"Buttons and patches and the cold wind blowing,
The days pass quickly when I am sewing"
~Author Unknown

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Not so crazy.....

Lately, I have been thinking about how my UFOs seem to be increasing instead of decreasing. I feel the need inside to get some of these projects finished before starting up new things. I also am working on a challenge from a Yahoo homekeeping group I am a member of. It is letting go of old and unused things. Now my UFOs do not fall under this category but I felt like I needed to tie up loose ends so I could move on.


So when I looked through some of those UFOs laying in my studio, I decided to pick out the one that was ridiculously almost finished. I only needed to sew on one sawtooth border to complete the top. Told you it was ridiculous! So I got to work and voilà!

This quilt is the sixth in the series of American Dolls quilt patterns by Kathleen Tracy. It was a quilt called Almost Crazy referring to the play on a crazy quilt theme. Since I played with the theme even more, it really was not so crazy by the time I was through with it. It just happened as my fabrics spoke to me. Then when I completed the pattern, I felt it needed more. It was not finished due to my own choices with just one border. I added a second dark floral border onto the striped border. It was still not quite right so I used the cast off triangles that you have when you sew this patchwork to create a sawtooth border to complete the quilt.

"Now what" was my next thought. I decided to refer back to the idea of a crazy quilt that it would be fun to machine quilt it with one of my crazy quilt stitches (enlarge first photo to see the stitches) on the sewing machine. Well, I take my hat off to you ladies who quilt regularly with your machines. I find it intense to do it preferring the ease of hand quilting. That being said, I am glad I had a chance to practice doing it again.

Over the Easter weekend, I had the quilt with me to work on hand sewing the binding to the back of the quilt and then tucking in all the threads from the quilting by hand too. It takes a good bit of time to do that. Since I believe a quilt is only finished when the tunnel and label are added, I got to work on that part this morning. I am calling this one Victoria's Not So Crazy Doll quilt.

Happy dancing my way back to my quilt studio to pick out yet another UFO to finish. *grins*

25 comments:

DonnaTN said...

It is beautiful! You must be thrilled to have it finished. I think the sawtooth border really makes the quilt. You have such a good eye. Have fun stash diving to find more nearly there finishes.

Barbara J said...

Just gorgeous Heidi! The saw tooth border makes the whole quilt pop. Love the warm reds too.

Deborah said...

Beautiful quilt. Look forward to seeing more.

Nancy said...

Okay, definitely one of my favorites. Love the colors, love the design and just another great job. My very talented daughter. Your Gramma would be so proud since she too used to quilt.
Waiting to see the next UFO now.
Love you, Mom

Hazel said...

Gorgeous and another finish to tick off your list! Well done. x

Jo said...

Absolutely gorgeous. The outer border is wonderful - but look frightfully tricky to do! Hmmm, the more quilting posts I read the more I want to go and pull out my own quilting stash...

Teresa S. said...

Congratulations on tying up a loose end! And what a beautiful one it is!

Heidi said...

AFter spending last year finishing many quilts, it's freed up lots of creative energy to make new things, and try new things! Your finish is a beautiful one, and that added border, just makes it all sing!

Carolien said...

Hi Heidi,

What a lovely finish, I love the fabrics and the colours! Congrats!

Hugs, Carolien

P.S. Are you 'in' for a play date?
Please yell loudly when you do some day ... ;)

Anneke said...

heerlijk als er weer iets klaar is; en toch nog een heel werkje zo alles bij elkaar.
mooi geworden!

Susan in SC said...

How wonderful that you finished another project!! It is a beauty!!

Unknown said...

Ziet er hartstikke mooi uit!! Ik ken dat gevoel van eigenlijk eerst iets af willen maken voordat je aan iets nieuws begint, maar soms is dat wel erg lastig met al die mooie dingen om je heen!! :-) Ik denk dat het wel lekker voelt als je weer een UFO af hebt?

Groetjes, Debbie
http://www.handwerkenzo.blogspot.com/

Saskia said...

Good JOB!! another UFO done.
How many more to go???
I've been working like a busy bee too.
Couldn't walk this weekend. Worked in the garden for too long I guess.
But it was so much fun to plant, and plant, and weed, and weed..
And Joanne and I made another 'secret relaxing spot' in my garden.
Will make photo's as soon as it's completely finished!
But.. when are you coming over for a cup of tea or coffee??

Knuffels
Saskia

Kaaren said...

Gorgeous finish, Heidi.

I just L-O-V-E the colors and the final sawtooth border frames the quilt beautifully.

Jackie's Stitches said...

This is a beauty! I love the sawtooth border you added. I'm looking forward to seeing your other UFO's. Your quilting is gorgeous!

barbara said...

Gorgeous, Heidi!! You must be over the moon!

Jenny said...

Your quilt is lovely! I agree with your mom, this is one of my favorites, and that is a hard decision to make, believe me, because I love all of your work whether it is stitching or quilting. The sawtooth border is one of my favorites, although I have never tried it....it seems really hard to me...is it? Anyway sending a big hug from CA. your way and looking forward to seeing some more UFO's. My UFO basket is saying...hey Jenny follow her lead and finish us off.....grins....

Jenny said...

P.S. I just had to tell you how much I love your bear and pillow up at the top of your blog. It really brought a smile to my face ;)

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful quilt and perfectly done, as usual.
Lillian

Jantine said...

Wow, I really love the borders,especially the last one! Well done! You beat me again, I don't have the one I started at your place quilted yet, though it is sandwiched for weeks!

DebbieSFL said...

Love the finish. The sawtooth gives it a nice pop. By the way, what is the pattern of the pillow in your header? Love it and it has a lot of my colors and my taste.

Kathy Ellen said...

Your quilt is just gorgeous and you must be so thrilled to have it finished at last? Isn't that a wonderful feeling? I love your hand quilting. I have always enjoyed both hand piecing and hand quilting too...It is a very peaceful kind of stitching too. Can't wait to see your next WIP or next UFO!

Crossing in Stitches With You Again!

Sonja said...

Wat een beauty! en die extra boarders maken het nog mooier!

Anonymous said...

It is beautiful and congrats on another finish. Love the teddy bear photo in your header.

blessings, jilly

Siobhán said...

That quilt is beautiful! Great job, Heidi!