Well I guess I’ve been on a mission to finish off my UFOs. When I started working on them I didn’t think that I was going to focus on them so much…I just wanted to motivate myself to get a couple off of my plate. But now that I’ve started, I can’t stop!
I keep procrastinating on making my last swoon block (I did actually make a ton of progress on it the other day but it got put on the back burner again) and so I pulled out a totally random UFO from 2.5 years ago I think! In fact when I posted pictures, one of my friends laughed and said she thought I had finished it over a year ago. Nope. It’s been nearly done since then…but not.
What project you ask? Why, my paintbox quilt. Talk about a blast from the past. A couple of years ago when Quilt alongs were few and far between, Elizabeth Hartman was the driving force behind most of them and this was one of hers. But I of course being me couldn’t do things the way everyone else was doing it. What’s the fun in that? 😉
So I made these blocks eventually and settled on a sashing (yellow grunge!) and sewed my blocks into rows to prevent more of THIS happening. This was the cat, not the baby. lol
And labeled and partially constructed, this quilt top sat, whispering at me from the bottom of the box it was in. I successfully ignored the quilt for another year or so… but then this past week I pulled it out and decided that it must be finished!
You might have to look a little more closely to see my rainbow, but it is there running diagonally across the quilt. One jelly roll and some yardage of the print I used created a heck of a lot of piecing!
It was a picture like this that Elizabeth posted originally of her top that inspired me to start this quilt along to begin with. So I was determined to get this shot. You can see the insane amount of small squares and strips there are. I don’t quite remember but I know that a lot of those were about an 1 1/2″ wide.
I never get tired of the stain glass look of a quilt top against the light. So pretty.
So I’m officially finished with this project as far as I’m concerned. I told my friend Kelly that I was channeling her and trying to just finish it. You see she has amazing powers of speedy quilting and would have finished this years ago! Plus it’s a rainbow and squares…all things that make me think of her. Long story short, I’m giving the top to Kelly and letting her complete and keep it. I told her if I had to quilt it then I would keep it…but she was welcome to the top. And she wanted it! So I’m thrilled to send it off to her and can’t wait to see her finish it in a day or so. 😉 It will soon be basking in sun with her in Florida!
I’m proud of myself for finishing it. Honestly I wasn’t sure I would. But my motivation held through and I have one more long term outstanding project finished.
And after all that work to get the window shot, it turns out that this is really my favorite picture of the quilt top.
Anyone else have an unfinished paintbox quilt and can feel my pain? lol This was a more involved project than I anticipated when I started. Again, Project UFO has been great and supportive and I can’t wait to share some of their finishes with you all. Everyone seems a little embarrassed by the number of UFOs that they have. But all I can say is that you are in good company…I have MANY more to go…and they just get bigger and more unfinished. lol
The quilt looks lovely. and I laughed out loud at the mess the cat made. I know all too weel how that goes. Seems like when I lay anything down on the floor it is an animal magnet. 🙂
Gorgeous! I love the colors you used!
That is a massive quilt with tons of piecing. Must feel great!!! Keep going, I'm looking forward to seeing what other treasures you have folded in the bottom of boxes!
it's great…and congrats on a finish! there are several things that I just need to call "done" and finish them…even if it's not THE WAY that I originally imagined…
this was worth pulling out of the UFO pile. It's really lovely. And Lucky Kelly, she gets a beauty of a gift.
doesnt matter who puts in the final stitch… just that it is finished , and loved xx
I have a half-finished (quarter finished?) paintbox quilt too, though mine is all done in prints from Basic Grey's Eva line. I don't think I've even finished cutting out all the blocks yet, though I know I've got a bunch cut but not pieced. I'm sure it'll be gorgeous whenever I get it finished, but it's hard to come back to, knowing much more work is left to go. (I better hope I have enough yardage for finishing the back because I'm sure I won't be finding more of those fabrics now.)
sounds lovely! Good luck finishing it!!
this is wonderful! congrats on finishing the top! it's nice to make it through those projects that aren't quite as fun-to-do as others!
The quilt top is lovely. When I saw your blog post title I was intrigued…you see the title left out the T in Paintbox and I wasn't smart enough to think Paintbox, I thought Painbox and wondered is this some sort of therapeutic quilt? A place to box up all your pain and get rid of it? Or what? I feel a little silly, but got a good laugh from my "duh" moment. And then at the end of the post you asked if we could feel your pain. So maybe the title was a Freudian slip?
Hysterical! Now the question is should I change the title or not? Let's not.
YAY! Congrats on your finish!
wow very pretty!!
my paintbox quilt took forever as well! It was the sashing that did me in – I just couldn't face it!
I remember that QAL. I love the stained glass pictures. You and Kelly are both winners here.
Good for you for getting the top finished! One less UFO weighing you down!
LOL – I HAD thought you'd finished that quilt top! 🙂 It's gorgeous done, and I still love that you used one print throughout. Kelly is very very lucky. xoxo
The finished quilt top is gorgeous. What a lucky friend.
So pretty! A great story with a happy ending!
It really is gorgeous. Sorry it was a "pain box". That floral is just stunning…
I love the color combinations and the pattern. You have such an eye for color. It's beautiful.
Yay for cranking out those UFOs! I love the against the window shot, you can really see the rainbow in it, lucky Kelly :o)
What a lovely quilt and what a LOT of work! By the way, I have to ask…is the cat still alive? Happy sewing!
I've never seen this quilt along! I found one from 2010 that I made this past January (yep, finished the entire thing in a week thanks to a snowstorm). I like that last picture too.
Well–I am glad I am not the only one—I just finished MY Paintbox quilt (see it on my blog—patricia-myquiltingadventure.blogspot.com). I am quilting it now and feeling good. Love your colors–the soft yellow is perfect with your prints.
So very very pretty! Congrats on finishing. My cats do the same thing 🙂
Oh, WOW- that is beautiful! GOOD WORK!!! The picture before you quilted it looks like stained glass to me. 🙂
That's a fabulous way-old finish! And it will have such a nice home when done.
I don't have a paintbox, but I have a bento box that has been sitting for a few years now! Perhaps I should pull that out.
fabulous picture with the light coming through : ) Great finish
Love all the stages pictures! It came to together beautifully!
Ohhh the cat thing… when I saw that it reminded me of my crossword puzzle quilt. All those squares, figured out and then instant scramble! Blah!
Love the finished look 🙂
Can you tell I'm stalking your blog today??
Anyway have you ever counted up all your ufo's?? I wonder how many you have!
I have a bunch of ufo's too, that I'm trying to finish. This seems to be the UFO year!
Nice job! Congrats on your completion.
That back-lit shot is one of those that first inspired me to want to quilt. Glad you captured it again here!