I sat and pondered this morning about all of you and UFO's.
When I first started quilting and embroidering in 2005 it seemed a ludicrous thing that anyone could possibly amass UFO's in their crafting. I stitched every day after discovering the delights of what needle and thread could make for my home, family and friends, and what it did for my mental state of being - that constant need to create which until then only found it's expression in my love of the culinary arts. Unfinished projects simply did not exist for the first two years of my stitching journey. As soon as a project was planned, the cutting of fabric done, and the thread colours chosen, it was head down-bottom up until it was completed. Satisfaction followed soon after.
However, like all good stitchers and quilters, bad habits crept in. The fondness for fabrics of all colours and designs was soon apparent and a hefty stash began to inhabit drawers, bookcases, and plastic tubs. With the purchase of these fabrics came ideas for projects - some were quickly begun, others left to simmer in my mental photo stream. Those which I began (but never finished) gradually increased and one day I discovered I too had succumbed to a life of ever increasing UFO's hidden away and no longer filling the excitable spaces of my mind. Guilt ensued. Shame followed fast as I tried *not* to calculate the expenditure made on these projects that no longer saw light.
And then an answer. Stop.
Stop buying more fabrics. Stop starting new projects. Stop looking ahead, and turn your time to what is already before you.
Relief soon followed.
This is a recipe I can highly recommend. A key ingredient to this recipe was donating as much fabric, patterns, and 'bits and bobs', as I could over the last six months. I gave some to friends, some to New Beginnings, and the rest to our local op-shops. It was freeing indeed, and even though I loved most of that fabric, it had sat there for too long unused and I knew that realistically it would not be chosen for anything in my current style. Once gone, a weight lifted, and I was finally able to set about making my creative space (shown HERE and HERE). Everything I now have will be used, and I still do not need to buy any more fabrics for a verrrrrry long time.
Now, back to UFO's.
These are my UFO storage drawers. There are 10 of them, so 10 UFO's live within.
Gradually I am making my way through each one, and the first UFO completed just last night was this Huswif, a free pattern from Kaaren...
I had all the stitchery done, but needed to add the felt, ribbon, wadding, backing, and then bind it. It took me an hour and I now have a gorgeous new sewing caddy - with fabric that has been crying out for a stage.
~~~~~
On Saturday night I chose fabrics for the second of my 12 mini-quilt challenge projects from Sarah's book. (You can see my first one HERE.)
Mine is very different to Sarah's original with the American stars and stripes effect...
As I began to cut the fabric and make the templates for the triangles I was struck by images of a circus tent. So I present to you, my version of 'Rebel with a Rotary' -
"Saturday at the Circus"
This mini-quilt is 16 inches square, and I LOVED making it.
Lessons learned:
* How to make a plastic template (and not be afraid to use it after years of just rotary cutting)
* How to cut the stacked strips accurately with 45 degree angles.
* How important it is to make the quilt 'my own' with fabrics of my choosing - to not be influenced by the fabrics and colours chosen by the quilt designer.
~~~~~
On Sunday Mr E and I rode with the Townsville Ullysses Club for a Poker Run up to Tully Heads. As we have an extra 260 klms added to our day's riding due to living in a different town, Mr E and certainly had tired bodies that night. We did a 700 klm round trip, leaving home at 6.45am and arriving back 11 hours later.
A Poker Run is fun. There are five checkpoints on the ride, and at each checkpoint you choose a card from the deck of cards and that card is recorded in your 'hand' by Rhonda...
At the last checkpoint we each have our poker hand and the three with the best hands get the prizes. Our checkpoints were Yabulu, The Frosty Mango, Ingham, Cardwell, and our destination Tully Heads.
Our stop at the Ingham checkpoint was McDonalds and the poor staff did not know what to do when 25 bikes arrived and the riders and pillions are piled inside for some breakfast!
Mr E and I didn't win any prizes, but we had a great day - his smile says it all. :-)
Have a lovely week!
(and maybe make a plan for your UFO's...)
Hugs
Jenny
xxx
