If I knew Then What I know Now

I don't know. There must be something in the water or the planets have aligned or I'm delirious from the kazillion infections I've had over the last few weeks. But I've decided to finish my UFO's once and for all. This is a reversal from my previous stand that it is perfectly acceptable to have projects that take 100 years. But what would an election year be without a little flip-flopping?

It started with the "All Skate" quilt which I am currently hand quilting. I have also decided that the piecing on the coffee quilt has come to an end. I put the blocks I have so far on the design wall. There were supposed to be a lot more blocks in this quilt - it was going to be much bigger. (I know it doesn't look like a lot of blocks, but it's all hand pieced). I don't know what I was thinking back then. I don't have the same interest in making big quilts anymore. That's one of the interesting things about working on these UFO's. It's like the me now is different from the me then. Today, I would make different choices than the ones I made when I started them. I like to think this means I've grown creatively and am able to critique and edit my own work. I actually think my original idea for the coffee quilt was quite uninteresting.

Seriously, this was it. But I've had a flash of insight about this quilt that I'm excited about. I'll share that after I actually figure out how to do what's in my head.

Once I get the coffee quilt off the design wall, the blue quilt is next. That was also supposed to be a big one. We'll see.

Now here is what I think is happening. I've been on a spending diet for Lent. I've been trying to learn the difference between my wants and my needs. So that means I've only been spending money on things I need to put a roof over our heads and food on the table. There have been no trips to JoAnns or the quilt store or the art supply store. I've weaned myself off Borders/Barnes & Nobles. Don't even get me started on Starbucks. So there hasn't been a constant influx of new materials to play with and new ideas. But I need something to DO. And that leaves the UFO's. And I'm in no way disappointed that I've basically been forced to work on my old projects. I like the fabrics, I like the ideas I had when I started them. The only reason I haven't worked on them is because I got distracted by new projects. So I've learned to make do with what I have. I've learned to focus. I've learned to commit. I think I may have learned a little discipline. Lent is awesome.

Also - does anyone know how long it takes to get over this cold? The pink eye is gone but I can't shake the other bug and it is awful. It's like the colds I used to get when I was a kid, and I thought all of my stuff was going to have be burned like the kid in the "Velveteen Rabbit" because I was so sick. That's how bad I feel. Velveteen Rabbit bad.