Pushing Through a UFO

Far too often I have four things going at once--amazing what concentrating on a SINGLE project can do!  I have had these Christmas themed swap blocks for four years.    Never having had the desire to make my own sampler quilt I got one the best way, with each swapper making three different blocks of their own choosing.

Yesterday afternoon the piecing began and at the end of the evening all the rows were complete, up to attaching a sashing row to each block row.  Today I finished assembling the rows into two larger half sections, which I find easier to deal with in completing a top.

Pressing all the seams to the sashing made these widely different blocks lay nice and flat.  The more ambitious ladies paper pieced some very complex designs, didn't they?

One of the block swappers from Australia attached some crystals to her blocks.  I have no experience with these types of embellishment and wonder if they hold up to machine laundering.  Anyone know?

I like this block a lot.  All the blocks are 6" finished so the pieces are very small.  This is a very bright white quilt--out of my usual realm--so I'll use a dark green polka dot as a wide border to bring in some balance and make the quilt a better finished size.  My goal with this UFO was to have a completed top, and I'm sure to reach that goal with this kind of  focus!