Tag Archives: UFO’s

Scrappy Sunscreen


Old (… cringe …) blocks put to use at last.

Oh what was I thinking! Where did these fabrics come from? I must have ‘acquired’ them some how, way, way, waaay back on this patchwork quilting journey.

I do remember using them to learn this technique, but obviously put the blocks aside in the depths of the stash. Not letting them go to waste, they made another piece for quilting decisions.

No, the corner points where the blocks meet don’t match and the blocks were not even the same size! Some creative ‘fudging’ was needed to put it together.

Although the main block has a strong visual look, I decided to quilt in the secondary ‘square’ pattern using Westalee’s ‘Spin-e-fex’ Quilting ruler. That would hold down the strip piecing seams. With so many mismatched colours perhaps a variegated thread would make a good choice. It was okay but the quilting got lost, so an echo in a solid colour helped make it pop out a bit more.

That left the centres of each block and the myriad of seams where the blocks join together. The Westalee ‘Stepping Out – Yin & Yang’ ruler made this part quick and easy.

Oh, and UFO #5 for 2019 is finished!

So why is it called ‘Scrappy Sunscreen’? Our car is also getting on in years, made before windows included UV protection for the interior. The back window ledge is exposed to fading, so not only does this provide protection but it helps find the car in the supermarket car park!

Yes it too will fade over time, and who knows what it’s next use will be – perhaps as a pet blanket?

RobynsPatch

‘Snowflake Fury’

UFO #1 for 2019 Finished!

This one was four large blocks left over from a quilt, just laying around waiting patiently for being put together and quilted.

Joining up the blocks was the easy bit.

What quilting to put on it was the hard bit. A dark thread wouldn’t show up on the black and a light thread wouldn’t show up on the red, and ditch quilting would make it very bland.

Which thread – a variegated grey on top and in the bobbin.

What to quilt became easy using the Westalee Ruler Foot  ‘Spin-e-fex Snowflake Templates 1 and 2, and the straight edge of the 12″ arc ruler,  to make the patterns.

So the block centres became the framed snowflake…

Block centre

The centre of the quilt became a smaller version, which also sat on the centre side edges …

Centre of the quilt

While a simpler version sat along the block joins, and the corners …

Block joins

When quilted and bound it became ‘Snowflake Fury’!

‘Snowflake Fury’ – 4 large block quilt.

Now to go and pick out the next UFO project!

RobynsPatch

 

‘Here I am!’ says the car.

What can you do when your car looks like everyone else’s in the supermarket car-park?

Have you ever been in a very big shopping car-park, multiple rows, momentarily distracted, and the car is the same colour as a squillion others?

So far, there’s no app that gets the car to jump up and down to say ‘Here I am, here I am – over here!’

Solution, put a quilt in the back window. Wait, there’s more – it also stops the upholstery from fading (which greatly pleases DH) – well at least for those older cars without modern block-out windows!

So tried that – hand pieced some blocks from 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ blocks using an idea from ‘Successful Scrap Quilts’ by Judy Turner and Margaret Rolfe. Put it on the back window ledge, and hey presto! The car is spotted in the car park, but oh dear the fabric fades after a couple of years in the sun.

Car quilt - old blue one.

Car quilt – old blue one.

Now it’s time to replace it. Found some hand pieced ‘orphan blocks’ from years ago, buried deep in the pile of UFO’s, so along with this year’s goal of ‘improving my finish rate’, here’s the first finished for 2017.

'Orphan Sunscreen' by RobynsPatch

‘Orphan Sunscreen’ by RobynsPatch

To me the colours are now ‘yucky’ and dated, but DH likes it. Being brighter colours, it is easier to see in the supermarket car-park, but I don’t think these fabrics will stand up to long term use before they fade.

What do you do with your ‘orphan blocks’?

RobynsPatch

PatchProjects: 10 Ways to get them done!

When it came time for New Year’s resolutions, Dear friend  and Pascoe Patcher – KB -said

“Don’t do the New Year resolutions thing BUT I say that THIS year I will clean up the sewing room! If I don’t there will be no sewing!”

Well that made me wonder about my own pile of patchwork projects and how to tackle them for 2017.

Dr Seuss

With so many UFO’s lurking in plastic tubs on shelves in the house and in his shed, it’s where to start that’s got me thinking.

How to tackle the pile of patchwork projects? Which direction to choose?

1. Deadline: If there is a family event or a Guild Exhibition coming up?

2. Mood: What do you feel like doing right now?

3. Time: How much discretionary time is available right now?

4. Technique: Are the speciality rulers, tools, or threads close at hand?

5. Machines: Is the sewing machine set up for piecing or quilting?

6. Space: Is the dining room table free at the moment?

7. Schedule: Have you set up self-disciplined plans or goals?

8. Classes: Is it for a class or a friendship group?

9. Supplies: Is there enough fabric to finish it?

10. Procrastinate: Too many choices, just give up and go and clean the bathroom instead?

Well for 2017, I’ve chosen Schedule. My plan is to not start anything new  – that I don’t already have planned or a bit of in the stash – and a goal is to improve my UFO finish rate, no matter how big or small the projects are. DH added, “… and then find a home for them – somewhere else!” Oh dear, methinks that’s a reflection on the tubs of UFO’s on the shelves in his shed.

How do you decide to tackle your pile of patchwork projects?

RobynsPatch