2020 Projects



I always have to laugh when I hear someone say that they have a "couple" of projects going as though that is a terrible thing! They have NO idea! That's what my latest video is about!

Watch the video first and then to see more of what is in my project bins; read the rest of this post! 

2020.01.20Projects-5
I am a list maker.  Every year, I make a new list of projects and things I want to complete that year.  Some years I make great progress, others... well, not so much!  Then I make new lists.  Reorganizing my studio this month made me realize that my lists of projects were vastly incomplete - all three of them! In fact, I probably had 3 times (or more) the number of unfinished projects than were actually on my lists.  So my daughter and I set out to make sense of everything.

We sorted everything into 4 bins.

2020.01.20Projects-2
Bin #4 is the "cold storage" bin.  The one of projects I probably won't have time to work on for a long, long time.  

2020.01.20Projects-26
This is what is in the cold storage bin.  Several embroidery projects that range from a dresser scarf, numerous cross stitch kits, and a shirt I'm embroidering.  There are some quilt projects including a log cabin quilt that was pieced by one of my great Aunts that I'm finishing, another log cabin quilt that I started piecing in 2015, as well as an appliquéd bunny quilt I started when I was pregnant with my daughter - 37 years ago! Yikes! Then there are some kits and patterns I've picked up here and there, including a rug hooking pattern/partial kit because it's something I'd like to try at least once.  There are also a number of Altoid Tin kits that I put together for a workshop I taught in 2016.  As I look at this pile, they are all still things I'm interested in completing... someday!

2020.01.20Projects-1
Bin #3 is filled with lots of odd bits of projects, miscellaneous blocks, etc.  It's the junk drawer of my crazy quilting world.  This is also mostly a cold storage box as there isn't a lot in here I'm planning on working on in the coming year... and yet, there a few things that will probably find their way into my work bag from time to time.

2020.01.20Projects-23
There are blocks made for pincushions that never got made, blocks made for doing some stitch samplers, little blocks I embroidered in 2017 that never got made into anything.  There are several bags of round robin projects that have never been finished as well as bags of miscellaneous blocks that I made up here and there but have never done anything with.  Lots to work with here, but not much for the immediate future.

2020.01.20Projects-22
Also tucked into bin #3 are my various "faux paper piecing" projects.  These range from the Woodland quilt that I started back in 2010 or so, the bags of bits for making pocket prayers and a couple of other small pieced items I've been playing with.  These are great take-along projects and so these will probably all get stitched on a little bit here and there - just as they have been for the past 10 years!  They are constantly progressing and changing as I work on them.  Let me know if you would like a tutorial on doing a small project like the pocket prayers.

2020.01.20Projects-3
Bin #2 has some fairly large projects that I've been gathering materials toward.  It's not quite cold storage, but most of these projects are still a ways off, as I simply MUST get some other projects out of the way first.  

2020.01.20Projects-24
Here is Thomas kitty looking pretty disgusted with me for having so much stuff to work on!  

2020.01.20Projects-25
These are projects that I really want to work on!  They are big projects that are far enough along, that I've gathered materials for and have a pretty good idea of what I want to do with each one.  There is a folk art wool quilt, some old quilt blocks made by another great Aunt that I'd like finish.  There are two sets of blocks I made back in 2015 when I thought I could do 3 blocks a month while working full time and take care of a house and big garden... it obviously didn't work out!  Theres a project with a piece of embroidery I found at a thrift shop, which should be a fairly quick project once I actually have time to get started on it.  There's a Bavarian Trim quilt to work on, some wool pennies, a project inspired by a piece of pottery I found at the antique store, and a collection of things I've been gathering for a special "Ivory Blush Roses" project!

These are the projects I'm really itching to get working on!  But... with so many other things yet unfinished, they are going to have to take a back seat for this year.  

2020.01.20Projects-4
Bin #1 is the stack of priority projects that I aim to finish this year.  Most of these are projects that a nearly complete.  My daughter called them NFPs or Nearly Finished Projects. I also wanted to do a big project, similar to the Crazy Quilt Journal Project, but without actually joining that group this year.  I came up with 2 of them.  A denim crazy quilt, which I'll be posting more about later in the week, and the heart quilt which began as a round robin in 2014 or 15.  Those are YLPs or year long projects.

2020.01.20Projects-6
The video went into detail on these so I won't repeat that here.  These are things I'd love to get finished and off my project list!  A few of them have been there for a very long time... like the Scottish themed block that might have been the 3rd or 4th block I ever made.  There are three round robin projects in here to finish as well.  So, 11 NFPs, 2 YLPs, and 2 bonus projects - Lots to work on!

Now that I'm "retired" and have a much smaller house and yard to care for, hopefully I'll be able to stay focused and productive this year!  I'm looking forward to sharing these projects with you via You Tube in the coming months!

P.s. I also have a large tub of unfinished projects in my storage locker... deep, deep cold storage!  Mostly embroidery and sewing projects as well as some needlepoint.  I don't even want to think about those!  My daughter thinks I have enough projects to work on for the rest of my life if I work at it full time.  I'm afraid she might be right!

Comments

Janice Smith said…
Hi Lisa,
I loved this post and video. Boy can I relate!!! I have so, so many stitching projects on which to work. I enjoy crazy quilting, wool applique, and quilting and I’m pretty sure that I will need to live to be 149 to use up all my fabric, wool, and kits. :-)

The other night at a quilt guild meeting I purchased two bags of mostly silk ties to use in my crazy quilting. Over the weekend, I used pieces of those ties to dye a silk scarf. Please visit my blog if you would like to see how it turned out. I can not wait to try it again.

I’m looking forward to seeing your progress on this year’s monthly pieces; they all look like they will be fun to complete.

Happy stitching!

Janice
https://apositiveoutlook-janice.blogspot.com
Anonymous said…
What beautiful pieces you're working on, Lisa. It's giong to be a very busy year for you with all those projects.
I love your studio, so very 'you'.
love Val x

Popular Posts