I am going to try a few new things this year. First, my scraps are overflowing, so I'm going to try to join in with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The color for January is green. Most of my greens are...meh. I keep wavering between a few projects. Right now I'm leaning towards Sandra's slab star tutorial because I have a lot of skinny strips and tiny pieces in my baskets.
Next, I am going to try to complete a PHD--Projects Half Done this year. Here is my proposed list for the year. If you've followed me for any length of time, you've seen most of these projects multiple times over the past few years. You may even be sick of hearing about them. Maybe even as sick as I am of looking at them. Perhaps this is the time for me to finally finish the things.
1. Grassy Creek quilt
This is the Bonnie Hunter mystery from 2020. I got stalled out at making string pieced border units. They are now made, but not attached. My OMG this month is to get the top completed. I'm hoping to pull off a miracle and get this pieced, quilted, and bound in time to enter it in the IHQS. Entries close February 5. I'm not sure I have enough of any fabric except the green left for binding and I don't love that choice. 😕
2. Log Cabin Stars
I joined in a QAL last fall. I haven't had time to finish the top. I do have backing, binding, and a quilting plan ready.
3. Dress form
I purchased this custom pattern as a birthday gift to myself last summer. I have not had time to make it. 😭
4. Macaron Mystery quilt
I think I'm in good shape on this one. I've kept up with the clues so far. I do have backing and binding fabrics selected. I need to get it quilted and bound in a timely fashion. I never quilted last year's mystery quilt. 5. Quilt & bind art quilt
I made this in a class. Has it been almost two years ago now?? According to the instructor, it needs to be densely quilted with invisible thread. I'm scared to try the invisible thread on the longarm. I did that one other time and it didn't go well.6. Bias binding onto jacket
This has been hanging around for months (actually years, but my daughter claimed it last year). No good excuse for why it's not done.
7. Batesville BOM
This project has been in progress for 16 years or so. I made the remaining blocks last year. The setting is challenging, so I've been putting it off. It's also not really my taste, which makes it even harder to want to finish.
8. RSC
No photo; see green scrap bin at top of post. My scrap bins overflow. Time to try something new to actually use some of them.
9. In and Out mini
This has been ready to sew for over a year.
10. one donation quilt using a Frankenbatting
I was gifted this jelly roll in October. I'd like to make something to donate, and bonus, make a Frankenbatting. As a longarm quilter by trade, I have A LOT of batting cut offs.11. one item of clothing, tbd
I have many options. All waiting on the dress form. See photo below. The clothing fabric is in two piles on the lower right in the photo, one pile on the floor (plaid), one spread over some of the bins.
12. one quilt top just for fun, tbd
Lots of projects to choose from. I alternately think of this as my closet of shame and my closet of possibilities. I did pretty well in 2023 with making things only from what I already had and trying to buy less and use more. I'd like to stay on that path.
13. Make selvedge yarn
I have enough to knit at least one rug, maybe two.
So there's my list. Can I earn a PHD in 2024?
Random aside...I have a master's degree and never had any desire to go on and earn a PhD. I also feel like I did an MBA as my husband earned his since I read part of his assignments and proofread most of his work. I think I've had enough formal schooling for my lifetime. Now I learn things for fun, not because I have to.
In quilting news, I am back to work. The first quilt of the year was Keetah's Christmas tree quilt, quilted with the Christmas design and thread in the color of Eggnog. 😏
Then I quilted Sara's quilt with the Moon & Stars design. She's been so good at using her scraps.
Next was one of Mary Ann's, quilted with Flirtatious and purple thread.
Then I quilted Margaret's quilt with Ginger Snap.
This one belongs to Carol T. She left it to me to decide and I picked The Tempest.
I have a few more quilts in my queue, then I'm wide open until more bookings come in. 😬 I guess I could have lots of time to get moving on all these projects, but it does make one a bit nervous when it seems like there's not enough work to meet income needs/goals.
Over in the home improvement arena, the closet is basically finished. We ended up short one hanging rod (I totally forgot to buy it) and that is on order.
I also need to paint the underside of the filler caps (like 60 of them) we bought on Amazon because they look really gray when installed. We will need to glue them in place since they don't fit snugly. I can't believe IKEA doesn't sell something for this.
I spent a good part of the weekend filling most of the remaining holes with Variera plugs. I did have some help from the family, but did a lot myself because I was motivated to be done! My fingers and thumbs are pretty sore. I switched to using the handle end of a screwdriver the second day. Should have been smart enough to do that the first day. Here are some photos from all angles.
I've already put all my clothes back in. My husband has only done part of his. I have a lot of extra space on my side of the closet. We'll see how his does once we have the hanging rod in hand and also unload his existing dresser into the drawers. Overall, I'm very happy with the end results. It looks much better than the single wire rack we had previously. It seems to be a much more efficient use of space and I can easily reach my clothing now. (Someone hung the original wire rack higher than I requested and I seem to be shrinking as I age.)
This post is really long, so I'll stop here. If you made it to the end, thank you for sticking with me. See you next week.
Your Grassy Creek colors are so pretty! As for your art quilt, using invisible thread should make FMQ easier to do--can't see the miss steps. Put poly thread in the bobbin and loosen the invisible thread tension way up. You've already quilted a lot of quilts this year!!! The closet is looking set for organization.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have A LOT on the go, between your own projects and those you're quilting for other people. I'm not sure which of your projects I like the most. They are all beautiful. I do like the Batesville BOM project, but the Grassy Creek is pretty too...and the log cabin stars. :)
ReplyDeleteIf I dont want the thread to show much, I use silver in a very thin poly, like 60 wt
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea. I have a lot of 60 wt and one spool of 100 wt.
DeleteLooks like a nice, varied list of projects for this year. Welcome to PHD in 2024!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Hoping for a successful year.
DeleteYour art quilt is stunning. You've got it with just quilting and a binding left to go.
ReplyDeleteI am envious of your beautiful closet. It will be wonderful and those sore fingers will heal.
Your neatly organized sewing bins are so pretty to look at - enjoy them this year.