Sunday, February 11, 2018

UFO Slayer?


I have officially been a quilter for 23 years and sadly I have still not finished my first quilt and likely never will! I spent some time yesterday assessing my UFO projects--I was looking at the six tops I had stored in my hope chest and my hubby kindly reminded me there was also a tub of UFOs out in the garage too...Into the garage, I ventured. Sure enough, the tub contained my first quilt, another scrappy quilt, and this batik beauty. 

This UFO is ancient---likely 15+ years old. I know I made it when I lived in California and I still have the pattern which was from 2000. It is called Bouillabaisse and can still be purchased here:
I went through a batik phase. Batiks are striking and gorgeous looking, but they are not soft which is why I stopped using them. In its current state, this quilt is roughly 57 inches square. I could add a border, but I am not sure. I located several yards of an aqua batik that could be a backing--again I am not sold. Well, I ironed it and its potential backing and hung it in the closet to ponder. I may use it as a charity quilt for Happy Chemo as the Hands 2 Help 2018 will be coming very soon. At least it has been unearthed and won't continue to languish and unlike my first quilt I like the colors although it is far from perfect.
I dropped two queen-sized quilts off to my friend Rachel yesterday--I hand bound them for her. We are planning on trading my hand binding for her longarm quilting. She is currently in the market to purchase a longarm and had been trying out several types around town. Unfortunately, she broke her arm and had to have surgery which may delay her longarm adventures a little, but I am in no hurry when so many of my tops have been waiting years. I went ahead and took these lap sized quilts to bind for her. I can cuddle up under them and stitch while I watch the Olympics in the evenings. I will work on the batik one for Slow Sunday Stitching:
I finished this little mug rug the other night--it was a UFO from last spring. 

My Row Along Quilt is all done, but I had a little problem with some bleeding in one area, so it is having a long spa day in my bathtub with some Dawn dish soap right now. I can live with it, if it does not come out, because I am probably the only one that would notice the bleeding along some of the quilted lines by my label...Done is better than perfect! 
#ufoslayer


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29 comments:

  1. Longarm and Broke Arm do not mix. I hope your friend has a speedy recovery. Your batik quilt-- that's pretty awesome! I vote that you quilt it up as is and find a home for it. Maybe there is a charity locally that could use it? Is it too big to hang on a wall? Repeat the mantra-- 'Done is good'. Your quilts don't need to be perfect to make someone perfectly happy. xoxo

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  2. You were very brave to go on a UFO hunt!! Best of luck with the ones you choose to complete.

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  3. I don't need to hunt far to find UFO's in my house. I need to buckle down and finish or pass off my UFO's.

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  4. I bought that Bouillabaisse pattern when it first came out but never did anything with it. Your's is gorgeous! And like you my first quilt never has/never will be finished as the longarmer screwed up the quilting and instead of fixing it, gave me my money back. :-( I've gotten lots of binding done of late as well. You're accomplishing much!!

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  5. I think that is a beautiful quilt, but definitely a different style than we see from you now! If you can finish it, it would make a great donation quilt.

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  6. I'm sorry to hear about your LAQ's mishap! How clever to trade services! Your colors are are so bright and cheerful! Can you believe I actually remember your pineapple block? At least I think it was yours - love the quotation on it. I am trying to teach that concept to my granddaughter.

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  7. I have the same pineapple piece hanging by my patio door. I see it every night when we eat dinner. I actually was just looking at it tonight. Yours is adorable! Love the saying.

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  8. You definitely have been a UFO slasher. What a great idea to take that batik quilt and move it along.

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  9. Love the batik quilt! I think I have been around 22 or 23 years of quilting too.

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  10. Personally, that gorgeous and colorful quilt doesn't need a border in my opinion. Your mug rug is so sweet.

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  11. That is a stunning quilt to have hiding for so many years. Glad it is going to be finished.
    Good luck with the colour bleeding. Hope it come out.

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  12. Love, love, love that batik quilt! It can always come and live at my house. I have that pattern too... somewhere....
    Pugs and kisses,
    Nancy

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  13. Your batik quilt is gorgeous. And I loved the pineapple quote the first time I saw it. Glad you got it finished. I only have a few larger UFO's, but a lot of a smaller things. When I don't have a deadline I lose motivation and many of the unfinished pieces are more wall hanging size and I don't have a place to hang them. Not good planning, I know.
    Pat

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  14. That batik quilt is just gorgeous! I’d like to see it with either a black border and/or black binding. I know what you mean about batiks being stiff. For your quilt bleeding, have you tried using a Color Catcher? I know a lot of people swear by them.

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  15. The UFO batiks quilt is beautiful. I love batiks. You're right, they aren't soft but the colors! Do you happen to remember if the pattern using fabric or pre-cuts? I clicked on the link but there isn't much information. Thanks!

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  16. Wow, surprised that batik beauty stayed under wraps for so long! As soon as I saw it, I could see a small border in a bold blue/green Kaffe print around it to match its energy. I just realized I've only made wall quilts with batiks, do they soften with washing?

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  17. I want to be a pineapple! It's my favorite fruit :) Your batik quilt is beautiful, I love all those bright colors. It would definitely be a very fun charity quilt sure to brighten someone's day. I'm currently quilting a quilt made from batiks, and it's surprisingly softer than I remember them being. I do believe you are the UFO Slayer!

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  18. I love your old UFO! It's very pretty! I am finishing a lot of my old UFO's for assorted giving projects. I have more quilts than one person needs already!

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  19. Interesting observation about batiks. I have seen some gorgeous quilrs, but you are correct in that they are not soft to the touch. Love the pineapple mug rug. I have not heard that saying.

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  20. I love the saying on the pineapple quilt! And your batik quilt top is gorgeous. Get it done.... :)

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  21. wow, wow, wow!!

    thanks so much for linking up!
    brooke@sillymamaquilts.com

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  22. Now, I am curious! Can I see a picture of your first quilt? This batik one is gorgeous.

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  23. The batik quilt is gorgeous, love all that color! Those first ever quilts can be hard to finish. I finally finished my first one, but only when the SIT kept dragging it out and telling me to just get it done. Enjoy your slow stitching during the Olympics.

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  24. I had a batik stage too! Now batiks are much more modern, which I like! If I had my first quilt as a WIP...I don't think I would ever finish it! It's a fun to think back on it though!

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  25. That's definitely a batik beauty worthy of being finished. Good luck. I have too many UFO's to count. If only I had a friend to trade binding for quilting I'd be set and maybe they'd get done. Cheers.

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  26. ANYONE would enjoy getting that beautiful batik quilt! Do you wash your fabrics before using or storing? I find the batiks usually need some more of the wax removed from the fabric. Some will never be super soft but they often can get softer. I think you need to pull out that original quilt and finish it. It would be a great donation quilt. Just saying!

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  27. Love that batik quilt! I decided to order the pattern (thanks for the link) but they are currently having some website problems. So I did it the old fashioned way and called them. Just finished placing my order. So long, zillions of 2 1/2" batik strips hiding in my stash. Mine will also likely wind up in a chemo center.

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  28. Beautiful quilt! You know how much I love batiks, I think it is an awesome quilt!

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