Hope everyone is having a good summer. We had some record breaking hot days, but recently it has been nice (before it get record breaking hot again). I recently read the post ‘Ten Things This Summer’ on the ‘A Passion for Applique’ blog: http://apassionforapplique.blogspot.com/ and that got me thinking. She listed the ten things (sewing projects) she wants to finish this summer.
I recently spent two days straightening, throwing out items, etc in the back room (where company stays and where my projects are stored). It looks a lot better, but I am realizing I have a pile of unfinished projects I want (and need) to work on.
So, other than the Challenge Wall hanging Quilt that I need to start (for the local Quilt Guild contest) I think I need to work on my unfinished project pile. Here are the first few of the projects I want to finish this summer:
1) This hooked rug is almost done, but I needed to find a darning needle so I could finish the outside binding. Well, in the ‘big clean’ I found a darning needle.
I am happy to report this is now DONE and being used in front of my bathroom sink area. (Boy that felt good.)
2) I need to finish the quilt for the couch for when Pepper (Golden Retriever) is allowed to get up on it. I have decided I would rather stop fighting her from getting up with the family and just have a quilt I throw on before (so I don’t have to deal with her dog hairs on the couch). I need to cut the front and back to the same size and sew them together. I am thinking of trying some Machine Quilting at least around the outside portion of the quilt. (Leah Day has some YouTube videos that show Machine Quilting on a regular sewing machine so I want to give it a try anyways.)
I got the back and front sewn together (straight lines for now, maybe I will add some Machine quilting also), but I still need to trim and add a binding. At least the way it is now it can be put on the couch when Pepper wants to jump up. Pepper ‘photo bombed’ the photo 🙂
3) Turn up a few pairs of Jeans. I have a few pairs that need to be turned up, but haven’t got there yet. I found a way to turn them up and keep the original hem. I printed out the instructions since I shared it with my 4-H Teen Sewers this last year. I will find the original post and link to it after I get a pair turned up.
4) Scrapbook – this is a never ending project and there is no way I will ‘finish’ it this summer, BUT I do want to put in the first year photos of Pepper (the Golden Retriever) into a Project Life album. I usually do Creative Memories albums (with embellishments, etc), but I wanted to try the Project Life concept out with Pepper’s photos. I have the supplies, but have barely started it.
5) Potholder with Scallops – In the Spring I took a class on how to do a Scallop edged potholder. It took all three hours to learn how to make the scalloped edge and I never got back to finishing the potholder.
6) Pocket for hanging small quilts – I made some wall hanging (quilts) years ago, but didn’t know about making rod pockets for the back. So, I took down the quilts, washed them and have made rod pockets so I can hang them back up. Now to get them sewn onto the back and get the quilts back up on the wall.
7) Remember the post about the Dresden Plate class I took in the Spring? Well, I never got back to finishing the first plate. I have decided to finish at least the first plate and turn it into a wall hanging.
8) ‘Coffee’ cup wrap. I don’t drink coffee, but I do occasionally buy a Tea or Hot Chocolate from Starbucks. Instead of getting the cardboard wrappers I decided to make a material one that I can leave in the car. It shouldn’t take long to finish the one I started.
I think this is enough of a To Do List for now. It will feel great to get these done and off my mental radar.
Photos of completed items will be posted as I get them finished.
What is on your mental To Do List that wouldn’t take long to finish (once you started)?
Later – H
A Creative Engineer In Nevada 