The 'WIPs'

WIP is an acronym for 'work in progress', and as someone who enjoys starting things a little more than finishing them I've accumulated a few quilting 'WIPs'. So, in the hopes of encouraging myself (or possibly shaming myself) to get them done I'm going to catalogue them all here and update on my progress over the year. I have 12 WIPs, there are 12 months - can I finish them all?

1. James' oscilloscope quilt
Details: This is a quilting bee quilt, but I didn't get back enough squares to finish it. I've been making blocks on and off for it since.
What I need to get it done: Charcoal Kona, (the grey background fabric), I haven't got enough and I can't source it locally. I think this will have to wait for my next trip Stateside.
Timeline: I'd love to have this done by his birthday in July.

2. Ocean Blue quilt
Details: Another bee quilt, or rather several bees. This is destined to be a queen size quilt for my bed. I'm actually surprised that I have as many blocks as I do, with a little sashing (probably dark grey) I'll only need 3 more blocks.
What I need to get it done: Sashing, backing and batting. And motivation.
Timeline: Knowing that this is closer than I thought makes me itchy to get it done, but since it's for me there is no deadline.

3. Blue baby zigzag
Details: this is my oldest WIP, I don't even remember starting this. The blocks come from this tutorial, use fabrics I no longer have and, I think maybe broadcloth for the white?
What I need to get it done: Eesh, do I want to get it done, really? It's tiny in current format, sewn together and trimmed it'd be maybe 18 x 24, hardly seems worth the effort.
Timeline: I'll give myself a couple of weeks to decide whether to try to make something from this, or just scrap it entirely.

4. Baby girl baby quilt
Details: hardly fair to call this is WIP since I haven't started, but a coworker will be welcoming a little girl into the world soon and a baby quilt will be needed :)
What I need to get it done: Everything! But to start, inspiration.
Timeline: Baby is due early May, so this needs to be finished mid-April at the latest.

5. Wookie's I-spy quilt
Details: A companion piece to Princess' I-spy, this got shelved when I realized that he hated the feeling of the minky dot I'd chosen for the backing.
What I need to get it done: Just batting, the top is pieced, new minky-but-not-textured backing is waiting, this is just utter laziness that it hasn't been completed.
Timeline: I'm thinking this will be the first finish from the WIP list, I'll try to set aside a couple of hours next weekend and get 'er done.

6. D and Z's i-spy quilts
Details: Planned i-spy quilts for my cousin's two sweet boys. Stalled by indecision - do I make them comfy couch size like Princess and Wookie's (around 50 inches square) or do I add in some solids and bring them up to a proper twin for their beds?
What I need to get it done: Well, if I go with twin I'll need to cut 150 squares of solid coloured fabric for each. Either way each will also need backing and batting.
Timeline: No set timeline but aiming for fall

7. Robots baby quilt
Details: I don't remember starting this either :O. It's the leftovers from Wookie's quilt plus a really striking orange geometric print that I wish I had a ton more of.
What I need to get it done: Looks like there's enough fabric to make a small baby quilt top, something in the 24 x 30 realm, so I'd only need backing and batting.
Timeline: Well I have no destination for this, so I have no deadline, but it'd be nice to have a baby quilt ready for the next friend who pops out a little bundle. Or I could donate it... since it's small and there isn't much left to do I'd like to get to this within the next couple of months

8. Sunkissed quilt
Details: This is a project for future me. I love this fabric, and have been accumulating bits of it. In my mind I see it as a stacked coins quilt ( like this ) but that could change.
What I need to get it done: That really depends on where I go with it, but at a minimum lots of white sashing to make those pretty colours pop, and batting and backing. Probably a few more FQs of Sunkissed too.
Timeline: It's for me, so whenever I get around to it!

9. Suzanne's lighthouse quilt
Details: Planning a lap quilt for my MIL to use at their cottage. I jumped in too fast and started cutting without any real plan, now I'm unsure what I'll do with the pieces.
What I need to get it done: A plan! In all honesty, pulling out the fabrics makes me realize that I'm still not over my annoyance with myself for hacking that fabric up without a plan. It might be awhile before I can push past that.
Timeline: Well, her birthday is in May, if I can get a plan together that'd be a good time to shoot for. otherwise, well Christmas is coming...

10. Neighbourhood quilt
Details: Another bee quilt. Even with the wide sashing between the blocks that I'd planned I'm still a few short. I'd originally planned this as a companion for Princess's quilt (she has bunk beds) but she's rapidly becoming too old and cool for such a cute design...
What I need to get it done: A minimum of 3 more house blocks, and a whole lot of wide sashing, as well as batting and backing.
Timeline: I just don't know, I guess I can finish it up and see if she's even interested? I guess if she's not that it might suit my little niece... I'd like to get it done by September.

11. Chocolate baby quilt
Details: Pieced this out of leftovers, for no reason at all. Picture of all of the blocks here. The blocks are now pieced into strips, but that's as far as I've gotten.
What I need to get it done: I have my heart set on backing this with chocolate minky, but my last trip to ye olde fabric store of uselessness (aka Fabricland) yielded nothing. I think I'll have to wait until my next trip Stateside.
Timeline: No plans for this, so no deadline, but since it'll be April before I'm in the states again this won't get touched until at least then.

12. Nautical new wave baby quilt
Details: a baby sized version of Oh Fransson's New Wave quilt pattern, in nautical fabrics, for a dear friend who is expecting her first (a boy) at the beginning of April.
What I need to get it done: probably 2 - 3 more FQs of nautical print fabric, plus batting and backing. I bought the acrylic template for making the blocks, which should make cutting them so much faster than last time.
Timeline: Has to has to has to be done by early March. Eep!

Twelve WIPs which should, I think, result in 11 new quilts by years end (on the fence about #3 there, really leaning towards just tossing it)

Our (not-so-little) Idol

Again this year Princess participated in Greely Idol, a singing competition for children in a village near here. Again she didn't place top 5, but she amazed us with her poise and fearlessness and power. I see great things in her future...

Katie is Confirmed

A big day for our princess, she was confirmed in church this afternoon. I should speak glowingly about her commitment and about how beautiful the ceremony was, but the day was kind of marred by a misunderstanding about the start time that left her Godmother unable to attend, by the fact that her local grandparents chose not to attend, and by the fact that they crammed a group from Russell in with our kids so that our tiny church was absolutely jam packed. The service was presided over by Msgr Kevin Beach, who I guess is a good Vicar General, but we're all quite fond of our regular priest and the way he does things.

Afterwards we took both bits out for Chinese buffet to celebrate, which was simply a perfect way to wrap up a stressful day (did I mention we were stuck driving in snow squalls all day? Fun times!) We gave Katie a sweet little sterling cross and chain to help her remember her special day. Love that kid :)

Shopping!

My bits are total shoppers (I should really request a DNA test, how can they possibly be mine with my hatred of malls?). The sitter gave them each a very generous gift card for Christmas and today we headed out to spend them :) First stop: Best Buy, little J was looking for Skylanders, we were disappointed by how crappy Best Buy's selection was, he picked out one and still has enough left on his gift card that we'll be forced to make another trip in the future.

Then we went to 'Ardene'. Leave it to the sitter (who is the mom of two teenaged girls) to know the perfect store for Katie - she loved EVERYTHING in there, I never thought we'd make it out alive! After trying on 2/3 of the store she finally settled on two tanks, a cute cropped off the shoulder sweater, a fur hat with teddy bear ears, a leopard print infinity scarf, bright blue earmuffs and two 'surprise bags' of jewellery. Happy girl.

First skate of the season

First skate of the season, at the community centre rink. PERFECT day for skating, mild and sunny, pretty much no wind, and the whole rink to ourselves.

Ringing in the New Year

So happy to have James with us to ring in the new year. We started the evening with a trip to Mongolian Hot Pot, one of our very favourite places to eat out. We stuffed ourselves senseless, then went to the theatres to watch Worlds Away, the Cirque du Soleil movie. We went in having no idea what it was going to be about (and came out having no idea what it was about) but it was really cool, the acrobatics were amazing! Personally I don't think it really benefited from the 3D treatment, I found it more of a distraction than enhancement, but the kids love the 3D experience. We, of course, had to play a few games in the theatre's acrcade before heading home to play cards and wait for midnight. My idea of a perfect evening, all of us together.