Four at a time

Have you entered my Castle Peeps giveaway, yet?

I have four quilt tops actively in progress at the moment, which feels like quite a lot.  Usually I get in a groove and finish one before I really get going on the other.  But this week I am literally bouncing back and forth on all four.  Sewing a bit here, a bit there. It feels a little crazy, but also kind of fun. Let’s check in with the White Board of Insanity:

progress board

So yeah, as I mentioned before, the status is color-coded. Because I’m a huge geek. And the white board came with four markers. Black status means the project is anywhere from “in theory” to cutting fabric.  Green status means fabric is cut and I’m at some stage of piecing the quilt top.  Red status means the top is done, so just finish the damn thing already.

As you can see, my poor pinwheel sampler is still hanging out in red, waiting for me to piece the back.  It’s going to wait a while longer.

The quilt for Willa is a stacked coin quilt, and since taking the picture of the strips this afternoon, I have now finished the top and am coming up with a plan for the back. I’m hoping to finish this one ASAP, it just got bumped to the top of my mental priority list.

coin strips

The quilt for Gus is going to be a raw-edged quarter-circle quilt, and may end up being the brightest and loudest baby boy quilt ever created.  My friend Kathy is his mom, and when she asked me to make this, she specifically said that bold colors were welcome, and I took her at her word. I will sadly not finish it before they move away to Miami in a matter of days. But I’m sure they have more than enough things to pack at the moment, so I’ll mail it down when it’s done.

raw-edge circle stack

I’m sewing along with Amanda Jean and her latest quilt-along, which will be a rather lovely twin-sized quilt.  I’ve got the strips all made and chopped up, and the center block together.  Awaiting further instructions (though I suppose I could guess what they are, I’m not going to get too far ahead… plenty of other stuff to keep me busy).

Chopping the strips

But I originally bought that fat quarter bundle of Nicey Jane with a particular location in mind: a bedroom in my mom’s lake house. That bedroom has both a twin- and a full-sized bed in it, and it would seem a shame to get one bed a new quilt without the other.  So, a coordinating full-sized quilt is the fourth one on my list.  It’s going to be a disappearing-nine-patch with nice big blocks.

Nicey Jane nine-patch progress

In an ideal world, I would finish those two Nicey Jane quilts before I leave for Chicago/Wisconsin and the lake house in question on July 15, but if that really happens, it’ll be a miracle.

So, what about you? Do you frequently have a bunch of projects actively going at the same time, or do you keep the actual in-progress list a little shorter?

  1. Amy’s avatar

    No works in progress here…I go one at a time. I think I am unusual! I do have a lengthy mental to do list though ;)
    Amy´s last blog ..Ladybugs!My ComLuv Profile

  2. Susan McKey’s avatar

    Oh, yes indeedy, I have WAY too many things in progress. Although most of them are just in gestation (a.k.a. groupings of fabric in marked plastic bins), I do have 3 actively going right now. About 10 in aforementioned gestation period. I wonder if I think they will just make themselves? Most are waiting for the design, my weakest skill. All have a Feeling or a Story, I just need to figure out how to tell it. And I could use another 12 hours in a day….
    Susan McKey´s last blog ..ooo…such plansMy ComLuv Profile

  3. Meaghan’s avatar

    I was JUST talking about this with my mom today! She asked me if I have any projects I’m working on and I’m like, yeah, like 10! I like to have different projects at different stages, so that if i’m in the mood or have the time to baste, bind, etc. I can do that. And sometimes I’m in a cutting mood, or piecing mood. Let’s be honest, there is plenty of fabric to go around! I haven’t color-coordinated yet though…. :) See you soon I hope!

  4. Lisa’s avatar

    Hehe, I can’t even count how many works in progress I have at the moment, LOL. I envy your organization. I may have to copy you on that ☺
    Lisa´s last blog ..A wee little peekMy ComLuv Profile

  5. MrsDragon’s avatar

    I have 3 WIPS, one I started last fall and then put down to do a baby quilt (which arrived before the baby!), and two from before my 4 year quilting hiatius. One top lacking only the final borders and one a hand applique project that is about 1/2 way appliqued, then needs to get pieced, basted and quilted.
    MrsDragon´s last blog ..CSA–Week 6My ComLuv Profile

  6. Jen’s avatar

    I use to do one at a time but lately, well, my list is like yours. Sometimes it’s fun other times I feel a little manic.

  7. amandajean’s avatar

    i could use my own white board of insanity. I just love that term! i have 15 (!!!) quilts going i think. i try to finish up some, but i get bogged down by quilting a ridiculous number of little houses for each ROW of quilting. it’s sick, but someone has to do it!
    amandajean´s last blog ..quilt along week 3, and a giveaway winner!My ComLuv Profile

  8. Laurel Johnson’s avatar

    I am a one project at a time girl;) I do however have a lot of ides rolling around in my head while working on the one project so that when I finish said project I can move on to a new one.
    Laurel Johnson´s last blog ..Evening at the BeachMy ComLuv Profile

  9. giselle’s avatar

    I love your whiteboard :) I used to be a start and finish a single project kind of girl, but now I’ll start others before I’m done with the first. The first project is always the one I stick with and I only ever have one in my “red” quilt/bind pile. However, I’m always designing and cutting, and sometimes piecing my newer ideas. I’m so excited to see your coordinating quilts for the lake house and Gus’ quilt!
    giselle´s last blog ..who am i kidding?My ComLuv Profile

  10. KathyB’s avatar

    I only check this blog of yours occasionally, but I happen to be surfing around while waiting for some friends to arrive, and so of course I had to comment that we are excited for the “Baby Gus” quilt! So glad it is going to be bright and loud – love it! He will be a Miami boy for sure!

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