UFO Busting #146

 It's a super rainy Saturday here, which makes for the perfect excuse to stay in and grab some extra quilting time.  This week I'm feeling super motivated to finish stuff almost to a point that it's a distraction.  I'm having trouble focusing on just one project.  As my friend Sandra would say...squirrels everywhere!  

I'm so close to a finish on the Building Blocks Baby Quilt.  I'm really kind of sad it's almost over.  I cannot wait to show you the entire quilt!

All of the squares are quilted and I'm down to the borders.  I refuse to let them get the best of me.  Not 100% sure what I will quilt in them. Over thinking seems to be the biggest problem.

I'm trying very hard to not let the urge to piece something, over take my urge to quilt.  I spent quite a bit of time this week focusing on free motion quilting.

  The first unit of Free Motion Quilting Academy kicked off this week.  Even though I'm already comfortable with the motifs discussed this week, it was important for me to practice them anyway.  There is always room for improvement and practice just helps things to be second nature.  The pile of UFO's in my back room need me and just these 4 motifs have me pumped to use them on those quilts.

Speaking of UFO's, Rose over at Something Rose Made was cranking out the UFO finishes last week!

Just look at those sweet little quilts!  Three perfect little finishes.  I love that she incorporated beautiful straight line quilting.  Simple lines can create such great texture on quilts and really let the fabrics and piecing shine.  I do believe I spy her finished Fire Burst (a QAL I hosted back in 2018) in the middle.  Make sure you swing over and congratulate her on all those finishes!!!

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you've been into this week!

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UFO Busting #145

 

It's Saturday!  Welcome back to another day of UFO busting...or creating...whatever your heart desires.  This week I finished two of the quilts I wanted to make for an upcoming blog hop in July.

This quilt is made using Moda's Hoopla from a few years back.  Since it's been sitting patiently, I decided this quit would be a much better use than my original plan.  I am busting to show you the entire quilt.

I've also pieced two blocks in Natalia Bonner's Let's Stitch a Year of Stars QAL.  Each month Natalia shares how she quilts a block in the quilt on YouTube (free to everyone) and a different way to quilt it for those that follow her in Patreon.  I am super excited to give my 4n1 Mini Rulers even more of a work out.

But for now, I need to finish getting my supplies together, mainly quilt sandwiches, for String and Story's Free Motion Quilting Academy that kicks off this week.  I also need to get back to quilting the baby quilt that is under the needle.  I have high hopes of finishing all the 4.5" squares this weekend.  Fingers crossed.

When I take a look at last week's party, oh my, I'm seeing red y'all...but in a super good way.  First up we have Melisa at Pinker n Punkin Quilting & Stitching and her yard sale win!

Thanks to her hubby spotting a great yard sale, Melisa was able to land this bow tie beauty!  I'm not even going to tell you how much she was able to grab this for.  You need to swing over immediately and read about.  Disclaimer...make sure you are sitting down.  I'm still a bit light headed.  Way to go girl!!

Next up, we have Maggie over at Making a Lather and she has the red bits flying everywhere.

 

She's been going through her red scraps and working on not one, but two super fun scrappy challenge projects.  Make sure you stop by and check them out.  Maggie also has some super fun and exciting news...go congratulate her!!!

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you've been up to over the past week.

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UFO Busting #144

 

Dang, it.  I missed another Saturday.  But I'm back today, fully charged and looking forward to some quilting.  Over the past two weeks, I've started some new projects.  Thanks to Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs and her new book that will be releasing soon, I am getting ready to turn these gorgeous pre cuts into some amazing quilts!

 But for now that is all I can share with you on this one.  What I can share is what has distracted me the rest of the time.  I am FINALLY quilting on the long over due baby quilt I pieced last fall.

Holly Ann over at String and Story hosted an online seminar on quilting plans last week and I find my self super motivated to quilt, quilt, quilt.  So a drew up a plan...

And started putting some string to cloth!

I was so pumped, I signed up for Holly Ann's Free Motion Quilting Academy!  I have been free motion quilting for a while now, but there is always more to learn and practice only helps us improve.  

Free Motion Quilting Academy is a 12 week (though you have a life time to complete it) course taking you from beginner to confident intermediate quilter.  I am looking forward to her energetic motivational course and sharing my progress with you.  If you would like to learn more about this course (sign up's end tonight) you can read more about it here. 

Enough about me...let's see what you've been up to over these past two weeks.  Link up below and join the party!

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UFO Busing #143

 

It's Saturday and I'm celebrating spring.  This week, I finished piecing a quilt for a friend and it just SCREAMS Spring!

Lot's of pretty flowers, blue skies and sweet little humming birds.

Since, I have a few things on my plate (who's surprised by that) we might send this one off to a dear long arm friend of mine to be quilted.  I would love for my friend to enjoy her quilt before 2025.  We've all felt like that, right?

In the meantime, I am gathering and petting all of my charm packs.  It's kind of embarrassing how big my hoard collection has grown.  I'm gathering all my pretties because I'm participating in a blog hop to celebrate the launch of Cheryl's (Meadow Mist Designs) newest book, Just One Charm Pack Quilts.

I have a pre cut addiction (I'm not looking to kick it) and I'm always looking for ways to turn them in to fresh fun quilts.  I have a feeling this book will be the answer.  Look for pre sales information on her website late May-early June.  If you order early, I hear there may be some fun extras also included.  

And now time for some fun from last week's party.  UFO's were flying everywhere.  First up, we have Sherrie at Food for Thought.  Her Tile Quilt is only 3 strips away from a finish!

I love seeing UFO's come together!  This isn't the only thing that Sherrie has going on.  Make sure you pop by and check out the other cool projects she has going on.

Next up we have Lynette at What a Hoot! and her row quilt finish.  This may be small in size but the quilting detail is over the top good.

Make sure you stop by and check out all the quilting fun on this applique piece.  And if you have a few more minutes hang around her blog and you will see UFO's flying to completion everywhere.  Lynette is on a huge roll!

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you have been up to this week.

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UFO Busting #142

 

We know the saying April showers bring May flowers, but I think mother nature got confused this week.  Rain showers.  Not snow showers.  On Wednesday the white stuff was flying everywhere. Weather like that makes for the perfect time to stay in where it's warm and of course...quilt.

This fun quilt top finally moved to the finished stage!  The backing fabric arrived yesterday, so hopefully it will see a finish very soon.

Now I will concentrate on piecing the hummingbird bed quilt for my friend.  It consists of simple 10" blocks and sashing so it should come together very quickly.

Once it's finished, I may suggest that we drop it off at a local long-armer for the quilting.  I would love to quilt it for her, but I would also like her to have a finished quilt sometime in the next 10 years.  I'll be honest, my stack of needs quilted is HUGE (we knew that already) and I would love to see it on her new bed and being loved now.  But if she's happy with an all over stipple, I know I can crank that out pretty quickly.  It will be totally up to her.

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago I decided to return to my crafting roots.  I've welcomed cross stitch back into my life.  It's nice to have something small to pick up while I watch TV.

It's coming together slowly but the process is so much fun.  And there are tons of quilt cross stitch patterns.  Who wouldn't love that??

Speaking of quilters not quilting, Maggie over at Making a Lather, shared the progress she has made on two of her rug hooking projects.

I can't say I've ever tried rug hooking, but it looks similar-ish to cross stitch and I bet it would be tons of fun!  Make sure you pop over and check out the two projects she has going on.

Next up from last week we have Gretchen at Gretchen's Little Corner and she advanced up the ladder to have herself a good ol' quilt finish!

She is celebrating finishing Climbing Jacob's Ladder quilt and from where I'm standing the view is amazing!  Make sure you swing by and congratulate her and find out who she made this beauty for.  Also, I must say, her quilt roll is quite on point.

So now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you have been up to this week.

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UFO Busting #141

 

Happy Saturday!  Once again, it's time to round things up and see what we have been up to.  I can't show you what I got lost in last weekend...because it's a mystery surprise.  But I can finally tell you what it was!

Over the past few weeks, I have been pattern testing for Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Designs for her soon to come Macaron Mystery Quilt...and let me tell you...it was delicious!  That's all I can say.  Mum's the word.  Well I can let you know it will kick off July 1st and run through April of 2022.  On the first Thursday of each month a new set of instructions will be given.  I promise, 30ish days is plenty of time to complete them.  I mean, come on, I did the whole quilt in four-ish weeks while working two jobs and tacking other small projects.  So I hope you will join along.  Sewing with friends is always so much fun!!!  And I'm just guessing but I be there will be some pretty awesome prizes at the end.

On to what I can show you.  I have still be working away at a new bed quilt (and a secretly hope fort making quilt) for my sweet goddaughter, Pickle.  

With just a few more rows to add, my brain is already thinking about the quilting.  I've been practicing an over all heart design using the Line Designer (find out more about it here).

But I'm also having visions of ribbon candy in the sashing and fun curves in the corner stones.  The quilt will just have to let me know what it wants.

Now it's time to show you some things from our last party.  I'm not the only one who has been solving mysteries.  Donna Lee has been cracking one herself.  In January her guild started a mystery quilt via their news letter.  Donna Lee has been using stash fabrics to help this mystery come together.

I do love a good mystery and I cannot wait for her to get to the end of this one.  All that scrappy white fabric has me on the edge of my seat.  I'm a sucker for tone on tones.

Last party I mentioned seeing Sandra at mmm!quilt's  quilt Follow Your Own Path in an ad in a magazine while shopping.  Well golly gosh, I spotted her again at the party!  Cindy over at Quilt Schmilt is also working on the quilt.

She recently finished her quilt flimsy and it looks fantastic!  If you would like to make one of your own, pop over to Sandra's now.  She is hosting a quilt along for this fun quilt.  Trust me...she would never point you wrong.  You can always follow her. :)

Now it's your turn.  Link up below and show us what you have been up to this week! 

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UFO Busting #140

 

Well, I'm showing up today a little embarrassed...I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've been on my own page.  This year I really tried to spring forward.  Hard.  But, I think I may have landed face first and just went back to sleep.  

So, what has been going on?  What I can't show you is I have been busily pattern testing a mystery quilt for the amazing Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Designs.  It will be released later on this year and all I have to say is...I LOVE IT.  And that is all I can say right now.  

Things that I can say are, the quilt for my niece is well underway. 

And so is the new bed quilt another friend ask me to make.

But, what I've really been enjoying, is returning to my crafting roots...cross stitch.  I have not touched needle and floss in years. What I love about it...it's super portable.

So I picked up this fun pattern by Lori Holt, unburied my huge DMC collection and went to town.

 Also, while shopping, I found a quilting friend in the wild.  I picked up the latest issue of Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting magazine, turned to the first page and found my good friend Sandra (mmm!quilts) in the Benartex add!

It was a great surprise...she had no idea she was in print, in an ad.

So I have to ask...what have you guys been up to???  Please link up below and share what you've been busily working on while I've been in hibernation.  

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There is nothing like tax season on a car lot to make you so tired you forget you hold a weekly linky party.