What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 While I like the "UFO" acronym...cute...I think of these as Unfinished Projects since mine are usually full size quilts. Ha!

September was quite the month. A lot of life happened, which never equates to a lot of creative time. We do what we can with what we have.

I finished stitching Peace on Earth last month and started crocheting a pair of socks. I have a lot of projects going, more than suits me. This month, the Short List is everything in active rotation.

I began the Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my interests change.

Project 1 (Crochet): I started a pair of socks as a ...

No change in the numbers.

It goes without saying that I’m still quilting Remember Me, although I finished the feather.

On a happy note, I finished stitching Peace on Earth.

I’d like to frame it if I can find the right size frame. It’s a bit of an odd sized square.

Fabric In: 16.5 yards

Fabric out: 22.125 yards

Net Fabric Used: 5.625 yards

How did you do this week?

No change in the numbers.

It’s been a week. Work got busy, not in a good way. I received some unpleasant news, and because those things come in 3s, it happened twice more. All were unrelated.

I know I worked on my projects, but it’s a blur. I made progress on quilting Remember Me. Peace on Earth is close enough to a finish that it’s hard to put down. I’ve enjoyed working on it, but I’m eager to stitch some other projects too.

Here’s the basket with all my quilt kits (3), stitch projects ...

No change in the numbers.

I’m quilting the feather design I drafted last week. So far, so good.

I’m starting to think about what I want to focus on in 2025 beyond the basic goal of “finish things”. Remember Me has turned into a long term project. I have other, even larger, UFOs that I want to finish. Like this one.

I don’t know that I have another large project in me for next year. This decision will drive the rest of what I do next year. After it rolls around my head for a couple months ...

It’s almost Fall. I love everything about this time of year – cooler weather, the red, orange, gold and brown leaves against a crisp blue sky, the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg, pumpkin everything, fresh apples. The days are getting shorter, with less time outside. The sewing room calls my name.

I didn’t finish anything last month, nor did I start anything new. I wanted to but already had a lot going.

I began The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my interests change.

Project 1 ...

I had to stop a minute before I typed September in the title. How did that happen? We’ve had a major heat wave this week, and it feels more like July. We’re ready for some fall weather.

No fabric in or out this week. I took the rest of the fabric I bought at my Guild’s fabric sale and threw it in the charity box. I bought so much the other day I figured I’d never get to that runner. I’ll use some of it in Traffic Jam.

I’ve been working on the quilting ...

After a busy month of going places, I’m finally getting back in the sewing room.

My goal is to finish Remember Me and work on the Traffic Jam top. I’d like to finish both of them this year and start 2025 with a clean(er) slate.

I finished quilting all the blocks in the first three rows of Remember Me.

I also basted the bottom two rows and started quilting those blocks.

I have an idea for quilting the borders. We’ll see if that plan works with the top once it’s quilted.

The rest of the ...

August always feels like the end of summer, even though it’s still hot in September. Once school starts, the focus turns to fall activities and the upcoming holidays.

I have a lot going on this month and won’t have many weekends at home. I expect that will cut down my creative time.

I finished a shirt in July and didn’t start anything new.

I began The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my priorities and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): Peace on Earth by ...

It’s now the second half of the year. I’m happy with what I’ve completed so far, yet it feels a bit unbalanced. The rest of the year could use a wider variety of projects.

I finished stitching and framed Summer Flowers in June, then started a new stitch project.

I began The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my priorities and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): Peace on Earth by Cottage Garden Samplings. This is the first I’ve stitched one of their patterns ...

No change in the numbers.

There’s been a lot of thinking about new projects here. I pulled a couple cuts of clothing fabric out of stash for a second project to alternate with quilting Remember Me.

The red fabric is a woven from Fabric Mart. The blue fabric is a knit from Field’s Fabric. I have enough of both the make a shirt, but haven’t matched the fabrics to patterns yet.

I’m hoping a second project will motivate me to sew more.

Fabric In: 11 yards

Fabric out: 16.375 yards

Net Fabric Used: 5.375 ...

Summer is here. Increased time outside keeps me out of the sewing room. Summers are short in the Midwest, and you have to enjoy them while you can.

I framed two stitch projects in May and did not start anything new.

I began The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my priorities and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): Summer Flowers, a kit I bought at the thrift in March. I expect to finish the stitching and frame it this month.

Project 2 (UFO): Remember Me, a member ...

I spent a couple days in Amish country this week but didn’t buy any fabric. We went to several quilt shops. I came close to buying in the last shop, but I have so much already that I haven’t found time to make. It didn’t feel like a good choice to buy more.

Another .75 yards out in the never ending declutter.

Quilting continues on Remember Me, although slowly. There’s been a lot going on in May and I haven’t spent much time with my sewing machine.

June will be a quieter month, or so ...

The days just fly by.

In April I finished Freeze Fame and the stitching on the Gardener’s Angel of Spring. That was one more project than I thought I’d finish. I didn’t begin anything new.

I started The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my priorities and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): Summer Flowers, a kit I bought at the thrift in March. It’s small and won’t take long.

Project 2 (Finishing): I have a frame picked for Gather and Give Thanks ...

March brought a lot of new starts plus finishes on Trinidad and the candle mat. I didn’t remember finishing anything until I looked back at last month’s Short List. Good thing it’s there to remind me.

I started The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my priorities and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): The Gardener’s Angel of Spring by Crab-apple Hill. It’s moving along.

Project 2 (Original): The next “pass it” challenge. This one is ready to quilt.

Project 3 (UFO): Remember ...

I had my first fabric in for the year, a small piece of black Moda Marble I picked up at the thrift.

I finished the candlemat for some fabric out, plus I used a fat quarter for the Spring Angel.

I also picked up a couple patterns from the free table at Guild. I’m proud to have come home with so little after the Guild meeting and stops at a few thrift stores. It could have been a lot worse.

Fabric In: .33 yards

Fabric out: 4.875 yards

Net Fabric Used: 4.545 yards

How did you do ...

Numerous deadlines took up most my time the first part of the year, but I’m aiming for a more normal blog schedule now.

In February and March to date, I finished Gather, Trinidad and a small request from a co-worker. I am moving on to a new list.

I started The Short List many years ago to create goals to work toward and a way to focus. I change things up as my goals and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): Candle mat. This was a program at a quilt group I haven’t belonged to in years, found ...

No change in the numbers.

I’m still quilting Trinidad and expect to finish the quilting this week.

I needed new hand work, but a couple other commitments left me short on time to prep the Spring Angel. Instead, I picked up this project that was ready go.

I found it during all my cleaning and rearranging. It’s been hanging around for a VERY long time, which is a bit embarrassing given how little time it will take to stitch. Both the mat and the animals are felted wool.

The sewing room declutter continues. I am on task #15 ...

So, I pulled these four-patch posies out of the stash closet the other day, they'd aged well. These are all fussy cut and reassembled from the same large scale print. Turning to the laptop and EQ8 I was able to draw up a setting for them that, hopefully will show off each block's individual beauty. It's about time. I seriously couldn't remember how long they'd been languishing until I searched

So, I pulled these four-patch posies out of the stash closet the other day, they'd aged well. These are all fussy cut and reassembled from the same large scale print. Turning to the laptop and EQ8 I was able to draw up a setting for them that, hopefully will show off each block's individual beauty. It's about time. I seriously couldn't remember how long they'd been languishing until I searched