Posts Tagged ‘UFOs’

UFO Clinic for Quilters

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, Classes, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

I had an idea the other day and I decided to go for it! I’ve hosted a UFO workshop many times in person but I wondered about doing it virtually. I think it will work!

You’re invited to join me

Join me for an informal two-hour session and get help with a UFO (that’s quilt talk for UnFinished Object) that has you stalled.

About this Event

I’ve helped scores of quilters regain momentum to finish UFOs and get their sew-jo back. Whatever the problem is, I can help you figure it out and start moving toward completion.

Maybe it was ugly fabrics or a technique you didn’t understand. Perhaps the instructions were unclear or the method was too difficult—or maybe you just need a cheerleader to urge you forward.

Blocks I made a quilt retreat

I’ll be happy to do what it takes to move your UFO into the finished pile.

I’m in! Take me to registration.

A 10 person class will make it possible to help everyone. I will ask for your patience as I work out a system.

I can’t wait to tackle your UFO together!

Click here to register.

This session is an experiment and is priced accordingly. Future sessions may be priced differently.

The Katy Coleman Miracle: Part 2

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

If you missed Part 1 of the Katy Coleman Miracle Quilt, catch up now.

I promised my thoughts about Katy’s finish.

To say that I was overwhelmed when I opened the box Katy sent me would be an understatement. I was floored.

I wasn’t expecting her to spend this much time on my rejects! I greatly admire her spirit of adventure and her willingness to invest.

I love the details. Aren’t those trees wonderful? And I loved hearing about Katy’s thought process (see the first post). She has harnessed the power of letting the work guide you. She’s an artist.

I’m a grandma too, so I can imagine how much fun it would be to collaborate on a project like this with a grandchild.

I’ve enjoyed the quilt for several months, but now it’s time to send it back to its forever home with Katy and company.

Thank you, Katy Baatz Coleman, for jumping in wholeheartedly and for adding so much creative joy to the world around you!

Quilt on,

The Katy Coleman Miracle Quilt (with apologies to Joe Cunningham)

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

Back in 2017, Joe Cunningham (AKA Joe the Quilter) visited International Quilt Museum with his improvisational piecing techniques and it was really so much fun.

I take classes like this to expand my creativity and to get inside the minds of other designers and artists. If I end up with a quilt, so much the better.

A full-on hissy fit and other random thoughts

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

A while back I wrote about some quilts that were in trouble with me for a post called “Quilts in the Doghouse.” I just finished piecing another top, a recent UFO (which means I started it in the past year or so), and near the end of the process, I had what you might call a full-on hissy fit.

First I want to say that Hexie Framed is a great design and a well-written pattern from Emily Dennis of Quilty Love. None of this story is the pattern’s or the designer’s fault. This is all on me.

New Old Work, Part 2

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

Another recent finish is my Bitty Blocks row quilt. I started this years ago when I was working as an editor for Quiltmaker. We had this idea to create 3″ and 4″ blocks and post them for free on our website. There was no such thing as a marketing team so we had to market ourselves, and this was one of the ways we did it.

The thing about Bitty Blocks is that they’re addictive. You make a few, and then you make a few more, and you’re having so much fun that pretty soon you have 50 little 4″ stars or 70 tiny houses at 3″ x 3″, and then what?

New Old Work in the Studio, Part 1

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Trunk Shows

Hey quilters, how are you holding up? I know. Me, too. Things are starting to open up here in Nebraska, and I wonder if my friends would want to head out to a quilt store this week. I am ready!

I have sewn like a crazy woman during the pandemic. I’ve finished up some things, started a bunch of new things, and practiced machine quilting a LOT.

In December I dug out and shot all the UFOs I could find, including these little baskets.

Quilts in the Doghouse

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

I’m not going to talk about the pandemic. We’re all frustrated. So…

Let’s Talk Quilts.

I’ve been finishing up some things the past few weeks. I have a lot of UFOs squirreled away in closets and cupboards and it would feel great to be done with them. And, BONUS, some of them can go into trunk shows! I have extra time because my engagements with guilds have been cancelled for April, May and June.

Two quilts I finished this week gave me pause. One was My Christmas Album, above. It’s a great design by Tina Curran with fusible applique and a border of Christmas sweaters. But when I took the final stitch, I didn’t feel anything good. I felt all manner of royally ticked off.

A Nice Surprise at Quilt Guild

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle

My favorite night of the quilt guild’s year is the garage sale, hands down. There are always things to be shared and treasures to be found. My small guild in Holdrege, Nebraska had a garage sale in January. I tried hard to find interesting things in my studio that I no longer needed to benefit the group in a small way.

I recreated this image and it doesn’t do justice to the hundreds of 1-1/2″ strips I had on hand. The strips were passed to me from a co-worker (I think) at Quiltmaker quite a few years ago. They were of every persuasion and they weren’t terribly appealing. I knew they wouldn’t do well just stuffed in a bag but I had an idea.

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