Okay, so hands up all of you with a project or two outstanding at the moment, you know, the thing you started and then got distracted by something newer or shinier. Come on now, don’t be shy! Ahem, you at the back there, yes, you, stop trying to kid us on that you are entirely up to date in your creative life! That’s better, thank you.
Anyway, recognising that many of us may start the year with resolutions along the lines of ‘I must finish that crocheted plant pot holder I started for Great Auntie Mildred 4 years ago last Michelmas term’, Rhonda, over at Quilter In The Gap, has started a Finish Along. This will run in quarters, and at the start of each quarter you sign up with a list of whatever projects you hope to get done that quarter, and at the end link up what you did to be in with a chance to win some prizes. As well as participating, I’m writing a tutorial for it for one of the tutorial weeks planned, and my finished item will then become a prize for the next quarter. I’ll leave you guessing as to what it might be (as that’s what I’m doing right now…)
With this all in mind, I gathered up all my UFOs (UnFinished Objects) and did an identity parade. When Rhonda announced this initially, I thought I would be scraping around for things, and then I discovered I actually had 13 of the things while doing the grand reorganisation – oops!
Here’s my complete list:
First up, granny’s scarf. This was meant to be part of her Christmas pressie, but I forgot to pack and take Little Brother down to mum and dad’s, so it didn’t get made then. I’ll get it done in time for dad’s birthday weekend in a couple of weeks when I’ll see her, and I can get photos of her bird mobile too.
Skirt for mum. This was requested back in September with ‘There’s no hurry’ but I’m feeling a bit guilty now! I’m hoping I can get a muslin for it done for the birthday weekend so I can try it on her, then the final thing should be quick and easy…
You may be forgiven for having a ‘WTH?!’ moment here. This is actually a dress (can’t you tell? ;o) ) I got this fabric back during the Royal Wedding weekend with the intention of making a shirred sun dress with it. Guess what, Little Brother doesn’t shir :o/ So I tried to sew the shirring elastic in as the lower thread, and then to pull it tighter by hand. Umm, yes, well, that turned out not to be a go-er really when I discovered that it sometimes got caught in the upper stitching – argh! And so it was abandoned until I worked out what to do with it next. I will need to unpick what’s there – I’m not really looking forward to that, but I’m assured that Big Brother can shir, so I’m going to get them to show me how when I finally take my lessons that came with him in a few weeks!
This is the constituent parts of a bugbear, the reverse colours of my birthday giveaway bear from last year, and started about the same time. Alas, the day job rather intervened, and so it sat.
Then we have poor old panda girl. I had something of a crisis of direction when I came to her feet, so she was set aside, and hasn’t been picked up since August. I must get back to her this year!
This is a combined set of charm squares from both rainbow charm swaps I took part in last year. Amazingly, considering there were 168 different possible squares, only 2 were repeated (and 1 removed entirely because I really don’t like spiders!), so there’s a note on top to remind me to add back in 3 corresponding squares. I’m intending to make these into a stacked coins quilt.
Yep, it’s that pile again! I really am going to get to that rainbow windmill block cushion soon… I’ve even picked out the inner colours now too.
This somewhat pathetic excuse for a jelly roll is in fact a bunch of strips of Provencal fabric I cut up for a log cabin quilt that I planned when I was there on holiday last summer. Life just intervened on this I think, but I hope to get to it this year.
Obviously I was having an optimistic summer as regards buying fabric to make quilts, although to be fair, I didn’t expect at the time that August would be taken out of play more or less due to the day job. I bought these with the idea that I would use them in one of the many sampler QALs that were taking place over the summer, but I just couldn’t work out where to start, and kept getting distracted with other easier things. I’m now planning to use them for Jenna’s Sew. Happy. Quilt QAL
Now this is the tunic that’s meant to go with the brown cord skirt I made last September. It became apparent though, that I wasn’t going to have time to make it prior to the skirt’s debut, and somehow I never got around to making it after that.
Last June I made a baby changing bag for my friend Erin, and had, in fact, intended to make 2 at once, with a view to selling the second one. Taking into account a goal to try and sell more bags this year, I’d better finish this one! I just hope I can remember what goes where, and what I ran out of that caused me to stop this one in the first place…
Embarrassingly I won this in the Sew Mama Sew giveaway day in May last year. The Green Bag Lady send me one completed tote to give away, and the fabric to make myself one too (precut). I put the premade one into my gran’s stocking, I really should get my own one done now!
When I fell in love with Pips last September, I discovered it was already becoming rarer to find, so I bought a couple of charm packs without any particular plan in mind. Then in late November/early December I had a bit of a brainwave in a meeting at work while looking at a projected spreadsheet and came up with a design. I then chopped up a bunch of white squares, plus some extra charms from some yardage I had, and got them all laid out one night. This is the pile, all neatly labelled with the block layout, row and column for each block. I’ve now got 4 blocks done on it, but haven’t got to taking a photo yet.
Anyway, I have to pick some projects to be done by the end of this quarter, so I’m going for:
- granny’s scarf
- mum’s skirt
- Jenna’s QAL
- the windmill cushion
- the tote
I think that’s achievable :o) Now if any of the rest of you would like to play, sign ups are open until Sunday here.
good list! i am linking up today or tomorrow!
impressive list – I'm thinking this is something that needs participation on my part.. hopefully i'll get a list together asap. — your list is impressive, good luck!
I've just linked up too. I have over 20 unfinished projects but I just chose 3 🙂 Your list looks great!
Well I have started since New Year I have finished a quilt that was in the making for 7 years. Now I need to make pillowslips to match.
HUgs
Kay
I…
…my brain hurts just thinking about all of that!
You are quite ambitious, but looking at what you accomplished in the last few months of last year, I am certain you can tick all these off!
Good luck!
Ooh! So excited about your tutorial!!WTG! And that's a nice wee manageable list you'e got there, very do-able!
Blimey Katy, my jaw was just dropping more and more as I scrolled down your list! All the best for the first quarter, please finish the bear as he looks sad! x
You are brave hanging out your UFO list for all and sundry to see!!
Am I the only one to find the decapitated panda bear slightly disturbing?? I have a `no hurry` mum make too – race you! Good luck with the list Katy! x
That is quite the ambitious list. I can't wait to see your finished projects. Thanks for playing.
Wow, that is a lot of UFO's!! 🙂 Good luck getting your short list done, you can do it!
Those projects should take you well into spring. I don't dare make a list because I know I won't stick to it.
How did the call home go? 😉
Impressive first quarter goals though, good luck!
Wow, your list is huge. You're going to be very busy.
My both hands are up,;) I have a bunch of unfinished projects. I better not count. All those project will have to wait a bit longer, I've spent all the money for my new sewing machine, would do it again thought. Thank you for your comment, Flora is getting much better.
bytheway: I have one charm pack of sherbet pips as well (love it!), so I can't wait to see the photo of your finished project.
What a fun tour of your projects. I'm scared to make a list, I have so many things to finish! I like the idea of finishing them in quarters, seems like a good amount of time to get things done. I might just have a think about joining in.
I have quite a few, all involving the sewing of doll clothes which I do not know how to do.
But you have me way more beat. I think you have enough here to keep you busy till June. You know like mine they are not going anywhere. I just try to enjoy whatever is in my hand at the moment, and let the rest go.
Katy, that is quite a list! Good luck with all your lovely projects, having a little bit of motivation always helps! I think the rainbow cushion is my favorite!
I'm one of those people who completes all of the projects she starts…..eventually. I've been working on my list on my own and have only one item left and haven't decided whether to complete it or not. It's a Sun Bonnet Girl quilt I started for my granddaughter when she was five and slept in a twin sized bed and since she's now 20 and sleeping in a much larger one I look at the beginnings of the quilt and just don't feel the urge to finish it. Good luck with your list, not that you'll need any luck. You're one of the most prolific crafts people I know. Seriously though, how could you put off making your mum's skirt for so long? :^)
That's a good list! Panda girl's just sitting there, bodyless, is so funny. Maybe she'll get a body next quarter! 😀
Oh, I always finish my projects…ha, ha! Such a great list! Perhaps I should unearth some of my UFO's.
Great list! Look forward to seeing those finished