February 21 - UFOs and February Done!

Hi all! I've been busy the past two weeks completing two quilts and working on two new projects as well as catching up with this quilt. I promised you pictures, so here we go:

I decided after organizing my sewing room that I needed to finish up some UFOs to make room for new projects. First one done is my Underground Railroad Quilt. This UFO was started in 2006 when I was teaching the class in the local quilt shop. Things didn't work out and I left the job and never finished it, but I did collect all the kits. I was able to print the "story" block onto fabric to make the 16th block of the quilt. Not sure if you can read it, but it looks great! even if I do say so myself.



My second quilt is a floral dresden plate made by my friend Michelle that I bartered quilting jobs for because I just loved the colors! I finally got around to quilting it. Once I put it on my bed I decided I needed new window valences to match (the green check I currently have just doesn't work). So back to the quilt shop for more fabric. (Actually I called the shop and sent hubby with a swatch to be sure. He works a couple blocks from the shop and I saved gas and had time to quilt. Will visit the shop later when I have more time.) I'll get the new valences made, hopefully, this week.


In doing all the organizing in January, I decided that the kids cross-stitched birth annoucements had been hanging long enough (my youngest is now 16) and I don't even cross stitch anymore. So I came up with the bright idea of making quilted tablerunners and wall hangings for a section of wall at the top of the stairs as you enter the front door. I started out the week thinking I was going to work on my pumpkin tablerunner and wallhanging set. I got all the fabric cut and started piecing, fusing, and blanket-stitching.


Then I got a phone call from my good friend Miss Betty, a fiesty lady 25 years my senior whom I began teaching to quilt back in 2006. Last October we were shop-hopping together and picked up a cardinal wall hanging kit with the idea of getting them done in time to hang for christmas... needless to say, we never got started!. She reminded me that I promised to help her get it done, so away went my pumpkin tablerunner and we spent several hours a day this week cutting and piecing and fusing and blanket-stitching. It's not complete yet but here are some of the blocks so far.


Then lastly, I cut all the strips I needed to complete my February calendar block and sewed them all together. I still haven't decided exactly how I'm going to put this thing together, so I keep sewing 7 strips per week together. Unfortunately, when I took this picture, I realized that January has 31 days, not 30 days, so I'm debating if I should rearrange a few strips and add the extra "white" January day in or just leave it as is. I've been trying to blend from one shade to the next as I go through the weeks. Then when I went from white in Jan to red in Feb my last Jan block is a white with a maroon red print. My last Feb block is red with some green in it so I can change to green for March and St. Patrick's Day. It's a plan of sorts.


Hope you are all staying busy and enjoying quilting! I know I am!

hm