My UFO Log - What's currently in my Sewing & Quilting Que

I haven't done this since 2014 and was inspired by one of my quilting friends.  Not so surprisingly, I've only finished 3 of he 9 projects which I wrote about back in 2014.   I've got a lot going on (as always).  I won't talk about ALL the projects I have in process, just the ones which are actively being worked.

I'm still plugging away at the Arcadia Avenue BOM.  Here is the completed Block 8. Only 4 more to go and I can start putting the quilt together.  I plan to quilt this myself, so that's going to be quite the endeavor I'm sure.  I'm envisioning a nightmare with all those bulky seams coming together.

I have several items to bind, including my Smudgy Cat panel quilt.  I love this adorable little cat.  I'm  not sure what I'm going to do with the quilt yet.  I used wool batting for the first time in this quilt and it was interesting.  Its much different to work with than cotton or polyester.  It is stiffer in some way, so moving the quilt around was trickier.  It was a good quilt to learn on though.  I didn't get too fancy with the quilting as I was struggling a little with my machine tension and the batting. This was a project I just wanted to be finished.

I also have to add the binding and a hanging sleeve to the quilt shown on my quilting machine below.  This is the Sew-Together Quilt Shop block of the month for 2014/2015.  I fully custom quilted it and plan to put it in the Tewksbury Piecemaker's quilt show this April.  That deadline gives me "plenty" of time to get the binding and sleeve on it!

 

I also have a table runner to complete the binding on.  I made this from scraps from the quilt I gave to my house sitter.  After the struggle with the Smudgy Cat quilt, I needed something to quilt that I could claim an easy victory on.  I did continuous curve and a ton of ribbon candy on this.  I also did a nice motif in the center of each square.  I was able to dial in my tension and this came out great.  I'm not sure who its going to, but it will be good to have it around for when I need a housewarming gift or something.  I used King Tut, Sands of Time color, thread with tan deco bob for the bobbin.  I'll probably do all the binding at one time, so when I get ready to do it, I'll just go to town.

In addition to the Bonnie Hunter En Provence Mystery, which I've posted about several times, I'm working on the Mystery quilt for my guild.  I was able to use fabric from my stash to build the throw size version of the mystery.  I'm super happy to be using my stash.  I've had this fabric 5 or 6 years.

The final project I'm actively working on is my Circle Squares quilt.  I bought this kit is CA while on a business trip and think its the most happy, adorable quilt.  This quilt was screaming at me to custom quilt it, so that's what I'm doing. I put wool batting in this as well because I really wanted to see that puff factor.  I'm having much less trouble manipulating this quilt than I did the Smudgy Cat one.  I'm using Fabulux, Springtime color, thread on this with white deco bob for the bobbin.  The thread has green, purple and yellow.  I love how the thread looks on this.  Its happy and bright and really goes with the colors in the quilt without taking away from it.  I was considering switching thread for every diagonal row, but have since decided just to stick with the Springtime thread.



In the areas between the circle blocks I'm quilting this continuous curve shape with a set of circles in the middle.  I wanted the circle blocks to really stand out as a circle, so after a little trial and error I came up with the design below.  I started with a straight line, 8 pointed star on the outside and connected the points with a double set of arcs.  In the center I put pumpkin seeds and filled in the extra spaces with swirls. I really think the center fills in the space and give it a great sense of being a circle.  This doesn't take too long to quilt either.  Now that I'm several deep, I'm getting faster, I've also got all my ruler sizes down and the trial and error phase is hopefully over.

I've completed one full row, only 8 more to go!!  I'll be finished in no time....ha!  I love how this thread seems so bold up close but when you look at the whole quilt its not overwhelming at all.