Another UFO becomes FO!!!

 I am pleased to be able to say that so far this year, I am averaging one item crossed off my UFO list each month!!

My April completion was not completely done until May 2, but I'm counting it.  This was my teaching sample from the days of being a "Scrap Therapist."  The pattern is called "Star Light, Star Bright".  I call the quilt Christmas Under the Stars.

I had a bit of trouble getting this one finished.  I was fine until I got to the red border, when suddenly my machine decided it was unhappy.  I rethreaded, changed needles, cleaned under the bobbin case, tried different bobbins, and changed needles again.  It was just not stitching properly no matter what I did.  So I turned the machine off and decided it was wine o'clock! (no, it wasn't 10 in the morning!)  The next day I did some different sewing- pieced some blocks and such- before setting up to quilt again.  It was still a little fractious, but nowhere near as bad. 

Here's a  better look at the different designs I used.  I could wish the last border had come out a bit more dense, but it is finished. And, with all the trouble I had, there are plenty of nests on the back and skipped stitches I didn't go back and fix.  So this one will be for me and hubby- who really loves it.  If I had known that, I might have made it queen sized.














 
Since I used solids on the back, the quilting shows up nicely.


















So, now it's on to the next items on the list.  The numbers called this month were 12 and 27. My 27 is a kit, so I am going to leave that one for another time.

Number 12 is another Scrap Therapy sample I made.  I have been doodling designs to figure out how to quilt it.  I'm keeping it simpler this time and using a faux pantograph from this book. The weather is supposed to be cold and cruddy all weekend, so I'm hoping to make significant progress on it- assuming the machine is happy.  I hate feeling like I'm entering the lion's den every time I sit down to machine quilt.  Does this ever happen to you??








After yesterday's health care vote, I am feeling rather hopeless.  I feel a bit sick that our country has come to this point.  I will continue to do what I can to make my voice heard.  You should too.

I am grateful for:
Oma time with Jonathan
When sewing is peaceful and meditative
Taking some quiet time to read ( I don't do it often enough)
My tulips survived the deluge.
I'm not alone in the resistance.