Friday, October 2, 2009

I've accepted the New Year's Eve UFO Challenge

This week away from home and away from quilting is killing me! Thank God for the internet - at least I am caught up on blogs and am finding more wonderful blogs to follow. (just what I need, right?) Anyway, I'm at least thinking about quilting, if not actually doing it, so Finn's UFO Challenge appealed to me - I work better with deadlines, and I have so many UFOs floating around out there.


I decided that it is reasonable to expect to finish 3 UFOs by New Year's Eve, and I'm going to focus on my flannel tops.


This one should be easy - I am already halfway done quilting it. However, since I am using a super high loft batt (the only thing I had available when I was ready to start) and am a hand quilter, it is slow going. I just need to jump back in the saddle and complete it. It would help if there were something I wanted to watch on TV while doing it - that usually keeps me sitting still long enough to make some progress.






Then there is this top that is already quilted and just needs to be bound (not in the picture, but in reality, it is). Should be easy, right? In fact, the binding is already sewn on in the front. However, I sewed it on wonky, and need to take it back off and put it on again. I hate un-sewing, so that stopped me in my tracks. Get over it, Erin!




And finally, there's this flannel buzzsaw quilt that is still in the piecing stage. I was hoping to receive some more flannel scraps because my motto is "the scrappier, the better" and I am on a self-imposed "no-buy" since all of my money these days is going into finishing our basement (there will be a sewing studio in there for me when done, so the least I can do is not buy fabric!). However, I am thinking I should just make do with what I have.



You know what? While going through my photos, I came across this flannel Strawberry Shortcake top, too. I should finish it up. Maybe I'll keep my total goal at 3, but this gives me options, I can just finish any 3 of this 4 that strikes my fancy. I love having options. Of course, that is probably why I rarely FINISH things.



OK guys. I'd love some cheerleaders to help me finish these, help me stay on task. Of course, I will still be working on my GGG quilt and my scrappy star quilt, but I want these to get done. Wish me luck!

11 comments:

Cheryl Willis said...

GO ERIN GO!

I celebrate my UFO's, just means I am further along when I decided to work on it. MY P&C lay around for a couple of months and then bam! it just put itself together. Bet I don't have a total of 8 hours in that top. A couple here and there. I have 3 more in the planing stage (meaning my head) If I start making pile or cutting out then I am in trouble!
LOVE you buzz saw. I have a concept for making a scrappy one but haven't written it down yet so I am safe for awhile. be good cw

Angela said...

Rah, rah, rah! (Ok, thats about as good as it gets for cheerleading from me! HA!)
I am better with deadlines, too - I am sure you can do it! :o)
Wish I had some flannel to send along to you for your flannel scrap quilt. I so seldom use flannel, and I think I only have a couple solid scraps, so prints. :o(

marlene@ByTheSeam said...

You can do it! They are all nice quilts and will be so nice when you get them done. The one with the binding won't take that long to finish up and the one you are hand quilting do that while you watch one of the dvd's that you like to watch and that one won't take long either. Then it will be easy to get the third one done. So there you're all set. Well as soon as you get home that is.

Auntie Em said...

Give me an "D"!
Give me an "O"!
Give me an "N"!
Give me an "E"!
What will you be? DONE! (*sound of cheering*)

All of your quilts are worth getting to the finish line. I like that you left yourself options.

Just a note about hand quilting the high loft flannel quilt....don't sit too long at a time while working on that. I developed nerve damage similar to carpal tunnel when I tried to hand quilt through high loft on a deadline. Pace yourself. :-)

Lane said...

Hey, Erin. I know you can do it. I'd love to participate, but refuse to count my UFO's. I also get caught up in the new project and have a hard time getting back to the older ones. But I try to finish one project for every new one I start, so it washes out. But, why did I start so many BOM's??? Hope your trip ends well. Take care. Lane

Stephanie Hughes said...

Erin, I am sure if you are like me, you have a few UFO's in your closet. I have several. I should take the challenge as well. I am leaving in the morning for a week at the beach and think that if I can take something with me to hand do, I will feel like I accomplished something. I especially like the pink quilt. Good luck and work hard, Stephane from Maryland.

Shirley said...

Oh I hope this doesn't go through twice. I typed it and lost it. Challenges do work, I've done it before. I'm not going to officially join but what I'm working on now are UFOs so Hope to get at least 3 done by New Years Eve as well. I love your UFO's, especially the baby quilt.

Finn said...

Hi Erin, I got your email, and I am putting you down for 3 projects by New Years Eve. So happy to have you on board with us, stitching into the new year.
Many of us will finish more than we've chosen. so don't let the number stop you. Every one finished is a victory! Happy stitching, Finn

fabricartist21 said...

Beautiful quilts and thank you for joining my blog and helping me get more followers.

Nancy said...

You are a great finisher when you put your mind to it, so I think you can do it!! I might think about doing something like that after Christmas, but probably not before. I do have things I want to get done by then - Reilly's quilt, a yoyo bunny for her, and yoyo elephant for Jack, who wants one since his sisters now have theirs. Maybe some napkins to go with the tablerunners I made for Kristi and Becky, etc, etc. I'm in ATL babysitting for Reilly, and she is waking up - gotta run. Hope to see you Saturday??

Nancy said...

I may have some flannel you could use. How much does it take for a block? I have some scraps, but most are from baby rag quilts. I'll check when I get home tomorrow night.