I issued a UFO busting MINI challenge the other day (SEE IT HERE).. finish ONE UFO by the end of the year... at the end of this post I'll show you MY progress.. how are YOU doing?
We all have them.
- That set of blocks that never got increased enough for a quilt.
- A single block or two from a workshop
- a set of swap blocks that came 'out' of the swap due to color (or something OTHER reason)
- or a group of blocks that you decided you just didn't like the fabric choices enough to move on.
You may even have some Dear Jane blocks or just FOUR Baltimore Album blocks instead of 16, or how about that BOM project that you lost enthusiasum over?
There are plenty of opportunities for these blocks!
Option 1
Turn those small bits into other projects by looking at them with a critical eye.
- Can you take the set of blocks and make a small wallhanging?
- Make into a table topper?
- How about taking blocks and making them into tote bags, or pillows?
- Several blocks set side by side make awesome table runners!
- Turn the blocks on point and make a LARGER quilt with fewer blocks... set with alternating fabric squares and an even Bigger quilt appears!
- How about placemats, coasters, hot pads?
Lots of these project can be converted and called D-O-N-E and even GIFTED! Gotta love it!
If you love the blocks but don't really feel like doing the rest.. DON'T!! Permission granted. ...
This is a set of my blocks and bits from 2 round robins, a gift and another random bit.
I may still set them together..or I might take parts and give them homes as other smaller projects!
Option 2
Now hang in here with me.. this is really quite an awesome option! Take a group of our blocks and challenge yourself to set them in a sampler.
Really.. this can be SO FUN! Here is what you do
- Find fabric that ties the blocks all together colorwise.
- Put them up on your design wall
- Now lay them out in a pleasing manner in rows or colums (or more complicated settings but this works great)
- If some blocks are too small do a sashing all around them.. get the rows or colums so the blocks are the same width or height to be sewn side by side
- Pick a sashing size (or not!)
- Sew the rows or columns
- Border it and there you go.. a 'free' quilt of blocks you have already done
This antique quilt was done in this manner (I like to think!). It is one of my 'true' treasures.. I love what the maker did! She used random blocks... and then controlled the color. Mostly blue, gray and cream. But she has some red blocks, some lavendar & Pink fabrics... along with a bit of brown.
Look at that triangle. I bet she was learning how to do this and had this one block left over
what do you think?
Oh... see that tan triangle over the black/white ticking?
It's appliqued!
*** So what can YOU do with is tip??? ***
Take a look at your UFOs in progress.
See if you can find some blocks to either repurpose or to use in a 'sampler'
Tell me about it here in the comments!
Here is my CHALLENGE..I have trimmed it, have the hanging sleeve and the binding ready. I still have a few weeks until the end of this year... but I'm going to finish early... yes I said it outloud!
Now Let's GO SEW!
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