FNSI- don't forget to sign up

I don't always get to sew on a Friday Night so I rarely officially sign up but..... due to all the snow I am going to be home- yeah!

Join me and the hundreds of other quilters as we take advantage of the night.

Hubby is headed to bed, he has to leave out on a trip so I will have a quiet house! Along with sewing I hope to pull TO-DO's and UFO's and start some sort of a list on how to work/finish them.

Judy L is doing a 12 month color theory challenge and I hope to stay caught up with that project. January was YELLOW and I am pretty pleased with my progress.

I have been wanting to do more of Tanya's Wonky letters and hope to piece a yellow JAN to add to the border of my completed challenge piece.

I don't normally get excited about New Year's Resolutions but this year I think I will take it slow and commit to 11 things I hope to accomplish this year, (I originally thought 2,000 and 11 things but that is just nuts!)

#1--Compile a list of the 11 things!

#2-Host 11 Give-Aways on my Blog. Starting in Feb on the Eleventh of each month till then end of the year.

#3-Make at least 11 donations to on-line quilter/friend's favorite projects.

#4-Follow Judy Laquardia's Color Challenge, ...AND..organize at least 11 colors of fabric along with the color each month. Jan/Yellow- done!

#5-Identify at least 11 UFO's (I'm not committing to working on them just find then and add them to a list- lol)

#6-Machine quilt for my personal collection at least 11 quilt tops sewn prior to 2011

#7-Start at least 11 new TO-DO's (Everyone spends so much time vowing to finish stuff, I am going to purpose to start some)

#8- Teach &/or Learn at least 11 New quilting techniques

#9-Cut out and Kit at least 11 projects using my new BABY GO

#10-Sew at least 11 favorite go-to projects to have on hand for gifts.

#11-Participate in at least 11 Sew-Ins on-line &/or Live Body.

Part of my sew-in time is going to be taking inventory of my New 11

Any and All suggestions will be considered (who is going to teach me to make a side bar?)

The photo is of a top that my good friend Dawn is working on. I was thrilled to let her pull from my stash. Can you see what fabrics were mine? Just kidding- even I don't remember. I will share her finished masterpiece along with info on where she got her inspiration. That might have to be one of my 11 things TO DO this year!- be good cheryl

New Year's Resolves.....maybe, maybe not

I did something today that I didn't think I would have it in me to do. Not only did I stay on task and finish a TOP, but I then cleaned up my sewing mess and turn off the lights before I left the room.

You would have to know me to know what a HUGE improvement this is on my 'style' of existing.

I have been working for a couple of years "organizing' my sewing/quilting life. I make great strides and then backslide twice as far as I have advanced.

The other day I had hubby bring home a large folding table from the church building and set it up in our den. I then threw everything that wasn't nailed down into piles and moved it ALL in to be sorted. Took a couple of days BUT I finally feel like I know where things are. Instead of having a pile of scraps and a ruler and misc in one box and similar items in another, it is now all where I want it to be. Not bragging or complaining, just reporting the facts.

I inherited an old desk from my father in law. It took some moving around but I have it in the sewing room. It is officially now my cutting area, design station, and spot for the grands to sit and color while I am sewing.

To the right of grandpa's desk is my sewing station, this is a favorite desk given by a friend years ago. It was painted grey and I stripped it and did an oak stain. Wish I had that energy to restore now. I am just going to go with a shabby shabby look.

My third center is a small piece I bought from a client who was moving and didn't have room to take it with them. I keep my 'fancy stitch' machine on it and do most of my raw-edge applique here.

Not pictured is my newest station. An old singer in a wood cabinet has my embroidery machine setting on it. I haven't actually use it since re-organizing BUT I do know where my thread and the books are for it. (This is a big improvement)

Not picture is the closet of finished quilts that was cleaned and refilled. Most of these are future gifts for relatives (OK I mean the grand kids) I also have a library area (An old bookcase on top of a small dresser).

There are a lot of posts going up today about resolutions for the new year. I am not to the point of admitting I have any BUT if I did, one would be to continue to enjoy quilting AND start doing a little 'clean as I go' . I can't believe I got so much stuff in such a small room, better yet, I know what and where most of it is.

Have a wonderful end of 2009- May 2010 have double the good stuff and 1/2 the not so good.- cheryl