I think I mentioned that I had a few (ahem, a lot) of UFOs in my closets. Well, the cleaners are coming this morning, so yesterday I got out the step stool, climbed up, and got all the UFO project boxes down off the shelves in the guest room to have a look. I need to make room for extra fabric and other projects, so it is time for some of those old UFOs to go.
Trust me when I tell you I was surprised (flabbergasted) by the great projects I had half-finished in those project bins. Not all of them were great, and I discarded a fair amount that I knew I couldn’t use or didn’t want. And of course, there were several that I hope to finish “someday”, but just not right now. I was pretty thrilled to rediscover several projects and think I am going to prioritize them to get done in 2026!
Just look at those granny square blocks in the photo above! I have 15 of them made! If I make one more or five more, it will be plenty for a sweet pink-and-red lap quilt. I didn’t measure the blocks, but they must be 8 or even 10 inches square. So cute. Why on earth was I making them, and why did I set them aside? Mystery.
My gosh, look at these little 4-inch log cabin blocks. There are 20 of them, just enough for a great table topper for my kitchen peninsula. I must get these together and quilted to use next winter. Why did I make them, and why did I set them aside? No clue.
I was so surprised and delighted to rediscover these 32 completely finished blocks! They were carefully packed in a project box with the pattern, the fabric for the setting triangles, and the border. I needed to order some red “grunge” fabric for a narrow containment border and binding, but good heavens, this is nearly like finding a finished quilt! I don’t know what the fabric collection is, but it includes Basic Grey grunge solids. The pattern is called “Maison Bleu” and dates from 2010. I know. I never in a million years thought I’d be one of those old grannies with 15-year-old UFOs in the closet, but here we are.
I do vaguely remember this project that I started when we lived on the Monterey Peninsula. I bet I packed it up when we moved to our present location in 2011. Out of sight, out of mind; truer words have never been spoken.
So my friends, I encourage you to rummage around in the attic, get the step stool out, and see what’s on the top shelf, check out those plastic tubs in the basement. Wherever you store your UFOs, take a look and see what is salvageable. Believe me, if you find some treasures as I did, you will be glad you made the effort.
Have an amazing weekend, friends! May you make some interesting discoveries!
Sara and I have a new book podcast up, so go take a look on YouTube, or listen to “Reeding Between the Lines” on whatever podcast format you have. Just click the logo on the right sidebar of this blog. We talk about our favorite books of last year, what type of readers we are, and what we look forward to in the next few months.
34 Responses
They are great projects to finish, especially the pink and red for Valentine’s day coming up!!
I know that is going to be an adorable quilt! I hope I can find the same white background to finish it. That is the worst thing about putting things away without the background. Those whites are definitely not all the same!
Oh what lovely finds! They won’t take you long to do and a big confidence booster for playing with something new!
I’ve got two new projeccts starting up in the next month, so I’m happy to have something to work on while I wait!
Wow – every one of those is so beautiful! It’s like having a second Christmas! Enjoy finishing them up.
I am also enjoying all the empty project boxes and the room on my shelves!
You did discover some treasures! Love the first two sets of blocks!
I discovered two other boxes with a ton of already completed blocks. These are more scrappy, but I must finish them up into quilts. I often start out making what I think is going to be a full-sized quilt and lose the enthusiasm after I’ve made half the blocks. I need to give myself permission to simply make a smaller quilt!
They will feel like new projects now they have been discovered.
They sure do, Ginny!
I saw a meme a couple of days ago that said: “Quilting: where you refuse to throw out scraps because they might become a quilt 48 years from now.” Like you, I don’t think I have that many WIPs or UFOs and then I open a drawer or a box and “how did THAT get here?”
Book recommendation for you: The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce. (She wrote Miss Benson’s Beetle, which surely you’ve read.)
Thanks for the book recommendation. I think I may have read Miss Benson’s Beetle, it sounds so familiar. I am going to go look both of those up.
It was The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by that author that I had read. Now you’ve given me a reason to read her other books!
You have some gems to finish! The one I have wondered about in the past is the quilt with bee fabric…was it in cream, black and gold/yellow?? Did you finish it years ago and I just don’t remember?? Have a great weekend!!
Oh, right, that quilt turned out so great. I made it with a triangle template a few years back. I used the cutest gold, black, and cream fabric with a bee motif. It was a quilt Ahren requested, and it’s on his bed in Ireland. We had packed it in Dennis’ suitcase for a trip to Dublin to visit Ahren, and would you believe it didn’t arrive with us? It never left San Francisco. I was sick with worry. However, it turned up the next day, delivered to the door by an airline employee. It just took a different flight than we did!
now that is an amazing story!
I bet the granny square blocks are from a Lori Holt sew along. It looks like you trimmed/squared them up already. I’ve made 2 quilts using that pattern, I love it. In NJ, I have to take a tote bag with me shopping because hardly any store gives you a bag any longer (state law did away with plastic bags). I have one I made using Courthouse Step blocks and people comment on it all the time. Could be another use for any little blocks you find in your UFOs.
No more plastic bags here either. I have only experienced the issue at the grocery store so far, but I guess we are all going to have to start carrying little cloth bags with us like the Europeans do!
Nicole, I’ve been following you from the beginning, I think. These are all familiar to me from when you were originally working on them. It’s so surprising to find old projects you have forgotten about. Almost like Christmas.
Isn’t it funny? I must be losing my memory. Those projects do seem familiar, and I vaguely recall working on them, but have no idea why I put them away. Probably because the cleaners were coming. Lol
I love when you and Sara talk about the books you’re reading or have read. I find so many good suggestions to add to my tbr list.
You mentioned that you discarded some of your discoveries. If there are a significant amount of fabric/blocks that you know you won’t complete, perhaps one of your readers belongs to a guild or group that would finish them to make charity quilts? Meanwhile, you’ve found some forgotten treasures to bring to life!
the 1st two I definitely remember. the 3rd one? nope. were you blogging then? I don’t think I was following you until about 15 yrs ago.
have a great weekend!
I remember working on it when we lived in Monterey, but either got tired of it (the fabrics are not my usual thing) or packed it up because we were moving and forgot about it. When I saw the blocks and border fabric I knew I had to finish it. I probably wouldn’t choose the fabric again, but it will be a great quilt for my love seat on the front porch this summer. I won’t care if Archie jumps on it or if the sun hits it.
WOW! What treasures you discovered when you climbed up to take a look!! Have fun finishing the projects that have once again grabbed your attention.
Jan has a wonderful idea of a quilt guild finishing the projects you no longer want to make donation quilts.
I have a small amount of a similar fabric to your granny square fabric with the little roses on white surrounded by the red scalloped border and pink polka-dot background. My fabric has a Dutch blue background with deeper blue tiny dots and more widely spaced round scalloped white background with yellow flowers. The selvage information is: Morningstar by Linda Hohag of Brandywine Design for P&B Textiles. How about that?!
Hugs!
You finding your treasures made me laugh out loud! Been there, done that. 😁 My question to myself always is…why did I stop so close to a finish…🤔 Have a great weekend!
Oh how fun to discover these! To me, the red and pink granny square fabric reminds me strongly of the “PamKittyMorning” designer, and she also used to have a blog that I read.
It sounds like you will enjoy finishing the ones you want to finish. Also a good idea that several people have suggested to find a quilt guild to finish up the ones you do not want.
Turns out you were right on the mark with your guess about the reds and pinks being PamKittyMorning fabric!
I had fun searching your blog and found the granny square blocks are Pam Kitty Morning; the 4-inch log cabin blocks are from Thimble Blossoms Sweet Escape quilt scraps. Maison Bleue is in Urban Couture. Such fun things to find.
I knew my search feature was much improved on the newly designed site, but had no clue how good it actually is! Thanks so much Debbie. Wow, I am so impressed. Thanks for doing the research!
It’s so nice when searches work, and your photos are so nice, too. I’m loving your Riley Blake Design Challenge 2025 quilt so much. The colors are wonderful, especially the checkerboard medallion and barn block. It is the perfect size to highlight all of the blocks. I have Lori’s Farm Girl Vintage book from thelibrary, and now I want to make a barn block. I’m curious what fabric you want to use for the border.
I had forgotten about that. I will use a Lori Holt cream with a small print on it. They are all pretty much the same, so I will just pick one that I used in the blocks. I don’t want to take away focus from the blocks, so I think a cream of some kind will be best.
There was a granny square quilt Lori Holt had, I think it was a book. You did something of hers that inspired me to buy the pattern. But where is my book? ?!! Now I have to look. I’ve done some cleaning too but didn’t find it. More search necessary!
Yes, Great Granny Squared is the title of Lori’s book. I used it to make a neutral table runner for one of my sisters last year. Hope you find it, it’s a great resource!