UFO Inventory

As I was cleaning up a little (a very little) in my studio, I cam across a list of 17 UFOs that I wrote a couple of years ago.  Now I realize that 17 UFOs is quite a few but the truth is most of those were only planned.

Here's the list and the descriptions of where I am at with them

1. Aliyah's quilt - Done
2. Christmas Lemonade Quilt - Done
3. Star quilt - Just needs a label
4. Irish Chain quilt  - need to add borders to make it more bed friendly
5. Arianna's HS quilt - being tag teamed between me and Tatianna
6. Grand Aventure Quilt - not even started yet
7. Flower quilt - not even started yet
8. Tiger Lily Quilt - not even started yet
9. Mom's Quilt - need to get some black fabric and some muslin as well as darn some holes
10. Betty's quilt - repair the block with the hole and find some backing
11. Minnions quilt - not even started yet
12. Harry Potter quilt - not even started yet
13. Pineapple quilts - not even started yet
14. Stack and Flip quilts - not even started yet
15. Dr. Seuss Quilt - kit that i haven't started yet
16. Brownie Irish Chain quilt - not even started
17. Star 9-patch quilt - need to add something

By now you all know that I like Karen Brown's website and videos.  One of the Videos is all about revisiting your UFOs.  Do you still want to finish them? Do you even like the fabric? Do you like the pattern? What is keeping this project in your pile of projects?

I decided to revisit my UFO list. First I took off all of the projects that I have finished. Then I took off all of the projects I haven't started. My reasoning behind this is that they are more dream projects than unfinished projects. That takes it down to 6 projects from the 2 year old list.

1. Star quilt - Just needs a label
2. Irish Chain quilt  - need to add borders to make it more bed friendly
3. Arianna's HS quilt - being tag teamed between me and Tatianna
4. Mom's Quilt - need to get some black fabric and some muslin as well as darn some holes
5. Betty's quilt - repair the block with the hole and find some backing
6. Star 9-patch quilt - need to add something

Now I need to add the unfinished projects I have started since I made that list.

1. Star quilt - Just needs a label
2. Irish Chain quilt  - need to add borders to make it more bed friendly
3. Arianna's HS quilt - being tag teamed between me and Tatianna
4. Mom's Quilt - need to get some black fabric and some muslin as well as darn some holes
5. Betty's quilt - repair the block with the hole and find some backing
6. Star 9-patch quilt - need to add something to make it bigger
7. Aurora's quilt - needs borders, backing and quilted
8. Scrappy Joy quilt - needs borders, backing and quilted
9. Cobble Stones and Windmill quilt - Blocks need laid out and assembled
10. Church Ladies Aprons quilt - blocks need laid out and assembled

That brings the total up to 10 projects. Now I need to prioritize the projects.  I think the order I want to go with is the projects that are closest to being done first. But I have to also take into consideration my enthusiasm for getting them done. I am also going to set a date for completion on a couple of them. As sort of goal setting.

1. Star Quilt has to be first since it just needs a label. - by 4/25.
2. Aurora's quilt - She is wanting her TV quilt to be done and it's hanging on the long arm - by 5/2
3. Scrappy Joy - Also hanging on the long arm - by 5/16
4. Cobble Stones and Windmills - lay out some time this week, it's out and readily available
5. Church ladies apron - lay out sometime the next week, it's out and readily available
6. Irish chain - pretty close to being done just need to make the flying geese borders
7. Star nine patch quilt - not sure what I want to do with this yet.
8. Arianna's HS quilt -  I lost interest in this quilt about 11 years ago. Mostly because Arianna wasn't into helping with it.  Tatianna has tackled it and she will be bringing it back to me to finish up, or when she is sick of it. I think the plan will be to work on it just a little at a time.
9. Mom's quilt - want to finish it but not sure I am good enough.  This quilt was hand pieced by my great grandmother for my mother's 7th birthday. Mom turned 7 in 1934.  It needs borders and a backing.
10. Betty's quilt - she gave the top to me to practice long arming on.  One of the squares has a hole in it. I need to decide if I am going to replace that square or just applique over it.

That is my current inventory of UFOS.  Of course it's not like I am going to get them all done before I start something new.  I already have a bunch I want to do. Remember there were 9 projects that I took off the list because they weren't started. Since then I have added so many more that I want to do. I guess I better decide what I have to get done before I can start on a new one.

How many projects do you have? How do you plan to get them done? Will you start more projects before you do?

Pandemic Life

It's hard to believe that it's been 3 weeks since I last posted.  Our world seems to have turned upside down with worry and/or fear.  Covid-19 has changed our lives.  Social distancing is a must to stay healthy. Sheltering in Place orders are in force in most states.  Only businesses that are critical infrastructure are in operation.  This is something I have never experienced before in my 57 years of life.  It seems a little bit unreal.

Because I work in the food industry, my job is safe.  I get to go to work.  My husband's employer is also critical infrastructure but he is able to work from home.  My son Killian works in automobile service industry so he too is considered critical industry.  Our life is pretty much the same except that Kim is home and working from home.  It's been a bit of a strain on Perigrine, who is also at home.  Kim being, bored to death, is undertaking home improvement projects.  Which keeps interfering with Perigrine's cleaning and organizing project. 

At work there is a bit of stress.  Any sign of cough, sore throat, fever, or difficulty breathing will get you sent home for 2 weeks.  A needed precaution but this is allergy season and some of the symptoms overlap.  Plus you are required to use your vacation time and if you don't have enough you are required to borrow against what you will earn.  So it's understand able that no one wants to give any impression of being sick.

Because we have had people come to work sick or after they've been exposed, there are new procedures in place.  Mask are now required at work.  Supervisors must question their direct reports daily as to their health.  And all employees are required to have their temperature taken prior to entering the building to work.  All of this is being done to help ensure we are all safe and remain healthy.

I've had to put in many long hours the past couple of weeks and I find myself very tired.  I am trying to take plenty of vitamins to help my immune system and have found that by taking iron both morning and night I do feel better.  I am concerned about contracting Covid-19 as I do have asthma and diabetes, plus my blood type is A+. I am doing all I can to protect myself. I am trusting in the Lord if it's his will that I get sick then so be it. But I refuse to stop living my life and cower in fear. 

Despite working long hours, I have managed to get some things done.  I've gotten all of the four patches for my Church Ladies Apron quilt sewn and squared up.  I've also finished squaring up my 16 patch/4-patch quilt.  I finally came up with a name for that quilt.  I call it Cobble Stones and Wind Mills.  I am really happy with how it is coming together.

This past week, however, I have been sewing masks.  At work, they handed out black bandannas for us to wear as face coverings.  After about 15 minutes of wearing it, I was determined to make myself a couple of masks.  A coworker asked for a cute one as well. All in all this week I've made 18 masks  for coworkers and family.  The only problem I am running into is that I'm running out of elastic.  I may have to resort to making tied versions of the mask. I am hoping the demand slows down so that I can get back to my quilting projects.

With Shelter in Place orders being extended to middle of May, I am not hopeful that there is going to be an end of this craziness anytime soon.  Those who are at home and unable to work are going to be hurting soon. Those who are able to work from home are going to get disheartened. I get to leave for work everyday and I am struggling a little bit with depression.  I am concerned for those who suffer from depression and are not able to leave. I know that I am lucky, We have food and the necessities of life. We are coping fairly well all things considered. But there are others who don't have good health, or plenty of food or a safe home life.  they are the one I am most concerned with. We all need to pray for those who are struggling.

How are you Holding up?