My husband and I were sitting in the living room visiting with each other while dinner cooked. We do that most nights. Take some time at the end of the day to sit together with a glass of wine and connect with one another. He asked me "So what project are you working on right now?"
Sound of crickets….
"Well," I said finally, "I have five or six different projects spread out all over the place at the moment".
"How is that working for you?" he inquired.
"Honestly, not great", was my answer. "I feel very disjointed, unorganized, scattered, messy, and kind of frazzled".
"Maybe you should finish something", he offered.
Wow. Imagine that. Finish something? Really?
The next time I was up in my sewing room, I took an honest assessment of all the unfinished, half-started projects I have in various states of disorganization throughout my sewing room. The major project that I would like to get done is my Moda BlockHeads 3 quilt. Those blocks have been on my design boards for well over a year. A lot of excitement, fabric, time, and effort went into making those 50 some blocks.
I have been dithering over how to set them in a way that shows off the blocks rather than a busy, confusing, mess. When you make a quilt with several different sizes of blocks, finding a setting that works is extremely challenging. I wanted those blocks to be set apart from one another so the eye has a place to rest when looking at the whole quilt.
Julie Lloyd at Julesccreates on Instagram had a brilliant setting for her MBH3 blocks. I commented on her post and asked her if she would share the size of her lattice strips because I wanted to recreate her setting with my blocks. She very kindly responded with her measurements and I ordered lattice fabric in Bella Solids Porcelain (which matches my 3 Sisters fabrics). And then the fabric sat on the shelf and the blocks stayed on the wall and nothing got done.
Until yesterday. I took my husband's words to heart and got to work. This quilt is sewn together in vertical rows. Each block has a lattice around it, which is trimmed down to size when you sew the blocks into rows. You can see my first row on the far left in the photo. I am so pleased with how it is turning out.
I plan on having 7 rows. Four rows will have 12", 6", and 4" blocks. Three rows will have 8" and 4" blocks. I do not have quite as many blocks as I will need, so there will be a bit more block construction before I am done. This quilt is going to be very large and will cover my queen-sized bed with a good amount of overhang.
I am so excited to turn these blocks into a beautiful quilt.
54 responses to “Maybe You Should Finish Something”
That is one smart husband.
That is one smart husband.
That is one smart husband.
It’s looking great! The lattice certainly keeps the blocks from looking so jumbled up. So what is the width of the lattice? Need that info for a future project.
It’s looking great! The lattice certainly keeps the blocks from looking so jumbled up. So what is the width of the lattice? Need that info for a future project.
It’s looking great! The lattice certainly keeps the blocks from looking so jumbled up. So what is the width of the lattice? Need that info for a future project.
Good for you and your husband! This is going to be one good lookin’ quilt!!
Good for you and your husband! This is going to be one good lookin’ quilt!!
Good for you and your husband! This is going to be one good lookin’ quilt!!
This is going to be a beautiful quilt and wonderful colors….yes, your husband was a smart fellow and good for him on mentioning a finish. You will be so happy when this is going to the quilter….love it!
This is going to be a beautiful quilt and wonderful colors….yes, your husband was a smart fellow and good for him on mentioning a finish. You will be so happy when this is going to the quilter….love it!
This is going to be a beautiful quilt and wonderful colors….yes, your husband was a smart fellow and good for him on mentioning a finish. You will be so happy when this is going to the quilter….love it!
Wise words. I can never handle more than 1 or 2 projects at a time without feeling frazzled, torn and everything you said. I need the feeling of accomplishment and completion!
Wise words. I can never handle more than 1 or 2 projects at a time without feeling frazzled, torn and everything you said. I need the feeling of accomplishment and completion!
Wise words. I can never handle more than 1 or 2 projects at a time without feeling frazzled, torn and everything you said. I need the feeling of accomplishment and completion!
That is great advice. And it’s inspiring to see how it has motivated you. Go, Nicole! It’s going to be a beautiful quilt. Makes me think I should go finish something, and I know just what it should be.
That is great advice. And it’s inspiring to see how it has motivated you. Go, Nicole! It’s going to be a beautiful quilt. Makes me think I should go finish something, and I know just what it should be.
That is great advice. And it’s inspiring to see how it has motivated you. Go, Nicole! It’s going to be a beautiful quilt. Makes me think I should go finish something, and I know just what it should be.
I, too, would feel disjointed and unfulfilled with too many projects going at the same time. I also felt like I was wasting money as I would have things started and then sadly, unfinished. Quite awhile back, I began only focusing on one thing at a time (unless it was an ongoing QAL, in which case I worked on one project in between) I feel I am much more productive with my time and my finishes when I work this way… that is not to say, that I don’t create a “To Do” list for the year, that gets added to and altered along the way. It gives me the excited anticipation of beginning a new project. Your quilt is beautiful and there will be one lucky recipient!!
I, too, would feel disjointed and unfulfilled with too many projects going at the same time. I also felt like I was wasting money as I would have things started and then sadly, unfinished. Quite awhile back, I began only focusing on one thing at a time (unless it was an ongoing QAL, in which case I worked on one project in between) I feel I am much more productive with my time and my finishes when I work this way… that is not to say, that I don’t create a “To Do” list for the year, that gets added to and altered along the way. It gives me the excited anticipation of beginning a new project. Your quilt is beautiful and there will be one lucky recipient!!
I, too, would feel disjointed and unfulfilled with too many projects going at the same time. I also felt like I was wasting money as I would have things started and then sadly, unfinished. Quite awhile back, I began only focusing on one thing at a time (unless it was an ongoing QAL, in which case I worked on one project in between) I feel I am much more productive with my time and my finishes when I work this way… that is not to say, that I don’t create a “To Do” list for the year, that gets added to and altered along the way. It gives me the excited anticipation of beginning a new project. Your quilt is beautiful and there will be one lucky recipient!!
That is gorgeous and congratulations on making so much progress. You may inspire me.
SSS
That is gorgeous and congratulations on making so much progress. You may inspire me.
SSS
That is gorgeous and congratulations on making so much progress. You may inspire me.
SSS
I really like what you are creating. Aren’t others blogs great for inspiration?
I really like what you are creating. Aren’t others blogs great for inspiration?
I really like what you are creating. Aren’t others blogs great for inspiration?
Yahoo for you! I have to redo my “To Do” list and get busy. Keep inspiring me !
Mary
Yahoo for you! I have to redo my “To Do” list and get busy. Keep inspiring me !
Mary
Yahoo for you! I have to redo my “To Do” list and get busy. Keep inspiring me !
Mary
That quilt is going to be beautiful. I have heard similar words from my husband. Sometimes we just need a kick in the right direction to get moving again. Can’t wait to see the finish. I love all of your quilts.
That quilt is going to be beautiful. I have heard similar words from my husband. Sometimes we just need a kick in the right direction to get moving again. Can’t wait to see the finish. I love all of your quilts.
That quilt is going to be beautiful. I have heard similar words from my husband. Sometimes we just need a kick in the right direction to get moving again. Can’t wait to see the finish. I love all of your quilts.
Your husband’s words were just the nudge you needed to just do it! Now you have a plan & a finish in sight! It’s going to be a beauty! Have a nice weekend. Stay well!
Your husband’s words were just the nudge you needed to just do it! Now you have a plan & a finish in sight! It’s going to be a beauty! Have a nice weekend. Stay well!
Your husband’s words were just the nudge you needed to just do it! Now you have a plan & a finish in sight! It’s going to be a beauty! Have a nice weekend. Stay well!
It is so gorgeous! I need your husband to have a ‘talk’ with me because I feel scattered right now with multiple projects in various stages. ;p
It is so gorgeous! I need your husband to have a ‘talk’ with me because I feel scattered right now with multiple projects in various stages. ;p
It is so gorgeous! I need your husband to have a ‘talk’ with me because I feel scattered right now with multiple projects in various stages. ;p
It’s stunning. I also get sidetracked with too many projects started and have to have a talk with myself but life goes on and there is always something to look forward to finishing.
It’s stunning. I also get sidetracked with too many projects started and have to have a talk with myself but life goes on and there is always something to look forward to finishing.
It’s stunning. I also get sidetracked with too many projects started and have to have a talk with myself but life goes on and there is always something to look forward to finishing.
It’s looking good! Sometimes when they’re all helpful like that it’s hard to know whether to kiss them or give them the stink eye. Not that I’d know or anything. LOL
It’s looking good! Sometimes when they’re all helpful like that it’s hard to know whether to kiss them or give them the stink eye. Not that I’d know or anything. LOL
It’s looking good! Sometimes when they’re all helpful like that it’s hard to know whether to kiss them or give them the stink eye. Not that I’d know or anything. LOL
Your husband is a card, lol.
How exciting to see the blocks grow into rows. Glad you were able to get what you wanted for the setting and get stitching them together. Very satisfying, I’m sure, to pull them off the design walls!
Your husband is a card, lol.
How exciting to see the blocks grow into rows. Glad you were able to get what you wanted for the setting and get stitching them together. Very satisfying, I’m sure, to pull them off the design walls!
Your husband is a card, lol.
How exciting to see the blocks grow into rows. Glad you were able to get what you wanted for the setting and get stitching them together. Very satisfying, I’m sure, to pull them off the design walls!
Finish something…sheesh guess we should’ve thought of that one, lol! It’s so easy to get sidetracked, but that is going to be one beauty when it’s done! Good for you for sticking to it!
Finish something…sheesh guess we should’ve thought of that one, lol! It’s so easy to get sidetracked, but that is going to be one beauty when it’s done! Good for you for sticking to it!
Finish something…sheesh guess we should’ve thought of that one, lol! It’s so easy to get sidetracked, but that is going to be one beauty when it’s done! Good for you for sticking to it!
Good advice from your husband – it’s nice when they can help us through challenges, isn’t it? Your first column looks great!
Good advice from your husband – it’s nice when they can help us through challenges, isn’t it? Your first column looks great!
Good advice from your husband – it’s nice when they can help us through challenges, isn’t it? Your first column looks great!