A new month and new beginnings.

I love the start of a new month as it always seems to hold so much promise. A promise that ongoing projects will move forward, that new ones will be started and that miraculously, time will stand still for a little while when I'm sewing so I can keep working on the project for as long as I want. A few months ago I spent some time reminding myself of all the things that help with good time management and have been putting them into practice in the work setting. You know the things I mean, writing out blocks of time in the diary for specific tasks, dealing with emails at set time, setting priorities for the coming week on Friday afternoons and each day setting aside some time for planning out work for the following day. I know all these systems work but over the last 15 months of working from home, I'd stopped putting them into action. Now work is firmly back in it's box and only occurring during work time I need to implement the same approach to my various hobbies and home commitments. Last evening I spent some time identifying things I really wanted to work on this month. Not all are sewing, some are tasty looking recipes that fellow bloggers have shared. Barbara from Cat Patches regularly shares recipes and the ones I've tried have been delicious! This is what I'm planning to work on this month.

I want to finish off this quilt by adding the extra rows and borders. I want it to flimsy stage, and then sandwiched before the end of July. It would be really good to get it quilted as well but I've learnt not to over stretch myself.

I also want to do some more quilting on the Austen Family quilt. the picture below is before the top was fully finished and sandwiched. So far I've quilted one block. This is a large and therefore heavy quilt so I'm not wanting to finish all the quilting this month That puts far too much strain on my right arm, which isn't supposed to carry or move heavy weights. There are 36 Blocks in the quilt so I think aiming to quilt 6 blocks quilted is realistic. I'm all stocked up on quilting threads, the bobbins are filled and waiting to go so this is just a case of getting on with it.

I want to stitch the June and July blocks for the Pride and Prejudice quilt. Later today I'm going to draw out all the remaining blocks so as I finish a block I can start on the next if I want to. This project has its own zip lock bag so all the prepared blocks will be safe and together with the completed blocks.

I need to finish off the bag I started a while back. There is still a fair bit to do but it is just sewing pieces together so shouldn't take long. The picture below is before the bag was started.

Finally I want to finish the dress I've started. This afternoon I'm meeting up with older daughter Katy for a trip to a fabric shop. She wants to buy fabric and patterns to make some summer dresses. I'm going back to her home after shopping and she is going to help me fit the bust of the dress. Then I'll be able to complete it. She is also visiting us on Saturday and will help me make sure the hem is level. I have other dressmaking projects I want to make but I'm sticking to one item at a time.

I asked Scamp and Picasso what they thought of my plans but they have both fallen asleep  due to lack of action. Picasso is at his happiest when he can try and pounce on the sewing needle of the machine, this writing blog posts is tiring stuff.

Today I have my 6 monthly check up at the hospital. The last time I was seen was January 2020, since then my appointments have been by phone. I'll probably need to get bloods done so it will take a while but I will be taking one of the frog stitcheries to work on while I wait. We live a 10 minute walk from the hospital so I don't lose time in travelling but today is a non work day and I have things to do. When I get home I need to bake some bread and do some ironing before I can get sewing. I also need to decide what my monthly goal will be for July. The One monthly goal link with Elm Street Quilts really does help ensure something gets completed or moved forward each month.

Take Care

Lyndsey