When I start a new project, very rarely do I plan everything out from start to fininsh down to the last stitch. Perhaps that's why I always run into bumps, ditches, hiccups, and roadblocks all along the way. First threre are size issues, then the issue of whether to follow the pattern as is or add to it, border vs no border, and let's not talk about the nightmare of the long wait if you need additional quilting supplies shipped to Germany!?!
Even though I have several projects in the works, despite how it might appear, I really am conscious of bringing all those backburner projects to the front again once each issue is sorted out. Usually if I put it on hold for a while, then somehow that "break" gives me the time to process the direction that I want to take it.
I was finally able to connect my Farm Girl Vintage blocks, but you can imagine how frustrated I was when I had run out of the sashing fabric right in the middle of trying to finish it! So when I had to re-order the sweet swiss dots fabric, a "few" stowaways just happened to mysteriously fall into my cart... I'm still trying to figure out how that happened?!? Does that happen to you too?
In addition to some Erin Michael low volumes that I've been drooling over, I added a few jewel tone colors from the 2015 Basic Grey grunge basics. I've been in the home stretch of finishing my Facing East blocks for some time now, but had decided to put that too on hold until they came in... and now I've even been able to whip up four blocks with the new colors!
... well, now there's nothing to hold me back from some finishes! (except maybe for Christmas, life with kids, and a flooded basement where I keep my quilt design wall!... you know, life!)
Do you plan your quilts start to finish? If so, do you find that you run into less snags? Or are you more spontaneous with your quilting projects? If so, do you find that run into more snags?
Linking up this week to WIP Wednesday and Let's Bee Social.
About two weeks ago, I got together with a friend of mine for a sewing day, whom I met on a WIP Wednesday linkup some time ago!... it perhaps doesn't sound too out of the ordinary to meet on such a platform, but it might actually make it very out of the ordinary if you know that we both live in Germany! It's amazing how much you can get accomplished when you have a whole day dedicated just to sewing, despite lunch and chocolate breaks! I have so many WIP's in the works, it was not too hard to find something to work on.
If you've visited here a time or two, you might have figured out that I am a debater when it comes to my sewing projects. When I started my Farm Girl Vintage blocks, I had a very clear direction as far as colors and fabrics, but then I hit my stumbling block: the sashing. After several fabric auditions and many seam ripper moments, it got packed away again, and it wasn't until after won a pretty little stack of Swiss Dots fabrics from Sew Fresh Quilts that I had my Eureka moment:
Here's the best part... half way through my sashing, I realized that I had calculated wrong about how much sashing I needed to get this WIP together... uggghh! Luckily I was able to find the fabric again, but now back to waiting until the fabric makes it all the way to Germany... hmmpff, back to the back burner with 'ya.
... and flipping to the front burner again, do you remember this fun little stack of orange peels? They too are starting to take shape, and I really think I will enjoy this Modern Beauty Block as a table runner for our dresser in the front hallway. I've actually decided to make a few changes on some of the orange peel fabrics, so this might be another long time in the making project, but that's just how I've planned this "basket project" to be.
Oh, the lengths you go to for that perfect shot... here's Mell capturing a few of our WIP moments. Do you stand on your piano bench too for a good picture?
... and speaking of the backburner... I've not forgotten about my Facing East quilt... no, no, quite the contrary! That's was another debater moment, and I've decided to add a few of the new Basic Grey 2015 grunges to the mix... and wouldn't you know, they are in that same box with the swiss dots fabrics... back on the back burner again!
Are you an "On Again, Off Again" project maker? Do you seem to run into a lot of road blocks on projects, or are your projects planned as to leave no room for error?
Linking up this week to WIP Wednesdy and Let's Bee Social.
