So Sorry...

Quote for the Day:

"I like to make the mundane fabulous whenever I can."
~Rufus Wainwright

I realize that I've been very quiet on this blog lately.  It's been eight...oops, nine...NO...TEN LONG DAYS since my last post.  (I feel like I'm at Confession, "Forgive me, Father, it's been ten days since my last confession..." and I'm not even Catholic!  LOL  [No offense intended to my Catholic readers/friends.] )

Anyway...back to what's going on around here...

A couple of weeks ago, my work shift changed from 3PM-11PM, 3 days per week, to 11AM-11PM, 2 day per week...(plus whatever other shifts I pick up to help out with the short-staffing at work.)  I have worked 8 hour shifts for the past 20 years, so my body and mind have been gradually making the change to 12 hour shifts.  I can truthfully say that last Tuesday was the FIRST day that I felt "normal" with the earlier rising and longer shift.  

The GOOD part to the longer shift/fewer days per week is that, "in theory", I get more days off!  WooHoo!  (Until I go and mess it up by agreeing to pick up extra hours on my "days off".)  But...I'm a sucker.  'Nuff said. 

Here it is, the 17th of January, and I have two three goals to try to fulfill by the end of January...

First, I'd like to get the commissioned Dresden plate quilt finished hand-quilted for my friend/client, Diana.  I am currently working on the lower half of the LAST ROW, as you can see in this picture.

I've had this one in the frame since August or September, and am ready to be done with it and move on to the next quilt!  (I get that way after I have a quilt in the frame for a while...ready to move onto the next...)

Second, I'd like to get the blocks finished for the "Easy Street" quilt.  Other people who were doing the mystery have their quilt finished and QUILTED already...and slow-poke me is still pluggin' away on the blocks.  

 

To get these two goals accomplished, my plan is to complete ONE block/day (on my days off as NO quilting gets done on my work days anymore) of the "Easy Street" quilt, and then spend all other quilting time on the Dresden Plate quilt until it is finished.  

It's hard when you have a piecing project and a quilting project going at the same time because time spent on one is time taken away from the other.  Mary Kay Ash used to say, "you can't chase two rabbits at once and expect to catch either one."  I think that works with quilting/crafting projects, too.  :)    But, since it is soooo like a quilter to have multiple projects going at once, when it gets down to the finish line,  I just have to set goals for myself.

And, last but not least, my third goal is to get the binding changed out on a quilt for a client.  I met this lady through our local quilt shop owner who referred me to her.  The lady has some vintage quilts from the '30's/'40's that a family member had made.  However, the bindings were not put on properly and need "repaired", aka "removed and new binding applied".   I have the first of three of these quilts here, along with the fabric for the new binding.  I had told her I thought I'd have it done by the end of January.  Let's see if I can make it...

Now, let it be known that when I take on an order from someone I tell them UP FRONT that it will get done when it gets done, but I try to give them an estimate of when that will be.  NOT ONE of my customers has ever put pressure on me to get the quilts done faster, but I know that I have so many more quilts that I want to get done but can't till I get my current ones done.  So the pressure to get things done in a timely manner is ALL ME...not my wonderful customers!  

So...for today...supper is in the crockpot...making it easier to spend time quilting...

...Applesauce Chicken and stove-top dressing!!

One more thing before I go...today I received a DVD in the mail that I had ordered...

...Season 1 of "Call the Midwife"...I've not seen any of these episodes, yet, but I've heard such good things about the PBS series!   

I'm going to go put together one "Easy Street" block and then get settled in with my new DVD while working on the Dresden Plate quilt...(this way I'll be ready for Season 2 when it begins in March!!) 

Loretta