Time to Revisit my 2013 goals

I had such lofty goals when the year was starting.  I just knew I would finish 2013 with LOTS of things done and framed.  I knew by mid year I would have several items crossed off my list!!  But I'm don't :(  and I'm feeling so defeated.  I feel like I should be a faster stitcher, I mean I've been stitching for over 30 years, you'd think speed would come with time, but I'm so painfully slow.....

I'm hoping that by posting a "HERE YOU ARE" kind of map, I can motivate myself to get a few of these completed.  So I'm listed them in order of what I want to get done!!

SpiritDancer will get done - my new goal is to have it done by the end of July.  There are still a few stitches left to do, but most of it is beading now.  While I was home I got the dark blue beads I needed so I'm back in business.  Had I had those it would have been finished, hate it when I run out of something I need because then I lose my momentum.


The rag quilt was not on my January goal list, but added after I found out my husband's niece was going to have a baby.  The wee one is due in about 2 weeks, but I'm giving myself until the end of August to get this done. All I have to do is sew the squares together and clip, it's the clipping that takes so long and during these hot days - who wants to sit with flannel on your lap??  There was be a picture of it for the next full moon!!

Thine is the Trick and Treat, I'm still on page 3, but have over 1/2 of it done.  I know I can finish this one up this year.  I really like it and can't wait to get back at it, thinking it will be one of my stitch in projects :)  So my goal is to have it done by the end of September :)  that way I can get it framed and hanging in my office for Halloween!!

Halloween Tree is another one that I could get done in a day or two of good stitching time.  So plan on getting that one done as well by the end of September!!  What I paid for the buttons has become a real motivator in itself!!  Lesson learned - ASK the cost of the button pack BEFORE you agree to purchase it.   Sorry that it's sideways, not sure why, but you can see the letters better.  I really do like it, and the picture doesn't do the colors justice.

The next up to be finished this year is my Princess Angel - again, not sure why the picture is sideways. It looks funny right now with the dark face and blond hair.  But that will change soon - I'm thinking of doing bullion stitch in black for long locks.  Once that is done then the beading starts and last a little back ground stitching.  I want to finish it myself so going to start with an easy shape.

My Wizard - the poor baby, gets taken out every 2 or 3 years and worked on like mad and then it just gets put away again :(  I love how the trim on his coat and dress came out.  There is gold trip connecting all of the leaves too, but didn't like how that was working out, so I took it back out.  The work I'd done on the owl's face also got rippppppped, so all in all I'm not sure I've made a lot of progress on it this year, but I'm determined not to put it back but to get it done.

My quilt - all of the squares are done!!  I need to assemble the sections than cut the borders - I believe this is the Thimbleberry 2009 quilt.  It was the last one that I got, didn't like 2010 (I think it was called something like The Neighborhood), 2011 was smaller wall hangings - no room in my house for those and 2012 we were in CA and none of the shops were doing it and I'm not even sure I looked to see what 2013 quilt was, so I guess I'm over doing Thimbleberry quilts.  I have completed one, have the 2008 close to being done - just need to assemble it too.  I know in a day I could have the top done and then ship it off to my lady who machine quilts.  I need a sniff, sniff, sick day LOL.

The next quilt is my Dr. Seuss, which is a twin size quilt.  I just need to attach the borders and going to try quilting it myself.  I need a Sunday afternoon and it will be finished!!  I have 2 grandchildren who would love this, not sure which one will actually get it, or if it will stay at Grandma's house on the guest bed.  I got a second Dr. Seuss quilt to do so don't be surprised is you see a posted of a day of cutting!!  I really don't like the cutting aspects of quilting, love to sew, but don't like to cut anything out.  When I do cut out, I'll cut for several hours, so I think I could get a whole quilt worth of blocks done in an afternoon!!

My train belt - this is the ONLY thing that got worked on over the last 6 weeks.  I managed to get another car started and almost done.  I generally only work on this when I'm traveling but since I don't travel much at all anymore it doesn't see the light of day much.  Doubt it will get done this year, but one can always hope.

What would life be without a few socks in progress?  I started a new one while my granddaughter was here.  She was hoping they would be done before she went home.  I did get one about 1/2 of the first sock done or 25% if you are thinking in pairs.  When we were playing computer games I'd knit while she was playing the game.  I introduced her to Big Fish games - they are so addicting.  Little does mommy know on the I-pad we sent home with her are 2 Big Fish games :)  She will be happy for awhile, not sure if Mommy will be happy LOL.  The other sock is one that was a Christmas present - moved to birthday, move toooooooo well when it's done present.

The rest of the projects are ones that will most likely get moved to 2014.  I love them all, so none of them will be banished to the bin of no return.  It will just take some time to get them done.  I didn't pull out my afghan that I'm doing Noah's Ark, I've not done any animals yet this year - my goal was at least 3 - so might take it with me to a stitch-in to work on, I can get one square done in an afternoon - only 3 colors generally and the squares are something like 45 x 45.

August Peridot Fairy - this is my first Mirabilia, I think it will stitch relatively fast, just need to work on it.  I was glad I decided NOT to do the face over one because there is a lot of skin showing.  Can't wait to get on another color.  (she is on the brown linen)

EarthDancer is for my youngest daughter - it was going to be her high school graduation gift, then bachelor's gift, then master's gift, now I'm thinking 1st born LOL - at least I know that isn't planned for a long time!!  I did start the face over one and now I'm regretting my choice, but too far to stop, but not far enough to be motivated to work on it any time soon.  I started at the top and will work my way down.  This is a new approach for me, so we'll see how it works.

No progress on the PeliCan at all since I started it.  This will be moved to 2014 or possible moved to 2015.  It's on 40 ct linen and hard for me to see.  I really need to get my eyes checked again and most likely my reading glass prescription increased.  I do have a better magnifier on my floor stand, so when the SpiritDancer is done maybe I'll put this one on it and see if I can make any progress.

My Queen Elizabeth has been terrible ignored too.  I want to do the collar next and once that is done I can work on the bodice and hands.  Not going in order of the directions, but for me it makes more sense.  I'm in no hurry on this one so it spends a lot of time on the top of the bin of no return, but has yet to be placed into the bin.

This next one was a class I took - they worked on a smaller version of the project, but me being me decided to go BIG - after all big is better right???  This is by Indigo Rose and I love the design, I'm just not too fond of the cut work, it's a lot of work pulling threads and weaving every other one back into the linen.  Good practice for the piece I need to fix because a hole got burned into it.....but not too exciting - again, this was a traveling project which has spent more time packed away than actually being worked on.  Maybe I'll take it to the stitch in and work on.

The next 2 have not been started, they are kitted up and ready to go, just not started.  I like them both and really want them both done -  Love the Princess and the Pea one, which is called the Sleeping Princess.  The colors are great and the linen is wonderful.  The other one is a Shepard Bush - Peter's Patch, again, should be a quick stitch, just need to start it, maybe this weekend!!

The last item is my bed side sock.  I've worked on and restarted this sock about 3 times. I'm doing it on size 1 needles, which I like the close knit look, but it takes so long to get any progress done.  I did get the cuff done and I plan on making it a very short sock for wearing around the house.

Well now that I've taken stock of what needs to be done I guess I'll pull out a needle and thread and do something!!  I'm thinking the Wiz because I'm doing the 4-corner stitch which is mindless and made for doing after a long day at work.

Happy stitching and come back and look for updates.  I want to post more often with more progress.  I'm a determined stitcher for the next 6 weeks!!

Sandy