2016 UFO Busting

In case you couldn't tell, we are off to a very slow start in 2016.  The slow down started in December with the holidays and so far we have not really dived into the New Year, other than the previous inspiration posts - I hope you've found more inspiration from them than we obviously have (not)!  Of course there are reasons we are sort of stalled.  Elizabeth was on a two week vacation over the holidays, her entire school break, and returned home to go back to work the next day.  Not too much time for creativity there.  Sue has been in the midst of house renovations for several months, which pulls in one direction, and volunteer commitments to Virginia Consortium of Quilters pulls in another (Sue is president as well as co-chairing the biannual retreat coming up in April).  Consequently creative time has been limited.  Now that our VCQ annual board retreat has passed (still some follow-up to do), Sue hopes to work in more creative time, along with having hardwood floors refinished and choosing bathroom decor.

One way to get started is to commit to Vicki Welsh's UFO Busting again this year.  Sue's even behind in that, since Vicki was on the ball and did her initial post January 1, and it's already the 12th.  But it's never to late to join in!  Recapping 2015, Sue started out with 8 UFOs (that she claimed - there are others very carefully packed away!)  Over the year, one of those 8 was finished, and progress was made on some others.  Most of the finished projects throughout the year were new projects that were both started and finished in 2015 - looking back over the blog posts there were 19 of them!  I'd say that's an accomplishment, even if they were mostly small (wall size) projects.  Most were challenges - for magazine submission, art group challenges, and exhibit entries.

So where is Sue starting from in 2016?
Starting UFO count: 11
New projects started this month:
Projects finished this month:
UFO count at end of month:

The UFOs include 7 from 2015.  Five are projects needing to be quilted; one is a table runner and one is a wall hanging, but the other 3 are lap size or larger quilts, which is probably why I haven't tackled them yet.  One is the repair project I blogged about last year (30's bed quilt).  Two are piecing projects in progress.  Two are hand stitching projects, one of which is almost done, and then will need machine quilting.   The last is a 12" square that needs mounting on canvas - no excuse for that not being done, so hopefully I will get to report it finished next month.  Here are a few pictures - I decided if I pulled some out and took pictures it might motivate me to work on them. 

This is the repair project.  I have made some new "footballs" to applique over the worn ones.

This is a finished top.  I have a backing.  It needs to be sandwiched and quilted.  Lap size.

Another top; these were block lotto blocks that I won in 2010.  I have border fabric, which needs to be added, and backing.  The goal is to finish this by the end of April so I can take it for show & tell at the VCQ retreat.  Doable, if I make a point of getting it done.

This is a finished top, double size.  I have the backing so it too just needs to be sandwiched and quilted.  I made this for my daughter when she was in college - she switched from a twin bed to a double.  It didn't get finished then, and she's been out of college and on her own for 7 years and moved on to other colors, so I need other motivation.  I do really like it.  Maybe this is one that should be quilted by check.

So there you have it.  Check back each month to see how 2016 is progressing.