More UFO's

Every time I turn around, I spy another UFO. Here's one that's been in the box since the day it began. That was the day I took a class from Christal Carter. Do you remember her? She was one of the first, if not THE first, to make pictures from 3" log cabin blocks.


Anyway, she came to guild to teach a hexagonal log cabin quilt. We were to cut all of the strips in advance. One thing I HATE is a class that requires all materials to be precut, especially if the only thing you're going to produce during the day is a single block. If you hate the block - which I did - you've got all that lovely fabric committed to something you're never going to do.

So all of these lovely fabrics have been lying there stripped. For nothing. I did take a few of the red strips out and use them to tag our luggage when we went to Germany...

But the rest of them? Yesterday I reclaimed the box they were in. I put the dark green in with my Christmas scraps and have been adding it to more mini stockings. The others will either go in the stray strip box or in the box of scraps with their color family. Either way, I've got a new box set aside, ready and waiting for a UFO that might actually get on the list.

**Is this a step? Getting RID of a UFO? It just might be. It's one less thing to worry about! :)

The next box holds this treasure from Jan.



Are you wondering what it is? It's a partially cut out block, to go with the other blocks that are already pieced. When I dig below the half-dones, I find several of these:

COWS! I've actually made a few of these in my time, and they're not terribly difficult. They're just, well, they're just at the bottom of the list. Maybe they should move up the list, since that is a lovely box they're currently hanging out in. Time to move the herd and use it for something else!

Finally, I found this box. In my mind, this is a beautiful inlaid wood box, holding glorious treasure. Look!! Isn't it beautiful? Doesn't your mouth just begin to water when you see my pretties?


When I cut the strips for "The Color Runs Through It," and the strips for "The Color Went to Tahiti," I cut double what I thought I'd need. I didn't want to run out, and surely I could use them for something else some day. The strips in front are leftover from "Paintbox." They're 2.25" the rest of the strips are 2". Oh well. I'll figure out a use for them as well.

hmmm. I thought I might be able to give you a link to "The Color Runs Through It," but all it gives is a list of articles. If you're not an AQS member, I guess you won't be able to see the article/pattern. It was published in their projects issue in 2004. I have extra copies of the magazine, if anyone is interested in buying one...

I started looking through my photos, and I don't seem to have a picture of "The Color Runs Through It." But I have some pretty cool pictures of "The Color Went to Tahiti," while it was in progress. Here's an idea of why I find a design wall so very useful...

First, I picked likely fabrics...


Then I cut them into strips...

Then I started piecing and playing on the design wall..


As you may be able to tell, the design wall isn't big enough, even though it measures 7' x 8'.


In "The Color Runs Through It," I used different fabrics for the stars. It just wasn't working for me in this quilt, so I stuck with the same tropical print through out. Ahhh. Much better!


And finally, here is the finished quilt.

This is an old picture, taken in my bathroom(!), with my old camera, when my now-college-senior was just a wee lad back in high school... Ahh, the memories! Hope you enjoyed the trip!!!