Knitting Plans for 2019 - brought to you from Dallas, TX

SO, I mentioned in my last post that I had taken a new job, which has a lot of travel, and by a lot, I mean basically daily travel. I leave on Sunday night, and I return on Friday. Many of you know that I teach every Saturday in Southern California. As a result, my sewing machine time has been greatly reduced, and I have had to find other ways to get my sewing fix. Initially, I didn't attempt to take sewing projects, because I just couldn't figure out what to take. Yes, I have done EPP (English Paper Piecing) before, and I don't hate it. Yes, I have done dozens (yes, dozens) of stitching projects. that are fairly portable. But I didn't want to try to cross stitch in low light on planes or in hotel rooms, it's just too hard on the eyes. So, I chose to spend most of my time knitting while on the road....and so far, I haven't finished a single thing for me!!! That's right, in 6 months I haven't made a single thing for me. I've made a half dozen hats, started some socks, made Christmas scarves, and picked 3 major projects for myself, but knitted absolutely nothing for me. There is just something incredibly satisfying to give a knitted or quilted gift...so I am always putting projects for me off. I'm always making samples for classes or gifts for friends. And while I will continue to make samples for classes, I am committed to knitting for myself this year. I have some pretty big knitting goals for the year, and I decided I better list them so that I can look back and hold myself accountable.

First up : Learn to make socks........eventually I want to make some fancy cable socks, but I'm starting with some simple vanilla socks.....like these.....

   

Second : make a sweater....starting with this one by TinCan Knits. It is called Mountain Mist, and hopefully will be a good choice for a first sweater.....basic, but with a little bit of personality.

Third: the perfect shawl. With all of the traveling and temperature fluctuations, a huge shawl is a must on the plane. And this one is the one I want before the fall travel season starts. This one is Ley Lines by Joji Locatelli, simple, basic, and amazing. I am going to do a faded version, and let the yarn slowly gradate through a series of turquoise and navy verigated yarns.

So, that's my knitting plan for the year.....

Holy Smokes It's Been a While

Well, I've been feeling the itch to blog for  a while now, and I knew that it had been a while since I had last blogged, but I had no idea how long it had been.

Life has been a little crazy. I got a new job last August that has been totally crazy. I've been traveling 100% of the time since mid-September, and I must admit the quilting production has gone down exponentially. And the less I have sewn, the more I want to!!! Isn't that just the way it goes!!! I am still working through how to quilt on the road. I know lots of people do it. And do it successfully. I however, have not figured that all out yet. I do enjoy EPP (English Paper Piecing) so I could do that, or appliqué (which I don't hate), or binding (which I did for the last 3 months, and have now run out of). I am sure there are a million other things I could do.....but I'm still trying to figure it out. The honest truth is, I've just now finally figured out the briefcase packing requirements and the suitcase packing requirements, so I can now really figure out the sewing piece.

As a result, I've taken the easy route lately, binding if available, and otherwise, some knitting. SO, I've made lots of hats and scarves and cowls this past fall, and I even started a pair of mittens (which remain unfinished). And as much as I love knitting, I really miss quilting and just sitting at the machine and sewing my heart out. So this week, I am taking some appliqué on the road and I'll see how it goes. I likely won't be blogging because I still haven't moved the blog from the MAC to the PC (which I need for work). I haven't figured out a way to take both computers successfully, with the limited amount of space that I have for carryon and the number of things I NEED while on a trip.  Oh the drama of full time travel.

Well I really must go, as it is time to get the packing finished and head to the airport. Hoping every one has a great week, and I'll se you soon.

Work in Process Wednesday

Well we are mid way through the week, and I am happy to report that the work on the TOM is going strong. Today I am watching a Harry Potter marathon -- right now it's the Chamber of Secrets -- and marking and sewing all of the TRPs on all of the pieces. There are more TRPs than I remember!!!! Here's the update....

Monday -- Assemble the C's, and build out the Ds - DONE!!! 

Tuesday -- Assemble the Borders, and start working towards the center - Still working on these, I didn't realize that I hadn't done some of the TRPs, so I had togo back and complete them before I could actually start assembly, but that is all done now, so these can start shortly.  


Wednesday -- Assemble the A's - completed Tuesday


Thursday - Assemble the 4 quadrants - may be delayed until Friday, as I have a hair appointment that was originally scheduled for while the studio is too warm to sew in, but has been moved, so I likely won't have much sewing time on Thursday, but we'll see....


Friday - Assemble the main components - still on track, I am confident I can get them done if I just concentrate!!!!

Other than that there is really not a lot going on this week, we're taking some quiet time to get organized for new adventures that start shortly (the 23rd) and trying to get organized for all of the new adventures. The new job will have serious impacts on my ability to get sewing done, so I have to make some changes  -- not quite sure how that will work out or what I am going to sew.....with a full travel schedule I likely won't do any machine work except when I am home on the weekends....I will have the ability to do hand work, or knit, but I haven't really made any big plans on that front for this year, so I need to re-evaluate. It could be a great time to make the So Faded cardigan, or make a Worsted Boxy, or make any of the dozens of shawls that are on my list. Part of me wants to cast on the giant faded Hitchhiker Shawl that I planned for next year. SO MANY OPTIONS!!!! I just need to figure out which one I want to do and make it a priority, and get it prepared. 

So wish me luck until I check in again!!!

Totally Tuesday

I had some pretty big plans for the week, primarily to finish a large project that has been lingering. It's Tuesday, and I have left the studio due to the heat (it gets to be about 90 degrees in the studio around 2pm, and unbearable), so I have just a few minutes to work on some computer work this afternoon before meeting and errands get started. So, here's what I had planned, versus what is done as of now.....


Monday -- Assemble the C's, and build out the Ds - C's are all cut and the CRs are complete, the CLs still need assembly, so I'll have to finish those tomorrow morning, thankfully the hard and arduous parts are done, it's just the final bit of assembly that needs to be done.

Tuesday -- Assemble the Borders, and start working towards the center - This bit is already in process. I needed to do some sub assembly on the Cs and to do that I had to do some other assemblies.


Wednesday -- Assemble the A's


Thursday - Assemble the 4 quadrants


Friday - Assemble the main components

So, it's looking doable, as long as I stay on target and on task for the next few days. I just have to stay motivated and get it done. 

Does anyone else sometimes struggle with getting things done? I have all of these big plans and great intentions, and somehow get totally distracted.....I'm working really hard to ensure that I don't get distracted on this project. I want it finished this week!!!! Hoping that I can work on it some of the evenings this week to get a little bit extra done.

Well, off to the real job, I'll check in again tomorrow and see where we are!


Catherine

Motivation Monday

It's Monday, September 10th, and I have a busy week of sewing ahead. I am determined to finish my TOM this week. All of the units are done, I just need to assemble them. Hopefully it is just a 20 hour job to get them assembled. I sure hope so! That's all the time that I allotted for it!

So, here's the plan --

Monday -- Assemble the C's, and build out the Ds
Tuesday -- Assemble the Borders, and start working towards the center
Wednesday -- Assemble the A's
Thursday - Assemble the 4 quadrants
Friday - Assemble the main components

That leaves next week for Harbored Lighthouse before I got on the road full time. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I am going to work on while on the road...should I pick up an EPP project? just knit? I know I will have tons of binding at some point, which will be easy take alongs (and provide some necessary plane activities). So, if you have any good ideas for what to do on weekly 2 hour plane rides, let me know! Of course, it has to be something that I can get onto a plane. I'm still not 100% clear on what can and can't go through TSA. Even reading the manual that they gave me it's unclear whether a punch needle will be allowed.

Stash Management Update

Well, I have been diligently working through my stash and projects, I can finally say that I have touched every box, and every bin and every project box. I like to do this review every 2 years or so and get rid of any things that I either don't love or no longer plan to finish. I'm lucky that I belong to a guild and they are always happy to take any books, projects or patterns off of my hands, to either become philanthropy projects or parts of the guild library or as a project for someone who is on a limited quilty income. 

So, it's been a big week in the stash management arena, I completed a couple of projects, and made a couple of backs, so there was lots of yardage headed out the door.

1. Vintage Compass - total yardage for the top = 9.25 yards, including using some gradient panels that were not efficient but are beautiful. 

2. Vintage Compass Backing - 4 yards

3. Winter Wonderland Tablerunner - 4.25 yards

4. Winter Wonderland Backing - 1 yard

Previous status :

Used : 7 yards

Aquired : 0 yards

This week:

Used :  18.5 yards

Aquired : 0 yards

Total :  -25.5 yards

I have a couple more finishes that I am expecting in the next few weeks so I am hoping to be close to 100 yards by the 1st of October. Yes, that is quite a big dent to make in the next 3.5 weeks, but I am determined to get it done. 

How is your stash management going? How do you store your fabric? Do you use bins? or comic book boards? Do you fold your fabric a specific way? Inquiring minds want to know.....

Finish, Finish, Finish

It's been a busy couple weeks, I have been focusing on getting a bunch of things done in preparation for the new schedule. I've been making steady progress on the garage cleanout; finding some amazing finds, and getting frustrated with how much junk I've saved for forever. Thank goodness, I am just about done with the garage. I have just 1 cabinet remaining to go through and the garage will be complete. Yippee!

I've been doing the Rachel Cruze Minimalist Challenge (#rcminimalistchallenge) that started on September 1st. Basically, you throw out 1 item on the 1st, 2 items on the 2nd, 3 items on the 3rd, etc, etc, etc. I am up through day 26 at the moment. It seems to be one of those things that you get started on, and can't stop. Regardless, it's nice to see things getting resolved and taken care of throughout the house.

I have also been working on UFOs. I sorted through all of them and decided which ones were important to me and which ones weren't, and let some go to the guild for finishing by someone else. And the rest I got a really good handle on status and put them in priority order. And now, I'm getting to work on them. Starting with this one...

It's Winter Wonderland Tablerunner, with an alternate edge treatment. Basically, the colored HSTs on the edges are supposed to be made from the background, but I am participating in the stash buster's with the She Shed Shenanigans group. Basically, it's any Judy pattern but you have to build it from your stash. And let's face it we all have plenty of stash available if we look!!! SO, if you look closely, I used 2 greens, and 4 reds in the stars themselves, and a different green and red for the border triangles, bringing the total number of fabrics to 10 in a table runner. Now, I just need to make a backing and this on is ready for quilting. 

Next up, I worked on my Vintage Compass. It just needed the borders sewn together and it was ready to go. It didn't take long (about 2 hours total) to finish it up. But I did remember why I put it away. I bought 3 3/4  yards worth of the gradient fabric to be the background of this quilt (the pattern calls for 1.5 yards). Basically, the gradient didn't have enough of the inner border values available, so I needed to decide how to make the inner corners. I ended up going with the lighter value. Overall it looks great and I am pretty happy with it, but I of course would rather it be the medium (which I don't have).....

The picture is a bit deceiving, the entire gradient is a light turquoise to black/teal, not quite so navy blue.

I also got a few minutes to work on some units for On Ringo Lake. I originally only made a small number of these units as I wanted to see what it looked like before I made a bazillion units. I really like the pattern, so now I needed to go back and remake 200 more units (I originally made 50). I managed to make 50 more today (for a total of 100). 

And now, I'm off to work on a few more items for the week. Got to get to that to do list!

Have you had a chance to sew this week?