The “UFO Club”
Written by Deb on February 3rd, 2009No, it’s not a bunch of people in New Mexico looking for flying saucers but more like a 12 step group for women who enjoy (or are addicted to) quilting.
I, like many quilters, have projects that I started but set aside when I either got stumped on where to go with it or started another new project that seemed more fun at the time. Picture drawers full of fabric and bins full of unfinished projects. These projects were given the nickname of “unfinished objects” or UFOs by an unknown quilter with the same issues. Thus was born the “UFO Club”.
To join the UFO Club of our local quilt guild (the Madcity Quilters) you have to have at least 10 UFOs to register with the group. Group members then help you finish these projects by giving advice and inspiration. Sometimes they give you the permission you needed to totally alter the plan or even give it up. At meetings we have “Show and Tell” so people can show the progress they have made on projects or show off the finished quilt.
Every year the group goes for a weekend quilters’ retreat fondly known as “Swiss Finishing School” as the retreat is held in a small town nicknamed Little Switzerland and the object is to finish quilts. From mid afternoon on Friday through Sunday afternoon we have a conference room at a hotel that is turned into a quilters’ workshop where we can spread out our supplies and be uninterrupted by phones, husbands, children or pets. Machines are whirring both day and night (I lasted until 2 a.m. one year) as people try to finish up as many projects as possible.
Mystery Solved!
Even more rewarding was finishing this quilt for my great niece that I started at Swiss Finishing School 2007 and receiving this photo last week of her enjoying it. Now THAT is what really inspires me to quilt.
Debby with her quilt
This year’s Swiss Finishing School is this weekend and I am looking forward to finishing my “PhD” (Projects Half Done) in “Textiles”. Hopefully I’ll have some new photos to post next week!
NOTE: This post has been submitted to the “Blog Carnival” which can be found HERE.
That quilt is gorgeous! I think I qualify for your club although the Christmas present I didn’t get done is the only UFO I have atm. Then there was the birthday afghan that took me 13 years to finally finish for my daughter
Anita
Deb your quilts are lovely! I can’t tell you the last time I quilted but I would have qualified for membership in the UFO club!
Wow! This is two thumps up quilt.
You did a wonderful job, and beautiful colors too.
[...] http://dunnsmarshlabs.com/bbfarmblog/2009/02/the-ufo-club/#comments [...]
[...] everywhere. My garage and closets would look very different if I had this! Deb Hamele presents The ?UFO Club? posted at Blue Barn Farm Blog, saying, “This is a story about the “UFO Club” [...]
Well, I don’t quilt but that there is an heirloom in the memory-gathering stage. What a great gift of your own making for the tot!
The UFO club sounds fun. I think I’m at a stage beyond your entry requirements so I’m joining J-FAT: Just Finish *ANY*thing.
Hm…I might make that a mantra…
lol
Thank you for including pictures of your quilting work!
Cheers!
pete
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post… there is nothing like the appreciation of a family member, or the camaraderie of like-minded artists to inspire and encourage you to do more.
Your quilt for little Debby is beautiful! And congrats figuring out the mystery quilt. (I think the promise of mystery inspires as well.)
Your photo of the farm in your header inspires me… there is just something about a farm in the countryside that brings many non-specific but loving memories from my own childhood.
This is such a great idea Deb. I wish I had one of these groups near me. I have way too many piles of partially finished projects, including quilts