Last year, around September time, I set myself the challenge to stop leaving projects half-finished in drawers and to tackle a finish a month. When I say half-finished, I mean that pile of finished cross stitch pieces which are waiting to be made into something special. Or those quilt tops still in need of quilting & binding.
For 2018 I aim to carry on in my efforts to actually finish off projects . . . and for January, I am proud to present a finished lap quilt.
A lap quilt size seems to be the size I’m most comfortable making. This one measures 124cm x 95cm. I started piecing this way back in August 2016
working my blocks around central printed vignettes which I had had in my stash for years. I kept things simple
Using an ivory, a very light marbled green and a gorgeous gold/green/mauve fabric which I bought from a stitchers’ flea market in 2015.
On the back I’ve used a solid “ milk chocolate” cotton and did some basic machine quilting. This will be flung over the back of a sofa in the living room and probably covered in cat hair very soon. But that’s not a problem. Everything I make gets used and goes in the washing machine when dirty. Anyway . . . I’m happy dancing with my finished lap quilt, and already planning which project to finish off in February.
Claire93's Blog 
This is such a lovely quilt… It warrants a happy dance, and good on you for your finish this month
Lovely quilt! And a great setting that I’ll have to remember for some of my stuff.
I love this! It deserves to be out of the drawer and on display somewhere.
well it’s now flung over my sofa and will be covered in cat hair & dog hair within the week lol.
I love the vignettes and you’ve set them perfectly in your quilt. I like quilts to be used, someone I know was horrified to hear I slept under my quilt every night, hers is only there for display!
lol I’ve only made one quilt which is big enough for a double bed (my F2F quilt) and we used that on the bed this summer. My other quilts are all much smaller and we use them in the living room. They are nice to snuggle up Under in the evening rather than putting the heating on, they get bunged in the washing machine on a 40°C cycle and come out fine. With crafting, most of the time, I’m only interested in making things that can be used. I appreciate “decorative” but I couldn’t make something and then not use it.
This is a very nice finish Claire – I like the manageable size of a lap quilt. Well done on deciding to get rid of those UFOs. I didn’t think I had many but yesterday I caught sight of the pieces of a Union Jack style quilt I started ages ago. I think it would be a really nice project but, if I remember rightly, it was paper pieced over newspaper and I got in a bit of a tiz with it. I’ll get it out and have a look at it as I’ve done much more foundation paper piecing since then and I’m ‘between quilts’ at the moment.
thanks Lynn. Well now you’ve finished the hat boxes, yes it’s possibly time to pull out a UFO and set to work!
It’s a very good resolution, and well done on achieving the first so early in the year! I remember the start of this one, so it hasn’t lain neglected too long…
Way to go! Keep it up and you won’t have any ufos!
It’s beautiful! I love the vignettes 💕
I remember you blogging about this quilt! It looks great all bound and quilted. Very cozy, good for you giving those UFO’s closure!😄
Very nice! And I love that you are realistic about use and abuse of the things you make! It’s nice to be able to use them, and know they can be washed when it is needed.
I know that some patchworker & quilters like the make “heirloom” type quilts. I just patchwork & quilt for the fun, and to make things that will be used during my life-time lol.
I like that theory better – nothing too precious, but pretty and useful now. 😉
I could actually write a complete blog post about my theories, Sarah, but I’ll content myself with a long reply ^^
Yep, my theory is life is for the living and there’s no point keeping pretty things that are “too good to use” because life is just too short! My Mum died when she was only 50 without having done loads of things on her bucket list, so I have lived my entire adult life along the lines of: live for the day, because we might not be here tomorrow. A few years ago, my mother-in-law died and we had to empty her flat. Found so much “as new’ stuff in her cupboards ranging from bed linen to a 72 piece china service she’d bought when she got married in 1960 and had probably only used once in her entire life. I have no “good” china, no “good” bedsheets and the cats have already destroyed our “new” sofas which we bought in 2014. We use the “posh” lead crystal glasses I inherited from my Dad on a daily basis, and if we break one then, never mind . . . we can’t take them with us, can we?
That is pretty amazing! We should use the “good” more often! I struggle with the heirlooms we don’t use, and why do we keep them? But the silver coffee set has been in the family since the 1840’s, am I going to be the one to sell it? Far better if someone else had used it up. I like your practice, it saves your great grandchildren agony and guilt!
rofl . . . silver coffee set rofl . . . I can understand the sentimental value, since it’s been in your family since the 1840s but who has time these days to spend hours polishing it up to use it? And don’t get me wrong . . . the 72 piece china service is up in our attic, carefully wrapped in bubble wrap because my husband wouldn’t let me get rid of it and it belonged to HIS Mum not mine. It’ll stay up in the attic until we’re dead & gone, and then our kids can decide what to do with it.
Lol I have a cabinet full of dishes from the coffee set grandma. I use them at holidays, but A is terrified of breaking one so we don’t use them often. I have a 4 place setting set from the other Grandmother that I would ise more but for the same reason! It was a 12 place setting set but I gave 8 places to my cousin. She uses them daily. 😉
maybe you could box up all the “antiques” and give them to your sister? Would make a perfect house-warming present for when she moves into her new (really old) house rofl.
Lol that would be a hoot!!!
It always feels good to put a check mark next to a project! Welcome 2018 with a finish. Happy New Year:)!
This is lovely, I really like the pcitures, what terrific fabric.
oh it’s so nice to see it finished Claire, it looks great! I’m sure your menagerie will love it too 🙂
thanks Emma ^^ oh yes, cats love new quilts and this one is no exception.
Great Quilt!!!!!
It’s beautiful, I love the little pictures
That’s gorgeous! I’m working on using up a lot of my current fabric as well. I have some unfinished projects as well; maybe I should get brave and tackle them once again. Feels good to knock them out, doesn’t it?