Let's do it again! Another (Un)Finished Objects Blog Hop

We had such fun with the last one - I'm hosting another UnFinished Objects (UFO) Blog Hop!  I put it up for a vote amongst the group, and almost everyone from the first hop has already signed on.  

UnFinished Objects (UFO) Blog Hop

Signups through March 26

Blog Hop May 1st, 2017

And as promised, I'm opening this up to new additions.  If you missed the last one and want to join; here's your chance.  Once again, you don't even have to have a blog.  I've set up a closed, members-only Facebook Group, and we'll be doing a simultaneous reveal there.  Or I'm happy to host you on my blog as well.  The choice is totally yours.

Again, the group is open to people working in all mediums.  Right now, there are a lot of beaders, but you don't have to work with beads!!!!!  For myself, I've decided to do a 1-for-1. I'm allowing myself to pick one non-beading UFO (projects that are unlikely to ever appear in a tutorial) for every beady UFO I tackle.  I'm enjoying the permission to work on some purely 'for fun' projects.

What you're committing to:

• Sorting through your desktop, drawer, pile of unfinished objects (this can be scary, but can also be like searching for buried treasure). 
• Choosing one or more to finish, then getting started!
• Sharing your (hopefully) newly finished object with the group on May 1st.  (If it's not quite done, simply share where it is as of that point - any progress is forward movement)
• Additional fun - share a little of the story of the project; why you started, how it got stuck in the UFO pile, why you decided to finish that particular item. 

 You can also use the Facebook Group as a support network if you need ideas or suggestions for moving forward, or simply as a joint cheering squad as we all move towards our goals.  (Unless you request otherwise, I'll add you to the Facebook Group when you sign up).

Want to join in?

Leave a comment, or send me an email: (skunkhillstudio at gmail dot com) with your name, email address and blog address if you have one.  Feel free to also include information on your UFOs, but this isn't absolutely required up front.


I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

(Un)Finished Objects Blog Hop

Just over a month ago, I invited friends and fellow artists to join me in founding an UnFinished Objects support group, and participate in a Blog Hop Challenge. The time has come to see how everyone has done with finishing some of their UFOs.  Here's the full list of blogging participants:

Karen Williams, Baublicious (you're here)
Francie Broadie, Francie Broadie Custom Jewelry
Christine Van Dyke Altmiller, One Kiss Creations
Amy Severino, Amy Beads
Therese, Therese's Treasures
Kim Dworak, CianciBlue
Liz E, Bead Contagion
Margo Lynn Hablutzel, My World and It's Full of Books
Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers
Cathi Salzarulo Kent, The Cat's Meow
Liz Hart, Treetop Life


Personally, I'd hoped to finish two of my longest-standing UFOs.  I didn't quite hit the mark, but one is complete, and the other is much farther along than it was at the start of the year. 

UFO #1:  My Orange Blossom Tea Cozy definitely held the record for my oldest UFO.  One that I'd always planned to finish.  I started the cozy for an embellishment round robin for a sewing group in my old hometown of Columbia, Missouri back in 2001, right as I prepared to move from Missouri to Seattle.  I crazy-patched the cozy, then started its travels through the group - it spent a month with each friend while I worked on their pieces.  All of the machine embroideries are their work.  I moved before the Round Robin was quite complete, and I finished the last few turns with a little help from the post office.

Before: this is where it sat for the better part of 15 years!

After the cozy returned to me, I did a fair bit of hand embroidery, but at some point I put it away.  I'd say it was out of sight, out of mind, but I'd pull it out every now and then and think 'I really ought to finish this', before putting it back away for another day.  Pulling it out for this challenge, I made sure to photograph the back side because several of my friends signed their contributions. 

I haven't done any embroidery work (except bead embroidery) in years, so this was a fun project to pick back up.  Some of my stitches were a little shaky, but I still love french knots! And here it is finished:

I continued layering the embroidery, and added sequins

And the other side

closeups of more recent stitching

I first added french knots to the feather stitch.  Then, I had a great time 'enhancing' the boquet just above it with both french knots and tiny sequins.  The machine embroidery made a fun background for further embellishments.  One of my favorite early embroideries is the away I 'completed' the orange slice stitching it's outlines into the blue fabric.  It was tempting to keep going and keep adding additional embellishments - but down that path lays a continued UFO.  

Wondering where I left off with UFO #2:  Starry Night Collar?  It's the one that's not quite done.  Truthfully, I figure I need another ten hours or so (don't ask how many hours I've already put in).  For some reason, this piece reminds me of beaded crochet - I think because of the texture.  Although my sister recently reminded me just how different beadweaving and crochet really are. 

comparing the stitching and components to my original mockup 'pattern'

combines snowflakes, random RAW and freeform beadweaving

On the plus side, I've finally figured out how I'm going to manage the clasp.  If you compare the photos above to the one from this post, you'll see just how much further along it is.

So, I didn't meet all of my goals, but I was pleased to make progress.  And it makes it quite easy to decide what to work on for the next month's UFO project! 

Working on UFOs

This Saturday is the UnFinished Objects Blog Hop.  Or should I say the Finished Objects - as that's the challenge and goal - to take one or more UFOs and finish them up.  While a number of newly finished pieces have already made their appearance over in the Facebook group, Saturday's the 'official' reveal. 

For myself - I'm running behind, but the hop has definitely given me impetus to work on a couple of of my UFOs.  I'm determined to finish at least one of them!  What am I working on?

UFO #1:   Orange Blossoms Tea Cozy.  The biggest challenge here is I hadn't done any hand embroidery in YEARs!  I look at my earlier work, compare it to my current, atrophied skill levels, and wonder if it was really me.  Then I consider adding beads.  I know beads!  Then I worry about washability.  Then I wonder if washability really matters....  

UFO #2:  Starry Night Collar.  I've worked on this piece off and on since the 2012 blog challenge that originally prompted the piece.  The photo below shows where I left off, way back when.   Yeah, it was pretty sad (I don't want to say how many hours this photo represented)

As far as I got in the original Big Hole Hop Challenge

As of this morning, the front is almost done - but there's still plenty of stitching to go on the back.  I also need to sort out the final clasp mechanism.  Will I get it done in time?  That's a really good question! 

Guess we'll see Saturday morning.  At the very least, I will share where they both are today.  And we'll get to see what everyone else has accomplished.  Guess I better get back to work!