What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

It's been a LONG time since I posted about this project -- last year in fact! The construction directions were released in January, I printed them out, and only now finally managed to finish the quilt top. 

Because my burgundy fabrics were cut from three different fabrics and not from one fabric, I arranged the units so that a single fabric was used for an entire star. I ended up needing to make a few extra units as I put the rows together, but I had plenty of extra fabric. I didn't end up doing that with the pink ...

The staycation has come to an end, it's back to work today.  It's been a nice few days off.  I didn't get as much time in the sewing room as I'd hoped, but I did get in one nothing but sewing day during our break.  Sad to say I'm already ready for another one.  

Mosaic Mystery Quilt (Farfalla) designed by Cheryl ...

I've been enjoying a staycation with My Guy.  I did have to work a bit yesterday and will need to put in a couple of hours today, but that should be it for the week. Though I will need to check email here and there.  We were off visiting the Scientist in Training over the weekend, but I did get in a really good afternoon of stitching time yesterday. Good enough finish checking off all the items on last week's To Do List. 

We had a really nice weekend hanging out with the Scientist in Training.  We went on a few walks and stopped at our favorite gelato place for a cold treat. Not the most exciting weekend, but it was nice get out of town for a couple of days. 

Mosaic Mystery Quilt from Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs

I finished the last of my midyear reviews with my direct reports at work yesterday.   The purpose of the midyear review is to make sure you are on track with your goals. If you are not on track, it helps to identify the obstacles or changes in priorities and adjust accordingly. Also it's a good opportunity to celebrate your successes. It's just natural for me to apply what we do at work to the quilty part of my life.  Back in December I set my 2020 Quilting Ambitions as part of Quilting Jetgirl's 2020 Planning Party.  Here ...

It's amazing what difference a week can make.  Things have settled down at work with personnel questions having been answered, while the number of Covid 19 cases continues to increase in the state. Work has tightened up restrictions on face to face meetings and beefed up the facial covering policy.  Not an ideal environment, but at least I feel reasonably safe at work.  It's going any place else that is concerning. Mask wearing in our community isn't practiced much.  I think part of the problem is while cases are indeed rising, the total number impacted in our ...

A check of the calendar shows that this week's to do list will take me to the end of June. The year's just about half over, so I definitely need to get moving if I'm going to make some of my 2020 goals. Checking off a few more things from my to do lists would definitely be a move in the right direction.  Unfortunately, last week's to do list is a bit anemic when it comes to check marks. 

It's mid-month, so time to stop and reflect on the overall progress in the sewing room for the month.  I'm following along with Quilting Gail's PHD program for 2020.  

Last week wasn't a good one for stitching.  I'm trying to do better this week.  In spite of the sparse stitching time, there was some progress on last week's To Do List.

It's a new month, one the end of which will mark the half way point in 2020.  Let's not jump there just yet.  It's probably much less depressing to back up a bit and review how well my PHD program is going.  

Mosaic ...

The month of May went really fast.  Hard to believe we'll be in June by Monday.  As I was contemplating what June's One Monthly Goal should be, I realized I never posted the completion of May's One Monthly Goal.  

Mosaic Mystery Quilt from Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs

We had a really quiet Memorial Day weekend.  The four days off were nice. We hung out a lot. My Guy and the Scientist in Training played in the kitchen while I got to hang out in the sewing room.  Consequently last week's to do list was mostly completed.  

This is my second week back at the office.  The company did a phased in approach to bringing everyone back, this week all but people with child care issues or those with health complications are back in the office.  It's almost back to normal, except for the face masks and the requirement for virtual meetings.  

Wish I could say my stitching time was normal last week. It wasn't and progress on the the To Do list suffered.  

To Do List for 05/12/2020
Mosaic Mystery:  Prep top for quilting ✔
Frolic: Make 1 light blue block - progress
Unity ...

For some reason, last week just didn't go very well in the sewing room. Mainly because I didn't speed much time there.  What time spent with needle and thread was spent doing embroidery.  I did make some progress on that front.  

Unity, 2020 Bonnie Hunter Sew-In-Place Quilt Along

It's already been a long week and it's just Tuesday!  I was back at the office yesterday for the first time in about 7 weeks.  It didn't seem weird, I thought it would. I've worked there so long it was like putting on a very well used and comfortable pair of shoes.

On the other hand, checking off the weekly to do list hasn't been as easy.  

Weekly To Do List for 05/05/2020
Mosaic Mystery:  Prep top for quilting- No progress
Frolic: Make 1 light blue block ✔
Unity: Finish Step 2 - Progress 
Face ...

It wasn't a bad week on the stitching front, but it certainly wasn't one of my best.  My prime sewing time is the weekends and though we aren't going any place, a good piece of my normal stitching time was replaced by a couple of much needed long naps. So not many things got checked off the to do list from last week. 

Weekly To Do List (04/28/2020)
Mosaic Mystery: Prep backing for quilting ✔
Frolic: Make 2 light blue blocks, assemble rows - Progress
Unity: Finish step 2 - Progress

Just one item checked off the list ...

It was a very slow paced weekend, with laundry, household chores and naps on the agenda.  The work from home set up just isn't as ergonomic as my office set up and my back has been very unhappy.  So much so that I've not been sleeping very well.  So the naps were very necessary, but I didn't get as much done in the sewing room as a consequence.

The week just seemed to drag.  I'm very glad it's Saturday morning so I can just hang out and drink my coffee. Not sure what else is on the agenda for today, I'm hoping some significant time in the sewing room is at the top of the list. Though I think My Guy may have some other thoughts on that. 

Hard to believe there are just three more days in April.  It's been a pretty productive month. The weekly to do lists have helped keep me on track. I've not checked everything off each week, but progress has been pretty steady.  Last week's progress was typical of the previous weeks. 

Weekly To Do List for 04/21/2020
Mosaic Mystery: Find fabric for and make backing ✔
Frolic: Make 4-patches and sashing strips ✔
Winter Quilt Along: Finish binding ✔
Unity: Finish steps 1 and 2 - progress

So three out of four checked off is a really good week ...

It was a good week in the sewing room.  I've not had more stitching time during this period of social distancing as work has been just as busy as always.  But the changes I made to work on only three projects at a time and to limit the weekly to do list to just four items each week is starting to pay off.  Playing along with the 2020 PHD program and the One Monthly Goal have helped with the focus too.  In fact this month I actually met my OMG a few days early for a change.