into the first "release" -- this blog post has  now been updated three times!

The Gypsy Dreamer, Liz, and I got to corresponding about Marti Michell's templates and how much we love using them. She sent a link to her most recent MM finish, "Coffee Anyone?"

Debra is a long-time 52 Quilts follower and consistent "finisher." I love this quilt so much, I just have to show you all three photos she sent!

Here's what Debra says about this quilt:

My #11 is called A Day At The Spa, designed by Carolyn S. Vagts for the Village Pattern Co. and was in Quilter's World February 2013 edition. I saw this quilt and knew I wanted to make it and after going to Rosie's Calico Cupboard in La Mesa, CA purchased the fabric that I had to have for it - Laurel Burches new cat line. I think I am going to hold onto this quilt until next year. I really love all the bright colors. The finished size was to be 66 x 79 - mine is 100 x 100. 

Deb, I agree, it would be hard to let this beauty go!

Debra also finished her #8 UFO this month. And what a finish! It's a Crabapple Hills Designs, "Snow Days." If you've ever made (or drooled over) one of their patterns, you know they combine piecing and hand embroidery. Debra report she had trouble tracing the design on her dark fabrics, so she "free-handed" the trees, branches and twigs.

Be sure to click on the photo so you can see the details of the hand embroidery. Gorgeous!

Sue has me all inspired to make one of these for my upcoming trip to Japan. What a clever way to use orphan blocks!

They are passport wallets.  Be sure to go to her blog, here, to read the details.

I'm sure you remember Sandi's ongoing "K-collection" of quilts (or kwilts). This is "Korral."

Sandi blogged about this quilt here. This one was also made using Marti Michell's templates. Sandi says she isn't a MM fan, and frankly, I don't see why one would use the templates for this pattern.For super-complicated blocks, such as "Farmer's Wife," the templates are ideal. But to my eyes, I think this pattern calls for strip piecing.

I'm sure you remember Martha winning the UFO giveaway earlier this summer. She becomes a first-time grandma in January. Looks like she is getting ready, multiple "baby" finishes this month!

First, three receiving blankets (best blankie pattern ever!):

Next, a "Professional Tote." Martha didn't say if this was to be a diaper bag, but wouldn't it make a great one?

 And third, a baby quilt for a friend.

Wow, Martha, you're whipping out the projects this summer! 

Oh, Dear, Irene had a major problem with her August finish. Read the details on her blog, here.

Irene, I've been toying with the idea of making 2014 "The Year of the BOM." You make me think I really should do that!

Big mistake! Huge! I missed not one, but THREE finishes for August! Here they are:

Susan in Australia finished this incredible embroidered-and-pieced wall hanging. Here is the link to her post describing the project, "A Quilter's Journey."

Karen finished this lovely, cheerful quilt. She is gifting it to her niece, who starts chemo soon, Karen, we'll keep your niece in our thoughts.

Lucky Noela is off to quilt camp. She's planning to finish the binding on her August UFO:

I'm so sorry I missed you three! Please, please accept my apologies.

The three finishes I missed make 12 this month -- but I'm sticking with the original giveaway winner. 

The winner of the August UFO Parade is:

Oh, Look! It's Irene! She totally deserves a win, after the problems she had with this month's finish! Irene, I failed to choose a specific prize this month. Send me your postal address and I'll find something nice at Ruth's Stitchery's Anniversary Sale to send to you!

If you're curious why I've been so quiet this week, come back tomorrow for a sneak peak of my latest Scrap Squad project on Design Wall Monday. It's a doozy!

From the desk of your

A (Modern) Picture Show

Three members of the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild, along with our President, Melissa Riche traveled down the highway to Pueblo today. We visited the newly-organized City Beat Modern Quilters to share some quilts made by members of the FRMQG and see what our friends "down South" have been making.

Warning:  This post has nearly 30 photos! I've re-sized them to a smaller size, but if you have a slow computer connection, you may want to go make a cup of tea (OK, a gin and tonic) while the post loads!

Because there are so many photos, I will keep the commentary to a minimum. If you have a question about a specific quilt, either ask in the comments or send me an email and I'll try to find out the detes for you.

Front Range Modern Quilt Guild President, Melissa Richie, addresses the "aesthetic of Modern Quilting."

Click here for a link to Oh, Fransson's "Mod Mosaic" tutorial.

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Butterflies and Rainbows. Inspired by a swap with the Faith Circle of Do.Good.Stitches to benefit Restore Innocence.  Pattern to follow on Moda Bakeshop.

The Huckleberry Quilt workshop by Latifah Saafir.

Wyna's "Wonky Stars."

Quilts from City Beat Modern Quilters:

This was made with fat quarters from the guild's "door prize basket." 

Her first quilt! Can you believe it?

What a fun story -- a fabric exchange with her Mom and sisters!

We had such a great time. What a wonderful, warm, and welcoming guild. I hope the two guilds will  do a "joint" meeting or maybe even a retreat at some time in the future!


From the desk of your

Three Baby Quilts

Did you see my "Sunday is for Baby Scraps" post? Jenny from Missouri Star Company put together a you tube video for a super-fast charm square quilt, "Falling Charms." I dove into my huge box of 5" squares and put my June Tailor super-duper 2.5" strip cutting ruler to work and wound up with not one, but three tops for baby quilts!

My initial "vision" for this quilt was scrappy, scrappy:

But with such large pieces of such bright colors, it quickly evolved into "planned scrappy":

And a "girly" planned scrappy:

Each one will finish at approx. 36" by 42" -- fills my entire design wall!

Two of the three are designated for new babies. One will go to Japan, the other to the Eastern US.

And if you need a "baby photo fix," how about this one of our youngest granddaughter, falling asleep before she could read her pile of books?

Photo by SIL Noah Bershatsky.

Not to worry, she already has a "Marmee-Made" quilt!

Linking up to Thank Goodness it's Finished Friday, hosted this week by Sewing at Moonlight. Also Link a Finish Friday at Richard and Tanya Quilts. As well as "Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?" at Confessions of a Fabric Addict -- more baby quilts!

Tomorrow I'm going to visit the new Pueblo Modern Quilt Guild. Can't wait to see what they're getting up to!


From the desk of your