I'm very good at driving myself crazy with unrealistic expectations. Take these basket handles. Just because they are little 6" blocks I get to thinking they can be blown out in an evening or two. NOT. Anytime there is more than about four blocks, I should expect my time to be sucked into a big black hole.*wink
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| Only 3 more handles to sew on my basket blocks |
I think I have been a bit despondent over my lack of progress on really,
every single project I'm working on lately. Then I realized what the problem was. I'm overloaded on hand work right now. Wow, am I ever. How does this even happen?
These Cactus Basket blocks were
hand pieced which takes a boat load of of my time and makes my finger feel like it's been mistaken for a pin cushion. The stems and flowers are all prepped and ready to go now which is serious PROGRESS people! I even had to scrape the bottom of my scrap bin to find the rest of the stem fabric after I decided it was the only fabric that would do. Now I feel all virtuous and frugal though--just saying.
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| Ready to start stitching the top of the Cactus Baskets |
The good thing about slow stitching; ie, hand work, is that it takes my mind hither and yon and makes me dream up all kinds of scenarios for other open ended projects too. I found myself jumping ahead with my Flock of Geese quilt, the big sashing idea and thinking about applique blocks with birds for the areas where they join together. I've found that it's really important to take these ideas and run with them the minute they frolic through our minds even if it distracts from the current project. They are like
gold, but usually quite fleeting and hard to pin down to an absolute.
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| Auditioning a sashing/applique idea for Flock of Geese |
I doodled a notebook page or two of possible birds, checked out Pinterest and then remembered a bird I drew out and used in my
Vintage Reproduction quilt. I really like the smooth lines of this bird and since I will probably be using a busy fabric for this? It seems like a go as of right now. Still checking it out on the wall though till I am 100 percent sure!
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| Playing with size |
The bird I used in the other quilt was larger than what I wanted here, so I ran it through the copier a couple times to reduce the size. Easy peasy. Just like in the three bears story, I had a baby one, a medium one and a large one to choose from. Oh yeah. And about that hand work overload I mentioned? I still have the applique work for my Pickle Dish to get going on and the next phase for the Geese Tracks quilt is an applique border as well. I obviously need to get better about pacing myself. lol
I do the same thing. I always think I can get more done in a day than I can. Everything is looking lovely. Just keep sewing girl.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing! Only, I never seem to get around to the handwork. I have good intentions, LOL. If a quilt is pieced fast, that works best for me! hehe :0)
ReplyDeleteYes, I do the same thing too... I over estimate and then feel disappointed that I didn't get more done. I love your applique bird idea for your geese sashing!
ReplyDeleteI love hand work too.. but like you.. I sometimes bit off more than I can chew!! It will all get done.. but maybe not in our unrealistic time frames! Love the baskets! My softspot too!
ReplyDeleteWell, for someone who has so many different projects going on...I do happen to like all of them very much! I know it feels like it is slow progress, but it is still progress! Good for you for all that handwork, it gives me the itch to stitch.
ReplyDeleteI am always way behind when it comes to the handwork and yes a million things are going through my head at the same time. The baskets are looking great! I love those pretty colors.
ReplyDeleteI always overestimate my capability to work through projects too- I think we all do !
ReplyDeleteYour baskets are moving along nicely I think. Besides handwork is never about the race - its about the end result and enjoying the journey!
It may seem like slow and little progress to you... but I can tell you that as a reader and follower of your adventures in the world of quilting, I'm envious of all you accomplish!!! Love those basket handles, let alone what the will be attached to!!
ReplyDeleteEstas cestas están guapísimas!!!
ReplyDeleteme gustan
yo siempre tengo muchas cosas empezadas,
aveces, creo que no seré capaz de terminar
y ....sorpresa un día o dos relajado y que avances mas sorprendentes
esto me anima y disfruto como si empezara de nuevo
saludos
love your baskets and the geese - you are getting a lot done.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the time I get around to commenting on your blog I am 3 posts behind! I love what you are doing and cannot wait until I have more sewing time.
ReplyDeleteI think you have made lots of progress! I like the direction you are taking with your geese. I think the geese will be happy too. In the past I have started one project and worked on it until it was finished. Now I have four projects going at the same time and it seems sometimes I am not making progress on any of them!
ReplyDeleteProgress is progress no matter how slow it may seem. I have to remind myself of this all the time. I love your little pink basket handles - they are going to make such lovely little baskets :0)
ReplyDeleteI can relate to hand work overload as I seem to always be in this situation.
ReplyDeleteLoving your ideas for the Geese quilt and all the little basket handles.
I too can relate. Right now I have 4 hand appliqued projects going and a quilt I am hand quilting. But in the end your projects will get finished and will be beautiful. Love everything you are working on. Hugs
ReplyDeleteEverything that you are working on is wonderful : ) I think I go from one extreme to the other..I'd had nothing but handwork for awhile there...piecing, applique, quilting...and then I stopped all of it but hand-quilting for a bit to do some machine piecing. And I am sure I'll be tired of that in awhile and back to applique or something : )
ReplyDeleteLove both sets of your basket blocks and it's fun to see your progress :)
Your work is brilliant! Love the bird idea to go with your geese. And it looks like you're making great progress!
ReplyDelete