Monday, November 14, 2016

picking up a ufo

I continue to progress slowly on a number of current projects but this ufo is something new to post about.  For my 40th birthday my husband threw me a lovely party and at the party I had everyone sign their name onto a rectangle of fabric. A while after that I started making album blocks with the rectangles in the center but indecision about a number of things kept these blocks from becoming a completed top. 
 So a couple of weeks ago I pulled them out and decided on a setting.  I was short 2 blocks for this setting so I made a couple more blocks.  I've added a number of signatures from people who weren't at the party but I wanted their names included this special quilt project.
 What really got me going on this project again was the decision to put on wide borders filled with lots of applique.  I think it will be exciting to design the borders and of course exciting to appliqué as well :0) The background fabric from the blocks was long gone so I found a print with a little bit of red in it to use for sashing and borders.  I had trouble deciding between 2 prints with red in them so - I decided to use both.  One print for setting and borders and the other for cornerstones and setting triangles.
 I've just about got it all together.  It takes longer than I thought to add all that sashing and setting triangles! I hope it's a completed top soon so I can get to the applique part!
 
There has also been a fair bit of non-quilty sewing going on lately.  Every couple of years I make new flannel pajamas for my kids. I'll post a picture of that when they're all done.  There was also some Halloween sewing - mostly some altering of stuff we already had but my son decided just a couple of days before Halloween to dress up as a Ranger from a book series he liked reading.  He wanted a green cloak and so I needed something that would sew up fast.
Online I found a pattern for one made with fleece and it went together easily. Since Halloween I've seen him a couple times curled up in a chair reading with it on  :0)  Fleece is warm and comfortable and more interesting than a sweater - lol!  The girls were 3 of the characters from the game of Clue.  Can you guess which ones??

Happy Quilting!!

9 comments:

Cheri said...

What a cute theme for Halloween. I think we sewers enjoy sewing with a short deadline :) I love your birthday signature blocks and your plans for them. I really like setting triangles for on point quilts to be a different fabric than the rest of the backgrounds. Can't wait to see your border applique designs.

Karen said...

I made some of the album blocks similar to yours in a small size block. I like the look of the block. You will have a nice remembrance of your birthday when your blocks are sewn into a quilt.

Kyle said...

Okay, let's see if I have this right. Mrs. White with a rope, Miss Scarlet with a wrench and Mrs. Peacock with a squirt gun? Great costumes. A great beginning for your album quilt. I also like using different fabrics for the settin triangles and the rest. Designing an applique border is just your style. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Ariane said...

This is going to be a really special quilt when it's done.

Teresa Rawson said...

What a fun project, I am looking forward to seeing your applique borders! There is nothing more exciting to me than blank space just waiting to be filled with applique!

Every Stitch said...

Great signature quilt and such a nice birthday memento - and will be fun to design and applique the border! You'll come up with something lovely Janet. Your kids are gorgeous and clearly having a lot of fun with those outfits :)

Barb said...

Pretty Signature blocks. And you are so right about it taking a long time to set those kind of blocks.
those costumes are amazing! I love the game Clue and your girls are adorable as Miss Scarlett, Mrs White and Mrs Peacock - complete with weapons! fabulous idea!!
How cute that son likes wearing his cape and sounds like he loves to read - yay!

Dawn said...

I made my son a green cape one year. He was Robin Hood and played in it for years. Great fun!! The kids costumes all look,wonderful. Love your quilts too. Enjoy the border design, looking forward to seeing what you do.

Lori said...

What fun costumes! Love your quilt and it will be so meaningful! The applique will set it off nicely.