Strings!!

My string drawers were so full that I couldn't fit in another string. Really. I mean it. So, instead of making a backing for Easy Street I decided to sort and organize strings. What I discovered was an overabundance of red black and white strings.  After fiddling around with graph paper I decided I'd make a red white black heart quilt.  These little string blocks finish at five inches and so far I've made about 100 of them.  The drawer closes now and I'm pretty happy so far with what I've got. What do you think?

Scrap Bin Show and Tell

A few clever people sent me photos of the scrap bins they made from my tutorial.

Look at the adorable bin Impera Magna made:

She even improved on my methods by using spray adhesive

Isn't Rhonda's adorable?

I am embarrassed to admit that I got a third photo from Texana (her HGTV forum name),  She sent me a nice note with the photo asking if she could post it on the HGTV forum.  She posted it and gave me a very nice shout out.  THANKS!  BUT, I have searched and searched all my messages and I can't find hers.  I really wanted to post it here because she came up with a clever, alternate way to fasten the ends of the boxes closed.  She didn't have enough fabric to overlap the ends so she added a tab on the top flap.  It worked really well.  If you are reading this, resend me the picture and I'll edit this post.

I spent the last two and a half days with my behind firmly planted in another of those educational seminars I am forced to take for my work.  Since I got more than a few supportive comments about feeling guilty when I do handwork in these seminars, I went ahead and brought some with me.  Most of the speakers were SO BORING that I got a lot accomplished.  During breaks I noticed one gal working a counted cross stitch and another knitting.  So I think I am in good company.  All of the blocks I am working on are for an as-yet-unselected UFO from Judy's challenge.  If I only had one more seminar, I think I would get all the Applique done.  

It's late and I must get to bed.  Tomorrow I am going to quilt the February UFO and get the binding attached.  I'll still have to stitch the binding down and add a label before Monday night.  YIKES!   Wish me good luck.

I think this is an appropriate quote for tomorrow:

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance."

                                                                 ~ Samuel Johnson 

Signature powered by WiseStamp 

So Many Quilts, So Much Stress

It has been dawning on me over the last few weeks that I am starting to feel controlled by my "hobby."  Quilting is my passion.  It makes me happy, relieves stress, and makes me feel Oh So Virtuous to have pretty things to show for the hours I hole up in my studio.

In preparing for Judy L's UFO challenge, I dug through my stuff neatly organized storage and found 12 UFOs in about 5 minutes.  The startling realization that I could identify 12 UFOs in so short of time shook me up a bit.  I started paying more attention to my piles other areas of carefully organized craft materials and I have identified MANY more UFOs, PIGS, and parts for potential, but as yet unidentified, additional projects.

Now I am feeling pressure to finish these projects and get things cleaned up around here.  Then....something new and pretty will catch my attention and before I know it I've got another project started.

Bits and Parts that could some day be some really great projects.

Here is what I am committing to myself to do about this stress:

1.  I will complete each month's UFO.
2.  I will use a UFO as the leader/ender while I am working on another project (I tend to just make 4-patches as UFOs).
3.  Since the bits and parts that are hanging around my studio stress me the most, I will come up with a design and spend one evening a week completing that project.

That's enough for now.

Does anyone else ever feel like this?