26 Projects – July Update

I have been in Chicago for work for a week and have had no opportunity to sew. I thought about bringing some handwork, but, in the end, just brought a book, my journal (especially to do studies for the Creative Prompt Project) and my iPad.

Prior to leaving, I saw a clear theme in my work style which manifested in me by picking up a UFO-type project and intensely working on it until it is finished. I don’t know if that strategy will work for me long term, but right at the moment I am getting projects completed.

I am, however, sick of this list. It feels a bit tyrannical to me. I really think these feelings come from the fact that I am mostly just finishing, e.g. only doing specific tasks and not working through the whole process. I am not not doing much designing of new projects.

This list, as mentioned before) wasn’t part of my plan for the year. It just evolved, which makes me tempted to bail. Alternatively, I could scratch items off of of the list, but I really want them to be completely finished before I do so. It is a good exercise, however, and provides good focus for my work. There isn’t a lot of down time when I have a list staring me in the face. though, without downtime, I don’t get to dream about creativity and new ideas. I have made a lot of good progress, but perhaps I need to take a break from these projects and make something fun that I want to make? Perhaps I need to remember that there is value in taking my time and doing good work? I have made more good progress since last time, which is good.

I am thinking that I may need to abandon another project or two that are languishing and going nowhere. There is no shame in being realistic, right?

Enough with the existential art angst, here is the list, again, still in no particular order, except that I have put some of the “mostly finished” projects at the end. This time, like last, I have moved the finished pieces off. Still 23 WIPs left, but only 17 that need intensive work to get them to the quilting stage. I am making progress. Really. I am.

  1. Original Bullseye: needs border, backing, quilting and binding, which are all hard to do if you can’t find the project. It is lost. I know it is in there somewhere. As I mentioned, I did a test and found that my original idea didn’t work. I think a plain border will set off the blocks fine IF I ever find the top. Bleah!
  2. Spin Wheel: really not started, but supplies gathered. Cutting fabrics as I go
  3. A-B-C (A-Z) BAMQG Challenge – I am actually not sure if this should be considered a WIP (Please say no!), because I just barely have enough blocks with which to make something. I am making good progress. S and T blocks are done and now U and V blocks are next on the list. I am really thinking about just making all the blocks, putting sashing around them and then trimming the sashing a bit so the blocks are all a uniform size. It occurred to me today that the grey Half Moon fabric with big white polka dots might be an interesting sashing for this piece. They are not wildly off, but they are a bit off… I could bring them to BAMQG as the blocks are due. We’ll see.
  4. Aqua-Red Sampler – steady progress has stopped and the class more than the quilt is really weighing on my mind. As far as I know Frances has finished her Dresden Plate, so perhaps we will start up again soon. The next class was going to be fusible machine applique’, but I haven’t gotten past cutting out the templates. Perhaps I should skip to machine piecing curves?
  5. The Tarts Come to Tea: I haven’t quilted on this since April 2011. I need to work on the quilting. I was making good progress and then got sidetracked. I have been quilting another quilt and that is getting me back in the swing of quilting. Now that my machine is happier, perhaps it is a good time to take this piece out again? I would like to finish it.
  6. Garden: I started this piece in a class with Pamela Allen in 2006. As mentioned, I used this piece for my beading demo for the 2012 EBHQ Voices in Cloth show (March 17), which means that I added some beads. I finished machine quilting this piece, removed some of the beads and have started to put beads back on to it. YAY! Handwork!
  7. Flower Garden: I still find the ‘flowers’ too spiky. I think I need to soften them up a bit. I was thinking of putting larger petals over the spikes to soften them.
  8. Moon and Stars: need to finish hand quilting. This quilt is not interesting. This is month 2 that I have thought this is a candidate for abandonment.
  9. Pointillist Palette #4: Fourth is a series of 6 quilts; needs tiny square patches sewn together. Bits of this quilt keep falling off the shelf on which I have them stored. While I was machine quilting the Garden quilt, I kept finding bits of piecing stuck to various parts of my clothing. This is a good leaders and enders project and perhaps the patches jumping off the shelf was an omen.
  10. See: needs satin stitching.
  11. Self Portrait: started in 2006 at a class at Quilting Adventures in Richmond, Virginia. I like the piece, but don’t know where to go from where I am. Mouth? Hair?
  12. Spiderweb: need to make sure that I have the right number of blocks for the size quilt I want to make. Need to make sure I have the border pattern and start sewing border blocks.
  13. Under the Sea: class project; like the design, but not the colors much.
  14. Flower Sugar Hexagon: sewed more hexagons together. Sewing Y seams is a bit of a chore, so I get tired of doing it after awhile.
  15. Young Man’s t-shirt quilt: have cut up the t-shirts and am still in the process of applying fusible. He cleaned out his drawers and found some more t-shirts to add to the quilt. Oh Yay! <– just a bit of sarcasm
  16. New: Super Secret Project: top, back and binding made. Ready to go to the quilter. Stayed tuned. ;-)
  17. FOTY 2011: at the quilter, needs binding.
  18. Flowering Snowball: Top and back finished 5/13/2012; ready to go to the quilter
  19. Stepping Stones: at the quilter, made binding, which she will sew on for me and then I need to hand sew.
  20. Jelly Roll Race: at the quilter. Needs binding, quilting, sleeve.
  21. New: Wonky 9 Patch: needs quilting and binding.
  22. Corner Store:  Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
  23. Super Secret Project #2: Top and back are made. It is ready to go to the quilter.
  24. Infinity blocks: blocks sewn together into a quilt top, borders on. Need to make back and binding and take to quilter.

Finished or Abandoned projects that were on the list:

  1. Stars for San Bruno #2: Finished! YAY!
  2. Pavers. Finished! YAY!
  3. Kissy Fish: Finished! Yay!
  4. Pineapple: Abandoned; will remake blocks at a later time with more care.
  5.  Stars for San Bruno #3: Finished! YAY!
  6. Food Quilt: Finished 5/24/2012. YAY!!!!

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

One thought on “26 Projects – July Update”

  1. Throw out the damn list! It is bogging you down and stifling your creativity. Put all those UFO ‘s away that you like and may go somewhere sometime and throw out the ones that you don’t like. I’m sure you learned something from making the piece, take the knowledge and do something else only better. When you get home from your trip create something fun but small so you can finish it and feel good about it.

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