A perfect system

After many, many years of sewing and many different iterations of keeping track of things, I've stumbled across a tracking system that I'm in love with. The process has evolved, and it's finally PERFECT!

I have a lot of deadlines in my quilts and it was hard for me to keep track of them. I started by writing the deadlines in a tiny binder. Each (removable) looseleaf page has one item with the deadline written on it. But the binder sat in a drawer and sometimes, things snuck up on me if I wasn't diligent.  I also had the TaskMaster which helped to break down the larger tasks. So those lists worked but they were lacking invisibility as I'm a very visual person.

The deadline binder

Then when I was cleaning, I stumbled across this great piece of wall art that used to be M's.

Wall art turned functional

At the beginning of each month, I review the pages in the little binder. What deadlines do I have for this month? It easy since each page has the item name and the deadline date. So for July, I removed the pages relevant to the deadlines this month and hung them on the frame using clothespins. What you see above are the pages for last month. This month there are TEN "projects" hanging on the frame. YES - the month is half over and those ten pages are still hanging there.

This hangs right by my sewing machine in Studio U so I can review it each morning. What needs to be worked on that day. Some of the projects need to be quilted and because of the mess in Studio B, that wasn't possible. However, things are looking up. More on that in a minute.

Case in point - I have a magazine quilt that is due to be in the US on July 30. I finished the top this morning, made the backing, the binding is cut and it's going on the long arm this afternoon. Now how the heck did that happen???? It's not done far in advance, but at least, it's not down to the wire like I am normally.

I think this system is a keeper for me. It's highly visual and - well - the system just works. I couldn't ask for anything better. It's not for everyone, but that's the beauty of being flexible. We need to work out a system that works for us. This one evolved.

For the rest of my things that have no deadline, there's a table upstairs and the next in line projects that I want to work on for me are laid out. I was wondering what I could sew over the next couple of days as I have THREE sit n sew days. I was going to grab a kit or something and then I said NO. Pick something from that table and then you can add to the table if necessary. Yep - finally a system that works. That took all of 20 years!!!

In the cleaning process, I came upon a basket filled with DVDs. I think I have watched ONE of the DVDs. Some are still in their original shrink wrap. I was able to borrow a portable DVD player from Katheleen as I have NOTHING in my house that'll play DVDs unless I watch it on TV which is just not my thing. Confined to the couch???  I can't remember the last time I even sat on our couch in the family room.

I have the first three seasons of The Quilt Show hosted by Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. Apparently, the show is still being taped. The first season is from 2007. Yikes, a lot of changes since then but the demos and the discussions with the quilters are very interesting.

Watching The Quilt Show on the portable DVD player

The DVD for the first season of The Quilt Show. The DVDs have been spoken for and they will get moved along once I've finished watching them. No point in keeping a DVD that I can't watch. So watch and pass along!!

First Season of The Quilt Show

But what was interesting was the discussion with Vikki Pignatelli. I have her book - (of course I have her book!). Anyway, Ricky and Alex were asking her about something - I don't even remember what the question was, but I remember the answer. Her answer was PASSION. She feels that to excel in quilting or to become a quilt artist, you have to have PASSION. Oh yes - I got passion. I got loads of passion. Of course - you can sew without passion - this was her way of describing herself.

When we were packing up Studio B, I came across this plaque. It was hanging on a white wall so you couldn't really see it, but now it's in Studio U with those hot pink walls and it really stands out! And yes - I've got a passion for quilting in case you hadn't figured that out.

Passion - need I say more

My last gingerbread block is progressing slowly. This is the photo from last week. I worked a bit more on it yesterday and then I realized that I needed my lightbox which is at home. So I'm going to get the final prep done on the block and then it's going to need to be stitched in place. Yeah!!!! Last block.

Preparation in progress on gingerbread block

This is the importance of designating homes for everything. When cleaning, I came across this pile of cutoffs from making various borders for quilts. Yes - I save them! I have a whole tin of the pieces like this and I have a tin of the finished blocks I'm making with them. I've put these away, but I see the tin is full so might be time to dig it out and do some work. I may soon have enough to make a quilt out of the leftover bits.

Cut off bits from making quilt borders

So I had unearthed the long arm last week and it was time to get to work as I have some quilts that need to be done. I needed to get a picture of this quilt (finished) as it's a class sample so I loaded the quilt on the long arm on Sunday. Turned on the machine, went to the controls and the needle function is dead! This is the same problem as I've had in the past.

Zipped around to the back of the machine, tweaked the loose machine covers to try and move that loose wire into place and nothing. Needless to say, I was a tad ticked off. I tried everything - well not everything obviously since I couldn't get it to work.

So back upstairs and fired off an email to the support team. They did respond to me yesterday. When I got home from Monday sewing, I decided to give it a go and see what happened. Well, I wiggled that back cover once again, heard the big THUNK and guess what? Yep - that stupid needle function worked like a charm.

I was back in business. I got this quilt quilted yesterday and it just needs to be trimmed and the binding put on. Not a single issue once I got started.

One of my quilts quilted

I must really, really like this pattern. When Ronda and I were going through my kits, I found a kit for the quilt. It did not have the black and white in it. I substituted those fabrics in as I felt the quilt was going to be too busy with the fabrics included in the kit. The kit had a pattern with it. I bought the pattern a while back, not remembering that I already had the pattern with the kit. That second pattern was given away. Then when I was sorting through some patterns the other night - guess what? Yep - I found a THIRD pattern. Really????  Anyway - I just threw that one back into the pattern box and I'll deal with it later.

This is a class sample. I'm teaching the class at The Hobby Horse on September 14 - from 1 PM - 4 PM.  Call the store if you're interested in signing up. It's a great pattern and I have a super way to deal with directional prints on this one.

My class samples are NOT on those sheets of paper. I guess I should include them as I need to get to work on the next class sample!

Now that the long arm is back in business - oh and I unpacked the boxes of thread that I have found so far. I've found half! So that means, I have to be selective about what color quilts I quilt! I've got purple, red, and all the neutrals in the thread. I think I'm good for the next couple of quilts that were on the list. I'd love to keep that machine running all the time just to get caught up with some of my own stuff. It's nice to have the long arm running and I can putter a bit and put some stuff away. The studio is looking not bad in preparation for our Sit n Sew on Thursday. A wee bit more work to make room for the six of us!

Have a super day!!!! 

Ciao!!!!