As part of my goal to hold myself accountable and actually finish out some of my WIPs, I’ll be participating in the 2015 Finish Along, and the 2015 Lovely Year of Finishes (see sidebar for links).
For January’s goal for the Lovely Year of Finishes:
3xS
This top is already on my quilting frame – I pieced together backing a few days ago. Now I just need to figure out the last couple of issues with the sewing machine, and this can be quilted up. I still have to identify a binding fabric. I have a couple of stash fabrics that I think might work well – I just need to get the thing off the frame to decide.
I’m due to have surgery to remove a gallstone (scheduling this today with the surgeon), so I’m hoping I can stick with this goal. If surgery is to happen after this week, then I’ll plan on quilting this up this weekend. I’ll also get the binding ready. Then I’ll have the binding to attach, as well as some hand-quilting to work on while I’m recovering.
As part of my goal to hold myself accountable and actually finish out some of my WIPs, I’ll be participating in the 2015 Finish Along, and the 2015 Lovely Year of Finishes (see sidebar for links).
For the first quarter of the 2015 Finish Along, I’ve identified the following five projects I’d like to take to have finished by the end of this quarter. Since I have 20 WIPs, per my list, if I can manage to take five WIPs to completed each quarter, I’ll have conquered my WIPs.
3xS
This top is actually on the quilting frame right now. I just need to figure a last couple of issues with the sewing machine, and I can have this quilted in short order.
Night Sky
Another completed quilt top that is small enough to fit on my frame. I have the batting. I just need to figure out a backing, and load it onto to the frame to quilt it up. Part of the challenge might be figuring out backing. I’m attempting to use as much of my stash as possible. I’d like to avoid purchasing backing. I also need to identify a binding fabric from stash.
Embers
Yet another completed quilt top. Again, small enough to fit on my frame. This is another for which I have the batting for, but need to figure out backing. I have the binding fabric on hand already.
Sunsets and White Beaches
This is a hand-quilting project that is already in progress. I estimate that I’m about 30% through quilting this one. I just need to keep plugging away. I also need to identify a binding fabric from stash.
From an Unquiet Mind I: Semi-Phores
This actually is partially quilted, but quilting it resulted in some distortion. I need to rip all the stitches out, and start over. I’ll also have to decide on a binding fabric. I’d like to keep to solids for this project, so I will probably have to order that.
That’s my five for this quarter… I see a lot of stitching down binding in my future!
With the New Year off to a reasonable start – I’ve finally kicked the series of diseases’ that have plagued me all through December – it was time to set myself up for a reasonably well planned year:
I’m not super fancy. Instead of using a moleskin, I’m just using a cheapie Composition notebook, with graph paper inside, instead of impossibly wide lines. Still, it’s a start, and a way to organize the jumble in my head.
Once I’d gotten January started in my Bullet Journal, I felt a little less heavy, and a lot more creative. I’m in the process of working out designs for some really large blocks, finally paying homage to my obsession with sugar skulls. I’m also acknowledging the geek in me – these are working out to be pixelated designs, just because.
Still, it’s time for me to be accountable and look at what I’ve got in the queue, which is quite a lot, at 20 WIPs. Mind you, I’m counting all completed tops in the list, because they’re not done until they’re actually quilts.
#
Name
Started
Description
Stage
1
3xS
17 November 2014
Scrap project using blocks seen around the internet.
Fabrics purchased. Waiting for templates to arrive.
16
Swap Granny Blocks
17 November 2014
Blocks sent to me from participation in a swap. My month was December 2013.
Blocks trimmed. Need to sew them into setting triangles.
17
Sugar Skulls
N/A
Pixelated sugar skulls.
Design in progress.
18
Ode to Taupe
16 August 2012
Modern, zen garden inspired.
Blocks in progress.
19
Scrappy Placemats
06 April 2014
Placemats made from incy wincy scraps.
4 of 6 placemats pieced
20
Scrappy Project II
N/A
Scrap project born out of scrap management. Fabrics will be pulled from scraps.
Design completed.
Yup, that’s right. I’ve got SEVEN tops waiting to be quilted. I’ve been fighting the thread on the Janome set up with my frame. I think I might have just figured out why the top thread keeps breaking, but my god, I hate this machine so very, very much. Why its designers felt the need to have the thread pass through half a dozen points, I just don’t know. As soon as I can, I’ll be trading the Janome in toward something else.
Even with those seven, that’s thirteen projects in need of attention. Knowing me, I’ll be tempted into several more projects before long.
I need to practice some project monogamy, establish ‘due dates’ for myself, and hold myself to a schedule. Thankfully, sign-ups for the 2015 Finish-Along will be starting soon. In the meantime… I’ve got some hand-quilting to do.