2024 UFO Adventure Challenge
 

Hello everyone, Happy belated New Years!!! I hope everyone had a great transition to 2024. My new years was quiet and relaxing.

i know many of you may have made sewing New Year’s resolutions and one of the resolutions could be to complete those UFO’s handing around. Well you found the right thread to help you along the way. Our goals in this thread is to encourage each other, and work on an UFO at your leisure. If you want suggestions on how to finish the quilt projects just post pics and ask away. I would like to have you tell us your goals on the ufo project (quilting, be it a purse or wallhanging, or whatever guilting related) each month and a pic if you like. My definition of a ufo =. “If you consider it a ufo I consider it an UFO.”

so welcome old and new members and let’s enjoy our 2024 UFO adventure together.

I will start 1st. My UFO project goal this month will be to finish the r r/w/blk king size quilt. I picked the pattern and bought fabric 2.5 years ago. I had planned to make it a throw quilt. But… I made the mistake of asking my niece what size she wanted … she responded a queen size. Then she moved and bought a king size bed and of course wants a king size quilt. So I had to buy more fabrics and refigure my quilt sizes. Last month I thought I would be finished with this project and realized the backing fabric is way too stiff for the backing. So I ended up ordering flannel cotton wide backing for the back. Now I’m just waiting for the package in the mail. Then I will wash & iron the backing fabric and off I go and quilt the top. The top measures 95” by 120”. I do plan to quilt a twin size floral top while I’m waiting for the other fabric. Then 2 UFO’s should be completed this month.

So, welcome and enjoy our UFO adventure together.

Last year was dismal for getting any UFOs finishes. I think I only finished 2. This year will be better! I have a list ready and my UFO project boxes are out and ready for me to dig in. First up is my Jewel Boxed Stars. That was a leader-ender project I started back in 2017 ( I think). Right now, I have started to put those blocks into rows - 4 rows done and 4 more to do.

So glad to see this thread back again for 2024! I am in again. Last year I got my UFOs down to a reasonable number about 6 but then I came to a screeching halt and began creating more. So many patterns I wanted to try. I don't have an exact number but I am going to say11-12 currentrly. My definition of UFO is anything that has been sitting unfinished and unworked on for more than 6 months. Short time frame you say? Well for me six months means it is buried under other projects and creative moments have left it in the dust. The quilt is likely dead from lack of attention so it is time to bring it to life and move it out of my space. I currently have a one that is about 12 years old and several others that are pre-Covid with a scattering of 1 - 3 year olds.

Goal: one a month out the door and ready for donation or gifting. Back on the wagon again, and again and again.

I completed several UFO's last year, after quitting my job and then deciding to retire early - and wanting to get as much done while we were waiting for the house to sell. Still waiting, and still working on projects.

I have one very long term UFO that I need help with. I have a set of 50 blocks - Coral Doak's paper pieced stars. I can't come up with a way to put them together that lights a fire under me. I'm pretty sure they are the last set of blocks I have that need to be put together. I think one of the problems is that there are 50 of them, and I don't want to leave any out. I'd be find with adding more setting blocks, or going with medallion style and pieced borders. I know I don't want to go with regular sashing.

I'll go dig them out and take pictures.

I'm attaching a picture of another set of blocks that sat in a tote for a few years. The setting blocks are all the same, just with different fabric color placement. Now it's in the "to be quilted" pile, but I don't consider those to be UFO's.

here are the stars. They are 12" blocks. After laying them out, this is going to need to be two quilts, (probably one queen and one throw size) . Maybe put the lights together and the darks together. I don't know, am open to ideas.

And while I was at it. I started looking at some of the other totes. I have all my UFO's in one spot, near my cutting table so they are not "out of sight / out of mind" not that it really helps though . . .

The applique are from a Affairs of the Heart challenge from years ago. Not as old as the stars, but almost. I got 12 done and then quit on the hand applique, but 10 of them still need the embroidery. I've made several machine applique quilts with this pattern, and also have it for my embroidery machine. I really love the pattern but know I'll never do more by hand so these 12 need to be finished and put into a top.

Here are another two UFO's that haven't been in progress all that long, less than 3 years but I'm pretty sure they haven't been looked at for over a year. The red is "nearly insane". I have the book, but it has scale line drawings and I have to come up with how to cut and sew them myself. There are a few easier blocks that I'll be changing as I want to make sure there are more then 20 pieces in every block - they are 6".

The other is my "Dear Jane" set. I'm using a white and a selection of KF fabrics. Each block is only two fabrics, but with KF, it can look like a whole lot more. This is also like the above in that I have line drawings, but the rest if up to me.

At least with both of these, I set aside plenty of fabric so I won't forget and use it somewhere else in the mean time.

And here are the last two UFO's. The roses are 6" blocks and I've always planned on making a lot more. I have plenty of the white and green (leaves) set aside, and the rose is made from one light and one dark fabric, so that can easily come from what is in the stash. Though I really don't want another paper pieced project to work on right now. They've been waiting for over 10 years so what's a few more?

And that brings me to my last UFO - a major pp project. This is my own design and was a real pain getting it to work. I've got several parts that I put together and didn't like, and finally got one that did work out. I worked on this for about three years (in short bursts) before getting the layout working. I did manage to get 1/4 done, then it went back on the shelf. About 2 months ago I pulled it back out and got back to work. Figured I'd set a goal for one set of pieces a day. there are 18 rays left to make, and each has about 20 pieces . . . I got about 8 sets done then got distracted and it's been in my way on the cutting table for the last month. Time to get back to is soon . . .

This is still a lot, but I had way more a year ago. I feel pretty good at where I'm at with them.

Wowzer Macybaby! That paper piecing project is going to be awesome. Also congrats on finishing all those UFOs!

Rob

I'm in too. I wasnt in the challenge last year but I will be this year. I will count my " gunna do" patterns as Idol's too

I dug about in my sewing room today and located 10 UFOs that are mine. I have several that were given to me two years ago by a quilter that had to give up quilting. Those donated UFOs each need serious, massive work to get them anywhere close to finishing. Some are slightly more than started.All have fabric, pattern book and some pieced blocks. Another year, maybe 2025. I want to get my own under control first.

Macybaby those UFOs are masterpieces. I can see how they could wear you out. Each seems so very work intensive. But, goodness, when finished they will each be spectacular! Please keep posting photos as you make progress and finishes so we can cheer you on.