A top finished, and a UFO complete!

I am so excited to be able to post some progress so soon. I finished the top from the Planet Patchwork mystery of New Years day. ( Sorry the photo is so bad. This top is currently hanging over the crab apple quilt that has been on my design wall forever!) I am not really crazy about the outer border, but since I cut it during the prep-work for the mystery, I decided to use it and save the money  a new choice would cost.

 

And to top that off, I also finished a UFO from the fall of 2010. And this was one that I was thinking would never be completed. It is a weekender bag from an Amy Butler pattern. I had some trouble working with the thickness of the layers on this one. It was quite painful to my hands trying to pin the layers before sewing. It was so bulky, I just could not get an accurate seam. Even after an extensive tear apart and re-sew, I am not really happy with how this turned out. But, I faced it, and I tackled it, and it is DONE! I even used it this weekend. But, I will not be making another. Period.

A New Year, a New Start.

As you have noticed, I have been inactive for quite a while. Last year brought many changes to my life. We welcomed two new members into our family- our granddaughter, Grace, and our daughter-in-law Crystal.

   Crystal on her wedding day, holding her niece Grace


 And I began watching Grace part-time while her parents are working. This has taken away a great deal of my free time. So quilting has been ignored. That is why my design wall still looks like this.

    Trees on design wall, some rows are sewn together

    But yesterday I was able to participate in the planet patchwork mystery. And this is what I have up to this point. Not finished with the top yet, but almost!

 I am embarrassed to have to photograph it on my sewing table. That tree quilt has been up on the design wall far too long! My goal is to have both tops completed this week. (It could happen, really.)  I hope to be doing much more quilting and posting this year.

If you want to see more design wall inspiration, hop on over to Patchwork Times and check out the links.