Over thinking and over extending

I stalled all last week in the sewing room. Instead of working on anything I was second guessing and over thinking everything.

For the Splendid Sampler I haven't gotten anywhere regarding choosing fabric yet and just a little over a week until the first block is released. I don't do choose as go well but that's where this one is headed. I've been collecting Kona solid fat quarters (112 FQ's in piccture above) for quite awhile through Sew Sisters fabric block of the month club. I've been thinking maybe pull some brights and use white and black as contrast. Or what about picking out a fat quarter from my stash in light or medium and buy a coordinating patterned fat quarter the opposite value using black as the dark to keep it consitent. This last idea has been playing over in my head the past week and is what I was leaning towards. Then I added up the cost. $5 per FQ at my LQS, average of 8 FQ's needed per month is $40. Not so bad thinking about it that way but added up over the course of the entire quilt along 100 ×$5 .... 500!?! I could buy 3 full price collection bundles and a mini bolt for that. That puts a whole different spin on things. More thinking needed.
******EDITED my numbers were off - we need 30-35 FQ's in total not 1 FQ per block that's 5×35 175 Huge difference!!******

On to D's stars who's birthday is a month almost to the day away. I didn't give her mom a sneak peak when we were at dinner last weekend because there was very little to show. Here are the questions I'm going over and over - The patches are they too similar? Should I use a solid cream or the light fabrics from the line for background? Is this going to turn out the way I want it to?? I've wasted enough time, I need to get off the pot and just do it. I'm going with solid kona - decision made!

This week I also joined the farmers wife quilt revival challenge on Fb (check out http://chezstitches.blogspot.com if you are interested).  Karen M Walker has taken all the blocks and transferred them from templates to rotary cutting instructions. 10 blocks for $8.50 USD (total of 12 lessons/patterns) but you need to own the book which I have. I'm all over this!! I've wanted to start over on my farmers wife for awhile  - I loved how the blocks looked individually, but there wasn't any cohesiveness to tie the blocks together (refer to my earlier comment... I don't do choose as you go well). I've learned some lessons along the way about what I don't like so hopefully I can make better choices. I'm considering using Sandy Gervais Rambling Rose FQ bundle pictured above with Kona white or snow as the background.

I've really added a lot of personal sewing commitments to myself in the past few weeks on top of my 8-5 workdays. Was this the smartest move.. possibly not but I'm eternally hopeful I'll get myself into routine and figure out a better method of stress  time managment.

Earlier this week my son announced he needs a place by April 1st. One of his coworkers is moving back to Netherlands at the end of March and isn't taking his furnishings with him and offered them to my son. I wish I could say we have enough space to store them here but we don't. Without that extra cost of buying new essential furniture MT's move out budget just eased up considerably.  I'm excited for him but also dreading the day he flies the coop - he's ready but I don't think I am!!! His quilt needs to be quilted and bound (pictured - I love this quilt) as soon as D's Stars is done.

Lastly, did I mention we are having a superbowl thing on Sunday. Saturday will be cleaning day and Sunday cooking then entertaining .... hmm if start cleaning first thing tomorrow morning I should be done by noon which will leave the rest of the day for some much needed sewing time.

Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!