What will you finish first in 2013?

[E.M. T.]

My first project of 2013 will be to complete the renovation of my sewing room and longarm studio!!

I sew in our bonus room upstairs, and have lived here 14 years -- and previously had only cleaned it out once! So it was mightily overdue! So far I've cleaned out two closets, one desk with 3 drawers, and my cutting table. I reorganized my wall of shelving which holds fabric, books, magazines and UFO's and WIP's. I tossed or gave away many, many scraps, gave away loads of small batting pieces, sold some useful items online, and tossed tons of junk (which seemed to accumulate in all the corners nooks and crannies!). I even found things I never knew I had!! LOL

I rearranged the furniture to create a better flow and work areas. I bought a new sideboard to make into a large ironing station and put away the folding ironing board! I bought a slew of plastic boxes in all different sizes and filled them and labelled them for my shelving system. I rolled larger cuts of fabric onto bolts and refolded the smaller cuts to neaten them (and pulled about 50 yards out for charity quilts).

Still pending is the top ironing surface for the new sideboard (need to order that blocking pad and get some canvas to top it with) and my new design wall (hope to go to Home Depot today for supplies!). I also want to consult with the electrician for new overhead lighting so I am not sewing in the dark anymore.

My longarm studio is located in my dining room. I still need to clean out the 12 cubby wire rack that's bursting with supplies, notions, rulers and templates, books, etc. I have boxes of batting stacked up that need a new home, a bakers rack that needs cleaning off and it's items organized, and a ceiling fan that is in desperate need of a dusting! I plan on buying a new low shelf system or bookcase and more thread storage also. (Thread stash for a longarmer is about as addicting as fabric is!! LOL)

When all this is finished, THEN I will start messing it all up again with some sewing and quilting!! LOL I have over 25 quilts of my own waiting to be quilted, about 20 UFO's and WIP's, and countless other projects begging to be started!! No rest for the weary!!

[E.M. T.]

Whilst visiting with my parents over christmas, my mother told me about a saying that her grandmother always used

'Don't put it down, put it away!'

Particularly useful in her kitchen, which is tiny. Also very relevant where ever we might be, whatever we are up to. I am trying to find the work surface of my sewing table at the moment (well I will resume once I replace the bulb which has just thrown itself out of the socket :shock: )
As for which I will finish first I am not certain, but I fancy getting on with both my reels & my Laura Nownes sampler quilt.

[E.M. T.]

Nope...no rest for the weary...or the obsessed !! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
maybe that's possessed ???? :?:

And Rosemary..That's a great idea ! if I could just put it in practice!! :roll: :roll: :roll:

[E.M. T.]

:lol: :lol: :lol:
me too!

[Margo C.]

WOW! Michelle you are really tackling a big job! I'm sure that it will feel wonderful when it's all done!

I just found out yesterday that my youngest brother is going to be a first-time grandpa this summer, so I'll definitely be making a baby quilt!

[Margo C.]

Rosemary, I needed that saying from your mother. :lol: I am going to adopt it as a new motto for 2013. Thanks!

[Annis C.]

Annis, what machine are you getting? You just kind of slipped that last line in there, I almost didn't notice!
Kathy

I'm getting a 22" Innova with Lightning Stitch and Auto Pilot. We're picking it up and putting it together ourselves. That may take awhile. I will have to wait until it's convenient for my son to help.

[Annis C.]

Hoe exciting Annis then you'll be able to whizz through the quilting

I don't expect to be whizzing through quilting anytime soon. I'm sure it will take awhile just to learn how to use the machine. And all of those quilt sandwiches I made for practicing free motion quilting months ago haven't been used yet. I hope the computer part is easy to learn as that will probably be what I use most. I'm hoping the bin full of about 50 PHD's will be about finished by the end of the year.

[wendy w.]

I'm keeping a tally of all these good intentions especially Annis and Michelle :shock: :shock:

How on earth do you get to that many UFOs ? I know join TQS :roll: :lol:

[Annis C.]

I'm keeping a tally of all these good intentions especially Annis and Michelle :shock: :shock:

How on earth do you get to that many UFOs ? I know join TQS :roll: :lol:

You're absolutely right! If it weren't for all of those videos of ideas and the yearly BOM's I wouldn't have started so many projects. And the abundance of quilting magazines, patterns, and books give me way too many ideas too. My wish would be to try every technique, but for now that is not realistic. I really need to hibernate for a year away from all of this inspiration so I can get things finished. If I were to make a New Year's resolution, it would be to work on only one project at a time until it is complete before starting the next. I doubt that will ever happen so I won't be making any resolutions this year.

[Charae H.]

I'll be finishing a few Christmas projects that just didn't get done ops: ops: : a crazy quilt wall hanging a'la Brian Haggard for my sister-in-law; and fabric books for 4 little ones. Then on to the completion of my granddaughter's quilt for her 7th birthday in April--I have a tailwind on that one. I have several other WIPs to finish, but if I concentrate and don't start anything new I could have them done in a month...what are the chances? And I haven't even started on Laura V's embellishment project.

[Kathryn S.]

I'm getting a 22" Innova with Lightning Stitch and Auto Pilot. We're picking it up and putting it together ourselves. That may take awhile. I will have to wait until it's convenient for my son to help.

Wow, that sounds wonderful! If you're anything like a couple of my friends who have longarms, once they got their feet wet, they started quilting all their UFO's and then went looking for other things to quilt!

Congratulations, hope it's not too long to wait before you can get it put together
kathy

[Susan B.]

I really need to hibernate for a year away from all of this inspiration so I can get things finished. If I were to make a New Year's resolution, it would be to work on only one project at a time until it is complete before starting the next. I doubt that will ever happen so I won't be making any resolutions this year.

Wow, can I sympathize with this sentiment!

I'll probably finish my personal bird quilt first, a block of which is attached. This was my quilt to practice FMQ in 2012 and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process, back-aches and all. 4 by 3 blocks, quilt as you go ala the Bernina Bite-sized Quilting video, sashing is done. All it needs (or is getting) is a sleeve for hanging and some binding. Does writing this mean commitment?

I'd like to get something done with two partially completed BOM's, probably turn into wall-hangings, and hope to complete this year's all the way to the end.

I'm organizing a group at church to work on a Hobo Quilt (Debra Henninger) to raffle at our Fall Festival Ham & Oyster dinner. I had an uncle who was a hobo for awhile during the Depression. This book and quilt caught my heart with it's primary source documentation.

That's enough, I think. I know I'll get distracted with yet another technique to practice.

[wendy w.]

Susan your quilting is amazing, you are right to be proud

[Norma H.]

Susan, your quilting look so good.

I realized yesterday that the first thing I'm going to finish is my FMQ practicing quilt. I only have the border to finish but in some way that quilt did not count as a project. Well, it is and I'm going to work on it when I'm finished at the computer.