Wrap up but NOT the end

It has been almost one year to the day that I started this blog, so I thought I would write a summary of what I have done, and learned.

I completed 43 projects, and my goal was 52.  Another 3 are nearing completion.  Although I have only numbered to 46, I did count some sets of things as one project.  If I made the 3 fabric pumpkins into three projects, and the bowl of fruit into two projects (watermelon and grapes), I would then have 49.  So partially, how I count the projects impacts whether or not I can say I have meet my goal.  The stitch markers for example, I counted in sets, but I actually made about 7 stitch markers, in two sets.  So that might add another 5 projects.

On the other hand, I really had only meant to count the fabric stuff, which means I would only have 8 completed quilt projects, 4 quilt tops, 3 unfinished small quilts, 18 fabric postcards, and 3 fabric pumpkins, for a total of 36 projects, of which only 29 were completely finished.

Here are some things I learned, or maybe just affirmed about myself and my working style.

1.  I am not good with goals.  I do stuff, but it seems to happen more easily when I just let it, and don't make a goal.  If I meet or exceed the goal, I feel that I probably didn't set the bar high enough, and if I make it challenging - like this one - I often fail.  It is human nature then, to stress about how I "planned" to make 52 things, and "only" made 46.  I would rather be glad that I did 46, and enjoy some of the yarn I made, or the games I played with the grandkids, and not worry that I didn't make some goal.

2.  I work better with groups of stuff.  I noticed with the postcards that it was nearly impossible to make just one.  I couldn't get started, I didn't have any ideas, I got stuck at the starting line.  But when I made a group, twelve, or even just six, I was able to cut out forms, iron on backing, and deal out fabric until I had some ideas going.  This start got me "into" the postcards, and I made twelve with a Halloween theme.

Later, when I wanted to make a spring postcard for a postcard swap, again, one was almost impossible to make.  But when I got together fabric and trimming for several, I was able to make and mail five postcards, and I kept one for my wall.

At Christmas, I decided to use up some of my Christmas fabric, and again I found that making three Christmas-themed quilt tops was just as easy, if not easier, than making just one.  I had had the idea for one of them for several years, had the fabric, and even started cutting.  However, when I got the fabric out to make several, then the scissors and needles flew, and I have three nearly completed quilt tops (just need borders on them and they are ready to quilt).

It is not my style to work on one thing at a time.  I get stuck, lack ideas, and get bogged down.  Several projects together seem to provide the variety I need to keep my interest up.  I can continue to work even when one project needs a trip to the store or an elusive idea to keep going on it, since another project can be worked on.  Working on one project sometimes even helps generate ideas or overcome problems on another separate project.

3.  I don't want to stop working on projects.  I have decided to continue at least until I have 52 projects completed, and I mean COMPLETE, with labels and ready to hang, or wear, or whatever.

Meanwhile, I finished the Morongo Canyon in Winter landscape.  The quilting really made a difference in that one, taking it from (IMHO) blah to bright.  I enjoyed the planning on that one.  I put together several pictures, as I wanted to show the tree higher above the canyon sides than my pictures showed.  I couldn't get near enough the tree to get the angle I wanted, but I knew that I could make a realistic view of the canyon anyway.

I also started, and finished, the Seasons challenge for the Library Quilters group.  The theme was seasons, and the size had to be no larger than about 100 inches perimeter, as they are to hang above the stacks in the Gig Harbor library.   As soon as I heard the theme, I pictured a quilt with the colors of the four seasons in each corner.  Winter's gray-blues, off-whites, and silver would form the lower right corner.  Springs pastels in the upper right, summer shades of bright red, blue, yellow, and green would occupy the top left, and falls reds, golds, oranges, and greens would finish it in the lower right.  Centered on the quadrants, perhaps, would be a tree, with leaves (and bare branches) showing appropriately for all four seasons.  My vision came to life in fabric, although I might have made the tree too large.  I'm really tempted to make another one, just to test this theory.

4.  Originally, I had thought I would use pieced curves for each quadrant, however, as I went along, I decided to make spring and summer out of straight lines.  I did get it done, just in time to be hung in the library next Monday.  Sometime deadlines do help in completing a project or achieving a goal.  I thought of this quilt, nearly completely planned, last fall, but only started it as the deadline approached, and finished it just in the nick of time.

 This post isn't even in good order.  The numbered paragraphs are interrupted by the two paragraphs about my finished objects.  I'm leaving it this way, in the hope that either you won't read this far, or if you do, you won't care.  It is, after all, my blog  It represents the way I think, it represents me.

Thank you for reading.  Leave a comment if you want.  I'd love to hear from you.