Well it’s that time of the year again – and I hope I do better this year than last.

I retired last December 31 and was sure that I would be able to make a significant dent in my UFO’s will all the extra time that I would have – Wrong!  I also vowed that I would not start anything new until I had made a good dent in the collection.

I didn’t even get through New Year’s eve before my resolve vanished with a call from my daughter with great news.  She and her boyfriend would tie the knot in 2009.  We couldn’t have been happier.  That was all it took for me to focus on looking for planning a quilt for them.  I bought the fabric while we were wintering in Florida, got together with a couple of friends to start the quilt in March and finished it in plenty of time for the wedding in July.  They were ecstatic – and I was pleased that they liked it so much.

I did get to finish a few projects along with a few new ones also.  Two table runners (Rainforest  Rings and Red & Green) have been quilted and are in the finishing stages of being bound.  I completed my son’s king-size Adirondack Quilt in time for giving this Christmas.  New projects included two octagon table toppers from the mystery challenge at Watson Homestead.  I finished one and gave it to my daughter for Christmas and have one for myself that only needs binding.  In addition there were two Operation Kid Comfort quilts for children of newly deployed servicemen and women.

UFO projects slated to be completed this year are:

• Watson mystery 2007 and 2009 quilts- binding
• Seasons wall hanging
• Autumn Pennies table topper from a class by Kim Diehl
• and probably the most important project of all – organize my stash!

I plan to learn one or two new techniques this year also and I’ll probably sign up for an online classes and take at least one or two classes at our local quilt shops.  I took a Scrap Therapy from Joan Ford last year and would really like to finish a quilt using the technique.  Also I’ve checked out the Fons and Porter Master Class series and am planning on trying out one of the classes online.

I know that I will not be able to limit myself to “just” completing UFO’s and organizing, but I’ hoping that I can at least get these completed along with the normal shop hops,  guild activities including our biennial quilt show and raffle quilt for 2011 and at least one or two new projects that I just can’t resist!

There's always time to quilt!

Every year we show appreciation to our outgoing guild president by making blocks of her favorite theme and/or colors.  This year we made sunflower and 9-patch blocks  for Lisa.  The sunflower blocks were a pattern from Cathy Van Bruggen Designs.  It always interesting to see how different quilters execute the same block.  I was able to combine needle-turn and invisible machine applique with embroidery to finish my block.

At first I appliqued the leaves, stems and flower centers by needle-turn applique.  I tried to use the same technique with the pointy sunflower petals. but wasn’t happy with the result.  There are too many changes from inside points to outside points in a very small space.

(I wish that I had the skills of someone like Elly Sienkiewicz. I’m sure she would have produced a perfect needle-turn flower.)

I decided to use Kim Diehl’s invisible machine applique technique and think that it turned out well.  I decided to embellish the center of the flower with french knots – and even put a few yellow knots for interest.  I think she liked it – at least she said that she did when I gave it to her on Tuesday.

After seeing all her beautiful blocks I had to pull the blocks for my President’s Quilt out.  Guess I’d better start working on my quilt. I added sashing strips to the blocks and decided on the layout when I received them.  But then put them away.  That was 2 years ago!

Guess I’d better get working on my quilt.  I need to have it ready to hang in our President’s Corner at our guild’s July 2010 Quilt Show.   -   A New Year’s resolution already!

There's always time to quilt!

Well my angel swap projects are finished and were sent to my secret “Angel”, Debbie, last month.  She has now posted them on her blog http://makinquilts.blogspot.com.   I particularly enjoy reading the ‘Thoughts for the Day’ that she published with every post.

The projects were so easy and fun to put together.   Pictured here from top to bottom:

journal with embroidered cover; needle case holder and pin cushion.

Participating in swaps is an interesting way to meet new quilters while sharing something that we both love.  Debbie is a neighbor to the north from Alberta Canada.  I’m hoping we’ll keep in touch through our blogs.

There's always time to quilt!