Design Wall Monday Week 1 of 2021

If I type 2021 often enough, it might feel like it is really here. 2021, 2021, 2021.

On the design wall today is my Jacob's Ladder quilt. It is facing the wall because I am clipping threads and getting it ready to go to the quilter. I've never done this on the wall, but I like this way much better than laid out flat. It won't work for large quilts, so more backache with those. Next up is the backing for it.

Linking to:
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Stitching Sunday Week 1 of 2021

This will be a quick post.

We just got back after being with Mom for a few days. She is doing better and will continue with physical therapy, but we all know she just bought a little more time at home. But for now, she is home and happy.

Before we left, I gathered up all my scraps, packed my sewing machine in a carrying case, and planned for a few sewing days while observing Mom. It would have been perfect - if I had packed the right power cord.

Instead, I spent two days sorting and cutting scraps into strips for string blocks. Cutting on her dining room table killed my back though. I won't be doing that again. But I got in two "sewing" days this week, so for the first and maybe only week this year, I show a 100% success rate.



I am joining Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch at Life in Pieces

2020 Wrap Up

This year, my goals through the year were:

1. Finish these quilts:
DONE   a. Snowball Blossom, started January 2018
Fail           b. Find backing for Baby Bow Tie, started June 2011
Worked on  c. Second Saturday Sampler, started January 2005
DONE   d. Celebrate Freedom, started February 2020
DONE   e. Barnyard quilt, started February 2020
Worked on  f. Finish Scottish Sun began 2004
Worked on  g. Start/Continue Lovers Knot as RSC BOM
Worked on  h. Finish Pond lily as RSC BOM
Fail           i. Start Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam as BOM
DONE   j. Make at least two donation quilts.

2.  Finish these sewing projects:
DONE   a. Upcycle sweater
Fail           b. Make receiving blanket
DONE   c. Make 25 face masks

3. Accomplish these in the sewing room:
Fail             a. Find time for daily sewing at least 70% of the time
Fail             b. Decrease stash by 15%
Fail             c. Organize sewing space
Fail             d. Join a daytime quilt guild (I'll blame Covid for this fail.)
Fail           e. Learn to paint fabric
DONE   f. Cover foam panels and make new design wall
DONE   g. Finish wall behind design wall

8 out of 20 projects completed gives me a 40% success rate. If I look on it as 12 out of 20 projects completed or moved forward, I have a 60% success rate. In a year where four months of the year were impossible, I'll take it.

This year I will continue to work on some of those projects, but there is at least one that I disliked doing so much that I may toss the whole thing, or stop where I am and make a mini out of it. Life is too short to work on projects I don't enjoy.

I haven't given much thought to non-quilting projects for 2021, but I would like to sew some clothing, and I would like to have carpet in my sewing area.  Currently, Hubby is working on his side of the room, so all the excess is still on my side.  But that is the carrot I would like to dangle in front of myself.

What are your plans for the coming year?

Last Goal of 2020 Finished

On the design wall today is.... the design wall.

Goals 7 and 10 for 2020 were to finish the drywall behind my design wall and to cover insulated foam panels and attach them to the wall. Instead of covering a 4x8 piece of insulation, I decided to use the smaller 12x48-ish pieces. I can move them around depending on the size of the quilt I am making, or take some off depending on the size of the wall hanging over it.

Since my sewing space is multi-functional, I have a curtain rod hanging over it with clip hooks so I can hang a quilt to cover everything.

This is a Bow Tie quilt made by my great grandmother. Looking at it, I don't think she had a design wall to lay it out on before sewing the blocks together. But I still love it.

Linking to:
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Sewing Report for Week 52 of 2020

It's hard to believe 2020 will finally come to an end. And good riddance!

I didn't have a productive sewing week, but it was a good week. We drove to Amarillo on Christmas Eve and the usual Christmas traffic was almost non-existant. We got there in time for me to spend the visitation hour with Mom and she was doing well. She had really hoped if she worked hard, she would get out in time for Christmas, but the staff there disagreed. She has at least another week of therapy before they will determine IF she gets to go home.  We drove home after the noon visitation hour and again the traffic was light, until we got near Fort Worth.  I think we came through Fort Worth, I was dozing a bit.

I want to thank everyone for their concern and prayer for Mom. The therapy has helped her right side immensely. Her overall strength is improving too, but I'm concerned she won't continue with the exercises once she is home. Right now, she won't even consider going to an assisted living facility; so if they determine that she go home and live alone, she will put up a fight. The local hospital, who examined Mom immediately and did an MRI, said mom had a stroke. The Amarillo hospital, who examined her hours later, said they couldn't tell if she had one. But if she did, it was a TIA (mini stroke) and the clot was either small or disintegrated by the time they tested. Studies show that a third of the people who have a TIA have a severe stroke within a year. For that reason, I'd like Mom to be in an assisted living center where they can get her to the emergency room quickly. So the fight is on.

This week in stitching, I only stitched a few days before going to Amarillo. I hope to get back on track today, not that it will help my success rate any at this late date.

Linking to:
15 Minutes to Stitch at Life in Pieces