Small Victories

Ever have one of those weekends (weeks, months, years) where you feel that no matter how much you try nothing seems to be getting finished or going according to plan? Well if you said no, your either a) the luckiest person ever or b) a liar.

For me this has been an ongoing thing and those pesky guidelines they just keep coming (some are then going). Last week I wanted to get my commission project ideally finished but more realistically I wanted to get it pinned so that I could take it Friday to the arts event in Yadkinville and show it off to the future owner. I spent one evening moving furniture and stretching it out in the living room only to figure out that my backing and batting were to small for the finished project (OOPS -- yeah that's a more appropriate 4 letter word to go there). So I took the top with me to the event and it was very well received and the customer is eagerly awaiting the completion and we picked out new backing -- new deadline is 9/21. The event was slow but there was a great deal of interest in custom projects. I didn't get any pouches made for the event but need to start working on this soon because the next big event is in early October and this would be a nice addition to the booth. I did meet a fellow modern quilter that is also a photographer and can't wait to see the pictures that she took of my quilts. 

After an evening of all this quilt talk, I was geared up for quilting this weekend and had a list of things I wanted to accomplish -- sadly most of them were not achieved. Saturday we decided on a whim to go to IKEA and get more display cases. Well while I was there I also picked up some fun fabrics that I have seen around and already have great things planned for both of them. 


Sunday, I finally made it into the craft room --- only to be faced with cleaning things up before  I could get started in trimming up a bag of scraps that a friend brought me so that they could be stored. I pulled items to work on but still no sewing. I did however have a helper --- this was the best of the bad places that he wanted to be while I cut scraps. 

Sometimes I had 2 helpers -- double trouble -- good thing I didn't need that ironing surface guys. 

Monday I had a late morning dental apt so I took the day off work thinking great I will have the house to myself and I can knock some stuff out before the apt and go to the quilt shop in the evening before my embroidery class to stretch that quilt for pinning. I decided to make red velvet brownies to celebrate the birthdays of 2 ladies at the quilt shop and after they got in the oven I got a call from hubby saying he needed my help because he had forgotten his work keys -- another delay in quilting but at least one yummy thing was being crossed off the list. 

That afternoon when I got back home I was determined to put some time in on the sewing machine before heading up to Sewingly Yours. The next deadline is the end of this month so I decided the sister thing swap item was the place to start because it is larger than the mug rug I need to put together for the guild swap. I'm in the groove of FMQ and another call from hubby. He's been having trouble with his hand for over a month and finally is ready to go to the doctor about it -- I agreed to go, knowing that if I didn't and if the wait was to long he wouldn't stay. I ran to drop off the brownies and then off to the doctor we went. I wasn't able to go to the meeting so instead when I got home I finished up quilting the designer showcase. 

I put her daughter's name in the stitching and a few other words relating to things that are important to her,

and here is the top view all squared up and now I'm ready for binding. I will finish this within the week and mail by Saturday along with my other finish this month of small squares for that fun swap. 

Along with this project I need to also complete -- the guild mug rug, stretching that commission quilt, binding the City Scape and finish designing the guild travel pillow swap (now that I know who my partner is and started looking for ideas on Pinterest). 

I have also decided that I will be putting myself on a fabric diet for the next month in preparation for the upcoming Quilt Carolina Shop Hop. NO new fabric until then unless it is absolutely needed to complete an item that is on a deadline and nothing in the stash will work -- I may go into withdraws but I'm going to try my best, it may be a very long month. I'm so looking forward to this event and hope to get a travel group together for a day trip to the Raleigh shops. 

Happy quilting everyone -- let's hope the next 2 weeks are more accomplished than the last 2 have been. 

If your over at Lily Pad Quilting don't forget to vote in the pets on quilts contest -- I'm number 45 in the cat group.