Needles and Pens

Definite progress. There's nothing quite like sharing embarrassing pictures of your mess to make you want to clean it up -- and fast. So before I go on to what's yet to be done, here are a couple of before and afters to show the progress made this week (click on the picture for a larger view). In the sewing room: And better yet, in the storage room: Looks like the room grew! In the sewing room, the second table is a huge improvement on my work space. Now I have room to cut at one end and quilt at the other, with the old computer set up in between, so I can use online patterns without having to print them out. The drawers beneath still need to be organized, but they will be storage for my scrap pieces and strips. On the other side is the second sewing machine, which I use mostly for piecing. I spent a couple of hours stripping the wallpaper border off this wall, so I could hang my quilter's wall hanging there. I'm not looking forward to any more border strip...

(Or, What May Well Be the Cause of My Motivational Slump) No to-do list for me this week, just one BIG to-do. I've had a hard time the past couple of weeks feeling capable of accomplishing anything. No motivation to start a new project, or even to work on one of my many UFOs. No inspiration to even sew a few string blocks... Whatever could be the problem? Hmm... I don't know... could it be THIS ? Yes, THIS is my sewing room. Or what used to be my sewing room. Now it's my storage room for fabric and supplies. And just across the hallway is my actual "sewing" room: Trust me, it's an even bigger mess than it looks here. This is the result of transitioning quickly from one sewing room to two, followed by numerous projects one on top of the other, without cleaning up in between. I don't recommend it. So, I'm dedicating this week to getting these rooms organized so I can start sewing again. And I suppose I could break it down into a few main area...

where you just can't seem to accomplish anything? My lack of motivation hasn't lifted, and I almost made a huge effort today to try and catch up on all the things I didn't do all week... ...but then, I didn't. Here's a look at my to-do list progress since Monday: More string blocks (one block a day): I finished... one block. Now I have four. Still twelve more to go. February's paper-pieced BOM : I actually finished this one! The Wild Goose Chase block from Quilter's Cache. Flannel critter quilt : Well... here's the pattern. I haven't opened it yet. Go through email : Yes! I did get that done. Hopefully I can keep it under control. Bathtub caulking removal : So tedious! I'm trying to get the whole tub edge from this point: to this point: I'm about halfway around now, but I can only work on it for 20-30 minutes before I just have to get out of there. Needless to say, it's slow going. And I also have the caulking at...

I'm feeling incredibly unmotivated today, but I did manage to scratch out a to-do list for the week. Maybe getting it down here will give me that little push I need to get GOING. More string blocks Setting a block-a-day goal for these this week. Hopefully we'll see some progress. February's paper-pieced BOM Considering we're well into March now, I'd really like to have this done. Flannel critter quilt A new Simplicity pattern I bought this weekend. I thought it might be a good seller in the shop. We'll see... Go through email I owe an apology to all of you lovely people who have left blog comments. My email inbox is a MESS. I sincerely appreciate all of your comments, and am usually much better about replying in a timely manner. It's definitely time to get this under control. Bathtub caulking removal Hubby did indeed get that bathtub leveled, and has almost taken care of all of the leaking/dripping issues. I need to get in there now with a scraper, ...

... that's the sort of week this has been. I'd have given up the first day, but for the accountability I've been getting from these weekly to-do lists. Somehow, I managed to get it all done -- more or less. LoL Dinosaur ragtime quilt This was to replace the quilt that my daughter purchased from my shop, and the first thing I wanted to finish this week. Well, I got it done, so cute with bright purple and lime green: But after it was washed and fringed up, I was picking all the fuzzies off when I noticed a flaw in the purple back: It looks as if the nap of the flannel just separated from the back, and I was pretty sure it wasn't like that before it was washed. Grr... Fortunately, this didn't happen on the special order I just made with the same fabric! And then I saw another spot on the front: And I know that wasn't there before. I have no idea now what I'll do with this quilt. Either try to sell it at a super deep discount, or most likely, just...