It's just my bag!



Gathered Together by Edyta Sitar


Finished project #2 ! Isn't this a neat bag, it holds everything! To take this picture of it I had to take out a book, a magazine, a journal and still I left all my other stuff in it. Edyta Sitar is one of my new favorite designers, I just purchased her latest book and can't wait to start on one of the projects.

This bag was in the April 2011 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting and was a snap to put together. I think these will make great gifts! It even uses the selvage edge of the fabric as a tie, see it - isn't that cool?

Of course any new projects have to wait for now, because I still have so many unfinished. I have no illusions that I will finish them all before starting a new project, but a few at least. When I consider I have two projects that just need binding and labels to be complete, it seems silly to start more.

Oh, but I do love to start a new project. There is just something about finding that new project that completely captures your imagination and then there is the hunt for the fabric. The perfect fabric that makes you say "there you are, you will be absolutely perfect" and visions of the cozy Green Gables homestead come to mind. You think to yourself, when this quilt is done I will be there in that simpler time. Then there is the cutting, all the tidy piles of perfectly cut fabric, all laid out just waiting to be zipped through the machine. You envision yourself sewing happily, feeling homey, cozy, and at peace. Just working patiently until the project is complete. Oh there you go focusing on COMPLETE! It's the process, remember the process that is so satisfying. Then the moment you finish your first block and press it out and see that yes you have made it....just like the pattern and look those seams match perfectly....oh and there are only 60 more blocks to make and then just the borders and then quilt, bind, label, and be done! Oh I just can't wait! Then somewhere between block 1 and 51 you are captured by another wonderful project or the beautiful weather outside, you fall in love again. That is when the wonderful project you started with all the "I Can't wait until it is done!" enthusiasm is now a UFO, an Unfinished Object. Oh well "It's just my bag!", I will finish it sometime later, after all there are so many wonderful starts to make!

Enjoy making starts and finishes today and enjoy your authentic life.

            

              

UFO #1 Cin-a-mon Nicke Complete!

Here he is, UFO #1 Cin-a-mon Nicke complete! One down a couple dozen to go.

This fun Santa wallhanging was a gift for my best friend Molly for Christmas, last Christmas that is! In December I had nearly finished the quilting when I decided that I wasn't at all happy with what I had done and so out came the seam ripper (Argh! Monofiliment) and gone were all hopes of getting the project done in time for our Christmas get together. Then yesterday, I finially put him in the hands of his rightful owner fully quilted, bound, and labeled! Hurray! Today my daughter and I will be finishing our bags we started one rainy day last weekend and when complete we will have yet another finished project to show....but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I am slowly realizing that everything I need to get done will more likely take days to finish, rather than hours. In the past I found that I was always frustrated by my lack of finished projects and as usual had to remind myself that I am just one person and these things take time and energy. How silly to have to remind yourself of such things, one would think this a natural thought process, however, I have found that it is not. At least not for me. So off I go, merrily finishing some projects and wondering why I started others at all, yet another of life's little mysteries. 

Until next time, I'll be off finishing projects, after all in this economy it is best to use what you have rather than buy new. Of course I'm not dead yet, there are many days to come and even more things to play with and new projects to start! Bye for now!