January 2022 – Goals, UFOs & OMG Progress

The first month of the year is nearly in the books. We’ve had more snow and lots of very cold weather. But we were lucky to miss the worst of the Nor’easter which brought Blizzard conditions along the Atlantic Coast and up into New England this past weekend.

I rescheduled my appointment with the American Red Cross to donate Platelets and then returned two weeks later to donate both Platelets and Plasma. Unlike donating Whole Blood, donating Platelets and Plasma takes 3 hours. They have individual televisions and after checking in I was able to watch a couple of movies. What did they do before Netflix?

PSA – Dangerously Low Blood Supply. There is an urgent need for Blood Donations as well as Platelets/Plasma Donations (used to help Cancer Patients). Click on the American Red Cross to find out more information and to locate a Donation Site near you.

I am again participating in the APQ’s UFO Challenge and Elm Street Quilt’s OMG. This month I did not work on finishing my Fall 2021 Current Projects (which are now my 2022 WIPs), but instead did a lot of cleaning, sorting and organizing boxes of fabric.

(Quilting Acronyms – UFO stands for UnFinished Object, OMG means One Monthly Goal, QAL means Quilt Along and WIP means Work in Progress.)

UFOs & OMGs

American Patchwork & Quilting’s UFO Challenge. Participants create a list of 12 (or more) unfinished projects that we hope to work on or complete this year. The first of the month a random number is announced and that is the project to work on.

My January UFO – Work on Pieced Border for FQS 2019 QAL/Threadology

The UFO number for January was #12. I had two projects listed. One was to work on the pieced border for my Threadology top. This month I did not make all 46 six-inch spool blocks. I used already cut pieces as Leaders/Enders while working on other projects.

UFO – 6″ Spool Block for Pieced Border

I played with the 2nd project listed on #12 of my UFO Challenge sheet but didn’t get anywhere with it. I don’t have any more of these fabrics and I just couldn’t decide what I wanted to do with them. As I sort fabric, I will continue looking for some to go with these blocks.

9″ unfinished Orphan Christmas Blocks – What to make??

I did have an unexpected UFO Finish. Not on my original UFO list, I did make progress on another top. In sorting through boxes of fabric, I found four hand pieced blocks which were about 20″ in size. I do not know who made them. I’m guessing they came to me along with some fabric which was given to me some time ago. Normally I am a bit of a perfectionist and unmatching points would frustrate me, but with these I just ‘closed my eyes’ and just did it.

Four Orphan Blocks just pinned to a flannel Design Wall.

These blocks have a lot of bias edges and were wonky. I did my best to iron the seams flat and used lots of Mary Ellen’s Best Spray to give the blocks some body. It took some trimming to make the blocks fit together. I looked in my stash for some fabric to add borders.

I found some off-white/cream that nearly matched the light fabric.

Border #1 Added to stabilize edges and square the top.

Later I found a green that closely resembled the center squares for the outer border and binding. So, I do have a finished top that is 52″ x 52.5″. I’m counting this as a UFO finish for January.

Final Border in Green that closely matches the center squares

I have some batting and backing which I will use to finish this into a lap quilt. I’ll do some simple straight-line quilting on my domestic machine next month. But first I had to stop working on it to make two tops for Fabric Cafe’s new book to be released in the Spring.

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My January OMG – North to Alaska/Block #1

This Laser Cut Quilt Kit – the “Holiday” version of the North to Alaska pattern by Edyta of Laundry Basket Quilts is a bit out of my comfort zone and I plan to take my time making it. Each block, except one is made 4 times. I am using these blocks as my One Monthly Goal for this year

I’m sewing this using my 1951 Centennial Featherweight which was originally owned by my mother-in-law.

Block #1, four copies are completed.

Block #1 – North to Alaska – four copies made on the Featherweight

January 2022 OMG

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal – January Finish Link-up

My January Goals – WIP

I have so many things partially done, I’m trying to make a list to help me keep on track. Most have rolled over from the Fall and even earlier.

• Not Worked on & Still in Progress – Hand Piece Quilt Along 2021 – Need to find fabric for 2nd border
• Not Worked on & Still in Progress – Snowmen & Silent Night – Make additional blocks to enlarge
• Not Worked on & Still in Progress – All the Trimmings – Add a row of Presents, & Borders
• Not Worked on & Still in Progress – Project Linus 2021/Oliver is in the Doghouse – Additional Blocks, Assemble Rows, Sashing & Borders
• Not Worked on & Still in Progress – Autumn Jubilee 2021 – Add pieced border and maybe one more solid
• ** Made two tops for Fabric Cafe. Testing new patterns to be released in a book in the Spring
• Done – Trim & Add Label & Binding for Autumn Jubilee 2020 Queen Quilt
• Done – Trim & Add Label & Binding for a Quilt of Valor
• Done – Go through boxes of projects and assorted fabrics.

I didn’t get as much accomplished as I had hoped but did make progress on many unscheduled projects.

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Wishing you all a warmer month with lots of stitching.

Happy Stitching

Quilt Mouse