Thursday, September 6, 2007

An orphan's fate

I found a bin of orphans.
I am not proud of it. But there it was, in the back corner of my closet.
A box. And in the box, separately in plastic ziploc bags, in grocery totes, crammed together and layered dozens deep...
Half embroidered blocks, half a project completed, patterns with the pieces cut but never assembled, threads everywhere, things missing instructions.
A history of my sewing this last decade.
I can’t believe I left these half done LOL
I think they have been there since I moved here 4 years ago.
So here is my shame- exposed for the whole world to see.

One entire grocery sack was filled with unmade bocks from shop-hop 2006. I will admit that I am not sure where the unmade blocks for the 2007 hop are, now that I am being honest.




I seem to have an aversion to completing embroidery. The mole that was layered and basted together and cut, but then left. The Sunbonnet Sures, that need just a tiny bit more.


I think I can blame some of this on my old sewing machine. It was horrible. It would simply stop working for no reason.
It was a learning experience.


Also, two starts on small Lone Stars-
the blue is in diamonds, the other an early try at strip piecing perhaps?




A number of projects to be sewn by hand. And a bag of scraps from a top that must be stashed elsewhere, because I know I haven't quilted it yet.





It brought me back to the days before I understood how foundation paper piecing actually works- note the raccoon. I will have to assemble those pieces. I remember the frustration well.

I love to design, and have here a triptych of winter scenes, a Puss In Boots, a rose wreath, a basket missing its flowers and those Seasonal Sunbonnet Sues needing just a bit more stitching.









I do think I will try to finish these.
Because I know I have more to discover in the deep recesses somewhere. Because they reminded me of other half-finished blocks. Things not yet glimpsed.
Tops that are layered and basted but not quilted.
Guilt in cotton.

11 comments:

loulee said...

Is it really a guilty secret, or did yu rediscover lost treasure? All those ready made projects you could work on, I'd be spoiled for choice.

Mary said...

Just think what fun you can have in the winter!

swooze said...

Well just keep 1 or 2 out and focus on those. Try not to think about the others until these are to the top stage or done! More hidden....hmmm...what are you doing Sunday at 4 est? I think you need UFO therapy...lol

cityquilter grace said...

OR, you could just fling them and voila! guilt relieved! LOL

cityquilter grace

sewkalico said...

Don't try do them all at once or you'll end up as before. Maybe get rid of the one(s) that you really don't want to finish and do the ones in order of preference. There's a lot of great stuff there! But some of it you may have moved on from and your time is precious so don't waste it on guilt!

Stitching with Schnauzer and Siamese said...

Returning the call.... looks like you have a lot of work on your hands to get these UFO's finished... have fun. Best Wishes
Maggie

Michael5000 said...

I'm with loulee1: it's not a guilty secret, it's a treasure trove. It's like a set of new projects that you already have a head start on!

Unlike karol-ann, I'd want to work on all of them at once. Preferably with the phone off the hook, having quit my job! : )

Andrea said...

Well done Sarah - you said you would confess your sins - lol !
I would work on a couple that are quite near completion and that may kick-start you into doing the others. Or you could sell them on Ebay - lol !

Helen in the UK said...

Good luck with your orphans! You've quite a collection in a wide variety of styles :)

Quilter Kathy said...

How very brave of you to open the box!!

Clare said...

I found your blog frm a post you wrote on Stashbusters. I think I can provide a new home for your red and white orphans. Could you get in touch sometime.