Saturday, November 12, 2022

Finishing Other People's UFO's

Sometimes, we quilters have UFO's--unfinished projects that seem to just take up space in our sewing rooms that we just don't feel motivated to get them to the finish line.  The quilt below was given to me by another quilter along with the backing fabric, probably over a year ago...long enough for me to forget who gave it to me to finish! I was asked to quilt and bind it and then give it to the Chemo Unit at the hospital for an adult chemo patient.  Just before last weekend's Oxford Quilt Guild retreat, I found this in a bag and decided to take it with me to quilt at the retreat. I used my walking foot to quilt straight lines through all the blocks. The quilting shows up better on some blocks than others.  I used leftover backing fabric for the binding. I brought it home to do the hand stitching on the binding.  It is now completely done and ready for donation!  Lots of scraps in this one!





Next up, I made four table toppers out of quilt blocks that had been donated to the church sewing group for the bazaar.  I quilted each one differently and used some of my own fabrics for the binding.  The backing fabric was donated to the church. Again, I did the hand sewing of the binding at home this past week. The church bazaar is next weekend so hopefully, someone will buy them and take them home!



I also worked on a pieced backing for a wedding quilt that I am making.  I used Lori Holt's "Spelling Bee" book to piece the Bride and Groom's names and wedding date for the back of the quilt. This took a while as there are lots of pieces and steps to sewing each letter.  I'm pleased with the result though and I hope the newlyweds will like it too. 


A secret cross stitch project is underway as well.  Here is a small peek.  Other secret sewing happened at the retreat as well but I'm not revealing anything for now. 


The Elgin Piecemakers had a sewing day on Wednesday and Yvonne and I worked on our quilt for a refugee family that we started in the summer at another sewing day.  We managed to finish the top of the quilt and piece the back. It was taken home by one of the long arm quilters who will call one of us to pick it up to do the binding as soon as it is quilted. Each pair of quilters was given a stack of batiks to use for their quilt.  The fabric was donated to the guild. 


My butterfly weed was fluffing this week when I was out cleaning up the gardens and raking leaves in the yard.  This is one plant I would not mind having more of!

When my friend and I were out walking one morning this week, we noticed that there were five squirrel nests in this one tree. They are all visible now that the leaves have fallen. 


Finn thinks the best way to deal with colder weather is to cuddle up with your favourite fluffy blanket and have a snuggle. 


I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers in the morning. 

16 comments:

  1. you have been very busy!! so many different quilts - I need to start to give more of mine away to family and also finish quilts already started. Finn looks delightful as always

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  2. Great finish of the donation scrappy quilt! And you made some lovely items for the bazaar!!

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  3. You are making some lovely charity quilts, Gail. So very kind of you. Each one of them will be very appreciated and loved. The quilt you and Yvonne are working on for the refugee family has a lot of lovely pattern. I'm with Finn regarding cuddling up to a warm blanket or quilt when the weather is a little chilly.

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  4. The table toppers are beautiful and I like how you quilted each one. You did great with the charity quilts, they will bring happiness and joy to someone in need. I think Finn is correct, staying warm and cozy.

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  5. Great job on finishing the UFO and donating it to charity. It will be appreciated. Your table toppers are pretty too.~~Kathy S.

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  6. You have been quite busy. How wonderful that you quilted that UFO and it is ready for donation now. I like those quilt blocks for the church bazaar. It seems many of us are working on secret stitching right now. Have a great week. Thanks for the Finn photo.

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  7. You have some lovely projects going on there between your gifts and charity donations and secret stitching! I agree with Finn, nothing like a warm cuddle when the weather gets chilly!

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  8. I love scrappy quilts, and that's a pretty one! You're so kind to finish it for a donation. Fun to see what else you've been working on, too. I agree with Finn - when it's cold wrap up in a quilt!

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  9. Great finishes Gail! I love the idea of the bride and grooms name on the back of the quilt, it must have taken you a long time? Finn does look very cosy!

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  10. Thanks for finishing the quilt. It was me (Maureen),who left it in your capable hands.

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  11. Great finishes and current projects you are working on. I admit in the cold evenings I have a cozy blanket on my legs. Finn has the right idea!

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  12. Theres certainly lots to keep you busy. I think a lot of us are busily working away on secret projects in time for Christmas. Didn't know squirrels built nests, I thought they lived in holes in trees.

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  13. You did a marvelous job of finishing up others' UFO projects. I love seeing the squirrel nests in the bare-naked trees too.

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  14. Wow - good for you for finishing up some UFOs. I really like the scrappy block charity quilt.
    Is that the same plant as Milk Weed?
    I've been nest peeping too with the leaves down.
    Finn has the right idea!

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