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This week I switched back to my second stitch project.  I’ve been spending 7 to 10 days on a project before changing.  I spent a month on Goldfinch and thought I’d continue until I finished it.

Without much thought one night I put it aside and picked up Fairy Tales.

Here’s the last picture of Fairy Tales Live on Roofs.

Here’s where it is now.

This is the last picture of Goldfinch and Lilacs.

Here’s where I left it.

I’m estimating another 4 to 6 weeks to finish Goldfinch and somewhere between 2 and ...

It’s that time to pick a new goal for the new month.  Time passes so quickly….not sure where the days go.

I’m moving on to a new project for April.  I pulled out all the pieces for my Art Quilt Group challenge, which I refer to as K’s quilt.  The challenge is to complete a small project out of another group member’s UFO.  As a reminder, I’m starting with this.

And this.

I haven’t quite figured out what I’m making.  Regardless, my April OMG will be to put the top together, whatever ...

I’ve posted a lot lately about the striped quilt, but I do work on other things.  I have two ongoing stitch projects that are on the PhD list.  I don’t have any rules about when I work on them, just pick up whichever calls to me.

Here is the last picture of Fairy Tales Live on Roofs.

Here’s where it is now.

Here’s the last picture of Goldfinch and Lilacs.

Here’s where it is now. 

I’m still nowhere close to finishing them, but I am making progress.

After reading my January OMG post, a reader suggested I join the PhD Challenge at Mrs. P’s Designs.  My focus for 2026 basically mirrors the challenge.  After reading the details here, I have to agree.

I’m not one to pick a list of projects for the entire year and stick to it.  I have eclectic interests.  Some creative methods appeal more than others, depending on my mood and how much life is happening.  That said, everything after #7 is questionable.  If I get six things on the list done this year, it’s a good year.

1. Fairy Tales ...

Happy New Year!  Wishing you health and happiness in the new year.

I’m not one to recap the prior year, but I did finish more projects than I expected.  Now I’m ready to look forward. 

For my own benefit, I’m taking stock of what is in process and what has been neglected.  If you don’t know where you’ve been, how do you know where you’re going?  That, and a year from now I won’t remember where I started.

In have two stitch pieces in progress, Fairy Tales Live on Roofs (RTO kit)

and ...

We’re fast approaching the end of 2025, and it’s time to think about 2026.

The past two years I’ve focused on completing a few projects in several categories.  This worked well for me, but the one category that hasn’t seen any finishes is UFOs.  No way am I making that my focus for 2026.  That, for me, would be an inspiration killer.

Instead, I decided to focus on kits, and I use that term loosely.  A pattern with all or some of the supplies fits my definition of a kit.

These are your standard kits.

This ...

No change in the numbers.

After finishing a big project, I started something much smaller.

I stitched these designs over 25 years ago from a Bucilla ornament kit.   I knew from the start I didn’t want to make ornaments.  I already have more ornaments than I can fit on the tree.

I was thinking a small wall hanging but never figured out a design.  Then I stopped stitching and forgot about them for 20 years.  Now that I’m stitching again, I’m determined to finish all my old pieces (and the new ones too).  There is no sense ...

No change in the numbers.

Work continues on Verticals.  I need to add four more strips and the borders.  I would really like to have it finished by the end of the month.

Many days I wasn’t able to get in the sewing room, but I was able to stitch.  I haven’t shown my progress on Fairy Tales Live on the Roofs for a good while.  The backstitch on this piece is no joke.

I’m about halfway across the design, with maybe 40% stitched.  The left side of the pattern is more stitch heavy than the right ...

No change in the numbers.

I finished a small stitch project called Chickadee.

A friend of a friend was destashing, and my friend gave me several items. I think this kit came from Big Lots. The floss was actually crochet thread, something I’ve never used for stitching. It worked fine, but I switched it out for DMC for the backstitch.

I also made a few wonky house blocks because the idea wouldn’t go away.

The inspiration came from a broken bathroom floor tile at work, which shows that inspiration can come from anywhere. There is no pattern. The ...

Happy Mothers Day! I hope you do something nice for yourself today.

No change in the numbers.

I’m working on lots of projects. The afghan is close to a finish. Sorry about the weird sun spot in the photo.

Fairy Tales Live on Roofs is moving forward, slowly.

This shirt is in progress using this fabric.

And just because I wanted to, I started something new. Look at me stitching on 28 count lugana instead of aida.

All those projects and not a quilt in site. I may go back to a UFO once I finish the shirt. It ...

No change in the numbers.

A lot of progress happened this week. I finished as much as I plan to do on the sewing room declutter.

I replaced the binding on a second blanket.

I finished a Craftsy class, 20 Things to Know Before You Sew. I’m taking a break on classes for now.

I turned the corner on the afghan. That puts me close to the halfway point.

I chose the next sewing project, washed the fabric, and made all the pattern choices.

I have a nice little rotation going with my three projects. We’ll see if ...

No fabric in this week.

I finished sorting through fabric as part of the Declutter Challenge, but still need to organize it a bit better. A little fabric went out this week.

I don’t have a OMG for March. Little happens creatively with so much work and life going on. I decided to update the Short List because it helps me focus. I did shorten it to stay more realistic.

Project 1 (Crochet): Marled Crochet Moss Stitch Stripes Blanket. It’s too big to photograph easily. I’m almost done with the third section (out of seven).

Project 2 ...

No fabric in or out this week.

The body of the Traffic Jam top is sewn together. It still needs borders to bring it to donation size.

Work on the afghan and Fairy Tales continues. The C2C pattern gets wider with every row until I get to the middle. That makes for slow going as the pattern progresses.

Fabric In: 0

Fabric Out: 0

How did you do this week?

Welcome to 2025! I wish you a year full of creative fun and joy.

In spite of a busy December, the list moved forward. I also started and finished a small crocheted throw. I find I’m going back to hobbies from decades ago and enjoying them in new ways. Good chance you’ll see more variety on the Short List in 2025.

I began the Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my interests change.

Project 1 (Original): Study in Stitches. Something about this project doesn’t ...

No change in the numbers. I’m likely to finish the year with these stats, which is the best I’ve done in a long time.

I’m still plodding through Traffic Jam blocks and working on Fairy Tales Live on Roofs.

There’s a lot more stitching in this kit than I thought, and the fairy girl is confetti heavy. There’s also a lot of backstiching, partial stitches and french knots. I’ll be working on this one for a while.

Fabric In: 16.5 yards

Fabric Out: 27.875 yards

Net Fabric Used: 11.375 yards

How ...

For my June OMG I chose to finish stitching and frame Summer Flowers. I’m happy to report it hangs in our bedroom.

This was a Dimensions kit I bought at the thrift store back in March. It came with the hoop The only change I made was stitching all the white inside the jar. The pattern did not call for stitching there, letting the background fabric show through instead.

To see all the other projects in the finish party, visit Stories From the Sewing Room.

Summer is here. Increased time outside keeps me out of the sewing room. Summers are short in the Midwest, and you have to enjoy them while you can.

I framed two stitch projects in May and did not start anything new.

I began The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my priorities and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): Summer Flowers, a kit I bought at the thrift in March. I expect to finish the stitching and frame it this month.

Project 2 (UFO): Remember Me, a member ...

The days just fly by.

In April I finished Freeze Fame and the stitching on the Gardener’s Angel of Spring. That was one more project than I thought I’d finish. I didn’t begin anything new.

I started The Short List many years ago to create short-term goals and a way to focus. I change things up as my priorities and interests change.

Project 1 (Stitching): Summer Flowers, a kit I bought at the thrift in March. It’s small and won’t take long.

Project 2 (Finishing): I have a frame picked for Gather and Give Thanks ...

Not only did I finish stitching My Sewing Treasures by Bobbie G Designs, I framed it too.

I switched out colors in two quilts and in the bands on the upper and lower boxes. I also simplified the decoration on the sewing machine and didn’t stitch the background filler behind the scissors. All changes were a matter of personal taste.

The frame is a seasonal picture from Hobby Lobby I bought on clearance. I wrapped the stitching around foam core board and inserted it inside. The frame is deep and gives the look of a shadow box.

I’m ...

No change in the numbers.

I spent more time stitching than sewing this week in an attempt to finish My Sewing Treasures. So close! Sorry, still framed crooked.

I’m in a rush because I signed up for the Tiny Modernist 2022 Holiday SAL. The first section of the pattern was released September 1. I put off starting it until I finish this project. Although I doubt I will be able to keep up, I hate to get too far behind. The patterns come out the first of the month for three months.

I have also spent some time making ...