Finish It Up Quilt Along 2025

How’s your list of works in progress and unfinished objects stacking up? Mine’s been expanding at an alarming rate, which is why I’m excited to participate in the Finish It Up Quilt Along!

If you haven’t heard of the QAL before, then let me bring you up to speed 😊 A few years ago, Tiff, from Village Bound Quilts, decided to focus on tackling her list of UFOs for the entire month of February and thought it would be fun to invite us along to join the fun. Great idea, right?!

We can all use a little time to focus on clearing the decks of our older projects, and get them finished so that we can focus on shiny new projects – ha!

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What I’d Like to Finish Up

The timing is perfect for me. One of my Q1 2025 goals is to finish up quilted projects that have been languishing in the studio. I cleaned and organized my sewing room a little over the holidays, and rediscovered projects that I’d forgotten about.

It allowed me to get reacquainted with what I have in the works. Now I need to make some tough decisions on which will see their way to completion, and which will get donated 😉

To help clear my mind and stay focused, here’s the list of quilts that I’m hoping to get finished.

Pink Lemonade Quilt – The Sugar Cone One

This baby quilt has been in the works since 2023 when I initially ordered the fabric – ha! I even started cutting and piecing the quilt top back around February or March of last year. I know this because I shared a tutorial with you on how to make hourglass blocks! Ah, how practical it is to have a blog that journals your quilty adventures!

The quilt top had been hanging out nicely pressed and folded over a hanger with its accompanying backing fabric all ready to be basted. It sat like that for ages. Last week I finally took the plunge to get her basted and quilted. Hurrah!

After deliberating on my binding choice, I’m thrilled to share she’s currently sitting with the first round of binding on, and ready for a calm and cozy big stitch hand binding session!

Lunar Eclipse Quilt – The Sugar Cone One

This quilt wasn’t even on my radar to make until I got tempted by the leftover layer cake after making the Pink Lemonade quilt. I mention this solely because this unanticipated quilt got basted and quilted wayyyy before the Pink Lemonade quilt did – ha!

And then she promptly sat idle for weeks while I worked out whether I wanted to steal the cherry print binding intended for the Pink Lemonade quilt or use something different from my stash.

Does this kind of decision paralysis happen to you, too?!

In any event, a decision has been made and the first round of binding has been completed.

Now to decide on a thread colour for big stitch hand binding her down.

Mini Thread Exploration

In preparation for a workshop that I’ll be travelling for, I wanted to add some binding to these 4 mini quilts that I use as my demos. I’d left them unbound as these are intended to show examples of stitch work and they’re something I’m always adding to.

Since I’ll be travelling with them, I was worried they’d be a hot mess by the time I got to class, so I made some binding, and I just need to get it on each of the four minis.

Cloud Surfing Quilt – Bird Song

I don’t know why this one hasn’t moved forward because I’m in full-on love with the colourway of this Cloud Surfing Quilt. The cutest backing intended for this quilt has been sitting in my fabric cabinet for, well, let’s not focus on just how long she’s been in there for 😉

The project stalled at one point because I didn’t have the right colour batting on hand. That was sorted many months ago, so I can’t blame that for the continued delay.

The binding was even made ages ago and is ready and waiting for binding action.

Suffice it to say, I’d really like to see this one get done.

Little Forest Quilt – The Blue One

This one should have already been long done.

The quilty pickle?

My indecisiveness – ha!

I was going to quilt this one myself, and then I thought this would be a good one to send out to be long-armed. Then I got the idea to do some organic wavy line quilting and thought I’d sneak that in over the holidays.

But my body was quite happy to slow down over the holidays and sewing came to a screeching halt – lol.

So, I’m back to thinking I should send her out to be long-armed.

Whatever I decide, I’d just like to make a decision and get her done!

Little Forest Quilt – The Linen One

Remember during last year’s Little Forest BOM I wasn’t just making the blue one, but I was also stitching up a linen version?

The blocks have been made, and I just need to finish cutting up the sashing and get the quilt top pieced. I’ll also need to figure out a backing. As I type this, I’m getting a vision of using the same linen on the back. Would that be too boring?

As it stands, I like the idea of a fully unified quilt to see how that reads and feels once done.

One of the things I always like to remind myself of is that I’ll never know until I try. And with each new quilt I make, I like to explore something new. So, maybe this one is the one where I explore a matchy-matchy background and backing 😊

Mouse Trap Quilt Abstract Version 3 – The Blue and Coral One

This cutie has been hanging out on my design wall for months now. I’m not complaining as the views have been glorious to look at, but I have another project that needs to get kicked off, and I need my design wall to be cleared.

I still need to piece my backing together and then make the call on whether I’m quilting her or sending her out for some long-arming treatment.

Stay tuned for what direction I decide to go in.

Mouse Trap Quilt Abstract Version 4 – The Wovens One

I knew the moment I decided to hand quilt my Mouse Trap Quilt Abstract Version 4 that she was going to be a slow project. And I’m ok with slow. I just would like it to be less slow – ha!

The main issue with this one is my hands.

They’ve been extra cracky for several months now, and that’s made any hand quilting painful and extra slow going.

While I wish it wasn’t taking me so long to get the stitch work done, I am thrilled with how it looks. The texture the pearl cotton thread creates paired with the yumminess of the wovens is exactly what I was after. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rubbed my hands over those stitches and felt instant joy.

So, while I wish I had a finished quilt to show you, I’m still really happy that I made the call to hand-quilt her.

While I don’t anticipate getting her fully completed by the end of the month, I’m hoping to get the hand-quilting portion done.

Let’s see how that all plays out!

Clementine’s Wall Hanging

I started this one for a special little lady and since the entire thing is being hand-stitched, it stalled as my hands got worse. Plus, my business commitments normally take priority over personal projects, so that’s where we’re at with this one.

But I’d really like to see her complete, so I’m hoping to sneak this one in.

Larch & Poplar Pillows

These lil’ cuties have been hanging out for quiiiiiite a while. These are orphan blocks leftover from making my original Little Forest Quilt. Gives you an idea of just how long they’ve been waiting for some attention 😉

The blocks are pieced together, and I already have the backing, lining, and batting already cut and ready for basting and quilting action. These shouldn’t take me more than a few hours to get done, so hopefully I can set aside an afternoon to finally bring them to life.

Sewcial Bee Sampler

Remember this one? The Sewcial Bee Sampler has been a WIP for years now. I haven’t even pulled this one out in years. But every time I open the doors to my fabric cabinet; I see the backing fabric that I brought in for this project. It’s a gorgeous Rifle Paper & Co print that I can’t wait to see featured.

The blocks are safely tucked inside my box of orphan blocks, and I believe I’ve got one row of blocks left to make. You can see Row 1, Row 2, Row 3, and Row 4 completed. While this one hasn’t been on my radar, I would love to see her get finished.

Modern Improv Play

After making the borders for the Mouse Trap quilts, I was left with some larger trimmings. You know how much I love reimagining fabric scraps into new designs, and I couldn’t get this idea of combining the wovens with the coral trimmings.

Aren’t they pretty together?

I stitched the half-square triangles together months ago, and they sat there un-pressed for months. That all changed yesterday when I had the urge to finally press them. And slice them – ha!

That wasn’t planned, but it’s what was calling to me, so I went for it.

And ended up piecing the entire quilt top in the afternoon.

Funny how a project can sit stalled for months, and in one fell swoop, the project comes to life!

Now to figure out a backing for her 😉

Well, that’s quite the list! I have other projects, but these are the ones that I’d like to see cleared off my WIP list sooner rather than later, so let’s Finish It Up!

Wish me luck!

xo

Shannon

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