Out of the [quilt] box!

This is the third challenge from Prairie Moon Quilts.

And this year, I WILL try something new - I signed up for the 365Challenge - a new quilt block to make every day. AND it fits with my other "new" thing - I signed up for a local mini group.

I'll be cutting some tonight - I'm going to be working on a belated Christmas gift for my sister-in-law - AND un-decorating the Christmas tree so it can go out to the road for recycling.

Second Prairie Moon Challenge

The second challenge is:

Organize ALL our UFOs

I've made a good start on this - UFOs are listed in the sidebar as I think of them/find them. In previous years, I've made lists - and then lost track of them. Hopefully by keeping them on the blog, I can keep better track of them.

I'm up to 19 so far :) AND, I still like all of them and want to finish them! They're more due to life getting in the way, rather than hitting roadblocks. Although in a few cases, the roadblock is actually *finding* the UFO - I know it's hidden in the bins, but don't know where.

I've joined Stashbusters UFO Challenge again this year - that will keep me accountable.

First end of year challenge

I'm doing the end-of-year challenges from Prairie Moon Quilts.

These are my responses to the first one.

Take a good hard look at your fabric stash

Do you like the way you have it stored?
Not really. The bins work, for the most part, and are needed to keep the stinkbugs out. My biggest issue is not having enough space to have it all in one place, so it's scattered all around the house.
 
Do you like the way you have it sorted?
Not really. Some of the bins are sorted by color, some by theme, but most by "shove the fabric in a bin before the cats pee on it."

Do you like all the fabric you have?
Mostly - there is one bin of polyester I inherited from my MIL that is just going to go in a donation bag very soon.

Do you like the system you have, but aren’t working it like you want to?
I do, at least as far as I have a system. I don't store a lot of my scraps in pre-cut sizes, only the ones I've bought that way. I don't have a lot of yardage - having a designated place for pieces that are big enough for backings would be a big help.
 
Have you seen a system you’d like to implement, but haven’t taken the time to implement it?
Not yet :)

I've done MUCH better at not buying randomly this past year, and plan to continue that in the new year.

And overall - I like having a stash. I like being able to find and use odd fabrics. But better organization would definitely help.

2016 Word of the Year - Discipline

Self-discipline, that is.

Every new day is a chance to work on what I need or want to do, to make changes for the better.

UFO completion

This was an Orphan Block Challenge for my guild.

Completed guilts were donated to our Service Projects group for donation.

My orphan blocks were the wonky log cabin in the middle, the flying goose part of the arrow/house block, and the sawtooth star. I made the friendship star and the six nine-patches to complete it. The leftover blocks were from quilts I made for my daughter's BFF and the BFF's mom.

 

The back is a soft flannel.

 

Close-up of the back and quilting - not perfect, but not awful.

I made a scrappy binding to finish it off.