Time Constraints, Physical Limitations and Distractions

I made very little progress this week.  Between work responsibilities and family needs, Quilting time has taken a back seat. Unfortunately this is happening way too often. I know I am much less stressed and much happier if I am creating something even if I am on a deadline. But I have to work and I have responsibilities to others. So I am trying to find and set healthy priorities.  I can't come first all of the time.

So what is happening.  A project at work, that I am the lead on, is actually kicking off on Monday.  In preparation for the kick off, I worked a split shift last Monday and late most days this week.  Plus I went in early three times.  My schedule is so messed up that I am not sleeping well. That has resulted in me being too tired to quilt.  I know that when I sew/quilt tired my precision is off.  Not that I am a perfectionist when it comes to my quilts but I am trying to improve and therefore quilting tired is not a good choice. The more accurate the piecing is the easier it will be to quilt.

So long days has been my time constraint. Lack of energy has been my physical limitation. What about the distractions.

My distractions, well mainly that has been my grandchildren. I find when they are here, I am much more interested in watching them than sewing.  I watch TV with them and watch them play and create.  It has occurred to me that they won't be around forever and I want to enjoy them. 

Another distraction has been my daughter.  She has a school project due and well, she doesn't do anything small.  She has created and huge castle learning center. She doesn't have time to make it as in depth as she would like but it is amazing. If she ever gets her own classroom, I have no doubt that it will be added on to.

The last distraction is my husband.  He came home Friday night and well, I am spending time with him while I can.  He works so hard and is away much more than he would like. When he is home it is important to be with him.  After all we are married for the eternities. Our relationship like all relationships need nurtured.  He will always come first in my priorities.

Priorities need to be set on the right things. Family has to be high on the list. Especially my relationship with my husband. 

So I have not made the progress that I wanted too.  I did, however, get rows 2 through 4 sewn together and onto the 1st row of Winry's quilt.  Two more rows to go before adding the borders.  I really need to get moving on this quilt. Although I am tempted to make this one Viri's quilt. The colors are less pastel than the layer cake for the second quilt.  Viri strikes me as a little more bold. Not that I think any girl child of my daughter would be less than bold.  I think I will change this quilt to Viri's.  I am not fully decided though.

We are going to leave on August 29th to go visit Viri and Winry (and their parents but lets face it we are going to see the girls). If by some miracle I have the quilts done by then great but if not they will have to be Christmas gifts.  I am only able to do what I can do.  Hopefully things will settle in instead of getting more hectic.

Hope your week was productive.  Happy quilting

Lost Week

I can't believe a week has gone by already. Everything I planned to do didn't get done.  It has been one of those weeks where good intentions just didn't go anywhere.  I was either too tired or too occupied to get anything done. This is how my week went.

Monday - I got up early and took my husband to the airport. That got me to work an hour and a half earlier than usual.  I did get to leave after 8 hours but I went home and crashed. I was so tired and off schedule.  When I woke up from my nap the studio was so messy that I didn't do anything. Well, I did did some laundry and put up some stuff from my business trip.

Tuesday - I had scheduled the day off because of a dentist appointment. My plan was if I got done early enough I would go into work for half a day.  Got to the dentist and my appointment didn't get scheduled.  So instead of an 8:00 am appointment I ended up with a 11:00 am appointment. So no going to work that day. I went home did some chores and cleared off my desk so I could quilt in the afternoon.  Got home to find my daughter and grand-kids were here.  I am paying my daughter to clean my house.  It's not much but it gives her a little pocket money.  So with the grand kids here, no quilting takes place.  Also no nap.  And of course my desk is messed up again.

Wednesday - came home from work and crashed again.  This napping after work is messing up my sleep schedule but I am so tired that I can help it.  That evening I just spent it with Killian and Tatianna.

Thursday - had to go to the dentist after work, Then came home and cleaned a little more.  At this point the Studio needs a good clean and I keep putting it off.  I just don't have any energy. Of course it has been rather stormy every afternoon and that makes it hard for me to get moving.

Friday - Grand-kids again. I do enjoy coming home to a clean house. Aurora wanted me to make her a necklace but I put her off for the moment. Next time they are over I think I will set up a design wall and let her start arranging some squares for a doll quilt or maybe her quilt. It might be easier to keep the studio clean if she is working in there. Who am I kidding, Little man is too busy investigating everything to keep it neat. I couldn't find my hair brush the other day and in cleaning in the studio, I found it tucked away in one of the quilting drawers. Emerson is all about putting things up, just not necessarily where I want them to be.

Saturday - My son took me to breakfast, We ran some errands. Met with a woman and bought her Cricuit Expressions for $60, Then home to clean my studio.  I watched the grand kids and got the studio about 1/2 cleaned up before going to a church activity. Then home to get ready for Sunday and bed. 

Today - still exhausted.  Tatianna and Killian are too. We are fighting off nasty colds and I believe some seasonal depression.  But my desk is cleared and ready to start sewing. Hopefully, I will sew a little each night and get this top done this week. 

I only have about 6 weeks to get Winry's quilt finished and all of Viri's quilt done if I am going to take them with us when we go out for Winry's blessing in September. Then I have the Christmas Lemonade to trim and bind. Plus the Star Quilt to get quilted. I feel like I am very behind and I don't even have a deadline. And I soooo want to start about five other projects.

I am also feeling a little guilty for not having more quilts done.  I spent a great deal of money on this long arm and really haven't used it like I should. I am not at a level that others are who have had their machines for much less time.  But I do work full time and well time is a limited resource.  I need to find a better way to manage mine. I have to do better this week.

On a less depressing note - I did get some free patterns that I printed out over the past couple of years into note books.  I made Aurora her necklace. Now I am getting ready to view some of my new quilting DVDs that I got from National Quilter's Circle. - The Essential Quilting DVD collection. Tips and techniques are always good for improving one's skills.  I need all the help I can get. Especially since there aren't any local quilt shops close by for me to take classes at. It was a sweet deal and for once I had the money to do it. 

 How did your week go?

Happy to be Home

As I said last week, I have been in Illinois on business.  It was an interesting week full of planning, training and networking.  I was out of my comfort zone and it was good for me. I learned a lot for work but nothing for my quilting career. That being said I am really happy to be home.

I didn't get very much done on marking the squares for Viri's quilt. I think I managed to get 4 squares marked. I did make some jewelry in the evenings. It was easier to do that than trying to mark the squares in the hotel room.  That was due in part to the ruler I bought.  It was too long for the area I had to work in.  I should have stuck with the first ruler I picked up.  It was shorter but I already had one just like it at home. I really didn't want 2 rulers that were exactly the same.

The new ruler was recommended to me by the shop owner. It is a 6" by 24" non-slip ruler. It's made by Quilter's Select. When they say it is non-slip, they mean it.  Once you set it on the fabric, it isn't going to budge. At least not without some effort.  So when I laid it diagonally across the the 10" square, I had to have it set just right or pick it up and reset it.  There was no sliding or nudging it into place.  I can see where this will really be wonderful in cutting long strips or trimming quilts.  But for what I was doing at the time, it wasn't so great. So I gave up on marking the squares.  I will get back to that this week or next.

Last week I said I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to fit the ruler in my bag. It was a really tight fit. I had to angle it a bit to get it in.  I carefully packed all around it with clothing. Until I unpacked my bag yesterday, I was convinced I would find it broken.  It survived the trip. It came out a little bowed but in one piece.  I flexed the ruler in the direction a few times and it seems to be as good as new. I think I need to find a place to hang this ruler in the studio.  I am supposed to be careful not to scratch the back.  I don't want to damage the non-slip feature.  My other rulers are either in a tool pouch or stacked with the cutting mats. I think storing this ruler the same way would result in scratches. So I will be putting up a hanging hook this week.

Hopefully, I will get more quilting done this week. One never knows after being out of the office for over a week how much time they will have to put in.  I am hoping there isn't that much to catch up on. Winry is already 3 weeks old and I am no where near being done with her quilt. I haven't really started on Viri's quilt either.  Kim is thinking we will go visit around the beginning of September. That leaves me only a month and a half to get two quilts done.  So much to do and so little time to do it. Will I ever learn to not bite off more than I can chew?

How did your week go?

Busy Week, No Quilting

As predicted, I didn't get much done this week.  I worked two long days on Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday was spent cooking and socializing with Tim and Tammy Nunn and our kids and grand-kids.  Thursday and Friday, Kim and Tim went fishing. Tatianna, Tammy and I hung out.  Saturday Kim and I spoiled the grand-kids. Lots of activity but not much quilting. 

I did lay out Winry's quilt top and actually got the first row stitched together. But well lots of dishes and lots of cooking and not much sewing.  Some weeks, it's going to be like that.

This week finds me in Illinois on business.  I did bring the layer cake for Viri's quilt top and am hoping to mark it for sewing while in the hotel room. 

I also found a quilt shop down the road (a ways down the road) from my hotel. It is called the Twisted Stitch.  I had sometime to kill before I could check into my hotel room so I ventured into South Elgin to check it out. I had a wonderful visit with the owner. We talked about the quilt shop business, long arm quilting for money and fabric stashes among other things. If you are ever in South Elgin, IL. Check out her shop. She has some cute patterns and will be offering classes again this fall. 

I had forgotten to pack a ruler to draw the diagonals on the layer cakes, she had a new one that she really liked because it didn't slip on the fabric. I went ahead and got it but I am not sure it will fit in my bag for the trip home. If it does it is going to be a tight fit. 

I also found a really awesome citrusy layer cake so I broke my rule about no fabric purchases. But it is really pretty. The name of the line is Sweet and Sour and it is by Wilmington.  The colors are very fresh and bright. It is so pretty and I really really love it.

Then I found a pattern that I really liked that uses jelly rolls. Plus I got an idea for using the Santa panels I have.  So I am counting today as a success quilting wise.

How are your projects progressing? Have you found any new shops or fabrics that are inspiring you?

Missing Week

I am not sure where the time has gone.  I wish I could say I spent it happily quilting but that was not the case. The past two weeks was somewhat of a roller coaster that made me question just what my goals are. 

I wrote in previous posts that I was going to treat my job like a job and not a career.  I have been making an effort to do so but I still fall short sometimes.  I guess it is the work ethic I was raised with.  I will do the best job I can and I will spend the time necessary to do the job right.  But I am trying to make my quilting my ultimate career. So I need to make time for that.

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a recruiter about some job opportunities.  Only one was in commuting distance and the recruiter thought I would be perfect for the job. It would be a step up in responsibility and in authority.  It would also double my commute.  I spent two days updating my resume and contacting my references. I submitted my resume with the thought "it can't hurt to see what they have to offer" I did submit my resume but as of yet I haven't heard back from the recruiter. I have also heard from 3 other recruiters.  I gave them all my resume but made it clear that I wasn't interested in relocating. 

This past week I have been highly involved in a major audit of my current employer.  This is our annual 3rd party audit and is very important. I spent a lot of time and energy on this audit.  This is the first year I've been totally involved.  Plus in another week I will be going to Illinois for a week for work.  This is the first year that I have been involved in the Quality managers meeting.  So I am finding more responsibilities in my current job.

All of this has had me focusing on everything other than quilting. I am considering the possibility of doubling my commute which will definitely take away from my quilting time. More responsibility will take away from my quilting time.  I really need to determine what my work/life balance is going to be.

I did finally get the blocks for Winry's quilt made. I finished the last four blocks today. A single block is composed of six half triangle units. The quilt calls for 48 blocks. Funny thing, I did more work than I needed to.  You see, I only perused the pattern.

I was confused as to what constituted a block. I was thinking that the block was two of he actual blocks sewn together. So as I was sewing the blocks, I was also sewing two blocks together. So I have a head start on finishing the top. But I had a panicked moment when I realized that I wasn't going to get 48 of the double blocks out of the half square triangles I had made.

The real extra work came from making the half triangle units. The Ribbon Dance quilt pattern is designed for 10 inch squares. I used 5 inch squares.  Which was fine since the 10 inch squares were going to be cut into quarters anyway. What I didn't do was read how may squares I was going to need. The pattern called for using 36 ten inch squares to make 288 half square triangle units. I used 168 five inch squares and made 336 half square triangle units. I ended up with 48 half square units left over. I will have to set them aside for a doll quilt later on.

I do really like how this quilt is coming together.  Hopefully this next week I will get more done on it.  That is somewhat doubtful since we are having company for the fourth. But I can try to carve some time out this next week.

Hopefully work is not interfering with you quilting goals.  Have you got a work/life balanced worked out?  What works for you?

Predicted Week

I can't believe how fast this week went by.  It just doesn't seem like it's been seven days.  As I predicted I didn't get much quilting done.  I did kind of get back in the swing of being the Mom though.  Let me explain. 

Since we have lived here in Georgia, my kids have gotten home before me. Hence they have been responsible for dinner and cleaning. But the kids are all grown up now.  Perigrine, the youngest, has been home the most and therefore responsible for keeping the house clean and doing the cooking.  I have been spoiled. 

Monday, Perigrine left for Nevada to help her older sister get ready for the baby.  That has resulted in me losing my live in housekeeper.  While I have two other grown kids living here, one is working 10 hour days, having to commute an hour each way, and the other is working while going to school full time even during the summer session.  So Mom has to step up and start doing the cooking and cleaning.  Well, at least the daily stuff. Which has seriously cut into my sewing time. In fact, it looks like I am going to have to do the dishes before I go to bed tonight. 

I did manage to sew a little on Monday and a little today.  But I still need to make some time to sew everyday.  This may be a little easier with Kim out of town. If Kim is not home, then on the nights I can't get to sleep, I can stay up and sew.  Or if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't back to sleep,  I can sew until I am tired again.  Which is probably how the next two weeks is going to go. Especially since it is getting really hot and humid here in the south. This Yankee still hasn't adapted after 9 years.

As  said I did get to work a little bit on the ribbon dance quilt. But I only got 6 more blocks done, which certainly is not much in the way of progress.  I am now at 30 out of 48 blocks. Only 18 more to go.

I did find and buy the fabric for the back. So now I have everything I need to complete the quilt. Once I get the blocks done, I can get the borders on it. Then it will be time to put it on Millie.  I am thinking of using a fairy panto on this one. I found one a couple of months ago on the Intelligent Quilting site. Since I have 7 granddaughters and another on the way I thought it would be a good one to have.

But first I have to get the blocks done. I am hoping to do a few a every night.  Hopefully, I will really put a dent in the project this week.  I would like to have it on Millie by the beginning of July.  I would really like to get this first quilt to the point of stitching down the binding before I leave for Chicago on July 8th. I could then work on the binding in the evenings in my hotel room. I know I am such a party gal.

I wonder if there are any really good quilt shops near where I am going to be. I guess I should look that up before I go.  I will be in Elgin IL and then Rosemont, IL.  I wonder if I would be that into visiting quilt shops if there were a decent one near by. 

I have to admit I took Mom's Crafts and Fabrics for granted when I lived in Delta, Utah. Check out their Facebook page here.  If you are a quilter and traveling near Delta, UT, it is worth the trip to Mom's.  At least it was when I lived there. She had a wonderful selection and it was well organized.  Plus the classes were really reasonable. I know there are kits available for at least some of the quilts on display.

Oh well I have kind of rambled this week but it has been one of those unfocused rambling weeks.  How are you projects coming along?


 

Lack of Focus, Mechanical Troubles and New Progress

I finally finished quilting the Christmas Lemonade quilt.  It is off Millie and ready to be finished. I really did enjoy manually quilting the border. I need a lot more practice with that particular skill but it did get easier the more I did it. Of course it was not without Mishap.  I had used batting that was too big. It was a batt that I had cut too small for the braid quilt. Well when I put it on Millie, it was too wide for the backing. So I folded it under to get the side clamps on. When I quilted the border, I quilted the excess batting into a section of the design. I wasn't thinking about the excess batt being in the way.  That lack of focus created a mess. This picture was taken after I cut most of the excess off.

Once I got most of the batting cut away, I needed to cut it closer to the stitches. Fortunately, I have a pair of applique scissors. I trimmed the excess batting as close to the stitches as I could. Some of the batting just rubbed loose at this point but some stayed put.


 I then used a clean scrubbing sponge to wear away the batting that was left. It just started to pull apart.  But I did accidentally tear out some stitches.  I had to thread my sewing machine with red thread and re stitch the section of design that came loose. Luckily for me it was all straight lines.

I have kind of set it aside for now.  Mostly because I am procrastinating.  I don't know why but I didn't bury the thread ends as I went. Now I have to spread the quilt out and start burying them.  I should have just done it as I was quilting. It also needs trimmed before I can put the binding on.  My dining room table is currently being used to rebuild the electrical harness for my son's project car. I just need to nag him a little more to clear it off. Then I can spread out the quilt.

Another reason for setting it aside is I need to work on the granddaughters quilt. Winry will be here in just 2 short weeks. I know I won't have the quilt made by the time she gets here but I am hoping to get it done before I go out to visit. Not sure when that will be yet but probably early fall. And I can't take a quilt to Winry if I haven't made one for Viri. Since they will be sharing a bedroom, I wanted the quilts to match yet still be different. Pink for Viri and Purple for Winry. Both are being made with 1930's prints and both will be the Ribbon Dance pattern.

Last week I said I had all the half square triangles for Winry's quilt done. This week I have managed to get half of the 48 blocks sewn. That is despite tension problems with my sewing machine. When I started to sew the blocks together and I was having all sorts of tension issues. Plus the machine was making a loud clacking sound. I hate to say it but I think my little helper amde some adjustments to my machine when I wasn't looking.  The machine ran fine without the bobbin and needle. I took the bobbin holder out, then cleaned and oiled the machine. After I got that done I tried sewing again. Still the loud noise and tension issues.  I ended up tightening the top tension all the way up and loosening the bottom tension all the way down. The stitches were better but the noise remained. The next day I played around with it some more. I switched out the bobbin and the needle. The clacking was better. I tried to adjust the tension again and was able to get it back to a more normal range. I will need to take it in soon and get a tune up done on it but for now I am able to sew. 

This is a picture of two blocks sewn together. I am really pleased with how it is coming together. I am hoping that I will get the remaining blocks sewn this week.   

It would be great if I could have the top done by next week.  I am just not too sure of how much time I will have this week.  My boss will be in North Carolina so I will probably need to work longer than 8 hours.  Also my husband is home this week but only for five days.  I will probably spend most of my time at home with him instead of sewing.  Especially since we will probably only have about 7 days together for the next 3 weeks. Priorities!!!

Plus even if I get the top done this week, I need to get fabric for the back.  I thought I had it covered but didn't realize just how much I really need. I bought 4 yards of pink fabric and 4 yards of purple fabric that was on sale.  I thought I had enough for the backs. Turns out I really need 7 1/2 yards of each. I forgot about the borders. Problem is, I bought it as a store that I probably won't be able to get back too any time soon. So I will have to buy backing fabric again.  So much for not adding to my stash.  At least the fabrics are solids and colors that I will use.  But money is a little tight and I wish I hadn't spent it on fabric that I can't use to finish the project. I will have to do some online shopping for backing fabric.

All in all a pretty good week. Progress made on two quilts. Mechanical issues that came up were dealt with. (I am pretty proud that I can do that). Lack of focus created an issue that made me think out of the box and helped me to use my problem skills.

What did you get done this week?