UFO Stitching Day

I arrived bright and early at the UFO Stitching Day on Sunday morning, with just a couple of early birds there ahead of me.  First things first, we all needed a coffee, it was decided.  During the morning, others arrived, making a small friendly group of eight or so.

The sewing machine at the next table was humming away as Kathy worked on paper pieced Flying Geese  blocks for her country sampler quilt.  She is determined to use up what fabrics she has, and not purchase any more for this project.

Kathy’s Country Sampler

A row of Santas were getting the last of their little appliqué pieces stitched down.  Once that is done, Janelle is well on the way to completing her Christmas table runner.  This is a lovely pattern, the Santas look such a happy bunch.

Janelle’s Christmas runner

Pieces for another table runner was being sliced up.  Sarah was using the most gorgeous “shot cotton” for her modern style table runner.  The photo doesn’t do the fabric justice, as it has a lovely sheen to it.

Pretty shot cotton fabric

Three of my “Sew Wot” friends brought hand stitching and settled down together.  Rae and Moira happily stitched away on their embroidery projects, and Pam was  stitching down the last of the binding on the wall hanging she was making for her son.

Rae and Moira busy stitching

Sandra had a bit of mending to do first, and she shortened a new pair of jeans for hubby.  With that finally done, she could get on with more interesting sewing, and cut up and stitched her leftover batik pieces to make a scrappy binding for her lovely quilt.  This has just just been professionally quilted by Paula of Rabbits Patch Quilting, using a variegated thread.  Such pretty colours, and they all work so nicely together.

Sandra’s batik quilt.

I’m starting to realise that Vickie must be one of these high achievers we sometimes hear about in the quilt world.  She has just completed stitching all the intricate blocks for her version of the famous Dear Jane quilt.  But that’s not all – she decided to set her blocks with Storm at Sea sashing, all paper pieced.  I am amazed at the amount of work going into this quilt, it will be a sight to behold when it is finished.  She is very organised and has all the pieces cut out all ready to sew to the paper.  I thought this was clever, and then she showed me the tiny little paper pieced setting squares she has yet to stitch.  Good on you, Vickie, I most impressed!

Vickie’s paper pieced sashing

Sadly, I was less than impressed with my own efforts as I started out sewing.  I have completed all the blocks for my burgundy and cream Log Cabin quilt, and wanted to start stitching the paper pieced borders.  But……….I got myself completely bamboozled and sewed the first couple of strips the wrong way around.  Which meant unpicking, of course, and damaging the paper patterns underneath.  Luckily, Kathy put me on the right track, and I soon got into a rhythm of stitch, trim and press, adding each strip as I went.  So all I’ve got to show for my day out is a handful of blocks.  But I always knew this was always going to be a long term project.

My strip pieced border pieces

I did make another boo-boo though, I didn’t realise it was to be a pot luck shared lunch, and only took along a couple of sandwiches in  my lunch box.  Never mind, I’ll know better next time.  It was a lovely day out stitching together – thanks ladies for your company.