WIP it good!

Last July, Crazy Mom Quilts displayed her 25 then-current WIPs (works in progress). She said anything over 25 is panic stage. She encouraged readers to confess how many WIPs of their own are lurking.

I thought I was bad with 38 at the time. Some of Amanda's readers have more than I do! That was comforting, but also empowering. I am in the process of attempting to actually finish quilts and quilting projects instead of adding more, at least for now, but there was a huge swelling of pride in knowing other quilters have as much quilting passion as I do and aren't afraid to show it.

Thank heavens I haven't discovered my panic point yet! Although the goal is to not reach that point, as well as get some of these older babies finished and off the list.

I'm in a quarterly WIP challenge on Ravelry, and the challenge has helped me get all my WIPs organized. The quarterly challenge is to finish at least one WIP per quarter, and there's plenty of cheerleading and encouragement even when I'm not able to complete a project. Optional fat quarter rewards make the challenge even more fun for me, not only in receiving sometimes international fabrics, but being able to share my unused fat quarters with others. (Or cut a fat quarter from a yard of fabric I just couldn't resist...)

Even though training and Ride the Rockies dominated my second and third challenge quarters this year, I was able to knock off 3 projects (plus one of them incorporated orphan blocks from the ninth WIP on my list) after I regained some energy following a very draining Ride the Rockies that kicked off my third quarter challenge. Yippee for finishing something big during summer!!!

Not only did I knock a few projects off my list, I also am teaching my husband to quilt, and he finished two rag quilts in just over two weeks!!!






Then my 33-year-old sewing machine bit the dust. I was working on Number 12 on last quarter's list when something snapped inside the machine.

I didn't want to stop sewing. Typically, I turn my machine in for annual servicing during Ride the Rockies so I don't miss it while it's gone. With my husband sewing now, too, I decided it was time for another investment. Both of us could make good use of a backup machine. So I bought a $99 machine at the closest department store. I can't quilt with it because the throat is too narrow, but it sews clothing just fine! I can piece, too, and some of the projects on my list need more piecing.

Here is my fourth quarter WIP list. This is the first time since I joined the Ravelry challenge I've had a shorter list than the previous quarter! I didn't actually start any new projects this quarter, but I found three older projects I'd previously forgotten to add when I started them.



1. Hawaiian Compass



2. Snowflake Heartburn



3. Leaf Me Alone



4. Welcome to the Jungle



5. Blue Floral Leftovers, the Sequel



6. Long Forgotten



7. Blue Floral



8. Lizard Toes



9. Turtle Sherbet



10. Skinned



11. Under the Sea



12. Skinned, the Sequel



13. Hexie Booboo



14. Tickled Pink, the Sequel



15. Teal Shadows



16. Gemtones



17. Teabags



18. Goodbye Hollyhock Road



19. Snowflake Strip Bar



20. Charmed by Snowflakes



21. Rainbow Strip Bar



22. Dreaming of a Lavender Christmas



23. Blue Christmas



24. Green Floral Batik Postage Stamps



25. July Special Effects



26. Quilt of Valor



27. Blue Floral Trilogy



28. Lavender Sunrise



29. Giant Dahlia



30. Faded Gems



31. Showcase



32. Heart Strings



33. One More Ticker Tape



34. Arctic Skies



35. Peacock Blues



36. Snowbike II



37. Autumn Splendor
Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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