UFO Exchange

After some serious soul searching about my growing list of UFOs that have lost their appeal, I decided to host a UFO Exchange for my quilt guild.  I invited fellow members to pack up and bring any unwanted UFOs and to erase all evidence of said UFO such as spare blocks, fabric, patterns, etc.  I had each member label the project with their name and a brief description of the project.  From there, they were directed to say farewell to the project and deposit it to the labelled area that best described the project category (ie. modern, batik/hand dyes, child/youth, floral, applique, etc).  During the half-time break in the meeting, the members were able to select a fun, new to them, project from the pile to take home.  We have until our May meeting to complete a top, and we've secured some fabulous prizes as incentive for those members that show a top during our monthly show and tell, including gift certificates to local quilt shops and edge to edge quilting services generously donated from one of our business affiliates.  We had 11 members participate and several brought more than one UFO...so there was quite a range of projects.

Former UFOs that have now found new homes

I took this opportunity to purge multiple UFOs from my studio:

1. Dinosaur 4-Patch Slash
2. Bow Ties in Yellow, Green and Teal
3. Baby Boy Twister
4. Pansy 9 Patch

It was such a relief to send these projects to new homes, although I was nervous that my fellow members wouldn't want them either, or worse, I would be stuck with my own UFOs after everyone else had selected their new projects.  But to my great relief, they were all snatched up by rather enthusiastic members who were most curious to work with my fabric palette!?!  I did warn them that these projects were all started a number of years ago, so they might not represent my current quilt style.

1" strips of hand dyed fabrics in gradient values

And after everyone had selected a project, I had my turn to select.  I had seen a bag full of strips of hand dyed fabrics that had piqued my interest.  Much to my surprise, they were still there after round 1 of the UFO draft, so I snatched them up, before someone else got to them. 

When I got home, I had the opportunity to better inspect my bag of fun fabrics.  It turns out there were lots and lots of 1" fabric strips in a variety of values in both pink and green.

Some of these strips had been sewn into strip sets of varying values...so some more possibilities.  I loved the gradient effect...so beautiful!!

But behind all those 1" strips of fabric was the real treasure trove:  1/4 yards of each fabric, 2 colors with 8 gradients each--for a total of 16 colors and 4 yards of fabric!!!

I may challenge myself to create a few projects from this bundle of fun.  Something from the fabric strips, something from the strip sets and lots of possibilities from the yardage!!  I even started a Pinterest board of potential ideas.  I've been hoarding some hand dyed fabrics that were too precious to cut up.  Since these fabrics are already cut up...I am ready to dive in, get creative and have some real fun.

4 yards of hand dyed fabrics gradated in 2 color ways.  

Log Cabin Wall Hanging/Table Runner

Since I had brought in multiple projects, I was able to take an equal number of projects.  After everyone had selected all their new projects, I went back and found a small box in the Wall Hanging/Table Runner category that had been passed over by the other members.  I opened it up and found 4 beautifully pieced log cabin blocks in gold and light blue, with metallic gold accents, and extra yardage.  They were too pretty to pass up, and would be a quick and easy finish so I could be entered for the prize drawings. 

I am super excited about my 2 new projects and can't wait to see what the other members do with their projects.  It will be especially fun to see my own UFO's finished and/or reinvented by another quilter.  My giddiness will have to wait 3 more months until the big reveal!