UFO Challenge 2012 preview

Welcome!  As promised here is my UFO of choice for the month of January!

This would be my dresden plate quilt in Bliss.  I did some work on this yesterday and am excited beyond all get out to get this baby done!  My inspiration was a quilt posted on the Moda Bake Shop, I've decided to make it bigger, using 2 charm packs instead of the 1 the recipe calls for.  I might even toss in some Ruby on this one too! 

Link up if you're going to play along!!!  Remember, the official start date is January 6th!

UFO challenge

I have a new challenge for everyone out there in blog land.  The 2012 UFO challenge.  I came up with this after pondering my accountability post and working on some UFOs yesterday.  So, here's how I'm thinking it's gonna work, every month you pick one project you will work on, preferably working it to total completion, if not, a completed top will work too, I say that because I'm running super low on batting so a complete finish for me might not happen, this way it's fair for everyone.  Each week on Friday I'll post a link up for everyone to post their progress, the final Friday of the month will be the 'showcase' to show off your finished project!  

Each month there will be a giveaway for all those who submit a finished quilt and/or quilt top!  To be included in the giveaway you MUST have your link posted no later than 11:59pm the Sunday immediately following the final Friday of the month.  For example, the final Friday in January is the 27th, entries must be submitted by the 29th at 11:59pm.  

So, the requirements in list form:

-completed quilt or quilt top (this includes any borders!!)

-linked up no later than the Sunday after the last Friday of the month

Not a requirement but could be fun, make it a project that has been collecting dust in your closet for longer than you'd like.  I'll unveil the UFO of my choice tomorrow, along with a Mr. Linky widget so we can start collecting participants.  UFO Challenge officially begins January 6th!!!

Yes, it's that simple!!  If there is enough interest I'll start a flickr group to post finishes in as well, if I do that you must link here to be entered in the giveaway.  Then, come next December at the close of this UFO challenge 

This is an attempt for me to get crafty again and to get back into quilty blogging :D 

If you'd like to sponsor a giveaway use the contact me button at the top of the page to let me know :)  Giveaway item must be quilting related and not exceed a value of $20.  

Feel free to grab the graphic at the top of this post for your blog!

tis the season!

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that Santa brings you all that you want and more :)

freedom

Bloggy and technology freedom that is.

I've enjoyed being away.  I missed all the market posts and the ones I did see I wasn't wowed by.  Maybe some Etchings will work it's way to my stash, maybe not.  I can't say there's too much I saw that I had to have. My wallet is thankful :)

I got my phone all figured out.  Apparently you have to dig to find the 'sync picasa' part then uncheck it and yay! no more picasa pics.

I didn't feel guilty for clearing 160 unread items out of my reader without looking at them.

I actually have made some progress on a couple quilts I want to get done sooner rather than later.

I unsubscribed from some blogs that weren't worth my time (read overly popular crafty recap style blogs).

I had my computer away for a week, didn't open it for anything, the last time I opened it was for my previous post.  

I kinda like it.

I'll go be creative on my own, I've got plenty of fabric to keep me company :)

And my kids, my kitty, my family, and my boyfriend.  

technology!

Really sometimes just sucks!  Everything these days is linked.  Use your facebook to sign in here, link your yahoo to your google.  Does is ever end?!  Now my biggest beef is that I got a new cell phone, ALL of my blog photos are now in my phone AND I DON'T WANT THAT!!!!  I can't figure out how the heck to get them off there because of course, it won't let me delete them.  My old phone and my new are both android, my old phone didn't do this.  I'm beyond frustrated right now.  I want my blog photos deleted off my phone.  I want to delete my yahoo account but can't because it'll delete my flickr account so I'll lose ALL my contacts, photos, favorites, groups, etc.  Yahoo is the devil, now I'm stuck with it because starting over would just suck. WHY WHY WHY must everything be linked these days?!

ISO of mini charm packs

First off, holy cow!  Has it really been almost two months?!  Sheesh.  Well, obviously not much sewing or quilting going on.  I did make some leg warmers once I got my serger back.  Needed a tune up and now works flawlessly!  Still a major PITA getting tension right and such but I think I got it figured out.  

Here is where I need your help.  I'm looking for mini charm packs, the 2.5" squares, of LITTLE APPLES and RUBY.  I'd just like one of each and am willing to pay $5 each plus reasonable shipping.  If you can help me I'd be SOOOOOO appreciative!  I'm wanting them for my hexagon quilt.  You can find my email in the 'contact' box above or if you're reading this in a reader my email is audreyj84 (at) gmail .

In some personal news, I have a new nephew!!!  Oliver Matthew was born 9/11/11 at 11:11am, weighed 6lbs 11ozs, and was 20 inches long.  I think someones lucky number is gonna be 11!  I finally got to meet him this past weekend and he's just as sweet as can be.  And he's got the tiniest little hands, reminds me of my daughter when she was a baby.  Here he is with my son and my daughter.  They finally have cousins!

My boyfriend and I are doing very well.  We met each other just over a year ago, never thought I'd find someone so awesome so quickly after leaving my knucklehead ex husband.  I can't say enough about how awesome he is.  Such a huge difference in how a relationship works when both people involved work at it.

And I will definitely be back with some Halloween pictures!  My daughter is going to be a bumblebee(or bunglebee if you ask my son) and my son is going to be a horse.  

accountability...aka WIPs

I'm sure I'm not the only one with a bucket load of WIPs, or UFOs, or dust catchers, or space eaters.  So, in my quest to be a little bit more frugal with my craft budget I've decided to face the projects that are WIPs.

So here goes!

This one I've grown to hate.  I love the Plume by Tula Pink but have grown to hate the pattern, the squaring up of the edges is just tedious.  I pull it out to work on it and get so bored/disgusted with it that it just goes back into it's box. 

This one I still love but assembled the first block wrong and just put it away.  I'd love to get working on it again.  It was supposed to be last years Christmas quilt but didn't quite make it.  Maybe this year? 

Oh, the Dresden!!  I used my 3 stashed Bliss charm packs for this one.  I love it!  I really need to get a Kona color card because choosing the solid backing is what has thwarted progress on this one, plus pressing all the itty bitty petals!  I bought some Kona Celadon to audition, not sure if I want to do green or aqua or red or pink or white or...well, yea you get it, I'm indecisive!

Farmer's Wife, I've abandoned.  I'm wanting to try Lori's  rotary cutting tutorials and maybe that'll kick start my desire to finish it.

Tumbler quilt.  I used Hideaway for it and my son has told me he loves it and wants it to be his.  I smell a Christmas present!

Then there is this one.  It's a double hourglass that I started really just to try out the pattern and I have to say I kinda like it even though I only have 2 blocks done.  I used a honey bun for this so they squares are on the smallish side.  This really has no priority just a fun one.

All the photos are projects in their present day state.  It's embarrassing!  Although, being that I have no a/c in the majority of my apartment and Chicago has been nearing the 9th circle of hell heat wise all summer sewing has been the last thing on my mind!

And please ignore my ironing board cover, I know it's just wretched!

I also tried my hands at paper piecing and these are the results. 

The top is obviously the circle of geese and the bottom are mini paper pieces from Artisania.  I'm going to do the gnome and mushroom again but have the gnome on the right side and make a pillow or something.