New Year's Resolutions, Anyone?

Two days into the new year and it became apparent that a lot that was left over from the last year has made it through to the new.   Still haven't found those Peter Rabbit buttons...they may be lost forever.

Need to move onto other things, though.  Like the queen-size duvet that's been a work in progress since the fabric was purchased 20 years ago - way too long.  Great Jacobean pattern, so many great colors that will look great when finished.   Just needs to be assembled and then quilted along the border.   Must be its massive size that makes it such a daunting project and keeps it from being completed.  Will be tackling this shortly now that I've taken some classes in quilting at the Quilt Fest in Hampton, VA in February.  So, more on this one....later.

Other projects, equally old, keep getting pushed further back behind new stuff that keeps capturing my attention.  What a dilemma!   So much to do and so little time.  But then that's been heard before.

For instance, the February stitching program for my ANG chapter is a series of intricately stitched squares fashioned into a heart designed to expand the embroiderer's color and stitch repertoire using over dyed silk thread, Kreinik metallic braided threads, floss and perle cottons.   I bought only the over dyed silk and metallics as I already have an extensive stash of the other threads.  Much of this quantity was inherited from my mother and never sorted.   Oh, dear.  Had no trouble pulling the appropriate matches from this lot but then got caught up in reorganizing.  Its taking longer than I thought since I don't have an efficient means to house the numerous skeins of various types or their quantities.  The saving grace is that, in future, I'll have the advantage of knowing what I have and not "re-buy" it.  Until I can winnow down, I'll be judicious with any new purchases.

The program will be a true stretch for me as I have not ventured beyond needlepoint, crewel work, blackwork and general cross stitch.  Each one of these squares involves multiple threads and multiple stitches to achieve the overall look of the finished piece.  It will be interesting to see how quickly I can adapt.   Many of the stitches are unfamiliar to me, even though I have this lovely book with 100s of embroidery stitches, I have only leafed through it on rare occasions.

As I embark on this latest endeavor with a resolve to do well, learn something new, and FINISH(!), I realize that it seems almost daft to start anything new.  With so many unfinished projects looming, there is strong motivation to get a move on 'cause time's awastin'.

Until next time.