A Christmas Miracle!

MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone!!!  While everywhere (or so it seems), it looks a lot like Christmas, it doesn't look like that at our house. I never even got my tree quilt hung up!

I did finish the book (Skipping Chrismtas) and we're almost like the Kranks!  (the family in the book!).  But here has been the nice part - I went to bed at my usual time last night. No mad wrapping of gifts, no mad sewing. And I didn't have to do that either this morning. I have NOTHING to do all day except for the movie later today and of course the dog park. That's the Christmas Miracle!

The dog park has become a big part of my life since we got Lexi and now even more so with Murphy. There are the regulars at the park and it's fun to see all the dogs play and chat with the owners. My two girls just need a bit more training on the word COME and we would be good!  Dog park rules at our house!!!!

I had the MOST productive day EVER yesterday. I'm so happy. Gosh - I think I could live on a desert island (with power so I could sew) and I'd never get bored!  I made decent progress on my project. I'm now up to almost 1/3 complete if I look at the entire thing and 1/2 done if I look at the part that I want for Wednesday AM - I'm going to aim to be done by Thursday AM - the timing will be better. I know - you can't wait to see it - I CAN'T WAIT to stop working on this thing.  BUT the Task Master is sitting right beside me - talking to me, helping me to focus.  DO NOT touch anything else she says!  I'm afraid of her so I keep working.

However I did do a bit more tidying up  - OK - I got into crazed tidying up mode. I'm going to share some of those photos on Monday as part of the Motivational Monday series.

 I thought I might slip the following in today in the event that not a lot of people are reading blogs on Christmas day.

If you thought you had a lot of UFOs - well you better sit back. I get to open boxes today - not presents, but boxes!  There tubs - I think there are ten of them - YES TEN are FILLED with quilts (backing and binding all included)  that need to be quilted. They are ALL MINE.   Numbers - well over 100  - YES - 100!!!!!   That's obscene.  Even if I quilted ONE per week - it would take me over two years to get them quilted!!!

Tubs of quilts to be quilted

 But wait - we've only just touched the surface here.  This pile below are tops that are waiting for backings/bindings or borders or some combination.  How many???   Over 50!!!!!!   One per week - that would clear up the pile, but it would add to the "to be quilted" pile!

Quilts that need borders/binding or backing MADE

I won't even write the number of UFOs that still need to be sewn.  Let's just say that the number is a three digit number and the first number isn't ONE.  You see how obscene this mess is.  It's gotten way out of hand and that is why I need The Task Master.  I've very good at starting things but not so good at finishing as you can see.  So far, so good. I'm making progress and that is all that I care about!  My new mantra is - it's better to have ONE thing finished, than advanced on five!"

Having to write everything down is a hassle, but it's the only way that I can keep track of things. All those quilts to be quilted and the borders/backing/bindings were listed in my previous little book.  The list can be recreated, but takes time!

Oh yes - so here's my thing for today.  This is what the studio looks like this morning. All those boxes of quilts are in the main area. I need to sort them. Why???  Well, from time to time, I do trunk shows and I need some of the quilts in the unquilted pile. All the boxes are labelled, but they are in a very haphazard order. Whenever I want a quilt, I have to rifle through the appropriate boxes to get the quilts and then put them back. So my task today is to open all the boxes and sort them.  

The studio this morning

 There are a few table runners - put them all in one box. Write the list and tape it on the box. Actually, I think I'm going to just put a BIG number on each box and have a list that corresponds to what is in each box. It's very hard to read the label when the box is on the bottom of the pile.

There are quilts in the boxes that I definitely want to keep for ME. There are oodles of quilts in the boxes that I made just because. Those need to be quilted and put up for sale or given away.  But this madness has to get under control.  It's totally insane.

There will be other categories - quilts that I want to keep. And I'll try to get ONE quilted each month????  There are mystery quilts, group quilts, class samples and much much more.  It's going to be a great Christmas to open up everything and see what is truly in those boxes.  Having it all sorted and categorized is going to make my life a whole lot easier for the future.   I also found THREE IKEA bags while cleaning up so those will be emplyed today to finish clearing the tables and I can empty all the tubs and get those quilted sorted!

And what would be nice is that in future when I finish a top, let's get it on the long arm right away and quilted.  I'll see how that goes.  I do it for work all the time, so I should just add my own stuff in there.  Wait - the only tops I'm finishing these days ARE for work!  Or made with Northcott fabric.  Ah well - it will all work out.

You know how easy it is to paint yourself into a corner?  How about if you can't get into the corner?  I'm busy clearing off the tables yesterday. Bustling around, moving tables, packing bags and boxes and merrily having a grand time. Then when I went to close down the studio last night, I realized that I couldn't get to the radio to turn it off. Why?  Because it's in the corner so to speak!!!  You can just see the antennae on the left of the door below!!

Ooops - that corner is filled!

 I did manage to sneak around from the other side and lean over the pile of boxes with the borders, backings and binding and I can reach the power button that way!!!  How funny - I never thought of the radio!

And amidst all that chaos yesterday, I did get a quilt quilted!  I'm going to trim it today and that will be one more done.  I have FIVE left to quilt for customers and I'm hoping to get them all completed BEFORE the end of the year.  There are more in the pipeline for January and these ones need to be out of the house!!  More checks in The Task Master!!!!

Customer quilt - DONE

On that note, I'm off to sew ALL day.  WAIT - I have a dilemma to share with you.  So remember the blue/yellow quilt?   DH and I had a bit of discussion over it.  He had asked me for a quilt so he could give to a friend who had a baby. No big deal.  BUT then he let it slip that it was actually the friend's daughter (whom he doesn't know) that had the baby. Apparently his friend had asked if I could make a baby quilt for her daughter. Of course, he forgot to ask me. Then he saw she had posted on social media that the baby was born and he wanted to give the GRANDMOTHER a gift to give to the baby.  I disagree!   I don't think her intention was to ask for the quilt as a gift, but instead to ask to buy one!   Anyway - I may just let it go. But I'm a bit ticked - who gives a quilt to the grandmother to give to a daughter they don't even know?  Maybe I'm really turning into Mrs Krank or the Grinch who Stole Christmas?


Now I'm off to sew all day.  The girls are pooped out from the park (hopefully) although they NEVER come downstairs. More on that another day!

Have a super Merry Christmas!

Ciao!!