Getting My House in Order

Hello Everyone,

Welcome back! I hope your Christmas was wonderful and now you are getting ready to start the New Year with a flourish of creativity.

Do you make resolutions? I usually don't because they are just too hard to keep. BUT, this year I am going to make a resolution. My plan is to finish one UFO this year.  I know some of you are going to make me stick with this! 

While I was cleaning my sewing room before Christmas, I pulled out all of the blocks that were almost finished for Enchanted Autumn by Verna Mosquera.  This was my first attempt at applique.  This beautiful quilt started me down the applique road and I never turned back!  As luck would have it, when I went into work last Monday, Melissa the shop's owner said that Enchanted Autumn is going to be a BOM this year.  This beautiful bucket of flowers is block #1.  The shop's version will be in the same look and feel as the original design.....warm Autumn colors.  (Notice the plaid bow.....I've always loved plaid and try to incorporate plaid into every quilt I make.)

I fell in love with this quilt when I first saw it.  I was also lucky to be able to take the Enchanted Autumn class by the designer, Verna Mosquera. What a delightful class with a wonderful and talented designer! 

As I looked through all of my blocks, I thought not too bad for my first attempt......BUT.......should I redo some of them?  I can see my stitches, I used the wrong thread (I only use silk now), the pieces aren't perfect, my alignment isn't perfect, the list goes on and on.  I decided to not change or "fix" any of the blocks.  This was my first appliqued quilt, it was my skill level at the time, so I won't change anything.....well maybe just a few little things that I can't live with. 

So follow along with me while I finish up this quilt.  I still have lots to do, but the majority of the blocks are about 80% complete.  Except for the house block.  I was stuck on the house and never started it.  It is funny how you can have one stumbling block that will prevent you from moving forward to completion.

What about you?  How many UFO's do you have in your cupboards and closets?  Why don't you select one of them and finish it this next year.  I want to finish a couple of blocks a month so this quilt will be quilted, done and hanging in my home by Autumn.  That's my goal and I'm sticking to it!

So I resolve (and you are my witness) to finish at least one UFO in 2011 and start getting my house....and quilting room in order.

As always,

Lynn