Taking Stock of Works In Progress

It's Monday morning, and I need to get organized! 

I find myself in the position of having too many irons in the proverbial fire. So many projects clutter my brain space (and my workspace!) that I just need to step back and take stock of it all. My most effective method is to make a list. It both frees up brain space and sets me on a path to finishing these WIPs (Works In Progress) and PHDs (Projects Half Done).

First, finish Tag Sale. I have all the big 9-patches and small 9-patches made. The small 9-patches now need to have the economy triangles added, and I am in the process of doing that. (Photos above.) Then I will make the 4 star blocks to complete all the blocks for the quilt. Follow that up with completing the top and then adding borders. It is all very straightforward.

Second, finish Cate's dress. I cut out a little wrap dress for granddaughter Cate, and I could actually finish it in the time it takes me to write this blog  - that is how simple it is. I bought a digital download on Etsy, so for this first use of the pattern, I want to really understand the one part that could be trouble: turning it right side out. I will share, so stay tuned.

Third, do some long arm quilting. I put a quilt on the long arm machine before Christmas and it is still there. I made one pass of the machine only to discover some wonkiness in my stitches. All the hustle-bustle of Christmas and then the packing for Florida took my attention away from fixing the problem. I must now address whatever issue was involved here, and then get this quilted and bound.

Too many quilts are waiting in the wings to be loaded and quilted! In other words FINISHED!! I'm feeling a greater urgency to finish my quilts, which leads me to the next item on the list.

Fourth, catch up on baby quilts. I have two baby quilts made and ready for the long arm and one more baby quilt needing to be made. Nieces and nephews are having grand nieces and nephews, plus my own children's friends are having babies. I am a bit behind, as per my usual.

Fifth, Lake Effect. 

Oh, Lake Effect! I want you done, yet I rarely take you out of the basket! 

I almost don't want to admit how long I've neglected this quilt - surely multiple months, sadly. I go so long between spurts of working on it that I forget what I was working on and then when I do take it out again, I spend half a day figuring out where I was. Duh. So dumb. 

Okay, This gives me some focus, and I promise to make progress (a little or a lot!) on ALL of these this week!

Of course, plans are afoot for a couple brand new quilts, but those will definitely be waiting until I accomplish some of the tasks listed here. Oh, how I love to start new projects! No wonder I have so many WIPs and UFOs. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

UFOs and PHDs

Perhaps it goes without saying that the down-deep-and-dirty cleaning I've done in the quilting room has resulted in my finding a whole lotta' stuff I'd forgotten about. Now that all this has (mostly) been sorted and organized, I do believe I have earned my PHD.

In quilter lingo, that stands for Projects Half Done.

Early on in the excavating process, I decided I should list all the found projects I was unearthing. This is evidence that I really do like starting things a whole lot more than finishing things. I don't recommend trying to make sense of my list; I abbreviate and misname things. I know what I'm referring to, for sure, but it's likely gibberish to anyone else. Suffice it to say that my list contains 23 items, some I am eager to finish, others, ehhh, not so much. A few might never be finished, actually.

Let's talk about the ones that I am excited about; I've actually shared them on the blog, so they will be familiar, possibly.

For the life of me, I don't know why I have not finished Polka Dots and Posies. It appears that all the blocks are made; all I need to do is construct the quilt top. It will definitely be a high-priority item for July.

Some projects I have not shared. For example, Sharon gifted me a gorgeous Kaffe Fassett panel which I immediately buried in a pile on the table. What was I thinking!? This can be incorporated into such a gorgeous quilt, and I sure do have all the necessary KF fabrics to choose the prettiest combinations. Initially I was thinking pillows, but now I am thinking of cutting these into squares and teaming them with fabric cut to the same size, and stitching up a very easy throw. It would be so fast and fun -- and so satisfying.

Of course, we all know I have dozens of full-size quilt tops needing to be quilted; I have a whole lot of little quilts needing it, too. In 2016, I made two Market Day (pattern by Pam Buda) mini quilts. These are still flimsies; haven't done a thing with them. Geesh. If I would just quilt them, I would have two ready-to-go patriotic decor items! Gonna' try to do at least one of these ASAP.

Probably the most embarrassing thing to admit is that I get sooooo close to truly finishing something, and then just stop. What's up with that?? 

I even bragged (not once, but twice!) about how close I was to finishing this Christmas table topper, and had a mere handful of remaining stitches in order to complete it. Guess what? It still needs those final few stitches. Somehow I allowed myself to get side-tracked. Honestly, no excuse adequately explains this behavior.

One more, then I will stop. Recall, if you will, that last fall I was nearing the finish on hand-quilting Fall Foliage. It was set up in the family room, and I worked on it most evenings while watching sports or movies. 

Well, the holidays interfered; I dismantled it and put it upstairs to get ready for Christmas decorating and entertaining. It has not had another stitch taken on it since. I do have a plan, though. Next week, the Tour de France will begin, and I will stitch on this while we watch the cyclists and enjoy our yearly 'visit' to France. Yes, we watch as much for the scenic vistas as we do for the biking.

Wish me luck with my plans for checking several of these UFOs and PHDs off my list. Already, a couple are done -- progress, slow and steady.

Happy Quilting, Friends!