Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Oh the Places We'll Go (and the projects we'll start) {100th Post}

Exciting news:  This is my one hundredth blog post!  Yay!  Thanks so much for joining me on this journey.  I'm glad that you're here and I'm grateful that you are actually interested in what and why I make.  I'd like to do something to celebrate this milestone but I'm not sure what yet.  Stay tuned for that...

This milestone also got me thinking about all of the projects I've blogged about but never finished.  I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with it all: keeping track of it and while being influenced by other ideas and my own creativity.

This inspired me to actually inventory all of my WIPs to see just how bad it really was.  I knew I had a lot but I was truly shocked by the number when I was finished.  Want to know how many?  Ten? Twenty?  The correct answer is 35.  Yes you read that correctly, thirty five WIPs -- anywhere from sketches and fabric bundles to just needing binding and a hem -- currently live in my sewing room.

That's bad.  Really bad.  But what makes it worse is that most of these are things I've started for other people, to celebrate milestones and accomplishments, which haven't yet made it to the intended recipients yet.  For me, that defeats the purpose of making.  I make because I love to but I also because I love to gift the things I make to people I love and care about.  By not finishing these projects I'm really doing a disservice to those people.  That's not okay with me and it needs to change.

I have set a goal of finishing up all of these WIPs in the next year.  To keep myself accountable I'm going to share each of my WIPs here over the new few weeks and create a page for tracking the progress of each one.  I'll blog about my progress and keep track of my finishes so that I know just where I stand.  If I get really creative, maybe I'll create a button and a link-up if anyone else wants to play along.


WIPs

Antique Black and White Mini Quilt


I picked up this fun antique mini quilt at MQX a few years ago (maybe two) and thought it would cute finished as a mini quilt to display on the wall.  

It just needs binding and a good press.




Blue Moda Hourglass Wall Hanging


I found a charm pack of this Moda collection called Hearty Good Wishes at some point this year.  It quickly became simple hourglass blocks but then dissappeared into one of my sewing boxes in what I'm sure was a mad attempt to clean up one day.  I've been looking for it all summer.  This was supposed to become a lap quilt for a friend who had a death in the family.

It just needs to be sewn together and have borders added.




Peach, Rose, and Plum Bee Blocks


I requested these colors in one of the first bee's I participated in back in early 2013.  At the time they were supposed to become table decorations for my pending wedding, then a quilt to remember the day but the color scheme was scrapped and I never did anything with them.  Earlier this year I pulled them out with the intent of making them into a baby quilt for a friend.

I need to piece the name of the baby, piece the top then quilt and bind.



Pink, Grey, and Yellow Bee Blocks


I started this sampler quilt back in February 2014 as part of several Bee Swaps.  There are 26 blocks in total.  I purchased border, binding, and backing fabric this past spring.

It needs to be pieced, have borders added, and then quilted and bound.


Starburst Blocks


I started these as a quilt for my cousin who was graduating high school.  I liked the blocks and the colors but didn't like them for him so I abandoned the idea in favor of a different approach (see the next line).  I may make more blocks to finish this off into a baby quilt or small lap quilt.  The fabrics are already cut.  I just need to find them and sew them up.



Modern Double Cross Quilt


I can't share a picture of this quilt yet because it's a gift.  I just need to finish piecing the improv top and then have it quilted and bound.



So there you have it.  The first six WIPs.  Only 29 to go.  

Happy Quilting!


I'm linking up with this weeks WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.

7 comments:

  1. Congratulations on #100!!!! That's really exciting! I love seeing all these "dig out and post your WIPs" posts that have been happening lately. Though I'm almost afraid to post all of mine.... :) I have a project going with Hearty Good Wishes too - a quilt for my husband who has been waiting patiently for 3 years for a quilt of his own. He chose the fabric earlier this year...and it's just sitting, waiting... :D Poor guy. I counted all my WIPS out earlier this year, but I'm afraid I might be up to, or passed your number now. I should really just bite the bullet and post pictures of them all, right?

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  2. Wow- I really love the last WIP- might inspire me to dig into my stash of Constellations.

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  3. Yes that is a few WiP's, but you have a plan now! I like the peach rose & plum colour combo and your sampler looks lovely with the variety of grey backgrounds. Look forward to seeing more! L

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  4. We are all in the same boat. I refuse to let my WIPs gather in one place or to let myself count them. I am in denial, yes. Saying that, I am trying to chip away at them, even if I do not admit to them all publicly. I wish you the best of luck in trying to reduce the pile!

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  5. I wish you the best of luck taming your WIPs. I have been there, and know how good it feels. (But I don't count a kit as a WIP until I cut the fabric.)

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  6. I just posted my 100th post (30 seconds ago), too. Mine wasn't anything special, though. I've been trying to think of a cool post for my 100th, but time got away from me. Today is Thursday, so Color Inspiration Thursday it was for mine. I am considering doing a WIP inventory post, too, though, inspired by you!~ If I can find the time, I totally want to! Good luck with yours!

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  7. Congrats on post 100! What a great milestone :). 35 looks like someone needs to get sewing!

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