The 2014 UFO Challenge has begun

Here is my first UFO for 2014. I think I must have started this little quilt at least 5 (or more) years ago. I finished all the embroidery work right away but just never liked how they set those blocks. I forced myself to put it on my UFO list this year and deal with the setting. While it's nothing fancy I like it better than the snowball block setting from the original pattern.

Had to show you the back too so you could see the quilting.

Check one off the list!!!

Country Threads UFO #12 for 2013

Hip Hip Hooray! 2013 is done and so are 12 (well actually 13) unfinished projects from my sewing room. I finished the last one last night. It is Peony Wreath from Primitive Gatherings and I did all the machine stitching on my new Singer Featherweight.

Country Threads has announced that they will be playing this game again next year and I'm in! My list is ready (I can't believe I have another 12 unfinished projects, but I do)! 

Country Threads UFO November

My 11th UFO is finished for the Country Threads UFO Challenge and it was number 11 on the list. It is "Turkey Lurkey" by Maggie Bononomi. Her original design was a pillow...I just made a little mat out of it. And bonus, I finished it just in time for Thanksgiving.

Only one more project to go...then I'm going to make my list of UFOs for next year! Anyone care to join me in the challenge?

Mike! Me! and The Pioneer Woman!!!

What a fun night at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville. Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, was in town for a book signing so Mike and I and 598 other people went. Despite the fact that The Pioneer Woman was stuck in traffic and arrived 45 minutes late, it was wonderful. So fun to meet her, actually I was quite in awe. And Mike will tell you that she is just as sweet as she can be. I might also add beautiful (with a drop dead gorgeous complexion). We were pretty lucky as our signing numbers were 45 and 46!

I started out at the front of the table, but Ree told me to "come on back.

So here we are.

Then Mike joined us. We  are quite the captive audience aren't we?!

Then it was time for a family portrait. Ree's words, not ours.

So I guess we're officially "family" now. How fun is that. I wonder if we'll get an invite to the ranch for the holidays? 

We really enjoyed ourselves so we took a walk down the street, which is already lit up for the holidays.

And stopped at the local Mexican restaurant for dinner because Ree always has pico de gallo in her refrigerator so it just seemed like the right thing to do!

October is done and so is another UFO!

 

Another Country Threads UFO is done 

and just in time for Christmas!

Gift Quilts

This summer also included making two gift quilts.

One for baby Evelyn...

and one for the groom, (my girlfriend's son) Bud Bosley...

Both quilts were designed by by Bonnie and Camille.

Grande Old Flag

Well, I've finished most of my projects from Grande Old Flag.

Here is Campaign from Carol Hopkins Civil War Legacies designs.

and Sampler Baskets, also designed by Carol Hopkins.

 I also finished Star Sampler designed by Paula Barnes of Red Crinoline Quilts exclusively for Country Sampler's Grande Olde Flag event.

Here is the first cross stitch project that we worked on.This is a design from Linda Lautenschlager of Chessie & Me. We pre-stitched the designs, then painted and assembled the box at the event.

The cross stitch sampler is no further along. I love it though and will get back to it one of these days.  Here is a little sneak peek of it.

The count down is on for Star Party...11 days to go. I'll put some pictures up as soon as I can.