My quilty friend Gail, Quilting Gail is hosting for a third year, PhD in 2020. It is her way of getting you to commit to finishing 12 UFOs in the year AND finish anything new you start. I figure it is time to let you know what is up with my progress with this, along with my goals for this month.
To date I have finished 5 of my UFOs and 9 new projects. I started the year with 14 UFOs; I have 6 that I “discovered” as I went along. My pace so far is to be getting about 2 new projects done for every UFO I finish. It is not bad, but I would like to accelerate a few of the UFOs, as some are hand work and will take a lot more time! True, I have more time that I did before, but other needs creep in.
Like so many others, I made masks. Here are some of the masks I made and donated. Some are not pictured as they were pressed into use as soon as they were made! The Purple/White were a request from a family on the island whose son died at the end of May – they were his school colors. There continue to be needs here in Maine, so I will continue to make some.
My niece’s baby, Edith, was born at the end of May weighing in at 2.7 lbs. I made a few things for her for her time in NICU. Bernie at Needle and Foot has some fabrics on sale and I ordered the child prints used in the quilt before I knew what I would be doing with them. I guess someone knew I would be making a baby quilt. The flannels/stretch cotton were ordered from Z Fabrics in Portland ME. The lovely thing was that I needed these in a hurry and this was shopping local!
This project is up next, so it will be my One Monthly Goal for Elm Street Quilts, as well as one of the items on my 2020 Finish Along 2nd Quarter list. The pieces are small but it should be pretty doable!
Now, here is some news for you procrastinators…. I am thinking of restarting my teaching career and one of the things I loved teaching was “Finish It Up”! Anyone interested??? Please email me at with the subject line Let’s Get this Project Off My Back! I will take on 3 people as a trial basis. The first 3 to jump on are free. The others will be put on a wait list, but not long as I figure out the how I want to do this or see if there is a need.
Enjoy your sewing time!
Coming Up on the Blog:
Tips and Tutorial (6/22)
Stitching Sunshine Hop (6/25)
Monthly Color Block (7/1)
Partners in Design Announcement (7/7)
Pattern Release
Linking Up:
Quilting Gail
One Monthly Goal
Finished Friday or Not
Main Crush Monday
You’ve been busy! Curious to hear more about your getting back to teaching.
It feels that way when you look at it all together! I don’t know that in person classes are something I’ll do again, but I was hoping some might be interested in the personalized finish-it-up approach. We shall see…I thought it was worth a shot!
Kathleen, you are doing great on your PHD. I am in about the same place as you just a little behind.
Great job on so many masks, Kathleen! I love what all you’ve made for tiny Edith. You’re doing classes by zoom?
I was and am happy to make masks. I am trying the one Crafty Quilter just did this week. I am going to try doing my Finish It Up, which I love. People are lost on projects and need help getting motivated or conquering the tough step or need someone to keep them on the path. We will see if there is a need.
So many masks. You have been really busy. The Portland Head Lighthouse kit looks like a fun and pretty project. Looking forward to seeing that one. Adorable baby gifts too.
Thank you Danice! I started working on it and am so pleased that there was fabric in the kit…things we forget when we push stuff aside for years and years!
You’ve gotten a lot done, even if they aren’t all UFOs! Love your little baby wraps–I have a former coworker whose baby was born at 30 weeks and 2 pounds, 11oz. All is well, but so long in the NICU is hard. Good luck as you continue to finish those UFOs!
Thanks, Emily. I have been pleased and I realize this time is harder to stay focused in ways that I wouldn’t know. The updates on Edith are all good so far, so I think she is on a great path to get home in a month or so!
That looks like fun! Thanks for linking up with Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal and good luck with your project.
Its always a good incentive but my list is longer than I’d like for this month! Thanks for hosting!
You have been crazy busy – and blessing all those with masks – so sweet. It worked out perfect for you on the baby quilt – yay!
Thank you! It is a blessing to do them. The NICU gowns are still a little big, but they may come in handy. Edith is growing nicely now, so I hope that it continues on the good path!
Yes, the baby quilt did work out perfectly for me and for Edith. One month old yesterday, off the breathing machine and gaining weight…best news ever.
You have been very busy, I love the baby quilt.
I am pleased at what I got done. The good news is Edith is now 1 1/2 pounds heavier than she was when born and now a month old!
The light house kit is going to make an amazing quilt. I have a couple photos of LH’s my sister in law during their travels, with the idea of making a scenic quilt. After finding my footing again on applique (or new footing for turned edge and sew on machine) it may not be too far fetched. The giraffe and elephant quilt is absolutely adorable and the shirts look so comfy. Congrats on the new baby.
The kit is fun and I do it all by fusible and straight stitch the edges. There are times when I would do it by hand, but this wasn’t one as the fabric was all chosen and I think I would enlarge it. I have not done the turned edge on machine, and should! Good luck fining your footing, so many possibilities with great pics.
I’m obsessed with your spreadsheets! Makes me want to hop on my computer and start making lists…that is probably a very good idea. LOL The baby quilt is so sweet and I’m sure it will be well used. All those masks! I’ve only made a dozen or so. I got some thinner, softer elastic a couple days ago so I’ll be making more for us to try. Thanks for sharing all your goodies on Main Crush Monday!
Well, that spreadsheet is Gail’s but there are a few other on my files keeping me in line. The baby quilt is fun and the little one is growing nicely. Masks are always on the lists, there is a huge need in some communities that just don’t have the resources. I need to pick up some elastic and make a few for next week. I love MCM and happy when I have a little something to share.
Kathleen, you are doing fantastic with your PHD in 2020! Keep up the great work!
Thank you! I am enjoying it and really pleased to see the projects completed too!
You’ve really been busy at the looks of all those masks! And, you are really knocking out those UFOs. Good for you. I like your spreadsheets. What sweet gift for the little one.
I am enjoying working on all the projects. I am missing my peeps and so it is good for me to keep busy. I feel like I could produce a little more, but enjoying the process is more important for me.