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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 ...

Another month down, another project finished. I met my goal last month of sewing a shirt. I’ve done well this year finishing my OMGs, which has kept my projects moving.

There are quite a few changes in the list this month.

Project One: I’m still stitching My Sewing Treasures by Bobby G Designs.

Project Two: I started working on a UFO I picked up off the charity table at Guild. Whoever started it including a picture of what the planned quilt would look like, but I’m not going there. I’ll sew up all the pinwheel pieces ...

The months go by so fast, summer especially. It’s a bit harder to fit in creative time around all the outdoor activities.

I finished my goal last month of quilting Open Dialogue, and then finished the quilt a few days later.

Project One: I’ve stitched about half of My Sewing Treasures by Bobby G Designs. It’s still in the frame crooked.

Project Two: I haven’t worked on the band sampler. It’s patiently waiting its turn.

Project Three: I want to sew some clothes again. The next item will be a shirt, although I haven’t ...

No change in the numbers.

Not much sewing happened this week. When life gets hectic and stressful, stitching becomes the fallback position. I made fair progress on My Sewing Treasures. Sorry – it’s in the frame crooked!

This section has a lot of color changes. Hopefully the next section will go a little faster.

Fabric In: 0.5yards

Fabric Out: 5.25 yards

Net Fabric Out: 4.75 yards

How did you do this week?

I’m sitting here watching the rain pour down wishing for a warm sunny spring instead of whatever this is. On the plus side, the weather encourages me to stay inside and sew.

I finished my April OMG, the Margo Handbag.

I have too many projects going again. No more adding projects to the active rotation until I finish a few.

Project One: I’ve stitched about 25% of My Sewing Treasures by Bobby G Designs.

Project Two: The band sampler will return from time out once my Guild demonstrates the stitches for the next two rows at the meeting ...

No fabric in or out.

I haven’t made enough progress on the bag to post another picture. The only other active project is My Sewing Treasures.

I think I’ve stitched a few more spools since I showed it last. Somehow it ended up wonky in the frame, but the stitching is straight.

Fabric In: 0.5yards

Fabric Out: 2.75 yards

Net Fabric Out: 2.25 yards

How did you do this week?

I finished my March OMG, catching up on the band sampler. I also finished Roads. Finishes are good because they make room for new projects.

The band sampler is on a break. My Guild isn’t demonstrating the stitches for the next two rows until May.

Project One: I’m working on a kit called My Sewing Treasures by Bobby G Designs.

Project Two: I will continue working on Open Dialogue.

Project Three: I’m starting the Margo Handbag by Lazy Girl Designs. The instructions come in a ten page booklet. My OMG will be to get through the first ...

Most days I only stitch on one project at a time. I have quite a few quilting UFOs, and the idea of a lot of stitching UFOs on top of that is more than I can handle. I like to keep things simple.

Once I started my Guild’s stitch-along (SAL), it became obvious that each month’s assignment wouldn’t take more than a few hours. That left me with a whole lot of stitching time and no project.

Voila. The beauty of stash.

I picked a kit because I can only think hard about one project at a ...

No fabric in this week. A little fabric went out replacing the waistband on a pair of pants.

The big win for the week was finishing the Mill Hill Digging Out kit.

I bought the kit in early April and finished it two months after I started it. That’s record time for me to turn around any project. It feels incredible to have it done already.

If only quilt finishes came as fast.

Fabric In: 7.125 yards

Fabric Out: 2.5 yards

Net Fabric In: 4.625 yards

How did you do this week?

I finished stitching Christmas Eve in April, but didn’t frame it. In spite of all the time spent on the Crazy Quilt Course, hours of work remain. That project feels like it will never end. Very little sewing happened in April.

The Short List categories are UFO, garment, original design, hand work, finishing, classes and other. I’ve used this system for 6+ years to keep me focused. The categories change as my goals and interests change. Categories with nothing in process will not be listed, only active categories.

Original Design – Open Dialogue is still waiting to be quilted ...