So Many Projects!

 I use the exclamation point because I like having so many projects.  Subtitle for this post: there was an old woman who had a quilting studio and so many projects she didn’t know what to do.  But that’s too wordy, amiright? This post is my attempt to not lose track of these!  

My SIL in Florida needed a baby quilt, and I began sewing all these strips together.  Lots of lovely blues and naturals.  Just as it was reaching a big enough size, we went in a different direction for the baby quilt (see previous post about the cheater panel clamshell baby quilt).  Chris said she might be interested in having this finished and using it as a wall hanging.  Meanwhile, it's labeled and on the UFO shelf.

Years ago, before my college roommate died, I made her a quilt of tumbling blocks and hexagons.  And here's this packet of bits already cut.  John's hot to go on a jazz cruise in January.  Even I know I can't take my sewing machine.  But I can take a hand project!  And these shapes are perfect for hand piecing.  

A while back I bought a jelly roll of these colors.  What was I thinking?  So I passed this packet off to Eileen.  And she returned this to me, suggesting maybe I might want to finish this.  And you know what?  I do.  I think she was going for a herringbone pattern except these pieces have all been offset in the same direction.  I think I have a plan: a big log cabin using a light neutral to separate all the colors.  We will see whether it work.  And - this is even better - I think I know who this quilt might be for!

We have a lovely new guild member from Montreal.  And Diane is a mover and a shaker.  She has started a guild challenge to take the shirt off backs and make a quilt.  Over the years I have deconstructed more shirts than I care to mention.  But then these lovely shirt bits fell into my lap, thanks to another new guild member Amy.  I found my elliptical drunkard's path templates, and here's the result.  This is small - 24" x 43".  Handquilting it will be a breeze, and the deadline is January. Diane has already identified two places what will exhibit this challenge.

And this quilt is all ready to be assembled.  As the last retreat I did all the heavy work of making the blocks.  Each block is 12", and there are a total of 42.  Without borders, which I don't think I'll use, this quilt be  60' x 72" .  The pattern is Jelly Roll Sizzle, a free download from The Fat Quarter shop.  

I wanted glass door shelving because I need to see what I have.  This lovely group of fabrics are leftovers from my Jinny Beyer days.  I made several quilts from these fabrics and apparently I need to make one more.  They have been in a lovely box.  But now?  They are on the shelves.  Someday...

And just to point out that projects do eventually get finished, here is "Blowin' in the Wind" in situ.  Once John is finished with Christmas decorating, I will do a more thorough post.  Meanwhile, I am loving how this looks in the dining room!  For the rest of the day I am working on my sister's quilt, enlarging it to be a useable queen-size spread for her guest room.  Busy hands are happy hands.  I am happy.