The end of January, ALREADY!

The older I get the faster that times seems to fly. Is this true or is it just a conceptualization of perspectives? Whatever it is, there is no disguising that we are already at the end of the first month of 2016, with very little to show for it.

A date with the surgeon and the subsequent post-operative sequelae has led to a very non-productive rest of the month, after our foray to New York City. Drugged and unable to concentrate for any great length of time  is a very disconcerting  feeling. So, away go the drugs and I will deal with the pain. It has slowly abated to where only an occasional tylenol is needed. Yeah! My head is finally clear and I am raring to go again, although still house bound and unable to walk more than a short distance at one time. This date also meant that I had to learn how to start and stop my sewing using the Stop/Start button rather than the foot pedal. Can't put the pressure on my foot like I would normally do. All in all a completely new learning curve. LOL You should see me when I forget to hit the Stop button - the air definitely turns blue.

As soon as I get mobile, I want to go to the storage unit and see if I have any wool that is adequate and in a great colour for DGDs socks. If not then I need to order some. They might get completed for Christmas. LOL

the end of 2015 brought us to the end of the year's Row by Row Experience. And what a year it was: We ended with >1900 row patterns, collected by our little roving band of quilters. We were a busy group. And January brings us to the new "Experience", with a whole new theme:

Home Sweet Home

Oh the possibilities here. I even found some very neat fabrics for backings already. Hmmmmm did I already order them? So now back to business of organization.

I have managed to get a few of the tiny blocks (3 1/2" unfinished) completed for the 365Challenge out of Australia. As I had wanted to use up a jelly roll that I had available, I started off with it. Even though we are currently only doing the dark palettes at the moment, I am so dissatisfied with how they look. I will continue to work on them at least until I get some lights to put with them before I make a final decision about them. For me, they are simply too drab and blah.

 Maybe it is because the colours are more conducive to bigger blocks than smaller ones. 

I have managed to cut and prepare 4 more of these little suckers and still the colours do not talk to me. I will keep chugging along.

I did manage to get some focal fabric and matching strips cut for a table runner that I would like to have for Mardi Gras on Feb 9. This is fabric that I had found and purchased last year while in New Orleans. I will make a redo of the Jinny Beyer's 2014 Row by Row. 

And then we have the new numbers out for the Numbers Game.

Low number is #7 

Other number is #21 

On my list, #7 is DS#2s quilt which means a Star Wars quilt. I have the started fabrics in the storage unit and I know that I need more so this will be an ongoing endeavor, probably in the Fab4 for the month. And again, no #21. Using this as an extra bonus, I will continue to work on Mom's Quilt in order to get it completed.

To end the month I found myself ordering some more supplies. The Benetrex Fossil Fern fabrics have appealed to me for a long time now and I finally bit the bullet. Craftsy had a flat of the complete medley in FQs on sale for half price. So there you have it! Now to find the Star Wars fabric that I need to get that one done.

We are now ensconced in a park for a week where I can get out Miss Betsy and go full speed ahead.

So what about my actual plans for the New Year?

So what about my actual plans for the New Year? Not resolutions mind you, just plans, and they can change at the drop of a hat. As I sat down making out my spreadsheets, I realized that I have many, many UFOs in various medias. The JOT and FAB4 mechanisms from Stashbusters are going to be very helpful. But the main thing, I think, is that I need to reorient myself to completing things rather starting new projects.

With that said, I find that I have 2 new starts that have to be done this year added to the "must do's" that are already in progress. So I am thinking that I am going be a busy person.
So here goes:
2015 UFOs:                                         2016 New Starts:
Mom's Quilt                                          365Challenge
DS#1s Magic Cube                                Hexie quilt
DS#2s Star Wars
DIL#2s quilt
DGDog#1 Toby's quilt
DGD#2 Buddy's quilt
Row by Rows x3
Fall/T-day table topper
NYB
Dash cover
DGDs 2nd pillowcase
2014 UFOs:
Row by Rows x2
World Traveler
OUR Quilt
... and this is only the quilting. There are a few knitting items sitting by my chair and some needlework still in the coach. Most had been moved to the storage unit and were the recipients of the fire last fall.
Knitting:
sweater
toque set
overcoat shawl
and DGD asked me to make her some wool socks! Guess that will be a 2016 New start  LOL
Needlework (in the coach):
Christmas crackers for mom

And so I can honestly say, I will be busy. Luckily I will be off my feet for a couple of months and will be able to work a lot on these.

Oh and I forgot - I need to update my website and blogs. Busy busy!

I am also going to keep up my spreadsheets which are now finished. Of course, they can be added to. and I am sure that I will come across new things that just "have to be started"!

So now to work!