Making a List - Checking it Twice

I feel like Santa, except my list does not include gifts or names of good little boys and girls.

 My list is the next step in helping contain the UFOs in my sewing studio.  This is not a task I look forward to, making a list only confirms how much of a porcrastinator I am and maybe I do suffer from ADD (attention deficit disorder). 

I have numerous bags that contain completed blocks or quilt tops that have been accquired through participation in swaps, exchanges and round robins with other quilters all over the world.  Along with these there are many projects that I am guilty of starting all on my very own and I think it only makes sense that those closest to completion will take the top of the list.  Chosing these UFOs will get many projects out of the way quickly and hopefully give me some items to list in my shop as well as some lovely items to decorate my home.

The List: January 2010

1.   Flower Basket Wall Hanging
This is a completed wall hanging that requires only quilting and binding and is the result of a round robin challenge.  The center block, basket with flowers minus the jumbo rick rack handle, was the block I submitted for the challenge.  The two outer borders and the rick rack basket handle were added by the three other participants in my group. This item will grace the walls of my sewing studio when finished.

2.  Rose Garden Rag Quilt
The second item on the list for January is a set of 20 blocks made in flannel.  Each block will be layered and quilted individually and then pieced together with alternating blocks of a contrasting color in a rag quilt fashion.  This will be listed in my shop for sale as soon as it is done.

With Purple as the color theme for the month, I plan to kick off my sewing on Monday, January 4th and I only hope that  I don't sidetracked by other projects that need to get done or new projects that strike my fancy mid-stream.  Let's hope that this year will bring renewed focus and commitment to contain the beast that lives within.

Let me know how you are doing as the month progresses and I will do likewise.  I know that there are others like me out there and I could really use the company and the support of knowing somone else is working along with me.  Maybe we could share photos of your progress also, or if you blog too please share your link so we can check on your progress.

UFO Sightings

UFO sightings are a common thing in a quilter's world.  Many quilters will say that they believe in UFOs and they seem to multiply, and will take over the world if not tamed and imprisoned in  plastic bins, boxes and bags kept in the closet, sometimes kept under the bed and yes sometimes cleverly disguised as furniture.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the kind of UFO I speak of, well in a quilter's world these are known as "unfinished objects", a   plaque that seems to have no known cure.  Every quilter that accumulates UFOs knows that along with the New Year comes the recurring resolution to finish these creations and not start any new ones. 

Of course, as an experienced quilter and long time resolution breaker, I know that these promises are only futile attempts to contain ones obsession.  The reason is that with every new season fabric designers come out with a new line of fabrics in lucious colors and designs that even the most hardened quilter can not resist.  The cycle is never ending, because it seems that with each completed UFO a new one takes it's place, so for some of us the fight continues.  There are a select few quilters that are not afflicted by this uncontrolable desire to start new projects one on top of the other and to them I say..... Where do I get the vaccine to cure myself?

Quilters Unite!

This year let us make a serious effort to, if not tame the beast within, at least keep it at bay.  If you are one of the many plagued by this affliction, join me and take the pledge to see if we can finish at least one UFO per month, now that is not too much to ask.  Is it?

Let us come together and hope that at least one of us out there can contain this Uncontrolable Fabric Obsession

Making Memories

A couple of months ago I was at a craft show answering the usual questions that customers have when they see a quilter.  "Do you make all of these?" blah, blah, blah.  It was a slow day and sales didn't seem to be adding up to much, if any profit for the day.  I was getting discouraged especially since the day was almost over, when three people approached my booth and commented on how much they liked all they saw, and as they walked away I thought, "Well there goes another sale". 

As the group settled at another booth one lady walked back and asked, "Do you make memory quilts"?  Oddly enough I was in the process of making a photo memory quilt so I said, "yes".  She continued, saying, "I have 2 bags of shirts and I would like to have 4 quilts made for my family in memory of my Dad".  I had never made a memory quilt using clothing but in an instant my quilter's creativity began to whirl and ideas popped into my head one after the other.  I explained that this would be a first for me but if she was game so was I, she took my card with promises to call.  I have had numerous customers give me the same line so I took it all in with a grain of salt.

The weekend passed and on Monday morning I received a call from the craft show customer.  She had been anxious to call but had thought that calling on Sunday would not be appreciated so she had waited until Monday.  All weekend I had been tossing ideas around in my head and felt downhearted thinking that this was another opportunity that would fall through the cracks, so to receive her call was very uplifting.  We met and discussed design ideas and shopped for all the necessities to make these ideas a reality.  I took everything home knowing that these were to be Christmas gifts so I needed to work quickly but carefully because there was only so much fabric available.

Last week I delivered 3 of the quilts, the fourth will be done after the holidays, and my customer was overjoyed with the results.  She has given me permission to use images of her quilt in my Etsy shop as a custom order, knowing that any other quilt will never be the same as hers because of the memories associated with type and style of shirts that would be used.  If you are looking to make your own memories check out my shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/QuiltingFrenzy

All three quilts were designed, pieced and quilted by Quilting Frenzy in my studio.  I found it an emotional journey and learning experience as I took these items of clothing and created a memory of love for my customer and her family.  Two of the quilts were made entirely of flannel and the third was made of dress shirts.

In these quilts are memories of a lifetime that will be recalled everytime these quilts are viewed and when they are used they will bring someone home again.