I really do feel the need for a FINISH! I’ve updated and completed my 2018 Gallery page, there are sixteen finished patchwork quilting projects. Not too shabby…but… there are so many unfinished projects around me…. and projects in my head… and fabrics I bought thinking ‘I’ll make a lovely quilt with this…’

Hmm! This is reading like a severe case of ‘overwhelm’. I fear I’m in danger of falling into the traps of loosing the satisfaction of patchwork creativity or getting completely intimidated by all the perfect finishes streaming through my social media feeds! The past few days I have been occupied filling in planners and writing events onto wall charts. All this goal setting can get a bit ‘heavy’. Thankfully the sun is shining today – increased daylight levels can give us such a boost can’t they? I’ve done some more housework – traces of Christmas and, sadly, guests are pretty much gone now.

So, I’m going to set myself an achievable sewing goal and join in with the Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal link up. My January goal is to complete the Autumn Leaves quilt. I’m about to start free motion quilting – first the veins on the leaves and then the background. I haven’t chosen fabric for the binding yet so that’s something to contemplate as I stitch. I will stitch a hanging sleeve to the back so the finished quilt can hang on the pole in my sewing room 🙂

So far I have stitched a ‘stalk’ to each leaf using a very close zig-zag to produce a satin stitch. And then used my walking foot to echo stitch around the leaves adding a pointed tip to each one.

That feels better already 🙂 A project to focus on, an outlet for creativity and a dose of perspective as I set an achievable goal 🙂

Are you feeling full of enthusiasm as you consider your patchwork and quilting for 2019 or maybe feeling overwhelmed and not at all sure where to start?

Linking with Patty at Elm Street Quilts for the January One Monthly Goal.

Allison