Monday, July 04, 2016

Design Wall Monday - July's UFO Project

I finally sorted out which UFO I will concentrate on finishing in the month of July. Since I successfully finished my Swoon quilt using the quilt-as-you-go method last month, I started getting ideas about finishing another one. I'm sure you know how that goes. One idea sparks another idea and your inspiration builds until you can't resist moving forward.
Here's my July UFO on the design wall.
This is called "Quilt Square Quilt Along" (or QSQA for short) and was a year long project hosted by Jo's Country Junction in 2012. I pieced all these blocks using up the scraps from a 2011 Quiltmaker mystery called Secret Window. It was such a fun sewalong and I kept up with making a block each month. Then in 2014 it moved onto my UFO finishing list and I enjoyed machine quilting each block. I joined the blocks together in March of that year and then I experienced that terrible point in working on a quilt where all your hard work and best efforts result in something you really dislike. It was very frustrating because up until that point I enjoyed every step of the project, and all of a sudden I couldn't stand the sight of it! The blocks were slightly different sizes and no matter what I did to fix the problem, those blocks didn't line up properly. 
So, the quilt went to the very back of the timeout UFO closet for 2 years.
At the FNSI last month I dug it out of the closet during a conversation about why QAYG is sometimes a pain in the #&$%. See this intersection and how the teal sashing strips don't even come close to lining up?!?
Well, my friends came up with lots of ideas of how to fix things like this. Where were you guys 2 years ago?!?!
So anyway, it's the right time now and this month I am going to finish this thing. Yes, finish it. I will "fix" the uneven joins (by covering up what doesn't work), quilt and add 4 borders, and bind it. Can it be done? I'm not sure, but I'm bound to at least make some progress by bringing my focus to this project.
To see more UFO goals, hop over to the One Monthly Goal link up.

14 comments:

Katie Z. said...

You can totally do it! It's beautiful.

Julee said...

yes you can, get'er done.........

Mary said...

Good for you getting it out of the dreaded Closet. You can do it, there is an extra day in July!

ES said...

This is a lovely quilt. I'd be interested in a description of the pit falls of qayg method, and also a list of suggested solutions:) it'd be food for thought for me before I jump into a qayg project:) love your blog Kathy :)

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Yes, I too would like to know the conversation and suggestions. I fixed 2 QAYG for other quilters (and the sashings were way worse than yours). I did a little 're-sewing' as well as some applique over each intersection to hide those unmatched areas.

Janet O. said...

I remember this project--loved the soft colors, and each square makes a nice little quilt. Interested to see how you resolve your frustrations with it. It deserves to be loved. : )

Kate said...

Love the colors and the blocks in this project. Good luck with moving this to the finished pile.

Deanna W said...

Love the colours you chose. It would be a shame not to finish this one. I can't wait to see how you go about fixing/hiding those intersections.

Jo said...

Make sure you show us photos of how you went about fixing it. That's the trouble I have too. I am put off using this method

Pam said...

I like your colors and they very balanced way you used them in your blocks.

Susan said...

I like the quilt. Using coordinated colors really makes a sampler quilt more attractive, I think. I'm glad you're going to work on it this month, and I think it can be done if you have consistent work time every day. Best of luck!

Robin said...

So interesting. It's encouraging to hear of your determination to make this quilt happen. It is very soothing to look at and deserves a finish.

moosecraft said...

Thanks for the company! I thought I was the only one that lost interest in a quilt before it is finished! lol! Congrats on pushing forward to make it happen! :-)

Deb A said...

Good luck. I might have to pull mine out later this month and see about finishing it up. I ran into the same issue... and mine is QAYG!