It's Christmas Eve. . . .

Ditch quilting

It's Christmas Eve and all through the house this woman and her husband are scurrying about readying the house for Christmas dinner! Today, there will be baking and prepping with a little tidying thrown in to give variety. I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday enjoying good food, family and friends!

I've looked at my December list and can see that I'll not be meeting four of my goals. Towards the end of each month I review the list with a critical eye. I see the goals that I've set and see if there is a way to meet them. This month there are four goals which I won't meet. These are: 1. Finish the Farm Quilt. 2. Get the Color project to a top. 7. Help Miss K make progress on ditch quilting her string quilt. 8. Determine if I'm going to embark on a 2024 temperature quilt.

Color project

I listed ten goals on my December list and met six goals. All in all, I am having a productive month! Next, I look at what is holding me up from making progress on those goals. First, I take a general look at the month.  

This month, I know that I've spent more time than I had planned, working through the mystery clues for Indigo Way. I also picked up three weeks of work that I hadn't planned on doing. My physical time in the studio has been greatly reduced. After work, even though it was under 20 hours each week, I'm tired when I return home. Often, managing a few hours doing hand work is all the energy I have remaining in my tank! Finally, Gertie, my inner squirrel, encouraged me to play with a gifting project. I'll share that project next month!

Miss K and her String quilt

Next, I take a critical eye at each project. For finishing the Farm Quilt, I've started the ditch quilting. Allocating more time next month is likely what I need to do in order to get the project to the finish line. After all, if I'm not stitching on it, I won't finish it! 

Regarding the Color project, I seem to be hung up on the size of the background. I know it will be black. I'm concerned that 45 inches isn't going to be tall enough. Piecing should be fine; but, the idea doesn't feel right. Perhaps, I need to cut a chunk of
fabric that is longer than a yard and see if a larger rectangle shape feels better to me.

Regarding Miss K's string quilt, she has spent all last week being an extra set of hands helping out at home while her mama recovered from COVID. Yesterday, they all tested negative so perhaps, we can figure out a day to stitch before her winter break is over.

Embroidery software project

While I will have months ahead of me to finish the current temperature quilt, I would like to do another temperature quilt. I've had an idea in my head for months. Drafting the pattern has been my bottleneck. 

I also want to learn my embroidery software and play with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge next year. I've decided to make a dent in my selvage container so I've come up with a block. These blocks will take some time to make so this project could go on for several years. I registered for a software class that will be taught over ten months. 

Can I plan enough time to do all three AND make progress on projects that I've started but haven't finished. I need to think more about the temperature quilt. Perhaps, I will plan to record the temperature and put it together much later.

I need to noodle on the temperature quilt a while longer. Now that I've had this conversations with myself, I be better able to plan my list of goals for next month as well as the year ahead. I know that I accomplish much more if I have a plan!