February Challenge Quilt #1

 My One Block Wonder is finished!  

Thanks to Judy at Patchwork Times and her UFO Challenge.  

 This month I have been busy quilting for others but I made an effort to save a day to quilt this for myself.   It isn't for a show or a gift or anything special, just for me to hang on the wall in my quilting area.

 The  quilting isn't planned out or fancy.  I played with curls in the border, swirls in the center, and some X's in the small green border. 

 I wish I had a piece of the original fabric but it was something old that I had around and I ended up using it all for the top.  I love this pattern and hope to make another someday with some really beautiful fabric and be sure to save some of the original fabric for the border or back.

I have such a sense of accomplishment just because I finished this and crossed it off the list.

  Why did it take two years to quilt this?  Why do we have UFO's at all and need a challenge to get them finished?  I don't think there is one answer, just something to think about. 

Anyway,  I am glad to be able to share this finish with you and look forward to seeing all the other #1's worked on this month. 

 Thanks again to Judy and her link today.

Susan

Fabric Shopping

Linking with Judy at Patchwork times as usual this Monday.  My design wall still has the Civl War blocks on it with no progress.  This week was busy with more customer quilting and general running around.  I did some fabric shopping and found this fabric for sashings.  Now  I will take it down and put it away until it's number is chosen for the ufo challenge.

This month's challenge is  # 1.  For me it's a One Block Wonder that I started in a class almost 2 years ago.  The top has been done for quite awhile.   Good thing it's leap year, I need that extra day to even think of getting it finished this month.  But I want this quilted, bound, off the list and hanging on the wall.  So I can make another one someday!

Back to my shopping.  I bought some flannel backing for Triangle Trips.  So much for getting this finished this winter.   Well, it can stay on the ufo list too.  It's #12. 

 One more thing.  I am so excited because this week I got my first customer directly from my blog.  She said she Googled longarm quilting Orange County NY.  There I was!  

Ok, enough for today.  See you again soon.

Susan

Design Wall Monday

On Tuesday I took a Four Patch Posie workshop at the Warwick guild. 

 The pattern is from H. D. Designs and has been around for a few years I think. This type of kaleidoscope block is fun to make.  You never know how it will turn out and its fun to play around to see the possibilities.

First block with one sashing 

20 four patches

Original fabric

I really like this project but I will not be rushing to finish.  I want to take it slow and enjoy the process.  I want to feel creative and play around with each stack.  There is no deadline, so I plan to work on it as I concentrate on some of my unfinished quilts.   And try not to feel guilty and ridiculous for starting something new.

This week I have been back to work at the quilting machine.   This is  Sonja's Glacier Star (by Judy Neimeyer). What an amazing quilt!  It was a challenge to quilt because of all the little pieces and angles.  But I am happy with it and I hope she will be too.

 Not the best pictures but they show a little of the quilting, her exceptional piecing and beautiful fabrics.  I will have to try to take more another time.  I am still learning how to take good pictures that show off the details of quilts.


As usual, I am linking with Judy's Design Wall Monday.  Thanks for visiting and be sure to see what else everyone has been creating.

Susan

Final Monday Mystery Link Up

Today is the final Orca Bay Mystery Monday Link Up at Quiltville. 

 I just finished the last border this morning and am happy to share the finished top!   As I have said many times before, this mystery was so much fun!  I love it.  Thank you Bonnie!

 I would like to load it on the frame and start quilting it right away but I really can't today.  First of all, it may take hours of pressing and picking at stray threads to get it prepped.  Also,  today I am back to quilting customer quilts.  My quilting machine is home, set up and ready to get back to work.  So I am ready to get back to work too.

The next photo is of a Jelly Roll 1600 top I made Tuesday at the Warwick Guild.  I cut strips from my own fabrics and used them instead of a jelly roll.  I really like it. It was easy and fun. But I'm not sure where to add this to my UFO list.  

Speaking of the UFO List.
I didn't link with Patchwork Times UFO Challenge last week.  I didn't work on the number Judy picked but continued working on other unfinished tops.  I didn't finish anything to show anyway... finish as in quilted and bound.  Anyway,  I think I may be confused by the term UFO.  I thought it was anything that is started but not completely finished.  But maybe that is a work in progress and a UFO is an older unfinished project that was lost in the back of the closet or something?  Anyway whatever anyone calls them, they aren't really quilts yet are they?

Can't wait to see everyone's Orca Bay progress!   

 Also, linking with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times to see what else is going on.  

Thanks for visiting.

Susan