When I started quilting about 10 or 11 years ago, one of the very first classes I took was for a sampler quilt. I invested quite a bit of money in the class fee, book, and fabric. I finished the quilt top, and loved it. Then I started quilting it. Myself. And so, despite my best intentions, after many stops and starts, it made its way to the UFO (UnFinished Objects) pile. And no, it wasn't even hand quilted. The machine quilting, on my little home machine, just became overwhelming. The quilt conquered me, and my good intentions :(
Over the years, it sat in a box in my sewing room. I tried to ignore it- but I knew it was there, about 80% finished. It mocked me.
A couple of months ago I was cleaning out my studio and I came face to face with it. I still loved it. So I took it to my longarm quilter to finish for me. She did a great job, blending her quilting with mine (I did manage to do a good amount before I finally gave up.) She even did the binding. So shortly before Christmas I brought it home, threw it in the washer and dryer (to make it nice and comfy), and we have been snuggling under it ever since.....
I did all of the stippling (you can see why it wiped me out!) I even quilted some heart outlines and then filled them in with stippling (you can see them in the top right corner of the above photo)- I have no idea how I did that, it was so long ago, I don't recall doing it at all....
Honestly, I have to say, that considering how inexperienced I was when I made this, I am pretty impressed with myself! Most of the points match up, and the quilt lies completely flat (I can't say that about some of my current quilts....) I'm soooooo glad that I got this one done (with some help!) As I said, we have really been enjoying it, and it no longer taunts me from that box hidden away in the corner of my sewing room!
What is your oldest UFO? How would you feel if you got it done (or if someone else finished it for you)? Would you be relieved? Is it so old that you don't care about it anymore? Do you have any resolutions to get some of those UFO's finished in 2012??
I started quilting about the same time as you and completing UFO's is high on my priority list this year. I stopped counting when I found 35 UFO's last week. All are cut and in various stages of completion. I finished piecing a twin size tumbler quilt this weekend. I cut it out 2 or 3 years ago and now it waits to be quilted. I finished the embroidery on a winter wall hanging from 2010...just have to put the sleeve on it. My third UFO I'm working on is from 2007...a Christmas quilt and my goal is to have it quilted, labeled and ready to gift before December 2012. This is my year to finish lots and lots of UFO's.
ReplyDeleteI refuse to count how many UFOs I have. But I did make an agreement with my husband that I wouldn't buy more fabric until I finished AT LEAST one project.
ReplyDeleteWould you believe I have a UFO that is over 20 years old? It is a Irish chain, one color and muslin and I had great plans to hand quilt it with beautiful motifs in each block. I pulled it out last year, looked at it and put it back. I'm not worried, someday I will machine quilt it. Congrats on your oldest UFO being done!
ReplyDeleteWOW UFO the thing that taunts us! I was cleaning up a few weeks ago and found one from 5 years ago. It was an applique out of linnen. When I started I had no skills just ambition. This thing was so old the marker I used to trace it was faded away. I took it apart. Knowing what I know now there's no way I could have finished it as nicely as my work is now and it would have been a pain. Yes UFOs bother me but someday I'll have the skill to finish them correctly or repurpose them. It seems this how I learn what I need to learn for another project down the line. I bet that quilt is now treasure!!
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