Still taking an Eternity

So ... I frogged it again. And then stuck with my idea to work it back to front, so I started with the garter stitch part. It's a bit bigger than 200 stitches because of the way I cast on. But it's working well and I am enjoying this project. However I will be happy when it's finished and I can wear it!

On the chopping block

Isn't it great when sticking to a New Year's Resolution allows you to drag your heels? In the spirit of "more finishes", I have been avoiding cutting into the fabric selection for the as-yet-unnamed quilt.

It pays to have a think before you cut!

and in other news, water is wet!

My dad has been dropping hints as big as concrete bolders that he wants a quilt. It's actually really nice to be asked for such a personal and somewhat womanly gift by a definite alpha male. Now, the recipient is a physicist with a distinct taste for the no-frill. He's also very traditional in the sense that he appreciates heirlooms and such. But which pattern?

At first I pondered the Maths quilt pattern. But it's square and my dad is tall, making this a huge monster. Then I was clueless ... and finally I settled on a scrappy zig quilt.

So off I went to audition my blue fabric ...



... and found it all very bland ...



... only to find that I probably had enough of the darker blue solid:



... but then couldn't bring myself to start cutting. I dislike this step of the process, I find it fiddly and tiresome. Also I'm cheap when it comes to blades and that's not really helping either. And my cutting table was stacked mile-high with unfinished projects - see New Year's resolution: more finishes!

This turned out to be a good thing because my fabric selection is just this side of scrappy and I can use Amanda Jean's very nifty Zig Zag quilt without the pesky triangles tutorial. This will save me a lot of time and tediousness and I am quite pleased with myself, seeing how my procrastinating paid off.

That leaves me with so much more time to ponder a title.

2011 calendar tea towels

Last year, Spoonflower wasn't only doing a calendar tea towel competition (my gran used to have these calendar tea towels when I grew up and my mum still uses a few of those from the 1970ies - insta memories), they were also doing a "few shipping" deal, even internationally.

Of course I couldn't resist. But then I spend the money saved in time and petrol, having to go to the main customs office two days before Christmas to pay customs / VAT in order to get my shipment.

9 of those 12 are now finished and will be packed for sending to my nearest and dearest this weekend.

Which idiot picked that thick wadding?

Even with a walking foot, my machine cannot handle it. So off come all the pins and in goes new wadding.

New Year's Resolutions 2011

Just like every Christmastime, I contemplated whether or not to have New Year's Resolutions ... and this year I have decided on the following:

More finishes!

Waste less time on the internet and spend more time working on enjoyable projects

Spend more time on myself and take better care of me

Quilting and other crafts are a very good outlet for me to release stress and also to retreat into something that's just for me, at least until that project is finished. We'll see how far I'll get.

Last year, I finished the following:

Kai's Fruity Zoo - The Pink Zig - Computer Music Quilt - In the Pink
Caroline's Objects - Crocheting Madness 4 - Table Runner for Sandra - Rafe's Flag - Candle Mats - The Vague Heart - Christmassy guest towels

There are still a few tea towels from a recent Spoonflower design contest floating around the house but I'm hoping to have those bound and packed for sending off really soon.

Now off to new projects and more finishes!