Projects for the New Year

Now that I have resolved to make time for my own quilts in 2010 I decided to make a list of what I want to get done this year. Maybe putting it in writing will spur me on.

First, I want to quilt the top my Grandmother left unfinished. It has lived for 70-80 years in our family cedar chest, which is why it is now stained from the oils in the cedar. It is in sturdy shape and my Grandmother even left a muslin backing all sewn and ready to go. I always thought she hadn't finished it because of her arthritis but after studying the quilt top, I think she didn't finish it because it's a mess and wouldn't go together right! She just gave up and left a vintage UFO for her grandchildren to deal with.

This is the center of the top, there are also two side borders and an end border, none of which match the sides of the center part. I swear, I must have inherited my Grandmother's piecing skills, which is why I make applique quilts.

The blocks are all different sizes, the sashings are all different widths and the darn thing isn't square. I will have to take it apart, resize the blocks, redo the sashing and see if I can get any of the borders to work.

Ironically, it was this top that inspired me to learn to quilt nine years ago. Thank goodness I didn't try to quilt it back then, I would have given up on quilting altogether! But now I'm ready to try. I think my Grandmother would like to know that her Grandaughter finished up her UFO for her. And I did name my longarm Arabella in her memory.

I also have been working on some hand appliqued blocks. At a meeting of our local Applique Society chapter I learned how to make a Hawaiian applique block. Once I had finished my one little block I showed it to my friend Janet and she asked "What do all the other blocks look like?" Of course I hadn't planned any other blocks so I guiltily decided to make enough for a quilt. I am now on #27 of 30 blocks and would like to get that quilt finished this year. Thanks Janet.

And finally, I have a bed-sized quilt planned that I would love to at least get started on this year. The design is drawn, the fabric is chosen, washed and pressed and it has been sitting in a pile waiting for me to work on it since last January.

My work is cut out for me!