WIPocalypse - September 8, 2014

The question for the month is: "Who is your favourite person to stitch for, or do you prefer to keep your stitching yourself?"

I rarely stitch for others, exceptions being close family (husband, a few in-laws, etc.) and the occasional friend and neighbor. I tend to keep my stitching for myself, mainly because I usually have no clue as to what is appreciated by others (style, colors, decor, even if they appreciate hand work at all) and I KNOW my own taste. Not that I have purposes in mind for many of the pieces I stitch --- I stitch because I enjoy the process and I pick projects because they intrigue me, at least at the beginning (I can get bored easily and projects slow, or even stop sometimes because of that)!

At the ast WIPocalypse, my stated goals were to catch up and get on schedule. I'm afraid I failed to meet that goal. I blame a number of events, like a failure of teh AC twice in the last two weeks  (which meant I had to sit around waiting for the plumber --- and will again as we are going to replace the unit), my car in for service (another AC issue and an unknown brake issue!), the telephone land line acting up so no calls can be made or received half the time, a power failure on the 31st which not only made stitchery, especially beading which I had all prepped and ready to go,  impossible but also caused my DVR to go all wonky and lose local stations... About the only thing that didn't go wrong was that surprise asteroid pass-by which did NOT hit the planet and add to my misery! Somehow, when I get stressed out by events such as these (and I DO get stressed out), I lose my stitching mojo and resort to reading and online games on my iPad!  I did manage the following, however:

• a block pieced for the quilt guild retreat challenge although it still needs to be sandwiched, quilted and bound
• a block pieced for the Seed Bead Botany class and another for test stitching,  but neither yet fully prepped for beading (and the class is pretty much over this week! AAACK!)
• a "dossier" block for the quilt guild which I should have  pieced over four years ago!
• Take a Stitch Tuesday #125 (Beaded Herringbone), ##126 - 7  (Alternating Up-and-Down Buttonhole and Beaded Alternating Up-and-Down Buttonhole stitches),  and #128  (Interlaced Up-and-Down Buttonhole stitch)
• My August Bead Journal Project atc/ornament  - my Septmeber one is sketched out and kitted up but not started
• A portion of the outline for the Roll Your Own mandala "Bride"
• Not yet posted but completed in the last week is my block for September in the Crazy Quilt Block Project Challenge:

Still languishing are the "Meals on Wheels Christmas placemat" for the quilt guild (due in November), the Funk & Weber finishing classes (although I HAVE read them through at least), and installments 10 - 19 of "Save the Stitches" ... 

See what I mean about stalling out, coming to s slow, or even stop? At least there is a small chance that the placemat will get started at guild work day on the 20th and I might even work on the retreat challenge block as well - after all, it IS due at the end of October! That is, I might go to work day if the promised visit by a family of 7 (or more) from Saudi Arabia, arrival date still not set, duration of visit also not set, will not interfere!

Meanwhile, next month's catch-up list is:

• Bead Journal Project for September (and start one for October)
• Start Crazy Quilt Journal block for October (it's drafted and fabric has been chosen)
• "Seed Bead Botany" class - at least catch up on the videos before the site pulls them
• TAST - whatever stitches come in (I expect one tomorrow, for example)
• "Save the Stitches" --- at least the outlines 
• RYO "Bride" - at least the outline
• the guild retreat block

Keep your fingers crossed!