UFO Challenge for 2012

Patchwork Times is having a UFO challenge for 2012. I completed a lot of my UFOs in 2011, but I did not participate in the challenge for 2011. So for 2012 I only have a few things planned - I guess some are technically not UFOs since they're not started but ...Oh well, in 2012 I'd like to do the following:

1. Finish Home Tweet Home - needs binding & embellishing
2. Experiment with the 9-degree wedge ruler to make a bargello style circular piece
3. Lake Forest Block of the Month Club (from Keepsake Quilting) - all I've done so far is transfer some of the pattern pieces to fusible web - there are 6 blocks.
4. Create a challenge piece for our local Art-rageous Quilters group - must use a specific green fabric and the theme is "A Walk Through My Garden" - it's due in March
5. Make a Victorian Crazy Quilt from some blocks my mother has made but that have not yet found their way into a quilt.
6. I do have a cathedral window quilt I started several years ago for my son - tons and tons and tons of handwork left to do on it.

So, there you have it. Not terribly daunting ...

Design Wall Monday 12-19

Hard to believe the year is coming to a close so quickly. Well, I broke my promise to myself about not starting a new project before the new year - I just felt at such loose ends without something to work on, so I found this project in the April 2011 issue of Quiltmaker - it's called "Sailing Away". I had appropriate scraps so I went for it. I've embellished it with some blingy beads. It's about 14" across so it's a super fast project to do.

Please visit Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday to see what others are working on .

Design Wall Monday 12-12

No quilts this week - I have them all finished and have not started the Lake Forest BOM project yet. Will start that New Year's weekend.

As promised last week, this week I'm showing these adorable fabric boxes from the book "Fast Fun & Easy Fabric Boxes" by Linda Johansen. The book is great - the directions are easy to understand and there are tons of photos that take you through every step. The book gives you directions for making boxes in a variety of sizes and shapes. So far I've been hooked on making the 4" square boxes because I'm using them to "wrap" small Christmas gifts - a great fat-quarter project. One project in the book that I have not yet tackled but plan to, is a lunch kit - the "lunch box" folds out to be your placemat and also contains a drink coaster, and a place to hold your napkin and flatware. It's a fabulous gift idea for someone who takes their lunch to work with them.

The embellishment ideas for these boxes are infinite!

And once you understand the technique, there is no reason why the boxes can't be custom made to whatever size you want. I've got it down now and can make a box in a little over an hour, start to finish.

Visit Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday for incredible inspiration from so many talented and creative artists!

Design Wall Monday 12-5-11

Visit Patchwork Times to see what others are working on.

The long arm quilter, Lilly Lucier (252-244-1988) finished quiting both One Particular Harbor and Jungle Dance. I was able to finish the binding on One Particular Harbor and add the label, so stick a fork in it - that quilt is done and can be wrapped for Christmas.



Jungle Dance (the binding and label) will be finished by Tuesday.

Fabric boxes ... more about these little gems next week. But in the meantime, they are too much fun! And they are a great way to use scrap fabric.