ufo challenge 2026

Christmas in July from Grandma's Red Needle

Have you ever thought from where Christmas in July originates?

To be honest, I have always thought it came from the Southern Hemisphere. Recently, I did a search and according to this link, it originates from France! Did you know? I didn't!

The month of July is usually the time I start making Christmas items for gifts etc.

Last year, I prepped some dogs and cats themed mug rugs, using scraps from my stash. (I forgot to add them to my UFO list). I have finished quite some big quilts (so far) this year, it feels good working on ...

added by Astrid 1 week, 4 days ago. under christmas , mug rugs , quilt blocks , scrap-buster , scraps , ufo challenge 2026

Coffee with Dad - RSC Finish from Grandma's Red Needle

...as the title says; Coffee with Dad is finished!

UFO #26 on my UFO/WIP list 2026

Actually I finished it in May, but didn't take photos at that time.

An easy and fun quilt to make!

Drums, daffodils, black cat and colorful gecko

Yellow cat

Geckoes and sunflowers

The pink cat, and favorite coffee batik

Yes, I love cats! It was fun to rediscover some of the fussy cut fabrics for the cups.

Pieced backing

It was difficult to get the colors right. I took the photos in the shade on the porch. The bottom looks a bit ...

added by Astrid 2 weeks, 3 days ago. under coffee with dad , finished ufos 2026 , rsc2025 , scrap quilts , scrap-buster , ufo challenge 2026

Swirling Stars - An RSC Finish from Grandma's Red Needle

Swirling Stars (UFO #11) has moved from my UFOs/WIPs list to Finished UFOs.

My goal was to finish it by end of February. That didn't happen due to delayed thread order.

The thread was finally delivered on March 25!

It took me some time to decide how to quilt this one. Simple FMQ (Free-Motion-Quilting) is the easiest and fastest, but it doesn't always 'fit' a quilt.

For this one, I went for custom quilting each block. I didn't have a plan fully in my head when I started, it was like 'quilt it as you go ...

added by Astrid 2 weeks, 6 days ago. under finished ufos 2026 , rsc2023 , ufo challenge 2026

Working on UFOs from Grandma's Red Needle

My oldest (quilt) UFO; Got the Blues, (#8 on my UFO list) is currently under the needle!

I made the first blocks February 2012! It's time to get it done, isn't it?!

I don't have any other updates on this one. It was thread basted last year, and since then; just sitting there waiting for thread and decision how to quilt it.

Yesterday I quilted about 1/4. It's a big quilt to maneuverer even with the 10" working area on the machine. The quilt measures about 84 x 96 inches / 213 x 243 cm

My ...

added by Astrid 1 month ago. under got the blues , log cabin , ufo challenge 2026 , ufo's

Quilting Weather from Grandma's Red Needle

Rain = quilting weather.

It was nice in the morning, but got cloudy in the early afternoon with rain off and on.

What's better than spending time in the sewing room? Well, not actually a 'sewing room'. My 'sewing / quilting room' is the dining room table, because that table is big; 42 x 84 inches / 107 x 255 cm. I love that!

I have just finished two RSC (UFOs) quilts, the Scrap Jar Stars quilts. Yes, I know; I have to take photos!!! I WAS going to take photos today! Then it got cloudy, dark and dreary! SIGH!

I have ...

added by Astrid 1 month, 2 weeks ago. under country charm , scrap-buster , ufo challenge 2026 , wips

RSC Week 20 - Orange / Small UFO Finish from Grandma's Red Needle

Another week has passed and it's time to show what I've been up to with orange.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I don't have any orange yardage left. There are squares in different sizes. I have a few orange 5" squares left and I just couldn't leave these cute cats in the box!

Two squares + leftover black = two mug rugs!

The quilting will happen another day.

After finishing four big UFOs (I need to take photos!), it felt good working on something small.

UFO #22 is FINISHED!

This is the table topper or candle ...

added by Astrid 2 months ago. under christmas , finished ufos 2026 , rsc 2026 , rscorange , table toppers & runners , ufo challenge 2026

RSC Week 19 - Orange - An RSC FINISH - BOM 2026 from Grandma's Red Needle

Remember '70s has moved from my UFOs/WIPs list (UFO #14) to FINISH!

I got the idea to make a quilt in orange & brown in May 2023. That year/month, orange was the RSC color as well. Who does not remember the 1970's when orange and brown were popular? I think I had enough of these colors at that time! Orange is not amongst my favorite color, but if I had to choose between orange and pink, I know I would have a big problem! LOL

I have to say I like how this quilt turned out, mixed with ...

added by Astrid 2 months, 1 week ago. under bom 2026 , fruit and vegetables , fruits , remember 70s , rsc 2026 , rscorange , ufo challenge 2026 , weather

RSC Color for May is Orange / A Squirrel popped in from Grandma's Red Needle

Who sent the squirrel?!

...and one can't work on UFOs all the time, right?

I've been admiring the '99 Charms quilts' in RSC colors at GraceandPieceQuilting. Nancy has done a fabulous job on those quilts, using 5 inch squares from scraps, and quilted beautifully!

I got inspired!

I have a shoe box full of 5" squares and wasn't sure how to use them. Not that it was a priority to use them, but after admiring Nancy's quilts, I decided to do the same. Thanks for the inspiration, Nancy!

There were squares in colors I have more ...

added by Astrid 2 months, 2 weeks ago. under 99 charms quilt , flimsy , remember 70s , rsc 2026 , rscorange , ufo challenge 2026

RSC April 2026 - PINK / Dear Nina is back! from Grandma's Red Needle

It has been some busy days since my previous post.

It has been yard work and decluttering. I've gone through lots of papers, tossed or shredded most. I couldn't believe how many quilt patterns I've collected; 2 big ring binders! I've kept one stitchery pattern! It has 12 cute snowmen motifs, how could I toss it?! It would make a fun winter / Christmas quilt.

Last week was 'sewing week'.

Yes! Dear Nina (Bernina 440 QE) is back from the spa in South Africa! She had a total breakdown and the dealer here nor Bernina Switzerland, did ...

added by Astrid 2 months, 4 weeks ago. under a quilting life , bernina , bom 2025 , mauritius , pat sloan bom , quilt blocks , rsc 2026 , rscpink , rscred , solstice challenge , ufo challenge 2026

Basket Quilt and Mini-Dwellings WIP from Grandma's Red Needle

I'm still waiting for the quilting thread! SIGH!

The 'problem order' made it through US Customs and has made it to France! Scheduled to arrive next week.

Meanwhile; progress on the Basket quilt

The 4 scrappy 16-patches corner blocks are done

The small 4-patches - measure 2.5" square - for the second border is done; 72 out of 72!

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Mini-Dwellings is UFO #25 on my UFO/WIP list

The small house block has been sitting on my sewing table for weeks. The idea is to make a small wall hanging, but I wanted to add that little extra to make ...

added by Astrid 4 months ago. under basket quilt , dwellings , mini-dwellings , quilt blocks , stitchery , ufo challenge 2026 , wips

Basket Quilt UFO - WIP from Grandma's Red Needle

It took me some days deciding on how to do the basket blocks, since I was not that eager to do the original block design. Then I saw Melva's beautiful Basket block and knew right away my blocks need a 'flower pot'!

I think the left one looks much better and I decided on that design.

I also get to use up my basket weave fabrics that have been sitting on the shelf for some years! What I don't use for the blocks, will be used for a pieced backing. I made 5 of the design to the ...

added by Astrid 4 months ago. under basket quilt , quilt blocks , ufo challenge 2026

Coffee With Dad - An RSC Flimsy, Another WIP from Grandma's Red Needle

As the title says; Coffee with Dad is a Flimsy!

Viola at Familie Barwitzki challenged me to work on my UFO #26, since 26 is her birthday. Now that Swirling Stars is on hold, waiting (forever! due to shipping error from the online shop!) for ordered quilting thread, I accepted the challenge.

In my previous post I mentioned I had too many blocks for one quilt.

That is absolutely not true! I don't know where my head was, or better say brain (it must have melted in the heat these days!), when I figured out I need 36 coffee ...

added by Astrid 4 months, 1 week ago. under basket quilt , bom 2025 , coffee with dad , fruit and vegetables , mauritius , nature , rsc 2026 , rsc2025 , rscred , ufo challenge 2026

RSC Coffee with Dad - WIP from Grandma's Red Needle

Now that 'Swirling Stars' (RSC UFO #11) is near completion (waiting for ordered thread), I continue working on my UFOs and WIPs.

I accomplished a lot in January, thanks to all the rainy days. What's better stay inside and sew?!

Some days ago, one particular blogpost comment caught my eyes: Viola at Barwitzki Family challenged me to work on 'Coffee With Dad' - RSC UFO #26, her birthday!

Challenge accepted! Thank you, Viola!

Some coffee cup blocks have been trimmed today and laid out on the sewing table.

The original size is 72 inches / 183 cm. I've decided to ...

added by Astrid 4 months, 2 weeks ago. under coffee with dad , rsc2025 , ufo challenge 2026

RSC Blocks turned into Flimsies from Grandma's Red Needle

My goal this year is to work on UFOs and WIPs.

My UFO list is long as a freight train. I just have to start somewhere. This is what I did in January.

I got my DH to pick a number (from the UFO list) between 1 and 31:

#16, which is the Scrap Jar Star quilt blocks.

I made 35 blocks for the RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) in 2024

First blocks made January 2024

What to do with 35 twelve inches (finished) blocks? I didn't want to turn them into a monster bed quilt. First, the idea was ...

added by Astrid 4 months, 3 weeks ago. under flimsy , ocean waves , remember 70s , rsc2024 , ufo challenge 2026

JANUARY 2026 - Time (again!) for UFOs and Goals for the New Year from Grandma's Red Needle

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Here we go again! UFOs / WIPs / RSC 2026!

I think I'd better start with the UFO's I did finish in 2025:

You can see them all here.

1) New York Beauty

2) Keep Believing / Tomten's Quilt

3) Dwellings / House quilt

4) Snowman wall quilt

5) No name purple quilt

6) Keep the Home Fires Burning

7) Sherri McConnell BOM 2024

8) Over the River and Through the Woods

My UFO/WIP/OGP list for 2025 is as long as a freight train and here is an updated list per January 1, 2026. It ...

added by Astrid 5 months, 1 week ago. under apq ufo challenge 2026 , crocheting , knitting , rsc , ufo challenge 2026 , wips

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