Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge - #2 - Spool Flowers

I have "cheated".  My Project #2 was originally "Sea Creatures".  To make progress on that involved some reverse sewing of machine blanket stitch (slow going) and adding some decorations and ??? that are vague ideas in my head.

It wasn't going to happen...I am not sure when I will make it happen. 😟

So I swapped it out to finish Spool Flowers.  This is a pattern from Amy Bradley (of Quilt Diva fame).

Notes:
Leaves - Quilt #28 W:4.5 L: 2.20

Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge - #7 - Progress on Willowbrook

My #7 Challenge for Sunday Stitchers was "progress" on my Willowbrook top....

I started it back in September 2019 - here
I worked on it on and off over a period of time - By April 2020 - here - I had them finished.
Then in November 2020 - here - I started putting them together
No idea when I had finished that job.

So, I needed to add the borders and had decided I would applique the hexie edges by hand.  Before that I needed to turn under the 1/4" as these had been hand pieced...not EPP method.
I ironed under the 1/4" and tacked them.  Then I cut 6.5" wide strips and pinned the edges

It didn't take as long as I had thought so have finished the top.

Here are a couple of the stitcheries....gotta love the cows.

I know how I want it quilted....just need to work up the enthusiasm....might be a SS Challenge project for 2026.

Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge - #4 - My Small World

For the April MOJO List Challenge - I switched projects. I had planned to finish My Kinda Town, but couldn't find a suitable border fabric, so I decided to do My Small World instead.

I finished the top last year - in June as my Sunday Stitchers - June - UFO Challenge #10 
and I am very happy to now have it quilted (lightly) and bound.

I started this in November 2019 and joined an Instagram group where I found some FPP patterns for the blocks....and the hot air balloon. Five and a half years...not so bad.

and I had found this fabric for the backing...it was a perfect choice I thought.

Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge 2025 - #9 - Three vases Cross Stitch

I got very flexible with my UFO Challenge list for March....Originally #9 was "Token Quilt - Progress"...but I decided that was a big ask . . . .so I swapped it to My Small World - Finish"
- which meant pinning and then quilting it.... should be OK I thought.....
There were a few distractions .. . and I had a string of meetings and such out of the house . ..still plenty of time I thought....THEN it was predicted that we could get Tropical Cyclone Alfred landing on us . . . .so some preparation was needed . . . I put it aside....

On the 9th of March I decided, it wasn't going to happen so I swapped my #9 again . . progress on the 3 Vases Cross Stitch would have to do...

Here is where I got to last time - & funnily enough it was project #9 last year - it was meant to be!!!

and now it's looking like this:

It's a bit like "Spot the Difference"!!!   LOL

Stitching the pink flower is tedious as the pattern is only in black and white and it is hard to discern the backstitch lines from the chart and symbols.....the stitching in the background is far more pleasurable...Anyway some progress was made , . . . on it goes...
More may happen later this year...

Tropical Cyclone Alfred

Fortunately, Tropical Cyclone Alfred turned into a Tropical Low before it really hit our area, though a lot of SE Qld has had damage, power loss, etc. At one point, over 300,000 customers were without power, some for days. Luckily, our power loss was short-lived—only 12 hours—so there was no food loss and no major inconvenience.
We had put bags of water in place along the doors leading to our pergola area in the hope of preventing any buildup of water seeping under the doors....

For those overseas...this cyclone could have been named Anthony - but Alfred was chosen instead.
We are due for Federal Elections very soon - our current Prime Minister is Anthony Albanese....it was decided to use Alfred for this one instead...to "avoid confusion". 
I suspect it was more like - so that the combination "Anthony &/or Cyclone" couldn't be used together....LOL
Whichever party wins, we won't end up in the mess that another country has...not mentioning any names.
 

Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge 2025 - #8 - Stitch Happens

In the Chookshed Challenge for 2024 I made Stitch Happens.  I pinned it and started quilting it...but had neglected to engage the quilting foot correctly and it buckled on the back...poop...I thought.  So I put it in the naughty corner for that year.

I really wanted to get it done, so I added it to the Sunday Stitchers 2025 Challenge.

I had a few lines of quilting to remove, and I was concerned that quilting it with vertical lines would cause it to develop a wave, but it seems fine now.

I am so much happier with this than with the original "Sew Big or Go Home" that some friends and I thought we would do.

Sunday Stitchers - UFO Challenge 2025 - #6 - Hooley Dooley China Shop & Pearl's Tearooms

Many years ago - my Loose Threads group were all interested in some cushion patterns featuring Shops.  I have the full set of patterns and thought I would make them all....(in your dreams, Susan)

One of our group (Nolene) made one...and Inca had started one.   I found it when Maureen & I went through her stuff after she passed away.  It was about 3/4 done, so I decided to finish it off and give it to Helen in Sunday Stitchers who has asked each of us for any random blocks - with a plan that one day she will combine them all to make a quilt  (good luck with that I think...LOL)

The original has a lot of buttons which I don't have so I added some applique plates and cups to the China Shop, but left the tables in the tearoom bare.

Happy to pass it along to Helen now....

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone!

May 2025 be happy, healthy & peaceful.

In preparation for my quilty workload in 2025, I have planned my challenge projects for the year for two separate groups. 

The Sunday Stitchers Number was drawn at our Christmas Party and is 6 

Today (31st December) the Chookshed Stitchers gathered cyberally and we drew the number for January...LOL...it is also  6 

Looks like a busy month ahead, because other projects need some TLC.

And, in case you thought that was all that I have on my plate....have a look at the sidebar under "Planned Projects for 2025 - Not the Challenges"
And there are a few more left over from 2024...

It's all fun and not to be taken too seriously.