Make-A-List Monday - The Space Between

Hi, all!

I've entitled this post "The Space Between" because that's what this week - the week between Christmas and New Year's - feels like to me.  The mad rush up to Christmas is over, but the new year hasn't yet begun.  This is the week when I work on regrouping for a new year.  Do you have a similar tradition?

But before I get into my plans for this week, let's check and see how last week's list went....

1.  Finish the repair work on the antique quilt top.

Done!  This was quite a job, but I learned a whole lot while doing it.  And it turned out really nicely, if I say so myself!

Here it is, laid out to be basted.  

2.  Make a back for the top and determine the best way to finish it.

Done!  I backed it with 90" wide muslin, and no batting.  The quilt was too delicate to do much quilting on, so I just ditch-stitched along the lines of the blocks and around the border before binding.

3.  Have a very merry Christmas!

Definitely done!  In fact, we had so much fun we actually forgot to take pics. Fortunately, my husband captured this moment when the girls both found recorders in their stockings, and gave us an impromptu concert.  Don't you love Lilli's earmuffs?  I think they may have been her favorite gift - she literally wore them all. day. long....



And, in addition to a whole lot of great fabric and quilt kits (and an OlisoPro iron!) I got a big surprise...



A FitBit!  I'm really enjoying seeing just how active (or inactive) I am each day, and it is motivating me to get up and do more.  Now if it can just help me lose more weight (faster)!  One good thing about losing weight - people tend to buy you fabric instead of clothes...

4.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.
Only one request last week - this quilt went to a young woman who was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer...

So all in all, not a bad week at all.  Of course, it was a pretty simple list.  But I'm really glad to have finished the antique quilt and returned it to its owner - I've had it w-a-a-a-y too long!  I really work much better under a deadline...

And now for this week, better known as The Space Between... or...

I have already started on the work, but here's a few pics of what it looked like at the beginning...

This is pretty close to normal, except there's usually tubs of scraps under the front of the long arm frame.  I had already moved them when I finally thought to take pictures.

Behind the frame.  It's become a catch-all/hiding place for all sorts of things, plus there's drawer space on the right that is still empty.

Oh, this mess!  Piles on the floor under the window (and in the window) that look just terrible and are gathering dust...

My sewing/cutting/ironing table and the shelving behind it.  Generally, a cluttered mess.

And a better shot showing all the mess on those shelves. No organization at all!

And here are some shots of the progress so far...

Who knew there was a floor in front of that window?

And I've made some headway on the shelving unit at the end of the cutting table, and the top of the shelves behind my sewing station.  Still need to tackle the shelves, though!

Unfortunately, I managed to throw out my back sometime between last night when I went to bed and when I got up this morning, so I've been moving a little slowly today.  Did some template making on the kitchen floor for my husband this morning - he's putting down a new floor for us in the kitchen this week - and helped him bring in some pieces of sub-flooring, but that was about all my back was taking.  I did some light cleaning in the studio, but the heavy stuff will have to wait.

So this week, I will be cleaning and re-organizing my studio in order to have a great fresh start for the new year!  Because...

That number needs a little tweaking - it's really 362 days now...

I'm really looking forward to the new year - on my horizon, there's Hands2Help 2016 (of course), the Twelve Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop (stay tuned for details), and a special project I'm going to be working on for a big celebration.  You'll be seeing more about that as time goes on.  Plus working with the quilt ministry to keep putting quilts in the hands of those who desperately need them!  It's going to be a great year!

So now the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah