Mistakes, I've made a few

You haven't heard from me in a while, my apologies. Life's been busy, but who's isn't? I have been slowly working away on a few fibre projects. Seemingly with no finish line in sight.... until today.

I knit a cowl. Twice. Still not right. Long painful story. It'll be done but not for this post, as planned. 

Still, I persisted with another project. I'm counting this as part of my #18in2018 because the 50s replica fabrics were purchased in the 90s. I loved them at the time, but had no plan for how they'd be used. When I was looking through my stash for projects suitable for #18in2018, I recognized that these fabrics really needed to be used up and a nice summer quilt would be the perfect plan for them. 

So I found a pattern online that I could use as inspiration, and that would be flexible with the many fat quarters I had. I pressed, and I cut. Then I figured out how I could use those fat quarters in some semblance of order. 

I think I started in January or February. Not bad for a quilt turnaround. Not bad for me, that is. 

You may have seen some of these in progress shots. 

Quilting finished today, and photographed on the deck. This quilt will be a snuggly addition to the cottage for cool summer nights. 

By no means is it perfect, there are a lot of mistakes. I'm okay at piecing, but really sub-par at quilting on my machine. But I'm a lover of "done". That's what this is.... done! 

1, 2, 3.... Go!

Reporting in with progress on the #18in2018 challenge. I have completed three UFOs so far, admittedly easy ones. I thought it would be good to give myself a boost of confidence by starting with a few that wouldn't take too long. Yup, that's the official word. Really I wanted to do the projects I was most interested in doing, and liked the idea of almost-instant reward. I'll admit it. Regardless, three finishes. 

I have before and after pics on my phone. But my phone is acting up.... don't get me started. So I have "after" pics here, taken with my camera. You'll just have to trust me. 

You did see the pile of tshirts, so this one can't be argued. Here's the finished (sort of) crocheted rag rug. Before I go further, let me assure you that these tshirts were all past their prime: stains or small holes or otherwise unwearable. Couldn't be donated. I saved them for a while, cut them up (there are instructions available online) and crocheted away. I only say it's "sort of" finished because it wasn't really enough material to make a full rug. When I have more available, I can add to this though so I'm calling it finished for now. The pile of tshirts is gone, and that's what counts. Beautiful it is not. Fun and functional, it is. 

Next up were two rugs that were finished being hooked long ago, but had never been whipped (the edges unfinished). Now they are. And now I'm shaking my head at how ridiculous it is that it took years (years!) for me to get around to it. Admittedly, I am far more fond of whipping rug edges now that I was years ago, so that's why this happened. One has already been put up, and the other is ready for its premiere next Christmas (ahem). 

I've even started #4. Though it might not be the 4th finish, as I'm planning on changing gears tomorrow. We'll see what's next to be reported. I'll try to get the before pics in order for the next batch. 

So that's it, folks. #3in2018 completed so far. Not bad for January 7th. 

And how are you doing with finishing some UFOs in 2018?