What Am I Up To?

Since I have been cooped up for 2 or so days, you'd think I would have at least a few minutes of quilting time squeezed in there.  Can you tell where that statement is leading?  Unfortunately, there was pretty much NO quilting, stitching, fiber-fondling, or other textile teasing involved.  The closest I got to anything crafty was browsing some old "Minature Quilts" magazines gifted to me (ish) from C. this past Sunday.  Oh so wonderfully inspiring, which is also oh so terribely depressing since I just can't seem to get to my quiling room.

So, with all that half-hearted complaining, I've decided to make myself a "To-Do" list of quilts that need to be completed before the end of the year.  I'm not sure if I should limit the list and "pace myself" or just load it up and git 'er done.  I'm thinking starting out "slow" and getting my feet wet is the better way to handle things and then hurry myself up and add more when a few of the items have been crossed off.

The list will be along the side (in the skinny column), but here are a few pictures of things that need to be completed for you to drool over (and to keep me motivated when I check back here as the days/weeks pass).

This is the first block of my Bali Wedding Star done in reproduction fabrics.  I started this quilt at Judy's Niemeyer's first retreat of 2010 in early April.  I went with another quilting buddy to Montana and had a fabulous time learning new techniques from Judy, meeting the other quilters, and of course relaxing.  So far I have all the arc pieces sewn, trimmed, and ready to piece to the curved center/star pieces.  Thank goodness it's all done with paper or I think I would go insane trying to remember which piece when on which side of what arc!

This one has been almost done for ages and just needs binding - my least favourite part.  Yes, that's right, the quilt is sitting there ready to display and all it needs is the binding.  I hate binding.  I pieced this one from my 1.5" squares (scraps) jar.  I keep a jar for many different scrap sizes and find that 1.5" is the most useful since I have emptied the jar 3 times already to make mini quilts.  I also keep a 1"strip jar which has also been very handy!  The pattern is "Country Lanes" from Jo Morton's book "Rememberances".  I would also love to do her "Rhubarb Crisp" from the same book.

And, as if 1.5" squares are not crazy enough, I am also hand piecing a hexagon quilt using the traditional English Paper Piecing method.  The blocks are all a GFG variation in a diamond shape (instead of a circle), all done in reproduction civil war fabrics.  The hex's are the 1.5" size and the quilt has around 1400 of them total.  I think it will measure somehwere around 85" x 100" when it is completed.  I am hoping to have this done by the end of the year so I can use my timeslot at the custom long-armer's and get it quilted with lovely feathers.  I'll be posting more pics of this as it progresses. 

 And this one I just love.  It was a kit I purchased a couple of years ago at a quilt expo.  The pattern is from The Quilt Patch (a delightful shop in Moosejaw, SK).  I have been coveting it to cover the big blank spot on my livingroom wall during the fall season, however so far, it is still garnishing the bottom of my rubbermaid bin of kits to be completed.  This is the year!  It will be done before November!

So, until next time when I can think of something else to woefully complain about, an inspiring story/situation to pass on, or just to plain old yackety yack, why don't you go check your UFO pile and make a 2010 list too!  It;s OK if it only has 1 or 2 items on it, you have to start somewhere!