Finishing Projects - Mid Month Update

Hard to believe we are already half way through May.  Lot's going on this month, especially with Drama Teen graduating from 8th grade this year.  Even with all the extra stuff going on, good progress has been made on this month's sewing goals.  

Goal number 1 was to finish getting the binding on the Evening Star quilt.  That's done.

Evening Star
Pattern from Calico Carriage
Designed by Debbie Maddy

That's my first finish of 2013.  If I get the rest of this month's goals done, I'll end the month with five finishes.  

Goal number 2 is to make the binding and get it sewn onto The Sofa Quilt.  The binding is made, attached to the front, and I'm working on hand stitching it to the back.  

The Sofa Quilt

Pattern is Nicole's Sofa Quilt by Judy Laquidara

(available here)

I'm just about to turn the corner on the first side.  This will be finish number 2, hopefully sometime this weekend.

Goal number 5 was to finish the Calico Cats quilt.  Since the beginning of the month all the blocks have been made, the blocks have been sewn together, and the borders added to make it a finished flimsy.  

Calico Cats
Pattern is Fat Cats from the
The Quilter Magazine (July 2006)
by Lucy A. Fazely and Micheal L. Burns

It was sent out for quilting, which is finished now.  It should be back here next week all ready for binding.  

I'm feeling really good about what's been done so far.  Goals 3 and 4 were to make and sew the binding on the OSU Quilt and Sweet Treats.  No progress on those two goals as yet, but I'm sure it will happen this next week.  

Hope your sewing plans for the month have been going well.  I'm ready to get these 5 quilts done.  It's been a bit of a forced march with these as they are gifts that need to be done this month.  It's definitely made me manage my time more effectively, but I'm ready for a few months being able to sew without deadlines.  Too bad, I really should start looking at what I want to get done for Christmas gifts.  

Wordless Wednesday - Spring Memories

15 Minute Challenge - Do you have Multipotentiality?

It's really spring.  How can I tell?  I have the sinus headache to prove it.  I don't get these headaches as often as I used to, which is a really good thing, but it would be an absolute great thing to never get another!   But as I have one, distraction is often a key to surviving what is often a multi-day affliction.  So this morning I've been contemplating and researching this month's fostering creativity theme  which is explore other creative interests in hopes of forgetting I even have a headache.  It's sorta working.  

The value of exploring other creative interests is to keep your mind stimulated and allow you to approach quilting from a different perspective.  As I pointed out last week, many quilting bloggers  have multiple interests that creep into their blog posting.  Even writing a blog is a creative endeavor.  So exploring other creative interests doesn't really seem to be lacking in the crew I follow.  Maybe the biggest challenge for many of us is finding a way to balance all those creative interests.  I certainly struggle with that. There weren't any complete answers in the Google searches I did, but there were some interesting concepts about balance.  

• Developing a Balance by Adam Singer
• Managing Multiple Passions by Anuj Magazine

I also learned a new term "multipotentiality".  According to Wikipedia, multipotentiality refers to "an individual whose interests span multiple fields or areas".  Check out the link, it's an interesting definition.  

So how well did you do this week with staying on task with your quilting, knitting or whatever your craft de jour was last week.  I did pretty well with 6 out of 7 days with at least 15 minutes in the sewing room.  

Link up and share how well you did or didn't do this last week. 

Design Wall Monday - May 13th

I was thinking this morning how the tempo and rhythm of life in this house has changed as Drama Teen has grown.  From making sure that she had clean outfits in her diaper bag for daycare to making sure that she has clean spandex and jerseys for a weekend volleyball tournament.  From chasing her around the house when she wanted to play, to driving all over town for 8th grade pictures.  From taking her to the park to play on the slide to dropping her off at the movies for a "date".  In a few years she'll leave for college and the rhythm will shift as dramatically as the day she come home from the hospital.  I'm both looking forward to and dreading that day.  But that is a few years away, so for now I'll just enjoy the ride.  

One reason for all the reflective thinking is the time I've been spending in my sewing room working on 5 quilts that need to be finished before the end of the month.  The last of those five , Calico Cats, became a finished flimsy on Saturday.  

Calico Cats
Pattern is Fat Cats from the
The Quilter Magazine (July 2006)
by Lucy A. Fazely and Micheal L. Burns

The backing was pieced yesterday.  Hopefully this will be on it's way to Trudy for quilting before the end of the day.  The colors are actually brighter than what the picture shows.  I like how it turned out.  I just hope the family friend enjoys it.  This quilt has been on my bucket list since I saw the pattern in the magazine.  It feels good to get one more project off the PIGS list and the fabric out of the stash.  Now that this one is going out for quilting, I'll be spending the next week binding the previous four quilted projects.  There should be lots of finishing in May.  

That's my design wall this week.  Check out Patchwork Times to view more works in progress.  

Stash Report- Week 19

No big plans for Mother's Day here. My Guy made me date nut scones for breakfast, which is one of my favorites.  There is talk of making something on the grill for dinner, My Guy and Drama Teen are still working out what that will be.  No plans to be out and about, so I should get in some nice stitching time this afternoon.  

Calico Cats became a finished top yesterday and I got a start cutting out the back, but didn't get it all sewn together.  So this week's stash report is a bit anemic.  

Used last week: 1.76 yards
Added last week:  0 yards

Used for 2013:  39.67 yards
Added for 2013:  79.25 yards

Net stashed for 2013:  39.58 yards

Not a bad week though.  Nothing in and a bit out.  My net stashed is just under what I've used this year.  So I'm not too far out of balance with my the fabric in versus the fabric out.  Definitely better than I've done in past years.  

Check out all the reports from fellow stash "busters" over at Patchwork Times.