Focus on Finishing

 Every year I choose one word for the year. It is sort of a guiding light, a theme, or a focal point for the year.  This year my word was FOCUS.

Focus on Finishing is my theme for December.

These frogs that live on my porch were the first project.  I made them years ago and they had gotten quite dirty and needed a makeover.

Every morning, as I went out for my coffee and time with Jesus, I would say to myself: I need to clean those up, but I never got to it.

This year as we were decorating the porch for Christmas, Steve commented they needed Christmas outfits, their summer ones were out of place with the other decorating he was doing.

I wholeheartedly agreed and promptly went to my stash to see what I could find. Fortunately, I found the original pattern, so I didn't have to design all their clothes from scratch. I was pleased to find big enough pieces of a red and white stripe with gold accents and some solid red to dress them in.  I used scraps of fur for the hats and her muff.  There was even enough to make a small banner to hang with them.

Steve was very happy with how they turned out and deemed them worthy of a place on our Christmas porch. I think these outfits will be good until Valentine's Day, just need a different banner and a heart or two. And now their summer clothes are washed and ready to go.

So far my Focus on Finishing is going good.  Besides cleaning up these frogs, I've glued a chair back together, finished a sewing project for a friend that had been started at the beginning of the year, and made a plan for finishing other UFOs in the studio.

Finishing up projects or at least having a solid plan to finish them is a great way to end the year.  Facing all those unfinished projects sitting in my studio is a creativity killer.  Seeing those small projects around the house I haven't gotten around to zaps my energy.  By focusing on finishing up those projects, I am making more time and room for new ideas and inspiration.  Finishing them didn't take much time, but the relief of not having them "hanging over my head" was very freeing.

Do you have small, unfinished projects that are zapping your creative energy?   Make December this year is your time to Focus on Finishing.  Let's all start the new year out with room for our imagination and creativity to flow.

 

Hello, quilters! 

 This vintage postcard from Graphics Fairy was in my inbox today.  What a perfect pictorial image demonstrating quilting, especially hand quilting.

Let me show you what I mean.  Quilting (thread) can be a slow process(caterpillar) that keeps us busy(bees).  But when that quilt is done and given with love, you are acting like an angel!

An angel is a messenger from God, and God's message is always one of love.  Quilting is definitely an act of love.  So let me encourage you today to keep on going.  That quilt will get finished and will be a blessing to all that experience it.

“Sewing small pieces together gives me a peaceful heart and a quilt to wrap you with, my love.” ― Benita Skinner

Spring Cleaning in your Sewing Room

 Hey, it's Spring and time for Spring Cleaning!  Anybody excited?

I didn't think so.  But it's got to be done.  Spring cleaning in the sewing room is just like in any other room of your home with some additional things to do.

Start with the basic room cleaning stuff, walls, windows, floors, and ceilings.  You can find this list in  Cleaning for the Dream Guide and Worksheets PDF at jodelights.com.

Then there are special items in the sewing room.  I suggest you keep a shopping list (also found in the Cleaning for the Dream) for any items that you want to replace.  Here is a checklist to get you started.  This page is now included with the PDF guide.

• Use room by room list for floors, walls, and ceilings. etc
• clean machines
• sort and discard bent or rusted pins and needles
• clean iron
• clean or replace ironing board cover
• sharpen or replace cutting blades and scissors
• clean cutting table and mats
• clean design board
• clean quilt frames
• dust bookshelves, sort and discard magazines or books you won't use
• clean TV and remotes
• clean your computer, purge unwanted files and Pinterest pin
• clean supply bins
• sort and reorganize fabrics and batting
• clean coffee pot and snack area

You may have other items you will need to clean depending on your space.  I don't do everything on this list and you don't have to either.  I only sort and organize my fabric every five or so years.  I clean my iron and sewing machines more often than once a year.  I only discard magazines and books when the shelf starts to bend or break.

Click Here to get your copy of the cleaning for the Dream worksheets.

        

"You're off to great places!  Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting!

So...get on your way!" - Dr, Suess

 The Lords Commands a Blessing on your Quilts

The Lord commands the blessing on all you set your hands to do.

As quilters, we seldom make quilts just for ourselves.  We make them to give away as a blessing for someone we care about.  Some are made to be sold, but we still want them to bless the end user.  And if we do keep them, we know we will be blessed by them.

Deuteronomy 28:8 says the Lord commands a blessing on everything on which you put your hand to.  Making a quilt certainly qualifies for that blessing!  The word blessing means to decree divine favor, mercy, or benefits that make one happy.

Quilting takes time.  I recently saw that it takes between 600 - 800 hours to complete a queen size quilt. I've never tried to track my time in hours, but that sounds close to me.  If you have a long arm quilting machine that number should decrease significantly.  However, that is still a lot of hours you are receiving a blessing!

The blessing on the work of your hand as you quilt is twofold.  First, there is a blessing as you plan, piece, quilt, and finish your project.  Each phase carries a commanded blessing as you work with your hands.

Second, there is a blessing on your finished project that you can release to the end-user.  I usually pray for the person I am making the quilt for, even if I don't know who that will be. 

As you quilt today, remember the Lord is commanding a blessing upon all the work of your hands.

A quilt will warm your body and comfort your soul

 Choosing Fabrics for a Peaceable and Harmonious Quilt

Snuggling down into a handmade quilt, with a cup of coffee and a good book, can turn an average day into an awesome one.  Wrapped in that cocoon made with love, brings peace and contentment to my soul.  This is why I quilt.  I want every quilt I make, big or small, to carry love and peace to its recipient.

Achieving that goal starts with finding fabrics that will work harmoniously together to produce a finished quilt that is peaceable.  This is the most important step in creating your quilt.  This process can be daunting, and you will get overwhelmed if you overthink it.  At Hancock Fabrics, I was often called to help customers with this process.  It is also one of the most creative and fun parts of quilting!

Here is how I do it:

If you are using a pattern, use it as a guide for how many different fabrics you will need.  Most patterns will suggest which fabrics should be a small print, a large print, or a solid.

Next, decide on your main colors or a focus fabric.  I usually start with a print I like.  Then start pulling pieces that you like and think will work.  Stack fabrics together, so you can see each piece.  This is the time to let your creativity loose and be open to possibilities.  Throw in that piece of hot pink or lime green and see how it works.  Try a stripe or chevron.  You aren't making any decisions here, just tossing in potential winners.

Then start eliminating.  There will be one that you love but just doesn't flow with the others.  Be brave and save it for next time.  Continue adding and eliminating fabrics until you have what you need.  I this example I needed 7 fabrics.

Check out your choices in different lighting.  If you aren't happy with what you have in your stash, you may need to go shopping.

Unfortunately, I found what I needed in my stash.  This is what I ended up with.

Remember this is art, not an exact science.  Trust your own creativity and have fun.  There are no right or wrong choices here, just good and better ones.  If you like what you see, chances are others will like it also.

At this point, if I'm still not sure, I walk away.  Sometimes I'll make a couple of test squares and put them up on my design wall.  Then I go get a cup of coffee and take a break.  Hopefully, when I walk back into the studio, one will speak to me.  But no matter what, at some point, I have to make a choice.

Otherwise, I'll never start a quilt, much less finish one.  And the blessing God intends it to be will never be received.

Do you have a method for picking out fabrics?  Tells us about it in the comments.

"I will not buy any more fabric until I use up the stash I have at home", I said.

Then I laughed and laughed and laughed!

Last fall I promised I'd share my pattern for Mug Rugs.  Then I got sick and everything stopped.  I did no writing, no quilting, no cleaning, no cooking- no nothing.  My get up and go had got up and gone

But the good news is I'm back!  I'm writing again and have spent some time in my workshop.

So, mug rug.  What is it and why do I want to make one or use one?.  Well, a mug rug is a quilted mat that is big enough to hold a cup and a snack.  They range in size from 4" x 7" to 8" x 12".  After some experimenting, I found I like the 6" x 9" size the best.  It is a great way to use some of your fabric scraps or practice blooks.

For this pattern, you will need backing, batting, and 2 coordinating prints for the front.  You can use any batting as long as it is not a high loft (may make your mug wobble). This is another place you can use up small pieces.  Just whip stitch together until you have a big enough piece.

Sew around the mug rug using a 1/4" seam, leaving a 2"-3" gap on the side or bottom.  Trim away excess batting in the seam allowance.  trim corner diagonally, being sure not to cut into the seam.

Turn inside out through the opening.  Fold the opening in and press.  Topstitch around the edges, being sure to catch the opening to sew it closed.

Quilt as desired.  I do mine with a diagonal pattern.

These make wonderful, inexpensive gifts.  Making them doesn't take a lot of time, so make a few for your friends while you make your own.

Until next time,

You haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it is running!