Lots of projects in the works....

I am at that place where I am overwhelmed by my unfinished projects.

I know that this is a place that many quilters find themselves, but I have to say that I am frustrated with it. Here is what I have "in-progress" at the moment:

1.  Pinwheel quilt for the Mad (my niece)- Issue - I cut the border fabric wrong and have to fix it. This has kept me away from it for a while because I am just not in the mood to feel lame for hours while I chain-piece 300 small strips back together. DOH! Oh...I could start from scratch and use the mistake for something else...
2. Sister came to visit - I started a quilt when my sister came to visit, but now I have lost interest. I have no actual plan for the quilt. I am just sewing things together a bit randomly, but I like it so far. I just haven't gotten back to it.
3. Giant Moose Stars - While visiting my parents a year ago, my daughters tore their comforter. My dad said I could just make them a quilt to replace it...and picked out some moose/leave fabric. I have been using the Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial on the giant stars for that...and I am at step 2. It is currently staring at me and mocking.
4. The 4 year caterpillar - I bought the fabric to make my baby niece a quilt....it is adorable. It is the "Very Hungry Caterpillar" in quilt form. I have pieced the entire quilt and I have the backing (with batting) pinned temporarily together. I simply need to bast it and quilt it. I even have the binding made. And....I got bored. My niece is going on 4 years old now. 
5. Bento Box Car Quilt - I am halfway through piecing this quilt. It is super cheap fabric and was mostly a place to simply practice my skills. Doh.
6. My Baby's Pink Elephant Quilt - My sweetie bear deserves a quilt. I bought the fabric for it when I was 8 months pregnant. She has just turned 15 months old and the fabric still hasn't been cut. 
7. Random blues and yellows kit - I started a kit that I bought years ago. I got through the first step and then just...stopped. 

I don't know what to do...and so I do nothing. It is like I have too much to do and I simply can't decide. I need a plan. I need to get things in order and simply finish things. I always wanted quilting to be an organic process but I have let the UFO's get away from me and now I need to crack down.

Okay....rant over.

Sister Came to Visit Quilt
Stacked and ignored for now. 

The MOCKING Giant Moose
Stars quilt...staring at me. Do you see the mocking?

Back in the Sewing Saddle

Hello!

I am so sorry that I disappeared on you for a year. I went and had a baby. Now, I have FOUR beautiful daughters. They have filled my world for the last year and I haven't had any time to sew or be creative. I had time for diapers...dinner...homework...and naps. I am also still working full time....so I have been jam packed.

Now that my littlest bear is 15 months old...I am able to return to my sewing table.

I hope to be able to post pictures and things that I am working on. I also hope to get back to podcasting - but that is something I have to prepare for with a microphone and such.

My Sweetie Bear climbed up to her table to get on her toy. LOL. I snapped a picture and then grabbed her to safety. :)

Spring has FINALLY come and my front yard is saying hello.

A Christmas Stocking for my Christmas Baby...

I have been focused intently on finishing my new little baby's stocking. I bought a kit at Joann's with a blue fairy on it and I have been stitching like crazy.

Getting started on this stocking. It has over 100 pieces and things to do.

Things are coming along! Poofy, handmade cupcakes. 

The top is done. Man...that is a LOT of sequins. Happy dancing cookies and candies.

Banana is holding up all the hard work that I have done. I think I can...I think I can...

My fairy is here! I made a face. I was really worried she would like goofy...but I like her happy smile.

A completed fairy! Just need to add her wand and the little dangling cupcake that has her name....

And here is the issue. I am stalled.

You see - all of my girls have 4 syllable princess names. They are lovely and strong and meet the yelling requirement when first, middle, and last name are linked together. 

I found one that I love - Amelia Rose. But the hubbie says that it isn't 4 syllables. He says that it is three. So...I have no name to add to my stocking. AHHH! LOL. I just really want to get this done. 

And.....it's a girl.

Baby Girl number 4! Vanilla and Pumpkin were overjoyed, but Banana burst into huge tears. She wanted a boy to play Spiderman with her.

A finish! The Zig Zag table runner

 I used this video to create a birthday present for a friend from church. The kiddos helped me pick out the fabric, and we went with cherries on the back to match the Giddy charm park that they selected.

The girls and I worked together to lay out the fabric according to the directions in the video. However, I have a small quilting table, so everything ended up stacked on top of each other.

It is all coming together! I am actually succeeding in keeping my points lined up! A miracle!

The final product. I flipped up the end, so you can see the background fabric that they selected. Learned the hard way that their measurements of 1/2 a yard are WAY off when using a full charm pack. I pieced the fill yard that I bought together until it was the right length.

I used a decorative stitch with leaves to match the leaves in the print. It made stitching in the ditch SOOOO much easier. And it looks adorable.

I used a black bobbin thread, and it came out adorable!

I finished the whole project...with the extra help adding only a little time....in about 6 hours. Including the quilting. It was a big success at the birthday party. A victorious return to quilting!

Now...on to some UFO's

My world...in flux

This was an April Surprise for the hubbie and I - bringing baby number 4 into our lives. 

The latest ultrasound picture of my little baby bear. Kind of a creepy picture....but new ultrasound pictures to come. I am 18 weeks along. Baby bear is due on Christmas day! 

Inspired by my Banana

I remember what it was like...to create something that I want to create. That joy of seeing my ideas appear...

But somehow that got lost.

Am I the only one who is swamped with "requests" from people who learn that you quilt and therefore decide that you need to do something for them?

I currently have 4 projects for others that are pending. They have been pending for a VERY long time because I really can't get interested in making their quilts. I look at them and I kind of slump...walking away from my quilting all together. I feel selfish...so I go read a book instead.

I feel guilty that I want to sew for ME....which then leads to me not sewing at all. To avoid the guilt.

I find myself watching my three year old paint with abandon....and I want to feel that again. Without guilt.

I want to regain my hobby of quilting...without the guilt or the feeling of selfishness.

Okay...sorry for the rant.