Oldest UFO Saw Some Love

I am caught up on the quilts for the church outreach, so I went back to my "to do" list from weeks ago.  I started this as a leaders and enders project a while back and then it got waylaid by the church quilts.  Before I had time to reconsider, I joined the blocks.  I got the blocks all joined, gave it a nice pressing, and hung it in the "to be finished" closet.  Unfortunately I did not get a new picture of it.

I kept this layout and it looks just fine.

Then I considered a new project and actually pulled some scraps for it.  It ended up being my leaders and enders project.

But I had a reality check and realized I needed to work on some UFOs.  The one closest to the machine and maybe easiest to do was this one.   It started as a commissioned project for a friend when we lived in Guatemala.  They changed their mind.  I folded it up and set it aside.   

I went with the darker maroon for the first border.

I remember working on it when we lived in the "yellow house on the corner."  That would have been when Teacher E was between 1-4 years old, so about 23-26 years ago.  Wow!! At the time I thought I was doing precise careful work with small pieces!  Hmmmpf.  Adding the first round of borders on it showed me that that was not the case.  I also noticed that the quality of fabric was definitely a factor, but those were the times I used what I had.  The design was from a magazine, but looking at it now I see all kinds of easier ways to make it - mainly not having bias edged triangles. 

Making progress.

I got a first border on it and have a similar fabric that will make the next border.  

All of this plus some long overdue mending kept me sewing all week.

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 7/7

15 minute days/Oct = 17/18

15 minute days/2025 = 258/311

Success Rate = 83%

 

Progress was made, but no stash movement yet.

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yds

Used year to date: 97.77 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 55.77 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Got it Done!!

I had a tight deadline to get the pink quilt done by Saturday and then it got even tighter.  I ended up not being able to go to the baby shower, so I had to finish it sooner to drop it off to the organizer.

Groovy pink baby quilt

Pedal to the metal.  Got it done on Wednesday evening and still got my report cards done by Friday.  What a week!

Perfect backing!

I used up nearly all the groovy pink strips from the Greenville trip, lots of random pink, and some purple. For the backing/binding I used nearly all the magenta that has been in the stash forever because it bleeds so badly.  It was perfect for this project, so I washed it three times until the wash water ran clean.

Long, long week and then came Friday.  It was rainy so we had rainy day recess on a Friday that was also the last day of the quarter and the start of a 3-day weekend for the students and the end of a full moon week.  I left school as quickly as I could and made a stop at my favorite thrift store as a consolation prize!

Who knew a small bag could hold 600 squares?

Didn't find what I was looking for, but I did find a bag of precut 2" squares.  I am trying so hard to use up what I have, so I hesitated.  Then I realized that was a lot of neutrals that I could combine with the overflowing 2" strip drawer which is low on neutrals and get things used up faster.  I counted when I got home.  $2 for approximately 600 squares/1.67 yards.  It's worth it just for the labor of not cutting that many squares!

 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 6/7

15 minute days/Oct = 10/11

15 minute days/2025 = 251/304

Success Rate = 83%

 

Fabric moving in both directions this week.

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 4.2 yds groovy pink quilt

Used year to date: 97.77 yards

Acquired recently: 1.67 yards bag of 2" squares

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 55.77 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Back on Track

The last three weeks flew by in a blur with not much sewing.  I had done so well on the yellow flower garden and already had the red flower garden under the needle and ready to go.  Didn't happen, didn't happen, and still didn't happen.  

Some of it was a bad case of the blahs. Then there was the day trip with my sisters to visit our brother and his family.  Then my birthday evening.  Then another day trip to see Grown Up E and Little S.  Then parent conferences.  All of that really got me off of my regular routine of school, lesson planning, and some sewing.  So here it is three weeks later and I may be back on track!

red flower back quilt front

The good news is that the red flower garden baby quilt done at last.  

red backing 

The church outreach needs another girl quilt, but my husband just took the last one that I had to give to friends in Spain.  So the pressure is on to get one ready by next Saturday.  

I had this somewhat started a while back, so I figured it was the closest to the finish line and just plowed forward. The groovy pink fabric was a $1 bag of precut strips from our trip to Recraft in Greenville, SC.  I didn't have enough of a single pink, so I just kept adding shades as I went.  The determining factor for size was the groovy pink.  I wanted to use it all up and I came pretty close.

Perfect? No.  Cute? Yes!  Having an urgent deadline will get this one moving along and keep me back on track for sewing. 

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days/last 3 weeks = 9/21

15 minute days/Oct = 4/4

15 minute days/2025 = 243/298

Success Rate = 82%

 

I can now count out the red backing and binding.  

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 1.92 yards red backing & binding

Used year to date: 93.57 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards 

Acquired year to date: 40.33 yards

Net used in 2025: 53.27 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch