Alas, I've finished all the easy UFOs, the ones that are left need difficult decisions about borders, or are only a single block and a pile of cut out pieces.  From now on it's going to be a lot of work to get things finished.  I did the only sensible thing and started something new.

I've been threatening to start a batik quilt for ages, but couldn't choose a pattern. 

The last time we visited a patchwork shop I picked up this set of Westalee rulers, specially designed for jellyrolls. (Here's a link, you will have to scroll down to find the half hexagon rulers.)  I figured there wouldn't be any tough decisions to make with this shape, I love hexagons and half hexagons, and the cutting would be a breeze.

Luckily I was right, and it took only a few sessions to cut up a whole jellyroll of batiks;  it's taking a little longer to get them all arranged on the wall.  There aren't as many light value shapes as I would like; I NEED more batiks, I just don't have a big enough stash.  I found some hand-dyes that will fit in, and I'm sure I can rustle up a few more fabrics from my tiny modern stash, but I really think I need to go back to Charlene's at Jamestown.  I'm going to sew the shapes into rows, and then wait till I've been shopping before I sew the whole thing together. 

I counted my red nine-patches, and I have 41, roughly one quarter of what I need.  These are a wonderful leader-ender, easy to cut and put together, and boring enough that I'm not tempted to sew them on their own.

On my travels I also picked up this charm pack of Blackbird's Autumn Lily range.  What a sweet little pack, I intend to play with this and decide what fabrics I'd like actual yardage of.   I'm sick of trying to track down fabrics 3 or 4 years after their release date, so it's a wise thing to buy a few lengths of good border or background designs when they are actually available.

Next post I might share my stats on how much I've used and purchased this year; not a great effort for stashbusting, as I've been concentrating on the UFOs, but I have a huge stack of tops that need backings and that will help the numbers.