Quilt-Along

Kierkegaard, another Existentialist I like, once said that life is not a problem to be solved as much as it is a reality to be experienced.  (wondering why part of that word background is white)

Early this morning, I pin- basted the last of the 2017 quilts. I came home with it and pulled out the small container for the Quilt-along I am doing that is only 4 blocks, each of them machine appliqued, plus borders.

I love how it looks, and then when I looked, I realized something was wrong. Or different. Yet again, it was me reading the darned pattern. The appliqued pieces were reversed. I copied the pattern for them on the iron-on stuff in reverse. I had compensated for the error by adding a tall flower, and centering the door.

No one is going to notice. This is a quilt for my GoddessDaughter/Niece and she will love it. However, it is almost September and I barely got this block done 'in time'.

The first month of this quilt-along had us cut all the fabric pieces. I used scraps from my stash. It will be 63" x 73" and I plan to make a back from the scraps too. I plan to read the pattern and see if I can make the next house block turn out the way it was designed.

Outer Pockets

I spent time hand stitching binding, and then stitched the bottom of the pocket to the tote. It has been said that one of the spiritual questions most of us ask is: "How much is enough?" Nearly everything we do is a reflection of the presence or absence of spirituality in our lives.

I did this much. The strap takes 120" of fabric that goes up and around and down and over to make the second loop. Two sides of it get binding, one side machine sewn and the other hand stitched. 120" x 2. The tote is a holiday gift so doesn't need to be finished until November. Glad to have a head start on it. 

Recently, I made myself a promise to finish anything I start before starting a new project, so setting this one aside to work on other things is more difficult than I realized. It makes it difficult for the quilt-along, and that is an exception.

I do have projects that need to ship out earlier. I need to attend to them first. There is a label to finish one; basting, machine quilting & binding to be finished on the other. So it is important for me to remember that for now, enough is enough on the Weekender Tote Bag.

Pockets

After the quilting part, most of the Weekender Tote Bag was made in class which ran seven hours with a lunch break. Excitement can be both pleasurable and addictive. Quilting is that for me. Its been said that there is nothing wrong with being excited as long as it is a genuine celebration rather than a shortcut to disaster.

This is what the inner pockets look like inside the tote. The green. I never thought about how being a workaholic all my life was leading me to some disaster. Luckily, I have learned to pace myself, and take more frequent breaks from the work so I can eat, drink water and stretch. 

Even cutting stiff batting into smaller sections, there was a lot of work with the bag part above (22" x 38"). Next is hand binding outer pockets and binding on smaller pieces. I didn't like how the machine stitching turned out on the first bag and have time to make it turn out a little better. The pockets get sewn on their bottoms only.

The next part is the strap, and it too has binding, which I plan to machine stitch on, turn and then do hand binding. It will need machine quilting before adding the binding, so there is a lot of work left to do on this Weekender Tote Bag. I really don't mind taking it slower.

Working Weekender

I am back at the quilting part of the Weekender Tote Bag. That stiff batting is such a challenge. Its an interesting project, because the first Tote I made left me saying, 'Never Again' and yet, here I am, using it up rather than giving it away.

First of all, my intention was to make a MN Wild fabric tote, and that fabric was still waiting. Also, there is enough to do this tote and perhaps another one. At least this fabric is working with the stiff batting.

It is said that we see dimly into our futures,and that we are blinded by our glaring realities. This is my reality of my choosing...to make this Weekender Tote Bag with that hard-to-work-with stiff batting.  Once the quilting is done, the next parts of the pattern will be easy.

MN Wild Weekender Tote (sides)

It has been said that when Fear is in control, our only options are Fight or Flight. However, throughout my lifetime, Action is what sees me through.

I struggled with this tote pattern for the class project because of the batting and the way the pattern was written. I let the pattern's designer designate my survivalship and nearly lost my mind with it all. If it weren't for the class and the support I got in it, that project would have been an UFO.

There was enough stiff batting to get started on the second Weekender Tote. Again, its using what I have to go forward with projects. The outside pieces are cut, but I am still trying to decide which color I want for the lining. I am leaning toward red with green as the tote binding. Next, I make the pockets.

Healing Rice Bag

When my Housekeeper saw the other bags I made, she looked at them longingly, so I offered.

This one was also made from a flannel scrap and is a bit longer, so took a bit more rice as filler, maybe about 3 pounds. Threads need clipping and then it will get rolled & put in a baggie. This one has Frankincense and Myrr in it and will be wonderfully warming through winter months. It will wrap more generously around the neck. 

What is nice with these is that they can be used anywhere on the body aches and are weighted enough to stay put.

Plan B

Focus is important. By concentrating on what is in front of me, I learn my patterns, my rules. My world is often filled with wonder, and sometimes mystery. I have always been surrounded by surprises. It has been important for me to be aware of life around me as well as what happens within.

Top & Bottom of the last of the 2017 quilts matched at home, however, when I got them on the table, the length was short. I came home, pulled out dead plant matter from the North garden to fill the trash container, pulled some smaller weeds, and then came inside to add borders. The Top & Bottom need pressing and will be ready to baste in the morning.

I have leftover batting for the Weekender Tote Bag & started cutting pieces for it, which are now pinned to machine quilt.

It might go together easier cut into smaller pieces before machine quilting. The main piece of the tote is 22" x 38". However, because of the print, quilting on the white lines might make it easy. It will need close pin basting.

As chance would have it, I was able to order green & red online, meant for holiday quilting but working perfectly for this project. It is surprising how different the colors are, so I am still trying to decide which to use as the lining and which to use for the binding. I am going to take my time.

Chance. Change. Choice. I believe that nothing happens to me by chance. I believe that I must be willing to change with the slightest breeze. And most of all, I believe I have a choice to have a positive attitude, to laugh at roadblocks or detours and to keep on keeping on.

Italian Garden Quilt

Inspiration for the name of this quilt comes from the Green Maze Garden in Florence, Italy called Boboli Gardens, and was built for the Grand Dukes of Medici in the 16th Century. It has a very interesting history & stunning charm. For more information, you can look at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boboli_Gardens

I fell in love with the look of this quilt by the time I worked on the binding. My friend Rex sent me the lime green background, and I pulled out all the coordinating FQs from my stash. Of course, it needed a focus fabric and something for the borders. 

For the borders, I selected a Florentine Marbled Paper fabric that at one time was used for the inside of hard-backed books (the paper). It is still hand marbled in Florence by Berretti in small batches & sells for about $16 a page, probably for a minimum sale, plus shipping from out of the country. The fabric is a lovely complement for the quilt. I believe the paper is a green peacock pattern. It is just so perfect. 
See: Berretti-Florentine-Marbled-Paper

I am not sure I did as much research for a quilt's name in the past, but I did fall in love with this one because of the marbled look of the border print, and struggled with the structured look of the blocks. Then it all came together.

Rice Bags

The Admin in the Office loves these microwave Rice Bags. I've made them for her other years, and realized I had the rice, flannel and some essential oils.

Its such an easy object to make, but a bit heavy to ship, so I don't make them for family members in MN any more.

It takes a 2 pound bag of rice for the filling, plus a few drops of essential oil in each one. Fabric is cut 8" by 40", sewn right sides together, with corners clipped and then the bag is turned. 

The first channel is 5.5" from the edge, pinned in a line, with 1.5 cups of rice. That channel is stitched closed, and then each channel is marked 5.25", filled with rice and stitched closed. Then, a simple edging stitch around the four sides, to re-enforce it all. 

These bags were made to wrap around the neck. One bag holds Wintergreen Essential Oil, which has a lot of healing properties. The microwave will heat the bag and release the scent.

The second bag has a combination of Lemon Essential Oil for rejuvenation, and Orange Essential Oil for Lightheartedness.

Sometimes I have made cases to cover the bag and help it last a little longer. These are that luscious blue print and will most likely not show body oils. I don't plan to give them to her for a little while, so will think about whether or not to make the covers. I do have fabric and they are pretty easy.

Quilt Show

Displays from local quilters were a bit thinner than other years. I sort of breezed through them without getting any new ideas.

I did buy a few things that I needed more than from impulse buying. One vendor sold 108" backing and I got this orange for a quilt I know I want to finish, without knowing if it is really needed. Then I went to a local store to get thread, more Clover Clips and found this darling 'Black Sheep' fabric.

More binding yet today. Nothing to really show until it is finished.

Hand Sewing Binding

I like sewing binding by hand & have tried the machine method & fail miserably. I simply like doing it this way. Well, of course, the first part is anchoring it to the quilt and that is done by machine. You can find a tutorial on You Tube at: hand sewing binding

• Single thread the needle with about 18 inches of thread.  (If you use more it may get tangled.)  
• Fold the binding so that it covers the machine stitching line. I use Clover Wonder clips.
• Pull needle & thread through. The only stitches that will be visible are tiny "bites" into the backing.
• When you reach the corner, fold the binding so it forms a crisp miter. 
• You can then whip stitch the binding at the corner, or just continue hand stitching the binding.

Right now, I am hand sewing binding on the Weekend Tote, smaller projects and the Disappearing 4-Patch Quilt, so its quiet work. Nothing is finished, & everything is waiting on photos. I have 60 of the Clover Wonder Clips. Smallest packs are 10 each and I may buy another pack just to extend what I can do in one sitting.

So The Top Looks Good

I worked quite hard to avoid winkles, crinkles, puckers & rumps on the back as I quilt. Straight pinning the lines only helped me think that it worked, yet I did it for every line. And the back still is not perfect. Is it me? Is it my need for perfection? Everything we do, is less than perfect. For all of us.

My guess is that it will wrinkle even more after it gets washed a few times and no one will be any wiser for my struggle. So why then do I struggle for perfection when I know it is an illusion? 

I want to be in the state of mind that sees wrinkles as kickers, like this Women's World Cup winner. Life has wrinkles in it. Things don't always go as we plan. We can go back and try to fix things and in the end, we simply have to do the best we can with whatever skills are left in our bodies to use.

A Lesson Waiting to be Learned

As I quilted the first seam, of course when I got to the end of it, turned it over and found several wrinkles on the back. I ripped that line out and decided upon a different course of action. Much to my displeasure, it wrinkled yet again. The stress became so great that I could not return to the project.

Thing is, the stress factor was more than I thought would happen and whatever it was made me feel like not quilting.

Then the thought came to me that there must be a lesson about wrinkles that I am resisting. I hate this selfie but it is my reality, wrinkles and all. Not only do I see them spreading like that 'roadmap of my life' over my face, they are suddenly appearing on the backside of quilts! What's up with that? Now? After all these years of quilting there are wrinkles? I looked up the word and found this: wrinkle
noun

1. A line or an arrangement made by the doubling of one part over another:

crease, crimp, crinkle, crumple, fold, pleat, plica, plication, pucker, rimple, ruck, rumple

2. An indentation or seam on the skin, especially on the face:

crease, crinkle, furrow, line

3. Informal. A clever, unexpected new trick or method:

gimmick, twist

Informal: kicker

Slang: angle, kick

verb

To make irregular folds in, especially by pressing or twisting:

crease, crimp, crinkle, crumple, rimple, rumple. 

What I wonder most is about the metaphysical impact of any cause when all I can see is the effect. A major part of this blog was set in place for me to learn spiritual lessons through my quilting. Well, here is one. Wrinkles. And I am not sure how to wrap my head around it.

Practically speaking, I decided to pin where I planned to stitch to keep it in place. Yet, the act of pinning was also too much. It seemed that I was trying to strong-arm it through the issue or problem. I thought about clamps because the two quilts this happened to both hung over the tables and might not have had the back tight enough. Practical possibilities.

However, that is not what the greater meaning was all about. The words that define WRINKLES are quite rich in meaning themselves. If I am ever going to accept what is happening on my face, perhaps the informal definition is key; words like kicker for instance. Isn't that a kicker? might be a better thing to say to my reflection in the mirror and to the quilt line on back.

Ah well, the roadmap to my life is there, and the only thing to do about it is called Radical Acceptance. However, those wrinkles on back of the quilt are a different story.

Finally Basted

I've heard it said that joy is a secondary effect of a primary action. When we create an environment that supports and encourages someone else, we find joy in the doing. Certainly my quilts do that for me and the recipients.

I've had these last 2017 quilts ready to baste, and got this one done today. It is a 72" square so just is over the edges of 2 lunch-room tables about an inch, and because I had a harder time taping down those sides, it took longer to baste and ensure that everything stayed in place.

I have to say that because the size challenged me, my mantra was 'spark joy, spark joy, spark joy' over and over to remind me. 

In the past when I had a larger quilt, I put three tables together but then had to almost crawl to the center of it to baste. That was yet another reason to keep them smaller. When I do a repetitive pattern like this one, I don't really know how big it will end up. Of course the border sizes could have been smaller, but its basted now and ready to machine quilt. 

I bought a lighter green thread, have the bobbins loaded and the quilt rolled to fit in the throat of the machine. 

Scraps From Weekender

Often we can look right at something and not see it. Sometimes we see what we expect to see and sometimes we just miss what is right in front of us. Things are not always what they appear to be. I find that with scrap quilting. Sometimes I have to walk away from a project even if it means that it becomes a UFO.

Although scraps were small, with the very high cost of that poly batting, & the fact pieces were already quilted, I decided to make smaller, quite smaller totes from them.

I squared pieces and joined the smallest piece to make a small bag, which I will keep for myself. The binding was easy to do. I found some white cording and will need to come up with some sort of closure. I might look for a magnet thingy at the fabric store. My own small Coach strap broke, & this smaller quilted bag is perfect for my cell and credit cards. Its so Springy that I feel like its a take-off on the Game of Thrones House Stark words about Winter. 

"Spring is Coming."

The other one...well. I have another scrap to use as a side insert. I am not sure what kind of straps to put on it, so it will become a bit of a UFO if I don't get to it right away. It would be nice to finish and send to #4 Granddaughter with the Weekender. Not sure.

Weekender, Hah

It has been said that the world's greatest killer is the sense of inferiority. An inferiority complex. Clearly, it is chronic for me. On my good days, in the morning, especially, I start out with a new sense of self and go forward hoping to have success along the way.

This Weekend Bag Tote is a WIP (work in progress) and I wanted to do as much as I could while memory of instructions given during the last few moments of the class is still with me.This was Day 4.

It is rolled over & clippied for hand sewing. It most likely will take me to Day 5. However, its got to wait until I purchase dark green thread to hand sew the binding. I can consider it a UFO or a WIP. Either way, it sits in a bin for awhile and I need to go onto another project. All that angst. 

When will I ever learn?

The Class

One reason I like taking classes is to get socialization. There is more to any process than just going to the class, conference, seminar or meeting. Yes, it is socialization, yes it is learning. What I needed and received was validation and support. 

With this particular project, there was no instant transformation, no shortcuts, in spite of great explanations for the project, & tips from the Instructor as well as from other participants. It was still hard work from the moment the class started. 

At home, I had really beaten myself up with how inept I felt. I hated how it looked. It made me sad on so many levels as I struggled to follow the directions, and longed for it to transform and saw only a mess that I thought was unfixable.

Remarkably, this project turned into a work of art.

I wonder how I can recall the way I felt when I was so frustrated and lost, and see the truth of it. I was so dangerously close to giving up with all the frustrations I felt. Of course, the very problem I had with putting it through my machine was something the other participants experienced.  

It took me 2 days of quilting. The class was 6 more hours, and I am far from the finish on it, easily taking a day or more. 

It was nice to be in the company of other women. We chatted, worked, laughed a bit, and supported each other with gentle affirmations.

An important lesson I wish I could keep is seeing how things do work out. Another important lesson is that I am not alone and can seek the company of others when something inside me yearns for those splendid others, people who like what I like and enjoy me being me.

Pushed Beyond My Comfort

As I worked on the pre-class work for the Weekend Tote, I felt very pushed beyond my comfort in endless ways. 

The 100% poly batting was stiff and hard to handle because it is stiffly made for totes. The first time I basted, one side wrinkled and the whole thing needed re-doing. Even with the walking foot & rolling one side, seams wrinkled, so I moved my machine out to the desk, found unused garden gloves, pinned the roll & kept on going. Okay, enough whining.

Although I cut 22 strips for the strip version, and am pleased with the combination, I decided that this whole cloth would be easier, and oh my, am I glad I took the easier way to go. At least, I saved myself the joining of all these strips in an attempt to be ready for class. The weight of the sandwich pulled at the machine and pulled fabric as well. Quilting has to be done before class so I pushed on, in spite of the feelings the work generated.

When a person undertakes any action, they want to feel a sense of accomplishment with the purpose. And when THINGS or parts of the project stop working as you hope or plan, it is easy to feel like it is your fault, or your lack of talent, and that you cannot do it. All those feelings hit me. Yet, I pushed on.

I am glad it worked out to make with this fabric and will go to one of the Granddaughters if it gets finished. I hope to get tips from the other members and instructor and with a little luck, the next time I go to make it, things will turn out. Personally, I think it is the stiff batting, but time will tell.

I don't want to put blame elsewhere, nor do I want to take it on myself. It would be nice to find a balance in all of this, and maybe that will happen in time.

New Class

Benjamin Disraeli, who served two terms as Prime Minister of England, once said that the secret to success is consistency of purpose.

I am quite committed to shopping from my closet. I am quite committed to the consistency of this purpose. I signed up for a class at one of the local fabric stores to make a Weekend Tote using the MN Wild fabric I have, plus some coordinating fabric. The instructions would make the bag in 3 styles, so I need to measure the scraps I have to see what will work, and get started by cutting and quilting for the steps before the class.

I watch a lot of tutorials, and yet, NEED to get into a classroom setting every once in awhile to up my game plan a bit. Totes I have been making are quite, quite simple, using orphan blocks that end up being a smallish tote. This bag is larger and measures 22"x15"x8". It also has a clasp. If I am lucky with how it turns out, it will make a gift for my younger Son.

EDIT: The pattern includes three styles using whole cloth, a jelly roll, OR 5" charms. Once I learn the technique, I have another way to use up what I have. It looks like a purse from the photo, because the view from the side isn't shown. When I didn't have enough fabric to do the bag I wanted, I went into my stash and found pieces that I can cut into my own jelly roll.

The pattern says it takes 22 WOF at 2.5" so I need to get cutting and piecing. There are lots of blues/teals that will make up a bag perfectly. Unfortunately, too many of them are floral. I plan to shop at JoAnn's online to get what I need for my Son's bag.

Yaey, A New Quilt Kit

It took me awhile to label all the cut pieces in one bin, and now they are colorized too. I really wanted to make a quilt from the Halloween scraps I have, but there is not enough for any of the required parts to make it work.

I turned back to what IS there in the bin, and pulled out this combo, which DOES meet the requirements. This quilt pattern says it finishes at approximately 63" x 76" which makes a nice personal nap quilt. I am enchanted by house block quilts and this will have 4 machine embroidered house blocks.

I am taking a trip to the big city a little later and plan to purchase 5 yards for the back, and hopefully will find it on sale.

I am also going to look at the Halloween fabrics for an older purple with web fabric. One of the 'kits' I made needs a bit more of it. Its tempting to buy enough to use this quilt pattern, but the goal is to shop from my closet first and only go out shopping in stores to finish a project.

Nurse Mug Rug

Every once in awhile, I come across some 'word' patterned fabric and use it for something specific. Then it sits in my stash.

This fabric was for nursing. I still have scraps and decided to make a mug rug for my #2 Granddaughter who works in a WI senior care center. Her heart has always been sensitive to the needs of others, so it is a perfect profession for her. She is just starting out in her career & as any newbie in any profession, gets more of the work & less of the decision-making.

The other side uses up more of the fabric with two different highlighted words. I am not sure if she will take it to work or keep it at home. 

I used a different stitch on it...a sort of wavy line just to test how it looks. I may try it on one of the quilts going out yet this year. 

I have yet to make an appointment to baste. Our car is in the shop yet. The last part the mechanic needed is supposed to come today, hopefully meaning it is finished soon. I haven't planned to get to the PO until Saturday any way.

I have only one bin of fabric pieces and first colorized them. Then I measured each piece and labeled it with the size. It is getting harder to work with the scraps for quilt tops and I may need to start on the 'kits' I made sooner than planned or simply start finishing the 2018 projects sooner.

Black Cat Mug Rug

I have a lot of little scraps from Halloween that I used to make a mug rug for one of the swaps.

One swap pays attention to animals often symbolic of the holiday. I selected Black Cats to send out because I found this very cute 4" square that fits in the center of the mug rug perfectly. The Black Cat is in the bottom corner and a bunch more for the back!

The swap require other little things, so I printed off Edgar Allen Poe's famous short story called 'The Black Cat'. Its the one where the guy changes because of alcoholism, abuses and kills his wife, hiding her body in a false wall in the basement. When the cops come looking for her, they almost miss her until there are screams coming from the wall. Sure enough, the cat got walled in too. Its classic Poe.

I also found some Black Cat facts, like there is only one true breed that has real black to the root black ...the Bombay. I know this is true because I get my long-haired cats groomed and when they are cut close to the skin, the hair is so much lighter. I found a black cat tipped pen I have never used, made a black cat bookmark & found some paper accessories for other crafting. So my partner should be happy. I am.

SwapBot Exchanges

I did post this pic on FB to show that I do more than quilt. 

And while I did more organizing around the studio, this was my only accomplishment. In one way, papers and simple crafts like this are completely related to quilting. It is about color and composition. The process to do an Artist's Trading Card (ATC) and the holder, is interesting. The card is a regular playing card that is painted so the paper sticks. Then I used a couple of small scraps, glued them & cut them to fit. I had a couple of stickers, and used a glitter glue to add the dots & drips. After it all set, I brushed it against a stamp pad to give it another layer. The holder is double sided paper folded on four sides to fit and it is tied with the rope. 

Paper crafting is not my thing. There are few papers left from when I did some scrapbooking and not many accessories or tools.

I agreed to take over this group and set up swaps. And I have one starting every week until Hallows. This one was #2 and thus far, I did 8. It pushes me to do something different. #3 is just sending soft goods. I have a small pillow and an oven mit in the envelope, so I try to vary craft and simple assembly.

One of the swaps selects a Halloween animal and asks participants to send goodies to their partner focusing on this one. I chose the Black Cat, just to be safe and am going to make a mug rug out of scraps I have. Pics to follow when it is finished and ready to ship.

Radical Acceptance

Quilting is an issue for Radical Acceptance.

Victor Frankl is quoted: Everything can be taken from me but one thing: The last of the human freedoms— to choose my attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose my own way.                         When I am no longer able to change a situation, I am challenged to change myself. Between stimulus & response there is a space. In that space is my power to choose my response. In my response lies my growth & my freedom.

I read his book MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING when I was in high school, more than 50 years ago. Yet, here I am full circle, finding him again. Now, they credit this quote as a way to find Radical Acceptance. It is when we acknowledge reality for our life and at its core begin to channel energy to move on no matter what it is we face.

I thought I understood it all those decades ago, and now it makes even more sense to me.

The storage issue I had was about not being able to see what was in the clear containers. They really needed an inventory label. I had been wasting countless hours pulling them all out to find what I was looking for. The heaviness of each box was draining my physical strength. After pulling them all out, going through to find what I need, packing them again and putting them back, the day seemed as spent as I felt.

OMGoodgoddess. It was just like issues in my life! These containers were not sparking joy for me and I couldn't see.

Personally, I was fighting against aging, allowing myself to become depressed & feeling hopeless about what I did, how my quilts looked, and how I looked. I couldn't see what was inside because I wasted time looking at my outside image.

In my attempt to solve this storage issue & how it wore me out, I pulled everything into the room again, AND printed off or wrote labels for everything inside a container. I put the 2019 projects on the bottom stack in the corner, with the 2018 projects on top. In front for easy access were the projects that could be ,or might be finished yet in 2017. Plus, I labeled fabric & batting bins even though I could identify them. 

The Bird Quilts are finished and ready to ship, just not yet. They are on the bottom yet in front. I like to go through them, shake them out and refold so they don't crease as they wait.

Radical Acceptance is about healing one's self. It is recognizing that while life might not be fair or not be what one wants, it is what it is. Healing comes when you can move on.

It has been a joy to use what I have in my closets & watch the stash of it all diminish. 

Funny, that is exactly how I feel about my personal skills. Change is inevitable & I just want to keep going until it is done. My stash & my life. Its not morbid to accept change. It is healthy and necessary to live full out at any stage. 

I stopped joining swaps, simply set up to exchange blocks. It didn't work for me because I never felt like I measured up, even if that was an inaccurate perception. Stopping the swaps was clearly radical acceptance. I had less control over what I needed for myself.

What I had been doing with my organization in the studio simply wasn't working either. It was vital for me to find a different way, and with the blessing of the old gods & the new, this way might work for a time. 

And as far as how I feel when I look in the mirror or how it seems I have less energy to quilt, well, I did something in creating these labels. I tried taking a selfie to post here, but after way too many blurry images or stupid head tilts, I gave up and gave in.

I've actually got two goals with my things in the studio, in my home and in my gardens. First of all, I only want to work with projects that spark joy for me. When I get to the point in working with something that no longer serves my heart song, or abilities, then it gets to move along. Secondly, most people leave things behind for someone else to deal with. When that happens, I hope my labeling helps.

Part of the Radical Acceptance is knowing that I need goals and meaning in my life. I need hope. Having bins with projects to finish for the next three years might get me through all this fabric. 

It is what it is, and will be what happens.

August BOM

When the August BOM for Rising Stars came out, I was delighted to start working on it if just for a change in what had become routine. HOWEVER, sure enough, the bin that I thought held the project was missing. That sent me back in the closet yet again. Even though my bins are clear and even though I label them, my own notes are less clear than I would like.

So while I had almost everything out on the floor again, I re-sorted. The only comfort I can take is knowing that when the quilts get finished they will go out the door. And the second comfort is in knowing my stash is diminishing with time.

The block wasn't easy, yet it is really lovely. Also in the bin are coordinating scraps gathered to use on a back. I even had a pattern. What I decided to do was to start on its back before putting the container away. At one time, according to a note-to-self, I decided to make these scraps into a Rail Fence pattern, which actually would make a good balance to the sampler style BOM on the front.

I got a few of the 2.5" strips joined and ran out of thread. I know, its another excuse to have a UFO. And so I went onto to something else.

UFO Reality Check

As I looked at my sidebar for 2017/18 projects, I realized ALL of them are actually UFO's for some reason or another. It is maddening and quite frustrating for me that I didn't see what I was doing, or not doing. I followed up on my primary commitment earlier this year to finish the UFO's that caused me angst, so that was honesty. And done. However, even though most of the hard cases are finished, what remains is just a list of projects that simply needs finishing.

What I want to do is take each project one at a time & bring it to completion. There are some UFO's in my closet, invisibly tucked away in bins. No lie. When I come across one, I might put it to the top of the sidebar to-do list or might decide if it's time to put it in the giveaway box. Now that I have it in my mind about giving a 'spark joy' value to things, I am less likely to keep something I won't finish in the near future.

It is my hope to take the next 2017 quilt in for basting early in the morning some time soon; then machine quilt it, get binding on it, and have it ready to ship in September. 

One UFO on the list is for quilt backs from scraps, and as that is on-going until all the containers are gone through, I will do them whenever there is a pause in other projects. That helps me not get burned out too.

It only took a few hours for me to join rows to make one from 6" squares. These will be simple projects easy to work on between more complex quilts. However, the goal to use up what is cut & in the bin. I'd like to have a lot of them at the ready to use. They turn out so simple. I thought about making them into comfort quilts if there ends up being more than I need for backs.

Also, there are 2 quilt-alongs I joined this year that are high on the list to complete; one that needs fabric (purple with webs), or failing the find, must be a re-designed project. The majority of 2018 quilts are ready to baste and so next year will see me do a lot of machine quilting. 

I am much better at leaving myself notes-to-self, so that helps me to take out a project and get right to it rather than ruminating endlessly about my next steps on it.

2-in-1

I finished binding a quilt that has a BOM Mystery pattern on the back and a Calendar BOM on the top. The top is a calendar quilt that my friend Rex & I made and swapped each month. So it has all the blocks she made, which are quite stunning. The back is a BOM we joined together and is extended to fit the top.

That means two quilt projects were put together and are now out of the UFO status to be of use. This mystery quilt was a challenge for me and used up what I had for all parts of the blocks and binding.

This quilt stays in my home so that the care of it is more secure. When Rex & I made our blocks, we traded off each month's ideas for the theme and then did what we did. I might have pics of what I made for her somewhere. However, this is my finished version.

I took on a bigger task than I realized to finish UFO's this year. 

(Shown here with a King-size pillow inside, and clips to do the binding.) I probably will finish the hand binding on the B&W tote and then can attach the straps. I used 40 of the 5" charms for the outside, two White & B pieces for the sides, and a B&W for the inside and binding. All of this came from my closet. I did a dark/light layout to maximize the contrast. It is a smart looking bag that will go with any outfit my Granddaughter wears. 

Finishing up the UFOs brings on a lot of emotions and mental angst. Yet, when each of them gets finished and is removed from the sidebar, the sense of accomplishment is grand. Interestingly, with all the fabrics that get used, there is still so much left.