So I decided to deviate from my fickle ways and concentrate on a project until it is finished. I had my fickle moments of decisions of course too. Which to choose??? I love them all and want them all finished. With no fairy godmother in sight, I just had to use the 'eeny, meeny, miny, moe' method and my 'Giggly Girls' won. Now my last update of the 10 Virgins can be seen here on my old blog. It has been a long while so it was high time to give these ladies some attention. I am really enjoying watching this wonderful sampler that Gigi created come together.
I have many projects waiting on finishing also so I decided to try and set a goal to finish at least two projects a month. I am also trying to use more of what I have instead of buying more. I have two of my Ohio samplers ready for framing. This one has been now framed in a frame that I got out of my frame basket. I love buying a pretty or unusual frame when I see it. I keep them all together in a basket. It did not fit well since I had planned on a smaller frame but liked how this one looked with the design. Time for creative thinkng. When I have a problem with my linen being to tight a fit to lace the stitching, I sew it like a pillow case using muslin on the back. The nice thing about this way of framing is that it also fits tightly when cardboard is inserted. Excuse the poor lighting on the photo. I was too anxious to do a blog entry and it is too late in the evening for my camera to get a good shot. 
I have not been quilting since I got sick but decided that I want to start doing a little. Right now I need to get a large stack of fabrics traced and cut for my second charm quilt for this year. This is a true charm quilt with anything goes. It is going to be simply colorful and fun. My first charm quilt (made early in the year) is fast becoming one of my favorite quilts and very useful for a chilly evening. 
Do you do a project rotation for your WIPs? Do you find it works for you? Please console me and tell me that you have stacks of things awaiting your attention... *grins*
22 comments:
Lovely stitching Heidi!
I think I have about 60 something (I counted them once!) quilt projects to be started or finished, a container full of X-stitch (probably about 10 projects), a pair of socks started (with a significant sock yarn stash for more socks to be knitted) then there's the fiber that needs to be spun....**sigh**
you're not alone....
Hugs2u!
I have about 5 projects that I am trying to rotate right now, and I can totally relate...it seems that nothing ever gets finished. I just tell myself that every stitch I put in to something is one stitch less to do. Unfortunately I have no self-control when it comes to buying new charts--don't know how you do it!
Only my Indian is waiting for me and not a very happy person at this point. I have been really neglecting him for ponchos. I must say, I miss him, but he is right beside my chair.
I like your frame and the Ohio sampler.
The ladies are coming right along and do need attention. They are so cute too.
I like seeing your couch close up too.
Love you, Mom
Rest assured that you are not alone. I have so many things that languish in a basket or tote bag or just in a box in the closet. I don't think that I could do a rotation. First of all, I don't get to stitch much and often not every day, so it takes forever to make progress. Plus, I am way too obsessive. I like to work on something until I can see real progress. I'll work on something for a week or two, reach a goal, then switch to a different wip. Your Ohio sampler and the giggling girls are lovely.
Yup, an entire totebag full of started projects, plus lots of charts, some kitted and some not, waiting to be worked on!
Hi Heidi,
Your quilt is lovely and that framed Stacy Nash bird is wonderful - that's one of my favorite patterns by her. Yours is sweet!
Hope you are feeling well these days :)
Tanya
I have 3 WIPs (my week-end projects) that i rotate, just with these three, I am still in the start of the projects i feel:(
Heidi, you would be defnitely doing better than me!!
Sharmila
Sorry I haven't been around for a while Heidi. Just read through your recent post and as always enjoyed your writing and crafting. Adore your wreath!!
I'm not a rotater either - it just doesn't seem to work for me. I'm now down to working on four pieces (plus GFG quilt) and want to pare it down some more. Like you I'm trying to use what I have and can proudly state that the only thing bought so far this year is floss I needed.
Hope to see you soon.
Rest assured! I have 32 cross stitch WIPs on hold. And these are just kits. There are some chart WIPs also. Right now I have 3 weeks of rotation stitching: Bamboo Fan from Designs Works, Presence of Gaia from HAED and English Garden Sampler from TW. The other week I can work on smaller stuff. Before that, I would stitch on a piece while watching a DVD. Next DVD, next WIP. Until a WIP "spoke" to me and wanted to get finished. Since I usually stitch BAPs, it also takes a while to finish them. But I love WIPs. You can see the complete list on my blog ;-)
Hello Heidi,
I recognize what you are talking about, I'm rotating so many cross-stitch projects, that it takes years for them to actually finish, so maybe I should really try to concentrate on one as well.
Have a lovely weekend
hugs
Brigitta
I u-s-e-d to be a person who had to finish a project from beginning to end once I started on something. That changed when I started my GFG quilt. I worked on it feverishly for a couple of months and I think I burned myself out.
So I started on another project. It bothered me somewhat but I got over it after posting about it on my blog a while back and got the same kind of reassurance that you are receiving here. I think the answer is simply that you must do whatever works for you. We all love to have another 'finish' that we can check of our WIP list...but there are so many wonderful projects out there to tempt us. Sometimes I feel like a dog running around in circles chasing it's tail.
But it's so much fun! So let's just buy more fabric and more floss and more patterns because you just might never know when we'll need them. (wink)
have a great day!
Like you, rotation stitching leaves me feeling that I only dabble a little bit without approaching a finish. It also gets messed up by deadline stitching. I'm afraid rotations and me just don't mix. :(
Love your charm quilt and your progress on 10 Virgins! :D
Yes, Heidi, I have a work table covered in half made things!
Hi Heidi...I have lots of projects in the works and most of the time I feel like I'm always behind...it's best for me if I just have a couple of projects going at a time.
Your S.N. sampler is so pretty and I love the frame...a very nice finish...hugs, Linda
The only rotations that have worked for me have been between 3 projects. When it gets more than that, I can't seem to do it. Maybe it's too overwhelming for me, I'm not sure. Last year I worked on UFO's all year...quilting and stitching. I reduced my huge list by half and promised anything I start this year has to be finished this year. I still have the rest of my UFO's lurking though...need to pick one or two to work on now for the second half of this year. it is so hard not to buy more charts...I figured with what I have in stash, and my rate of finishing, it would take me about 40 years to get through all my charts!! I can't think about it!
Heidi,
I have tons of cross-stitch projects going! I tried to narrow them down and only work on a few at a time, but that didn't work. So I do a rotation. I pull out about half of them - work my way through that stack - working on each one a couple of nights. And then I do the other stack the same way and then so on. Sometimes I will work on one or two a bit longer. I figure if I don't get them done quickly, I won't have to come up with money to frame them - LOL!
Linda in VA
It seems I am in good company here. It's been interesting to read all the comments as well as your post. I have various unfinished projects and I enjoy that I can pick one of them up to suit my mood. But I have tried this year not to start any new projects, but it hasn't worked of course!
Wat heerlijk om te lezen dat eigenlijk elke handwerkster zoveel UFO's heeft liggen. Een hele geruststelling! Toch vind ik dat jij ook heel veel finished objects hebt!! Hoe gaat het met je gezondheid? Gaan jullie binnenkort nog naar CC?
Hello Heidi, what a wonderfully inspiring blog you have! I have found your site via the fabulous Elizabethd, who is another lady who does lovely needlework.
What you write about rotating various WIP rings very true for me, as I shift between knitting, crochet, needlepoint, painting and drawing. Now...having refreshed my acquaintance with what can result from embroidery ... well, I may have to add another project to the array.
Cheers!
Hmmm, rotations don't work for me for a long time. I can do them for about two weeks but then I want to stay with one project. But when I can't decide on what project to stitch until it's finish I start a rotation with several of my WIPs and after a while I easily find the one I wan to stay with.
I love your current project. And the framed Stacy Nash piece.
Heidi, I love your "first quilt." It's perfect and I do like your machine quilting technique.
I have way too many UFOs and projects I want to start. I have a table runner in particular that I want to start. I have all the fabrics and pattern ready. All I need to do is start cutting and piecing. I'm using Civil War repros for it.
Heidi, your Ohio piece is absolutely gorgeous and looks perfect in the frame you chose. I think the creative part of your brain is far and away more developed than many of us poor mortals so it's lucky for us that you explain everything in simple words with lots of detail :>)
I have to say that if i had WIP and things in rotation the result would be one very giddy and totally disorientated stitcher. I have no WIP and usually have just one thing on the stitching stove cooking at any one time. I've always worked like that and feel a lot more confident.
I will enjoy watching your progress on your vestal virgins and will be interested in learning if you are happy working on one thing or prefer variety after all :>)
Hugs Angela
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