Another UFO Finished - Happy Face

This throw quilt has been hidden in a box for, I hate to say, 4 years or so.  There was a craze for these quilts in a couple of guilds I belong to.  I made one for my self which I called Logic and Passion (a previous post) and so as a gift I started this one to match the decor in a TV room of friends.  I got the center done and many things intervened.  

I had an urge at the end of last week to do some piecing instead of just quilting so I dug it out and added the border. Better that than start something else which would fall into the UFO category. And better than staring at my unfinished bathroom renovation.(Oh for a nice hot shower)  Started on Friday and this is Monday and the border is on; the quilt is quilted and bound.  It was not a summer weekend and great for staying inside. 

The quilt took about 7 fat quarters and one more trip to the local quilt store (The Wooden Spool in Granville Ferry, NS)  to get a back which is a brilliant yellow; the binding is made of that material.  A great colour to have in the depths of winter.  I cannot wait to see the surprise when I take it to its home.  It will truly be unexpected.  

Now, there are no more UFOs i.e. unfinished objects but there are still lots of nicely stacked plastic boxes with fabric and patterns that can become UFOs.  I do not have the heart to count how many boxes.  So I will celebrate this and close my eyes to the boxes but unfortunately not my mind.  Maybe I should just count boxes instead of sheep at night.

Serendipity and other things

A busy weekend and into this week.  I blogged about UFO's last week and piles of projects.  Well I did 4 things this weekend and serendipity played a part in everything including a UFO.

I finished this UFO and it has turned out so much better than I had hoped.  Do not give up on a UFO until you are certain it is not going to work or you truly cannot stand it.  I almost gave up on this one.

The squares are made from a Carol Doak free paper piecing block which I used to get experience in paper piecing.  The fabrics were won at a function.  They were certainly disparate patterns and colours.  The border is based on a example I saw on The Quilt Show.  It is another great use of bits of fabric and ties the whole thing together, serendipity.  This weekend I tied all the parts together.  Now this moves to the pile requiring quilting but we won't concentrate on that. 

I took some time to play as well as finishing the UFO.  I had seen a mug rug on a blog that had been done by the lady Sandi A. who has this blog. A Legacy of Stitches  She generously offered, as quilters are wont to do, to send the same material in an exchange of e-mails.  But I went searching  and found fabrics that made me think of coffee and gave me a foundation to make an embroidered mug rug.    I love to design digital embroideries and use them in quilting.

Here is the result of the fabrics and an example of serendipity in first starting with this site  http://artsyquilty.blogspot.ca/ and following it from link to link which led me to the generous Sandi.

This mug rug only took a hour or so to make and the colours make me think of the warm colours of coffee and cafe au lait.  With the leftovers I did this 

and managed to resurrect an embroidery design I had done ever so long ago.  The little demi-tasse cups are a reminder of a close friend with whom I used to have a tea party each weekend.  Now I can glance over at my kitchen wall and have floods of memories.  Serendipity again.  

I like my coffee black like the darker colours but if you prefer yours with cream here is a good example of shades of cream and coffee in a sweet face.  

After having fun I then organized fabric on Sunday.  You would say this was terribly mundane but it put things where I can find them.  Ok, I have too much and too many projects but at least they are organized.    

Then this a.m. I logged into The Quilt Show (my Monday morning indulgence with a cup of coffee) and saw a show which was all about serendipity in the  method the quilt artist used and serendipity was also at play about things to do with all those scraps which are just to good to throw out. And of course in any stash are those bigger bits of fabric one picks up at quilt guild sales (so cute; such a lovely colour) and left overs of fat quarters and fat quarters you cannot resist (two big boxes worth organized).  V Findlay Wolfe is the blogger behind Bumblebeans .  Do have a look at her quilts.  Her philosophy is having fun, making fabric and in 15 minute segments.  We all have obligations not related to quilting but we all can find 15 minutes to have fun.  It dulls the obligations and moves the day along.  While watching I sketched a new quilting design from a picture of something else altogether.  Another instance of serendipity.

So in one weekend serendipity in playing; serendipity in following blogs and serendipity in learning on line and serendipity in doing an obligation in the quilting studio.   I cannot wait to see what the rest of the week brings.  Now my obligations are not just calling, they are screaming.  But do think about having fun and following threads the serendipity provides for you.  It might just be your 'road chosen'.