Where does the time go!?!

This year has been another whirlwind & I'm shocked to see May is just around the corner. I swear the older the kids get, the faster time seems to move. Chris has been hard at work polishing up the old Singer. Look at her shine! I'm sure its not threaded correctly, I will need to look this up before I try to use it.

Not much to report this week despite wanting to get sewing in on Sunday afternoon. I did work out some variations of the Carpenters Wheel/Swoon on grid paper and showed my daughter, even included the a mock up of the original Swoon pattern. We all chose the same two patterns as our favourites. I'll be going with the one she likes the best.

It was time for another clean up of my sewing area, moved my machines around, wiped down everything and organized as I went. I love when my sewing area is tidy. I still need more storage and am hoping we can find some this weekend (they were sold out of the color that matches what I already have last time we checked). We got a smaller cube which is working well for odds and ends and is a perfect place for my Brother to rest on top of.  My Desk needs to be refinished one of these days (sigh). What you don't see is the Treadmill in the other corner that has more fabric piled on it and closet that is begging to be cleaned out so I can use it as part of my sewing area. We have a plan for all of that but it won't be happening for awhile so I'll, refrain from getting too excited for now.

See that basket full of jeans (bottom right middle picture)? Everyone tackled their bedroom closets a few weeks ago and all these were marked for the garbage bin. This is just the un-donatable stack that was buried at the back of our closet. I still have a stacks of baskets from the girls to go through (the majority of this will be hardly worn and still in fashion, some girl will be happy to find it for a steal at the donation store, but I'm sure there are few worn out pairs of jeans in there) and get my son to take a few minutes to add his cast off's to the pile. I'm seeing the beginning of what will one day be a Jeans quilt.

I'm surprised to see how my stash has grown in the past year. From having only a small basket with a single jelly roll and a few fat quarters that first month to a year later a large cupboard that I can't stuff any more fabric in. My scraps stash is more extensive than that original selection I had to work with! I've decided I'm going to put myself on a fabric diet for the next while. Now that doesn't mean I'm giving up my fabric of the month clubs. I love getting those little surprises in the mail and what I receive through these clubs are primarily what I use for my Farmers Wife blocks. I just love that what I get is so different than anything I would choose on my own, so in a sense it's broadening my choices in fabric selection (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it). But unless buying a particular fabric will make or break the project I'm working on, I'm refraining. No more planning and buying for future projects until some of the ones on my plate are done.

First step is to revisit the Puppy Love quilt (formerly the Doggie quilt). I still need to fix or redo the backing (too small), figure out how I'm going to quilt it then bind.This quilt first made its debut exactly one year today. Flying By post - April 30, 2013. It took no time to piece together - even the back with the flying geese. I think I like this quilt more now than I did when I first made it. Still have a tiny regret using the brown instead of the black, but that's how we live and learn.

Next at the top of my list is one of my mom's quilts. I always have the Farmers Wife as a fall back if I need a some play time. I'll admit I'm itching to do a block or two of the girls quilts to get a feel for how they will turn out. It's a real incentive to get moving forward!!

Wish me luck!!