And now for 2013

I'm not sure what I'm going to work on this year.  I have plenty of WIPs, but since I'll be leaving them behind since I can't take everything with me on the sabbatical in Boston/Cambridge.....

I still have not recovered my box of quilt tops from when I first tried quilting - they are in a banker's box in the finished part of the garage - or maybe in a closet in the house.

1. Evening Star
2. Irish Chain
3. Log Cabin
4. Half Log Cabin
5. Farm Scene
6. Tulips
7. Machine Crazy Quilt

Last night I also wrapped my larger newer projects in a towel, and then put them in a bag in the front closet.

1. Liberated Round Robin I - needs rectangles and curves
2. Tumbler - all ready to quilt (basted with Pinmoors)
3. Wonky Shoo Fly with Leah Day beginner designs
4. Gwen Marston/Freddie Workshop - in pieces but wrapped together
5. FMQAYGQAL Quilt for Karl and Heather - blocks done, will be difficult to finish joining them together without loosing a lot of fabric  Will make pillow cover with the larger Leah square and give as part of the gift.
6. Friday Block Party Animal and other Blocks - blocks are stacked so just need to pick how to finish them
7. Wonky Log Cabin blocks - stacked together
8. Baby quilt with light blue background and different red, white and blue 4-patches. - want to add words to the borders, may need to make larger as the baby will be a toddler by the time they get the quilt. This one would be too difficult to bring along on the trip as I haven't decided on the fabrics for the words - the fabric is still yardage not in strips.

Boy, I have to say I've done some beautiful work this year - just didn't finish much to cuddle under.  Even though, thanks to Leah Day I now know how to FMQ an entire quilt, I still have not broken thru the self-blocking doubt and actually do that beyond my samples and practices.

Left out to be used while we are gone:

1. Wheel chair sized Sampler
2. Giant Star
3. Machine Crazy Quilt (tied - put in A's room)

So it's too bad I won't be near all my stuff, but I can make plans for when I return.

I'm thinking I won't be part of an organized online quilting project.  I'm going to pick and choose more carefully.  My emphasis will be on learning and finishing - not to finish a challenge.

I'm glad I did the BlockLotto for the liberated year.  That got me more comfortable with the machine and with the liberated concept.  I won a few times and appreciated the blocks as they freed me from doing all the piecing and I could see how others follow directions.  I'm glad I did the SewCalGal challenge too - although it was not what I expected as the different instructors were very scattered in their presentations and did not build on each other.  Looking back I wish I had just embraced the Free Motion Quilt Along project Leah was running - I only got to step 22 of the 45 steps.  I don't think I'll be able to do the Leah Day 2013 project since I'm not sure if I will even have a sewing machine or space in the apartment to set up a sewing area, but I will read along to learn.

I allow myself to get distracted by other projects and people, have not built in the self-discipline to work on things that are just for me.  The online projects I've participated in except for Leah Day have all had major shortcomings.  Moderators who started sending emails all in CAPS, changing rules, adding more marketing steps, changing sites, dumping on people, not having correct directions, not updating links, etc.  I know it takes time as I also have not followed thru on the Liberated Round Robin as I had planned, for me it's not a business though so I'm not going to kick myself about that.  I'll just do better next time!

Well, need to think about things and what I want to learn and how I can grow.  Hmm - embroidery* would be easier to carry along and work on, and the results could be put into a quilt later on.  Plus, I won a sweet book that has already arrived in an online drawing:

Congratulations!  You have been randomly chosen as the winer of the C&T Publishing S is for Stitch blog giveaway! 

Your winning comment was:

"I do not remember having an alphabet toy or game when I was a child, but the designs are oh so fun. Pls put my name in the hat for the drawing. Thanks!"

I found the floss that my mom got me, I will be set to embroider while I'm in Boston!

* This year they will hosting a monthly pieced project!


Peter Walsh's Advice for an Organized New Year - Video - Oprah.com http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Peter-Walshs-Advice-for-an-Organized-New-Year-Video_1