So many projects, so little time!

It seems like every time I turn around, I find another quilt or rug that I can't wait to start! I have started six rug hooking projects already this year, but have only finished two so far. Well, one of them isn't completely finished, but the hooking is done. I don't know that I can even count how many quilting projects I have started or purchased fabrics for. I have finished one - my Autumn Jewels quilt I started at Runaway in 2007. I am actually keeping up with the Bunny Hill block of the month project, but other than that I continue to fall behind on the many block of the month (and now block of the week!) projects I have subscribed to.

So what's the next big project? I have started a drunkard's path in 30s fabrics and have purchased some of the fabrics for the cover quilt on the current issue of Fons & Porter magazine. Although I have fallen in love with the look of the 30s fabrics, I think I need to do a bright quilt to appease my husband's tastes. I think the bright colors will work with the pattern...I can't wait to get started on it!

One down (almost)!

I finished binding my blog hook-along rug last night. I still need to sew the tape down, but it's far enough along to be able to get my pictures off to Gene Shepherd for possible inclusion in his article. I enjoyed working with the proddy and would like to do something else dimensional in the future.


Now I need to focus my attention on getting my rug from camp finished. I have two new starts coming up in the next five weeks, so I'd love to get something else off the list. I'm continuing to try and get at least a wall hanging finished for the quilt show. It's starting to look like I won't be able to get the big quilt quilted in time. I'm a bit disappointed, but maybe I'll learn my lesson and actually get a few projects finished before the 2011 show!

So Much Inspiration!

I'm trying to settle back into work after a week plus of inspiration overload... I attended the IQA show in Chicago a week ago Saturday and then headed to Paducah on Tuesday. Both shows seemed more crowded than usual, particularly Paducah. It was so busy on Wednesday that you could hardly move in the main exhibit hall. The quilts were absolutely gorgeous this year. Applique is definitely "in", and pieced backgrounds are becoming increasingly popular. I really love the look of a pieced background. One that I particularly loved was something similar to a sawtooth star - the center was a solid square...I'm not sure what the real name of the block is - in neutrals.

I purchased tons of fabric and quite a few beautiful patterns in Paducah. I was sucked in by Primitive Pastimes in Chicago (again!) and ended up buying three more wool applique kits. I still haven't touched the two from last year! I'm particularly anxious to get started on the cutwork pattern I purchased from Dinah Jeffries.

I finished my inspirational week by attending wool club at Nola's yesterday. This month's wool was a beautiful blue/jewel-colored spot dye. We chose colors for my upcoming scroll class and discussed possibilities for Anita's class in June. I'm leaning toward choosing a crewel pattern for that one. My colors will likely be very similar to the ones I chose for the scrolls. Of course, I can't think about the fact that I am starting TWO new rugs in the next month and a half.

My goals for this week are to deliver my Faceted Jewels quilt to Jackie and finish the prodded flower basket. Oh, and I plan to send in my "Cash Dash" form to the state. Wouldn't it be nice to find out they owe me enought to purchase a longarm?!

Making Progress

I actually managed to be somewhat productive tonight! I'm still slightly irritated with myself for starting yet another rug this week and for signing up for the wool applique class tomorrow. Not to mention the fact that I am thinking about signing up for yet another rug class this summer. This will be a record year for me - more rugs started than ever before! I actually may be on pace to start more quilts than ever, too. I'm completely out of control!

I finished the last of the center blocks for my Faceted Jewels quilt tonight. Much to my dismay, I wasn't able to check off another step on the pattern. There are about 30 more partial blocks that have to be made beofre step 7 is complete. I hope to get back to it tomorrow night...after the applique class, of course!

I'm thinking that I may design a 9 block (or possibly 4 block) Baltimore album-style rug for the class with Anita White. I think she'd be great with something like that and I think I would enjoy it more than working on that Emma Lou pattern I found in my stash.

I hope to do a little more organizing tomorrow. I want to start moving things to the basement but there's still a lot of cleaning, moving and planning necessary before I can completely move in. I haven't decided what all will go down there - I need to spend a little more time planning, but that cuts into the quilting & hooking time! Of course, there are a few other things on the "to do" list, too. Hmmm....how much longer do I have to get those taxes finished?

Crazy Quilting & Rug Hooking

Wow - I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted! Of course, a lot has happened over the past few weeks. I've started a number of new projects - I think it's time to rethink (and perhaps expand) my lists.

I spent the week of Feb 9th taking a class on crazy quilting at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. The class was absolutely wonderful! Judith was a fantastic teacher, and I really appreciated and enjoyed having the ability to focus on a single project all week. I'm so used to the 6-hour workshop that you leave with little more than a block or two.

Last week was our 2009 Toddhall rug camp. Our teacher this year was Cynthia Norwood. She was wonderful! She was really a lot of fun and we learned so much about antique paisley shawls and creating antique-looking rugs. I am working on a really fun pattern - the flowers are a bit on the modern side, yet I am hooking it in really primitive, old-looking colors. I can't wait to finish it!

In addition to the above, I spent several days in New York City and had a chance to visit The City Quilter. What a fun shop! I also attended a retreat at a little bed and breakfast in Collinsville, IL where I worked on the first two Bunny Hill BOM blocks. I still need to complete the embroidery, but the applique was finished just in time for the release of block #3.

I am starting yet another rug in a class at Nola's this week, and attending a wool applique class on Saturday. I really need to stop starting all these new things and focus on getting a few quilts finished for the quilt show. June will be here before we know it!

Creative Juices Project #1

I managed to finish hooking my chairpad/table mat in only a couple of evenings. I still need to steam it and finish the edge, but I'm excited that I finished the hooking so quickly. I'm already thinking about another diversion - this one a bit larger. I know I shouldn't, but it is oh so tempting!!!

Sidetracked...

I'm deviating from the plan already! I went to a "Creative Juices" class on Monday at Nola's studio. The project-of-the-month was a hexagon chair pad. We brainstormed different ways one might fill a hexagon, including diamonds ("lonestar" look) and tumbling blocks. I like the idea of hooking log cabin squares in tumbling blocks, but doing it as a chair pad would be a bit tedious. I decided to follow Nola's original plan and use the diamonds for my project. I chose a seven shades of blue/teal for my color pallete. I got a pretty good start on it on Monday, and spent several hours last night and tonight filling in the diamonds. I had hoped to knock it out this weekend, but that's probably not going to happen. Between the Creative Juices classes Nola is planning, my upcoming camp, the Anita White class, and another rug Nola is teaching that I fell in love with, I think it is safe to say that I am not going to get my original list of rugs done this year!