Wonderful Wednesday - Blue and Green for Parrish - A Spring 2026 (Ravelry) UFO Club Finish

Welcome to another edition of Wonderful Wednesday!!  I'm here to share my 1st UFO finish of the Spring 2026 UFO Club. This quilt has been on and off my list for more years than I care to admit.  TEN YEARS to be exact.

When the year began...

This quilt was one of 12 quilt projects in the running for finishing.  Maybe it would rise to the top of my UFO List and I might actually find the wherewithal to complete the quilt.

5.  Blue and Green for Parrish (2016)

It began The IDEA of this quilt began when I heard a heartwarming story about a boy whose birthday wish was to be able to sleep under a quilt I had made for his sibling.

My quilting friends came to the rescue.  Seed blocks arrived from Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts back in 2016, but the project never made it to the top of the UFO List until...

It became one of my retreat projects in 2023 and I cut the final pieces for it on the last night.  Here is the layout that I planned before heading off to bed:

The next morning...

I was the only quilter in the sewing room and managed to finish up the quilt top with time to spare:

Special thanks to Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts for the brightly colored "Starter Blocks" for this quilt!!

A number of years later...

I decided that it needed to be bigger.

So...

Once again it waited.

Then...

Enter the 2026 UFO Challenge that my local Bee is hosting.

The quilt went on the list, but the first time its number came up, I opted to work on another project.  (That is totally within the guidelines for our challenge.)  I had a reason, but will need to look back to find it.  Oh!  I wanted to work on something else last month.

And this month...

It finally got the attention it so richly deserved.  I selected fabric for cornerstones...

Made the choice between border options...

Then binding and backing fabrics were chosen:

Soon enough...

The quilt top was complete:

Next came the creation of a quilt back:

Special thanks to Britt for making time to quilt it for me on her machine:

I feel SEW lucky to have such a good friend!!

Since I wanted it done with a pattern that was outside my comfort zone, I asked Britt to quilt it for me.  We had a studio consultation prior to one of our ARTventure days and was returned a couple of weeks later.

With the quilting done, that only left the trimming and binding!!!

Here it is all squared up:

The binding was sewn on not long after:

And...

That binding was attached during this past Sunday's art time and was sewn down during Monday's Weekly Zoom Call with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color.

If you're in the Quilters Knitting group on Ravelry you may have already seen it, but...

It's DONE!!!  Here's the picture proof in my customary porch swing picture:

This is the same quilt on our living room sofa:

In case you'd like to see the back:

I'm SEW glad that this quilt has been completed.  It was moved up the list based on a sad story I heard when I was in Florida last month.  The quilt will soon be making its way to England to comfort its intended recipient.

I might not have completed this quilt without the UFO Challenge hosted by my Bee.  Thanks, Maggie, for suggesting we play the UFO Number Game and to Britt for taking the lead.  This is my 1st finish for the Spring 2026 session of the UFO Club on Ravelry.  It's my 4th finish of our Bee's UFO Challenge and I couldn't be happier.

Until next time...

Mark another UFO off the list!!

Tidy Up Tuesday - The 100 Day Project - Week 8

Welcome to Week 8 of the 2026 edition of #100Days100ThingsDecluttered mini-series here at The Joyful Quilter!!  I'm participating in The 100 Day Project again this year.  It's particularly popular on Instagram.  I was originally hesitant to participate, but I've made good progress these last two years.  I'm releasing weekly updates on Tidy Up Tuesday for those who might be interested in seeing what goes out the door.

What did you say your project was, again, Joyful???

I signed up with a different idea in mind than most.  You can read about it HERE.  That link will tell you all about my project.

The gist of my focus...

Decluttering my home and studio in an effort to free up space for MORE creativity.

Here's my progress for Week Eight:

I was hoping to get WAY closer to the 100 item mark this week. We're past the six-week mark.  I am moving at a snail's pace in this year's challenge, but I'm not giving up!

The following items left the house...

1 light bulb (new in box, but broken on the shelf)

9 bath products

1 watch

1 wallet

11 cuts of fabric

1 graduation sash

4 boxes of stake tea

1 decorative tea tin

1 completed quilt

2 quilt panels

1 knit headband

Week 8 Total: 32/100

Updated 100 Day Project Total for Week 8:  102/100

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Thank you to those of you who take the time to encourage me in my decluttering efforts as I continue this challenge!  I appreciate those of you who have joined me in my quest.  

 Jeanne @ Loving Retirement had the following to say after Week 7's post:

As long as you are making progress, I don't think it matters how fast you progress. We moved out well over 2000 sheets of paper this week to a Shred Event. Not sure if that counts a 10 years or not! I'm thrilled to have those boxes gone.

My reply:

Congratulations, Jeanne! It's such a challenge to know when to let that stuff go. Paper clutter is the worst!

Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing shared her plan:

Clothing will be my focus in the next few weeks of destashing/passing on/recycling!

My response:

Good luck with the clothing purge, Kathleen!

@dothe100dayproject

#The100DayProject

#DoThe100DayProject

#100Days100Things_TheDeclutterEdition

#100Days100ThingsDecluttered

#filltheboxjoy

Come back next week to see what goes in the box during the next 7 days.  You can also follow me on Instagram @thejoyfulquilter, if you are there more often than in BlogLand.

Until next time...

Do the 100 Day Project!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC26 - Week 16

Welcome to Week 16 of the 2026 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week will be filled with art, but the verdict is still out on what amount of quilting will take place.  I considered my PINK month project and changed out the gallery wire.

Let's begin the week the left side of the display and go from there...

SUNDAY - My Weekly Morning Art Zoom ended up being a UFO sewing session since I didn't have a clear picture of what I wanted to work on art-wise:

No Zoom call with Knittingsuek, but a short phone call instead.

MONDAY - Art Day

PINK brick?  Sort of, but couldn't resist sharing the moss covered wren nest with accompanying Mama Wren checking her work:

The VERY FIRST Get Messy Library Crawl was scheduled to be hosted by Caylee Gray today, but Vanessa had a conflict for her session later this month.  We revisited the Season of Brave by using household items to apply our paint.  Vanessa gave us a prompt inspired by the recent return of the Artemis II explorers, but I was inspired to create this landscape instead of the moody space themed pages of my artsy friends.  I used an aluminum seal from my favorite snack for the grass, the potato bag seen on the right for the sky, a thread spool for the sun and stems, and the plastic fork shown for the flowers:

TUESDAY - Tidy-Up Tuesday

Errand Day involved my car filled with fabric donations:

When the sun was high in the sky, the front garden called me to capture the first iris bloom:

During Tuesday Explorers Open Studio on Get Messy I added watercolor to the shadow sketch I did after lunch and also decided to fill in the shadow and add some splatters...

My Weekly Zoom Call with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color was postponed yesterday and we opted for a phone conversation this afternoon.  Obviously, no photo.  :o((

WEDNESDAY -  Art Day began with Midweek Meetup on Get Messy.  Today, I decided to interpret the back garden photo that I took early yesterday morning...

In watercolor, of course, since I'm having so much fun practicing:

THURSDAY - Weekly Quilt Group @ Britt's....

We missed Dee Dee and Cheryl K today.

Afterwards, Britt and I enjoyed an ARTventure in PINK and green:

FRIDAY - Knit Group

I was up earlier enough to catch this gorgeous sunrise...

Before heading off to Beth's house:

Since I didn't start my 2nd sock of my current pair last week, that was my goal for today.  I tried twice before Beth offered to get me started and from there I was on my way.  Yay!

After a quick grocery run and lunch, I headed up to Get Messy's Friday Friends Open Studio where I worked on one of Mona Stamm's lessons from last month:

During my Weekly Evening Art Zoom, I worked on another one of last month's lessons and made a start on one of this month's lesson's with Sarah Gardner:

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  I worked with some PINK scraps this week.  I sewed up the squares of my #6 UFO Challenge quilt.  Good progress was made:

Let's finish out the week with the right side of the gallery wire display in PINK:

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

Tidy-Up Tuesday - The 100 Day Project - Week 7

Welcome to the 2026 edition of #100Days100ThingsDecluttered, a mini-series here at The Joyful Quilter!!  I started The 100 Day Project last week.  I'm excited that I've committed to it, again.  It's particularly popular on Instagram.  I was originally hesitant to participate, but I've made good progress these last two years.  I'm releasing weekly updates on Tidy Up Tuesday for those who might be interested in seeing what goes out the door.

What did you say your project was, again, Joyful???

I signed up with a different idea in mind than most.  You can read about it HERE.  That link will tell you all about my project.

The gist of my focus...

Decluttering my home and studio in an effort to free up space for MORE creativity.

Here's my progress for Week Seven:

I was hoping to get WAY closer to the 100 item mark this week. We're past the six-week mark.  I am moving at a snail's pace in this year's challenge, but I'm not giving up!

The following items left the house...

3 food pkgs. shared with friends

1 empty hand sanitizer (which remained unnoticed for months)

1 recently located random button from a previously disposed phone case

Week 7 Total: 5/100

Updated 100 Day Project Total for Week 7:  70/100

Only trashed items this week. No filled box photos.

Thank you to those of you who take the time to encourage me in my decluttering efforts as I continue this challenge!  I appreciate those of you who have joined me in my quest.  Prompted by my last post, Miss Pat reported the following during Week 6:

I took 4 bags of fabric that I'm never going to use to the thrift shop and gave a bag of fabric scraps to a quilter who will use them. I'm still working on recycling lots of old magazines that I saved thinking I would someday have time to read them (not gonna happen). I threw out a contractor bag full of junk stuff from the attic (put there by my late husband who would never throw anything away, even if it didn't work anymore.
Pat

My response:

Nicely done, Pat! I find it challenging to part with magazines. Thanks for the reminder to check those axillary spaces! I'll have to remember.

@dothe100dayproject

#The100DayProject

#DoThe100DayProject

#100Days100Things_TheDeclutterEdition

#100Days100ThingsDecluttered

#filltheboxjoy

Come back next week to see what goes in the box during the next 7 days.  You can also follow me on Instagram @thejoyfulquilter, if you are there more often than in BlogLand.

Until next time...

Do the 100 Day Project!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC26 - Week 15

Welcome to Week 15 of the 2026 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  This week should be back to "business as usual".  We've returned from our travels and time marches on.

Walk with me through the last 7 days...

SUNDAY - Hoppy Easter to all who celebrate!!

Weekly Morning Art Zoom found me putting away collage bits off the table.  Sorry! No photo worthy progress today.  Britt and I stayed after to chat while finishing up:

No Zoom call with Knittingsuek, but a short phone call instead.  It was good to catch up!

In neighborhood construction news...

Not one...

But TWO more houses sold while we were away:

AND...

While the sign isn't clear in the photo, another sale is contingent:

Which only leaves a single house remaining to be sold before our street can be resurfaced!!

MONDAY - Errand Day

I spent the afternoon searching for pieces and parts to finish this UFO:

TUESDAY - Tidy-Up Tuesday

It was a personal Sew Day today.  I got yesterday's borders assembled and worked up a quilt back.  Mistakes were made!  Here are the two shown together:

During Tuesday Explorers Open Studio on Get Messy I worked on Florida-inspired collage:

WEDNESDAY -  Art Day began with Midweek Meetup on Get Messy.  Today I cut out some junk mail letters and words, but didn't take a photo.  I capture this beautiful PINK sky as the sun was on the rise this morning:

Afterwards, I enjoyed the Joyful Art Zoom with Belinda and did a bit of watercolor swatching inspired by Lorene Edwards.  Enjoy this LINK to a flip through of her book:

Later, I headed upstairs for my Weekly Zoom Call with LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color:

THURSDAY - Weekly Quilt Group @ Carol's.  I brought GF snacks to share.  Afterwards, Britt and I didn't have an ARTventure today.  She scheduled an appointment for this afternoon.  We had time to choose a panto and thread for quilting this week's UFO before lunch.

I made a quick stop at the grocery store on the way home.  The groceries had to be put way  before heading up for Tammy Kaye's The Art of Watercolor: Layering & Self-Care through Florals & Landscapes class.  Since I was late, I didn't paint today.  Here's the inspiration photo. which I will paint during tomorrow's Friday Friends Art Zoom on Get Messy:

FRIDAY - No Knit Group today.  Everyone else had other things to do.  I intended to start my 2nd sock of my current pair, but headed up to the studio instead.

After lunch, I headed up to Get Messy's Friday Friends Open Studio.  I spent time chatting with my art friends and working on that landscape from yesterday's class:

During my Weekly Evening Art Zoom, I worked on a new spread in my Happy Mail journal:

Thank you, Belinda!

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I hope you will join me in visiting Angela @ So Scrappy to see what the RSC Quilters have been up to this week.  I intended to get my PINK project out of the way so that I could focus on my UFOs for this month, but one of them is all ready for quilting and I decided to trim up the squares of my #6 UFO Challenge quilt.  It was assigned for April:

Until next time...

Get SCRAPPY!!

Tidy-Up Tuesday - The 100 Day Project - Week 6

Welcome to the 2026 edition of #100Days100ThingsDecluttered, a mini-series here at The Joyful Quilter!!  I started The 100 Day Project last week.  I'm excited that I've committed to it, again.  It's particularly popular on Instagram.  I was originally hesitant to participate, but I've made good progress these last two years.  I'm releasing weekly updates on Tidy Up Tuesday for those who might be interested in seeing what goes out the door.

What did you say your project was, again, Joyful???

I signed up with a different idea in mind than most.  You can read about it HERE.  That link will tell you all about my project.

The gist of my focus...

Decluttering my home and studio in an effort to free up space for MORE creativity.

Here's my progress for Week Six:

I was hoping to smash my slow start this week.  We're one month in the pressure is on for me to make some real progress.  How did I fare?  Well...

I got rid of the following items:

1 failed garden hose

1 broken hose reel

1 handful of REALLY OLD mail

1 pr hearing aids

1 eyeglass case

1 men's travel kit

1 box of cereal that no one will eat

2 sets of unused chair arms 

1 giant plastic bag

Week 6 Total:  10/100

Updated Total for Week 6 of the 100 Day Project: 65/100

Slim picking for a photo, as most items were thrown away by DH.

Thank you to those of you who take the time to encourage me in my decluttering efforts as I continue this challenge!  I appreciate your kind comments and your willingness to cheer me along.  The feedback is so helpful.

@dothe100dayproject

#The100DayProject

#DoThe100DayProject

#100Days100Things_TheDeclutterEdition

#100Days100ThingsDecluttered

#filltheboxjoy

Come back next week to see what goes in the box during the next 7 days.  You can also follow me on Instagram @thejoyfulquilter, if you are there more often than in BlogLand.

Until next time...

Do the 100 Day Project!!!