November UFO Challenge

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Permalink Reply by Cat Lady--MO on November 1, 2009 at 11:36am

I have not joined in any of the other monthly challenges, but I need to concentrate on finishing the hand quilting and then binding my Autumn Splendor quilt so at least I will have one quilt for our group's show in Feb. So that will be my challenge for myself.

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Permalink Reply by Kristel on November 1, 2009 at 1:08pm

I have two goals for November. First, I need to finish a purse/bag (like this, but different fabrics) I've been meaning to make for a friend of mine. It's quite summery in tone - it uses part of Amy Butler's August Fields line (this in particular) - and it's been cut out since mid-summer, but I was distracted by my need to finish blocks for an exchange group on Livejournal. In any case, this friend's birthday is at the very end of November, so it's perfect timing to get it done. It's also ridiculously easy to make, so there's no excuse NOT to get it done. In fact if I'd been thinking, I'd have started it early this afternoon and I could have been done by now.

My second goal is more difficult, some of you will have seen it mentioned in the main thread, but it's my origami quilt for my grandmother. What I need to do is this:
1. Pull it down from the closet shelf, undo all the basting pins, and iron it. It's been rolled up for nearly 2 years and it's a big wrinkly mess.
2. Re-baste and learn how to machine quilt properly. (Eeeek!)
3. Open all the flowers and tack down the petals ( (4x5)x13=260 petals). Sew buttons into the flower centers (5x13=65 centers).
4. Learn to make and sew on binding. (I've only ever done the rolled over from the back type. And I've never actually done the corners. I always try to finish things when my mom is nearby so she can start the binding and do the corners for me, but I don't live near enough anymore to rely on her.)
5. Try not to scream and/or tear out my own hair.
I don't actually expect that I'll finish all that by the end of November, but I'd like at least to get as far as having it quilted; I'm just too scared to start. I'd send it out to get it done if I could afford it, as I'm more prepared to accept other people's errors than I am my own, but I'm sure it would be terribly expensive.

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Permalink Reply by Kate in OK on November 1, 2009 at 7:44pm

Kristel, For learning how to do the binding part you should see if you can locate a copy of "Happy Endings" by Mimi Dietrich, published by Martingale & Company (A That Patchwork Place publication). The book covers all types of ways to bind your quilts. It has lots of pictures and the instructions are clear. I taught myself how to bind quilts by following the instructions in that book. It's not that hard, but I went really slow the first couple of quilts.

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Permalink Reply by Kristel on November 2, 2009 at 3:08pm

Thanks for the recommendation, Kate! Sounds like a useful book.

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Permalink Reply by Cornwoman/AZ on November 2, 2009 at 8:22am

Hi Kristel! Making, and attaching, binding on a quilt is really pretty easy. Many quilters find it to be a really boring task that they don't enjoy doing. But I love attaching the binding because it means that my quilt is nearly done and I am thinking about what project I will work on next while I'm stitching it on.

The following should give you some good info on making the binding on the first url, and attaching it on the second one.

http://quilting.about.com/od/bindingaquilt/ss/binding_strips.htm
http://quilting.about.com/od/bindingaquilt/ss/mitered_binding.htm

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Permalink Reply by Kristel on November 2, 2009 at 3:07pm

Thanks for the links - I've got them bookmarked for when I get that far!

I don't mind doing binding, I've just never started, finished or done corners with it. Like you, it means the end is near, which is nice, and also it's a good sort of mindless task for when you're not-really-watching something on tv, like hockey, which my housemates love, or boring Sunday tv.

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Permalink Reply by Cornwoman/AZ on November 2, 2009 at 5:48pm

You're welcome! I've even tried sewing the binding down (after sewing on and turning it to the back) with a serpentine stitch when I was in a hurry to finish. It turned out nicely, and the shape of the stitch meant that I didn't have to get it 100% straight when doing it on the machine. I usually prefer stitching it down by hand on the back, though.

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Permalink Reply by Annie on November 1, 2009 at 2:10pm

I WILL get my second baby quilt from October's challenge done. I WILL start on my charm quilt. I WILL NOT start any ufos until those are done. Then I will start on my flannel quilt so it will hopefully be done for when it gets really cold.

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Permalink Reply by Annie on November 3, 2009 at 1:16pm

Figured out why the second baby quilt was so hard to start. It was entirely wrong for the parents! Picked new fabrics for it, am very excited with it, so it should go very fast now.

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Permalink Reply by QuiltDragon on November 1, 2009 at 4:40pm

OK Cornwoman, I'm in. I want to make a quilt with fish on it for my SIL and BIL - they live in LA, fish and hunt all the time and when they were up for my DIL's baby shower she mentioned that if I ever had time to make a quilt for her, it would definitely have fish on it. Hmmmmmm....I collected fish (and some Louisiana-specific animals) and stumbled on a fishbowl quilt (very similar to the candy Mason jars). So I'm gonna start on it this week and will hope to have it done by Christmas. So, the goal for this month is to make the top.

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Permalink Reply by Kate in OK on November 1, 2009 at 4:48pm

I'm in for November. I want to finish the picture quilt for DD, plus continue to work on the purple and yellow scrap quilt a little each time I work on other projects (15 minutes max). I also signed up for a mystery quilt prorgam that I'm already a month behind on, so I want to make some headway on that as well. I have a lot of momemtum from October, I'm just hoping the holiday's don't derail me too badly.

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Permalink Reply by Cheri on November 2, 2009 at 9:56am

I wasn't able to finish my sisters' Christmas tree skirt last month, so I guess I'll have to concentrate on working on that. I did finish both of my gifts for friends who are expecting new babies during this month.

So, again, for this month my challange will be to finish my sisters' Christmas tree skirt.

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