UFO challenge

For our first summer meeting all the members of my local quilt guild brought in 3 unfinished projects (UFOs) that have been collecting dust in our sewing rooms. Some were finished tops, some were assorted blocks in a basket, and some were kits with fabric washed and pressed, still in the bag. Our goal is to have them finished by our Christmas party with the incentive of $5 gift cards from Mardens, a local salvage shop with a huge fabric department, and a chance to win a $25 gift card as well. My first of the 3 projects is a red, white, and blue throw size top I worked on while 7 months pregnant with Julia Ellen, trying to make the time go by faster. My goal is to donate it to a veteran at Togus VA hospital in Augusta. My second project is a huge quilt top with blue stars on white background that I would like to make as a gift. The Bonnie Hunter quilt that I was planning on making for my dear SIL has 1000 blocks and since I have finished 50 so far, I think that might not happen this year. My third project is a tote bag we started at a guild meeting a few months ago, and since I didn't have a clue as to how to make a box bottom or make handles, I was stuck. After a lot of help last night after the massive show and tell of everyone's projects, I finished my tote this morning. The only problem was that I somehow turned the lining upside down and my inside pocket was facing the bottom of the bag. I guess I didn't want a pocket in there after all since I would have had to undo almost everything to get it put right. 
 


I do like how the bag turned out, I might try to make another, this time with black and white fabrics and a red cuff, but making sure that the darned pocket is facing up.