WIP - Let's get busy

Works In Progress
I don't know about you but I have too many WIP to justify starting any new projects. (There are so many more projects I want to do)

Most of my WIP are big and only 1/2 completed so finishing them up in a weeks time is not feasible with the schedule I have now.
I have to work out a plan that will allow me to take bites out of these projects that will eventually lead to completion without me always feeling overwhelmed.

It seems I start something, work on it for awhile, see something else I want to make, get started on that and so on.

I am sure there is a psychiatric term for this affiction. Adult ADD? CQCPD? Compulsive Quilt Change Project Disorder?

My solution?
I am still working this out in my mind but here is one idea....

For those projects that are still in the piecing stages - work 1 block a week. I think I can manage that.
I have 4 quilts I can think of right now in this stage that I want to get done.
4 blocks is manageable, 16 blocks a month is a little overwhelming though.
These blocks range in size from 6" to 16"'s so 4-6" doesn't seem enough and 4-16" could be ok or a lot depending on what the day brings on.

I work 3rd shift during the week so I rarely see family or friends during the week and my weekends are spent juggling all of them. Nuff said. I CAN do this.
Or maybe I will work on 2 piecing projects and one long arm quilting project a week. Hummm.

In an ideal world I wouldn't have an outside job and would sew to my hearts content.

Oh well, I appreciate the times I do have to quilt and sew, and I love the feeling of a job well done. I would love to hear how you manage the quilting time in your busy life.
I am leaving you with 2  pictures of projects on my design board that I will be working to get finished.

Thanks for stopping by.

Good Morning All,
I am in my studio today working on my long arm. I am sewing feathers actually. I can't believe how fearful I have been about starting these. No, they are not perfect but I really do have to start somewhere, so I just jumped right in. 

I am taking a break to post this blog and a few pictures of my studio. I did get the floor all stripped. Looks kind of Yukky right now. 

The walls are all painted and I bought a new cabinet for fabric storage. I am thinking about getting a new sewing table from Ikea. I got the idea from here and I think I could make it work in here. Still just thinking about it though.

Here is my long arm. Then right across from it is my ironing board, with the design board on the wall next to it. I made the design board out of a 4x8 piece of fiber board that I got from Menards. I had them cut it in half - 2 pieces 4x4, then I covered them with batting. 

Seems to be working so far, though I only have one of them up on the wall. I haven't decided where I want to put the other one.

Well, I better get back to my machine. I am on a roll so I can't quit.


Thanks for stopping by.
Have a great day.

Crocheted Lacey Afghan

Good morning all,
 This afghan has been in my WIP box for a long time and now I can finally mark it Done! YAY!!!

I finished my afghan while listening to a book on tape called Left Neglected by Lisa Genova. It is an EXCELLENT Book and I highly recommend it. I checked mine out from the public library.


Onto quilting>>>>
It seems I have had a "sewing block" lately. Really it has been going on for weeks, soon to be stretching into months. I walk into my sewing room, look around and walk back out. Does anyone ever have this happen to them??  How did you get over it and get back to it? I know "Just do it!" but that doesn't seem to be working here. Maybe my room needs some inspiration. I don't know. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

I do love listening to books on tape while sewing but don't have any room for my CD player. HHmmmm, probably need to do some more rearranging. I suppose I will go back in there and take another look around. :)

Anyways, Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you are getting some of your WIP's knocked off your list too.

The blahs

Hello everyone,
 What can I say... The blog is bogging down. I haven't been in my sewing room in weeks. :( Would love to hear what you are working on.

It is cold here in Iowa today with winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour. How's that for a weather report.

Random thoughts: I have been reading other bloggers to get inspired.... projects are calling my name.....my neck hurts, going to a chiropractor on Friday.... Internet finally came back up today. YAY!!!

Anyways, I hope you all are sewing along.
Thanks for stopping by,

Happy New Year 2012

Happy New Year Dear Friends,

2011 is over and it is time to move on. (Don't look back to those incomplete resolutions of last year)  :)

Just to catch you up a little, the walls in my studio are all painted, the floor is stripped down to the concrete ( I can't decide on the kind of flooring to put in) and now I am working on organizing all of my fabric and books. I am slow to say the least.
Have I been sewing lately? Heck YES!!!
A few months ago a friend asked me to make a rag quilt out of some fabric she had purchased. Being the brave soul that I am (having never made a rag quilt), I said Yes, I would.
Sew>>> I set out to research Rag Quilts and found lots of info about them on the internet. They seemed pretty easy (and are) so I made 3 baby quilts before moving on to tackle this project. I haven't any pictures of this one but when I finish I will post pictures.
I still have oodles of WIPs and lots of ideas for new projects.
Since I last posted, My husbands oldest daughter got married in October. She had a beautiful wedding and the are happily doing their married life.
Christmas was quiet around here. We will be celebrating with family this weekend, January 7th and I can't wait to see all of the grandkids. (You too MOM!)
I hope all of you who follow this had a wonderful holiday season. I am looking forward to a great and productive New Year.
Thanks for stopping by and God Bless,

Ceiling is Done!

Yay!!! The ceiling is finished and looks awesome. Here are a couple of pictures. I am going to borrow my daughters paint sprayer and spray paint it white some time next week.

 The next project to get done in my studio is THE FLOOR! Yes that is sticky back vinyl tile and it is time to put in something new and more durable.I have been looking at tile called Dura Ceramic  but I am not sure about it yet. I am still researching it. Any and all suggestions or comments are welcome.

Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you have a wonderful day.

The Summer is quickly passing.

Good Morning,
Yes, the summer is quickly passing and blogging has fallen to the wayside. I wish I could say that I have been steadily stitching away but I am afraid that hasn't been the case.
I just finished up reading a series of books by Bodie and Brock Thoene. It started with The Zion Covenant Series and ended, (I think) with the Zion Legacy series. Excellent reading that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will be going to the library tomorrow to see if there is more to this series. :)
Last week I moved most of my sewing things out of my studio. This week I am having a handyman come in and repair the ceiling in there and then I am going to take all of the wallpaper off of the walls and paint them an antique or off white color. I hope to find something for a better cutting table that is within my budget (cheap but sturdy) and a better sewing table that fits me better. Right now I am sewing on a regular dining room table and I think it is too high and causes my arms and shoulders to ache after a few hours of sewing.
Here are some before pictures

This is the ceiling that needs repair.

The side of the room that I didn't picture is a wall with 2 sliding glass door. They badly need to be replaced too.
Hopefully in the next few months I will be able to show improvements.
Thanks for stopping by.
God Bless.