These blocks are my first UFO (unfinished object) for 2026, and the big question is WHAT to do with them?
They are actually a DOUBLE UFO because I made them from orphan blocks as a way to experiment with my new (at the time) oval ruler.
These are big blocks, about 18″ square. My default use for orphan blocks is to combine them into a donation quilt top BUT these all have different backgrounds (using up scraps) so I’m not sure about that. Plus I’m thinking of taking that middle one on the bottom apart because I don’t like the orientation of the upper left quadrant…huh.
Here are the options I’ve come up with so far, but I would appreciate any ideas:
- Finish one or more individually as art quilts.
- Mount one or more individually on canvas as art quilts–some of my blogging friends have started doing this, but then what?
- Cut them up some more! Always an option…
- Make them into a donation quilt anyway, possibly with black sashing.
- Put them back in the closet and choose another UFO–maybe another day will bring better ideas!
- Make a lot more of them and then decide.
One more option I considered but will NOT do: take them apart and re-cut so backgrounds are all the same. Too much work for orphan blocks!
Help! Any ideas???
Zippy Quilts 
An interesting design challenge. When I look at them grouped together I’m disoriented because some of the ovals are northwest/southeast and some are northeast/southwest. If you did use them all in one quilt, which would get them all out of the way, I’d space them widely apart. I’ve just bought Emily Bailey’s Scrap Quilts from Crumbs, Strips, and Strings in which she uses crumb-pieced backgrounds and that concept could be the spacers for your Oval Orphans.
P.S. Which oval ruler is it? I’m trying to get the hang of Everyday Curve.
I like the different backgrounds!
I feel like it needs one more similar oval at least, with its heavy emphasis on the lower right quadrant. Then I would try out sashing between them with various colors — between light blue and light purple I would put a darker purple sash, between light purple and medium blue I would put a light blue sash, etc.
I am also wondering what it would look like to do more ovals where the curvy parts were black and the cross in the middle was multicolor fabric.
I also like nbhilyard’s idea of using pieced backgrounds for some blocks, maybe with smaller appliqued ovals (not pieced) of various sizes floating on them?
I would have to try out a lot of these options on my design wall and see what appealed to me. I hope you have more of these fabrics! 🙂