Once upon a time July 2017

Where did another month go? It seems like less than a month ago that I finished the June block. I only had a little of this block stitched when I picked it up again last week. I try to work on this UFO at the start of each month as it takes the longest to make any tangible progress.

However the July block is almost done apart from some blue water. However the August block has only a few stitches done which means it will take longer to complete. Eek.

Q3 Finish along

Well Q2 finishes from this list were sparce. However two projects went with me to the Simply Solids Retreat, so hopefully progress will be made. I have also added two projects to the Q3 list - Bjorn Bear and the Bee Sewcial Sew along which finishes in four weeks time.

1. Bjorn Bear mini quilt for Chez Soi Quilters Christmas Challenge, this is cut out and I should get it mostly finished at retreat.

2.  Jan Krentz project - this stalled because I didn't like one of the techniques used.

3. It's a small world 3 out of six panels are complete apart from some appliqué. This progressed a little in quarter 1 and I am working on panel 4.

4. Green tea and sweet beans just needs some extra borders. This has progressed to needing border on one and a half sides and I am cutting out pinwheel and flying geese units ready to finish the piecing at the Simply Solids retreat.

5. TQS BOM has a drawer to itself and needs a lot of work. If I complete the selected project before the end of the month, I will work on this project. There is a lot of work to be done and I have now finished up until month six. My brother has helped me tape together the big corner units, so I am hoping to work on this one in July. However I used an incorrect fabric and run out of it, so I need to formulate a plan first.

6. Xmas hexagons - this is going to become a bedside table mat for December now instead of a project bag.

7. Makers  tote - pattern purchased. Our modern quilt guild (JMQG) are doing a sewalong with this pattern in July.

8. The Thread House retreat quilt.

2017 UFO challenge update

So I am participating in the APQ UFO challenge and my list of 12 projects was as follows. I thought I would update the list as we are almost half way through the year.

1. Dear Jane - complete

2. Garden BOM - complete

3.  Jan Krentz project - no progress

4. 100 blocks - complete
5.  Thimbleblossoms "colourway" sew along - complete
6. It's a small world 2 was the January pick for the challenge and although progress was made it's still incomplete.

7. Green tea and sweet beans just needed some extra borders and I now have a plan. I am going to cut lots of flying geese units on my Accuquilt and take them to the retreat I'm going to in June.

8. Summer sampler blocks - complete

9. TQS BOM has a drawer to itself and needs a lot of work. If I complete the selected project before the end of the month, I will work on this project. I have worked on it in May and am making good progress. I have the first five months sewn together.

10. Xmas hexagons

11. Makers  tote - pattern purchased - I will work on this at JMQG in July.

12. One hour basket - complete

The UFO pile sounds as if it is going down but I must finish my Thread House retreat quilt which I will work on at the retreat at the end of the month.

Progress on Sewcial Bee Sampler

I thought I'd share a few of the blocks so far as we are now over halfway through the sew along. I am keeping up but will be away when this week's block is released and I need to source the mini pearl bracelets in peach and aubergine. Someone has promised me some of the aubergine at the Simply Solids retreat at the end of June and I will place an order thereafter as I don't want this project to languish and we only have eight blocks more to sew.

I have gone for a scrappy rainbow look which may not be obvious.

Using mini pearl bracelets to tie the blocks together.

Five of f the blocks have no frame so I have used mini pearl bracelets for the background of each block.

June cross stitching

June is here and it is time to get out my Once Upon a Time sampler by The Frosted Pumpkin. Unfortunately I haven't done much of this block so I need to focus to get it done. I do have new glasses for close in work so that might improve my focus!

This month's fairy tale is the Princess and the Pea.

Sedona Star

This UFO is from 2012 and faltered because I didn't like that one of the blocks was all appliqué when it could have been pieced. 

I took it out of the cupboard a couple of months ago and have worked on it a lot over the past two weeks, such that the first five months ( this was the TQS BOM for 2012) are now pieced together.

I am now working on the appliqué blocks for months six to eight, most of the appliqué is now cut as I treated myself to an Accuquilt die cutting machine.  However I got two of my fabrics mixed up and couldn't work out why I had run out of one fabric. I need to work out the solution carefully and slowly.

If I work steadily I can get this finished by the end of the year. But I am itching to work on something else now as I do prefer piecing.

My secret garden BOM finished

The blocks for this quilt have been finished for a few months. I had already sewn them into three strips of four but one strip was a different length, so I had to measure every block and all that was necessary was to add a thin strip of the background fabric to one strip.

I soon had it sashed with a low volume text print with my usual grey screen print as backing.

A turquoise dotty print by Moda was a perfect find in my stash for the binding. Looking forward to seeing what will be chosen as the June project to work on.