Another bites the dust ...

As I continued to regard the pile of flimsies that I have in my UFO pile, I hoped to finish at least one, if not two more before leaving on our epic saga on the Appalachian Trail. Going to the stash cupboard as I so fondly call it, I pulled out the next one on the pile - no pawing through it, just right off the top. Aaaah it was Danny's nappie quilt flimsy, Stairway to Dreams. Started in Colombia, it has remained in the same condition since returning stateside, altho the backing had been bought late last summer - black fleece.

I decided to not sandwich it with batting, just the flimsy and the fleece as it is to be used while napping on the chesterfield inside. Pinning every 4 inches to hold them together, I had forgotten about the inherent quality of fleece sticking to anything. I "stitched in the ditch" around the stairs giving an even checkered appearance on the back. In the border I random FM'd including my label and some cutesie love notes within the random FM'ing. I had wanted to try machine sewing the binding on and thought that I had built in enough fabric when cutting the binding. I hadn't allowed for the fact that my accu-feed 1/4" foot isn't an accurate 1/4",  rather almost 1/3". Normally I have to adjust the needle position to get it. I plumb forgot to do this so I didn't have enough to go over the seam line, just too it. Ended up hand-sewing it after all. But now it is done, and done is done. It is used and enjoyed which to me is the very best compliment anyone can give the giver of a gift like that.

Here it is:

Now on to the wall hanger which is next in line. This one needs to be finished trapunto-ed and then pieced. But wait, what about Miss Chrissy? Yes I need to work on her as well.

Continue to work sporadically on the Craftsy BOM2012. Late is the word as they have already published one for 2013. Not sure if I will even look at it as I have so much to do and so little time left before leaving again. I plan on quilting as I go with the BOM blocks while attempting my hand at FM quilting, learning new motifs and maneuvers.

April BOM blocks:

Miss Cleo, meet Chrissy Cleo

Miss Cleo is getting a backside to her and her name is Chrissy Cleo. miss Cleo is so excited as she will have a playmate. Little does she know that he will spend her days going in circles, chasing her perceived playmate. :)  But for now she is happy to see the work progressing on Chrissy Cleo.

Once again Chrissy Cleo will need some character so her face will get done fairly quickly. The color ways for her will give her a completely different personality that Mis Cleo's. We shall see how they develop.
She is outlined in a dark Christmas green:

The canvas is called "Eggshell" with gold sparkles in it. The color way is based upon Watercolors "Holiday" 

 

   I decided on red for her face in order to brighten her up and will take out the wine color on her tale and replace it with a red shade. Oh those eyes, they are already boring into me as I stitch. Will have to hurry and finish them.

And on to other things ...

I finished 2 quilting UFO's this week. Oh they didn't take a whole lot of work, just sitting down and doing it. That is the hard thing to do lately. 

Let it Snow ... the fabric is from 2006 so it is about time I finished it up.

Also finished was a pink quilted hobo bag that was started as a demonstration (but ultimately not used) project for Colombia.

That depletes the list of UFOs by 2. Small gain but a gain nonetheless.

On to another UFO and continuing with Miss Cleo and Chrissy Cleo ....

January and New Years "resolutions"

Well. here we are, once again in a new year. Did everyone make resolutions? I didn't, or at least I say I didn't, but in my mind I have things that I am going to do. The main thing is that I joined a Stashbuster challenge. Finish your UFO's while using up your stash. For me this means finishing up what I have on the go here in the RV and then returning to the RV and getting more. As I don't have any way to know what I have in the storage unit, I haven't listed them on the group site, but believe me, there are quite a few.

So for now, tomorrow (we finally are in a place where I can get out the sewing machine) out it all comes and I will start to finish what I have already started. My question is, does the UFO list also include the Patchwork Santa and lap quilt as I have finished the cross-stitch but done nothing with the quilting part?  And I cut out one piece of a wall hanger for DSD but nothing else - does this count as an UFO? I am going to count them as: #1 they are started", #2 they are what I am going to be working on first regardless, and lastly, #3 they will be using up stash, bought not only in 2012 but also 2010, and 2011.

I am going to extend the challenge on my own into my needlework as well. Tonight I started on Miss Cleo's backside, having completed Miss Cleo before Christmas.  She isn't very happy with me I believe, as I haven't done much else to complete her as well as obtain her "jewels". Oh she does like her adornments. But I have attached the canvas onto the stretcher bars and I have started to stitch the smyrna cross outline. This canvas is ecru with gold flecks and the colors for her backside are going to be Christmas reds and greens with gold. [photo]

hmmm so what else would qualify?

I have received the first installment of mom's crackers and have translated the canvas into a pattern for her. Hopefully she will feel comfortable after a couple of them to do the stitching straight from the canvas rather than an additional paper pattern. I still need to do the stitch guide "how to's" for each of the stitches. According to the canvas and the pulled threads, they should be beautiful, and definitely bright and colorful. [photo]

Are there more things out there that would qualify as a "NewYear's Resolution?" I am sure that there are, but darned if I can think of them. Rather than sitting here, wracking my brains, I should just get back to work on them ... so ...

Happy New's Years everyone.