2014 ~ Taking Stock ~ Crazy Quilt Projects

Post 1 of 4 ~ be sure to scroll to newer posts in order to see them all! 

This morning, I gathered all the unfinished projects I could find and took photos of them ~ an inventory of projects to work on this year!  I'm certain there are a few things that still linger in boxes here or there that I could add to the list, but here is a photo inventory of most of the projects waiting to be finished!  You'll soon see that I am a terrible procrastinator ~ or maybe I'm just a project hoarder!  Regardless, there is more than enough to keep me very busy here for a long, long time!  

There are so many photos of projects that I'm breaking this into several posts!

Crazy Quilting

The first project on my agenda this month is to finish this small 4x6" block for Tahlia.  We are swapping "Snowballs" or small crazy quilted blocks with one another.  At a future date, I'll post more about that and provide information for anyone who would like to do a swap with me!  Tahlia said she like peacock colors, so that's what I'm doing for this block!  

Most of what is in my unfinished project basket was pieced years ago.  These two blocks were originally going to become a tote bag.  I've lost interest in completing them as such and instead will turn them into pincushions.  I know I can get at least 2 large ones and possibly 2 small ones out of these blocks.  The big ones will be part of my CQJP2014 (crazy quilt journal project 2014) project.  I hope to complete at least one large pincushion a month for the project. 

Back when my Mom and Dad still lived in their old house, I painted a wall in the entry way for them in a soft brown color.  My Mom then used blue accents to decorate the area.  I was going to make this into a bell pull for her to hang in there, but for various reasons, I never got around to finishing it.  Several of the fabrics are heavy upholstery types, hard to stitch through, so I'll finish this with rather simple stitching.  

For my very first round robin, I pieced these two blocks and a third square block that I was hoping to make a triptych panel out of.  When the square block came back, it didn't quite fit what I was hoping for and so I lost interest in the project.  I think I'll use these to make pincushions out of for the CQJP2014.  

I call this my "Thistle Block".  I've always loved Scotland and have attended the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Highland Festival for many years and dreamed of visiting Scotland for years, which I was so blessed to be able to do in 2012.  I pieced this long before that as a place to gather my Scotland dreams.  It is 8" square.  I'll finish this too ~ possibly as a pincushion, though it may be just a bit small for a large pincushion as I usually prefer those to be 9" round. 

A few years ago, I printed off several "silkies" of fairies and thought I would do a whole series of blocks with a verdant green and white look with fairies.  This is the only block I ever pieced for it.  The other "silkies" are long gone.  I'd love to finish this with lots of greenery, a white moth, violets, ferns and white moonflowers/morning glories.  

The beautiful antique embroidered violas came from a stash baggie that I won for a challenge on CQI.  I immediately pieced this block to go with it.  What you can't see, is that the silk the violas are embroidered on has been trimmed very close to the stitching, making it difficult to work with.  It needs careful applique to attach it to the block.  That extra bit of fuss has kept me from working on this block for far too long.  I just need to work on this and get it done!  

This is a small cotton 6" block that I pieced for a tutorial I thought I was going to write.  I've no idea what to do with this, so will probably enlarge it and make a pincushion out of it for the CQJP2014. 

This little 6" block is pieced from all the little tiny scraps of silk that I can't bear to discard!  I'd love to do some silk ribbon embroidery on this similar to the Spring Garden block I did way back when.  

 

When I pieced this, I thought it would make a good table runner.  At 7" x 42" it's an odd size and not quite big enough for either my table or my sister's.  It might make a good large bell pull type hanging.  I'd love to stitch this with Japanese silk threads and add a central flower to each patch.   

These are two postcard sized crazy quilt blocks that I pieced years ago in hopes of swapping them.  I did complete a similar one and sent it off in a swap, but never received one from my partner and lost interest. I think it's time to get these both finished and have a give-away on my blog soon!  

I started stitching this to make a small fold-over purse as a gift for someone.  Then I botched the embroidered initial and set it aside.  The embroidered initial needs removed and something else put in its place.  Then maybe I'll be inspired to complete it. 

Once upon a time, I thought I'd enter the CQI purse contest that they held every year.  I pieced these blocks with silk fabrics and later realized that they wouldn't hold up to the kind of use I give a purse and so I lost interest in it.  But I still love the colors and the lace, so maybe it's time to rethink what I'm going to do with these.  More pincushions?