It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

After a very busy month of November and working like crazy to get projects finished this month I am looking forward to some play time in my sewing studio. Once I do some archeological excavation in there, of course! There are mounds and piles and detritus enough to keep me busy just cleaning up for a week, I think. Definitely need to add some type of organizational work to my list of resolutions for the New Year (like every year!).

I am very happy to report that I finished my parents 50th Anniversary quilt and they loved it -

I've also finished three other custom quilts, then have two more of the wholecloth ones to finish up this week before I officially take two weeks off from "work" for the Christmas holiday. I intend to watch some movies with my daughter, make cookies and fudge, (and probably eat them, too), and just relax. It seems like every year I get a request about this time for one big job that really needs to be finished by Christmas, but if it happens this year I am turning it down. I want to enjoy my holiday instead of working like a beaver to get stuff done! I've already rehearsed my response - "Gee, I would love to help you out, but I don't have the time to take on any work until after the first of the year." Each morning I will give myself a pep talk about this because the last two years have been really exasperating with trying to sew for other people, and get my own projects finished at the same time. I want time to play games with my girls and laugh this year!

I have so much I want to catch up on blog wise, that I could really start to ramble, but instead I think I will focus on one thing at a time, so I will be catching up on all of the November stuff a day at a time instead of cramming it all in one post.

Today I am working on the wholecloth quilts I am making for a client. They are both batik on the top, and I have chosen coordinating cotton backings for them. I know one I am going to quilt with spirals, but the other I am still thinking about. I know that something will inspire me, though and it will come out wonderfully - seems like it always does. One will also have a piece of batik art on the back, whichever one ends up getting the back that's a little short of fabric! (I wanted 5 yards, but there were only 4 1/2 on the bolt). I am hoping to get both of these quilts done by tomorrow night, we'll see if I'm up for the challenge! At least my evenings are free for the rest of the month, no more meetings or events to go to - that seems to be my good sewing time.

Well, the backs are in the dryer (should have washed the fabric yesterday, oh well) so I am going to go through a layer in the studio. I am working on making a list of UFO's to work on next year. They have really piled up, and it seems like I'd better get some of them done to make room for all the new ideas that are percolating in my brain!