Wednesday, August 20, 2008

WIP Wednesday: The Longest WIP

I have a WIP that is much older than
Michelle's quilt.
It transcends generations.


I found it about a quarter of the way finished, in my Grandma's closet, after she died.
The receipt that was still in the bag said 1986. Usually needlepoint isn't my gig.. but I thought she might appreciate it if I gave it a go.

I've been working on it, occasionally, for at least 7 years, maybe 8.
Just a few more stitches and then I can block it.
And make it into... whatever it was meant to be.

What is your oldest UFO? and are you now thinking about finishing it?

15 comments:

Natalie said...

That is really beautiful.

My oldest wip is my dissertation and I like to take it out and dust it off every couple of months. Another school year is starting soon. Oh bother!

Anonymous said...

My oldest Darling Daughter just turned 14. I started a cross-stitched harlequin to hang in her nursery before she was born. I am thinking I just might be able to send it to college with her (or maybe her younger sister, that would give me 5 additional years)!!

Lara said...

My mom has an embroidered tablecloth that my grandma started in the 1960s. Mom took it home when grandma fished it out a few years ago and did some more of the embroidery. One evening when I was there I picked it up and did some. A couple of my daughters did some. Now it's done except for some spangles which stand in for holly berries. Mom and I found the spangles when going through grandma's house last week. (Grandma is now living in assisted living.) That's gotta be our longest-lived UFO. (Soon to-be finished.)

Anonymous said...

I once heard a story that in England a set of curtains with an embroidery pattern designed by William Morris was handed down several generations and finally finished for display in the country manor. Your acheivement is no less wonderful. It's acutally quite a pretty design. Congrats.

Anonymous said...

My oldest WIP is about 22 years old, a lovely cross-stitch of Amish children playing. I love it. My theory is that I refuse to finish it because I'm enjoying it so much and don't want it to end.

That needlepoint is lovely!

home handymum said...

My Mum began a hand-pieced quilt for when I moved into a 'big-girl-bed' from my cot. I'm 31 years old. When she passed away 9 months ago I inherited this quilt - all pieced together and the hand-quilting 1/2 done.

I plan to sign up for a quilting club in the evenings just so I've got some planned space in my week to have a go at finishing it. The colours are lovely and perhaps my eldest daughter will like it - she is the one who will mostly likely remember her Nana, as the other daughter was just a baby when she died.

Gwen said...

I have a counted cross-stitch sampler that I started before my husband's twin got married, almost 23 years ago. It only has to be FRAMED, and I haven't done it... It is a lovely sampler, with their names and wedding date on it. Luckily, the colors still go with their decor...
Maybe they will get it for their anniversary in 2009, or I could wait a few more years and give it to them for their 25th!

kristin said...

i have more ufo's in my closet than i care to admit...your needlepoint looks like a beautiful piece....can't wait to see it finished

Sonya said...

I don't even know what my oldest is. I usually shuffle or repurpose stuff. But I probably have some ghosts of projects past rattle chains somewhere. I was planning on giving you a call sometime. We're still here in SF.

The J said...

I think my oldest actually-started project is a quilted chair cover (supposed to be one of two), which is 7 years old now. Doesn't sound like much, but it was in lieu of buying the covers for the IKEA chairs (the covers costing more than the chair) - I'm not sure they are going to last long enough for the covers to be finished.

My second oldest is the quilted wall hanging I made instead of having a guest book at our wedding - 6 years ago. Appliques are done, quilting is done - but I got it into my head I wanted our names and date done in satin stitch embroidery. I hate doing satin stitch embroidery.

Anonymous said...

Your needlepoint it as pretty as it is inspiring. I have inherited a half-finished needlepoint evening purse from 1945! I have worked on it now and again - but it requires a good light and some magnification glasses to sew on it and I don't always have the sit-down time to dedicate. When it's done, it'll be a stunner - - someday!

Teena Vallerine said...

Oh how lovely! My mum inherited a needlepoint WIP from my gran. She had a go but the sewing gene skipped a generation so I finished it off for her and now it takes pride of place in her home showing the different stitching character of each of us! My oldest WIP which I still have in the house (I do give them to charity shops when they get too annoying) is a plaited rag rug I started when I was 16 (tooooo long ago!). I don't really like the colours anymore but I can't bear to part with the lovely big ball of fabric plaits! Maybe one day I'll have a grand-daughter to finish it for me! Lovely post! t.xx

Dk's Wife said...

My oldest WIP is a quilt that I started almost 10 years ago. Maybe someday...

Anonymous said...

My mom gave me a quilt years ago. Sunbonnet Sue! She remembers making quilts with her grandmother and there is one block definitely done by a child! My daughter and I took it apart to remove the black (!) sashing and put in sashing more in keeping with Sue's pastel outfits. We finished it up and embroidered my great-grandmother's name and dates on it, my grandmother's name and dates on it, my mom's name and birthdate on it, my name and birthdate and my daughter's name and birthdate. The quilting is not really heavily done, more could be done by my granddaughter and we'll put her name and birthdate on it. That makes it a six generation WIP and it's still not really "done."
:Diane

prettywithribbons said...

A cross-stitch Celtic Cross. I go cross-eyed when I do it and also did a big section wrong. Someday.

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