Time management up the creek!

As some of you may know, I gave up work last year, after 30 years working in banking.  Phew!  Now I get to do (mostly) what I want.  I have commissions from the Australian Patchwork and Quilting Magazine, Quilters Companion Magazine, and Teaching assignments booked until almost the end of the year.  Who needs a job!  Well, I think I need it to keep on top of things.  When I was at work I had this daily electronic diary pop up and show me what I had to do.

AP&Q had commissioned my Chimney Sweep quilt, made from blocks collected over a year or so 2005-6.  The Editor, Elaine Rose, had only seen a collection of blocks.  I had to turn it into a quilt by the end of January.

 Last Sunday, I decided I had better get it basted, and start the quilting.

I only had time to machine quilt it.  I am not very good at machine quilting, and tend to stick to cross-hatching and in the ditch.  I plodded along and got all the blocks quilted.  Thought I had better check the date.  What!  It is due on the 20th NOT the 30th - and it was the 13th.  Panic Mode!  I had not even written the instructions, and it has to go in the post....... 

Yesterday I spent the whole day writing the instructions, and trying to decide what to do about quilting on the border.  I settled for free machine quilting, around the shapes of the print.  In a close up it looks bad, from a distance ok.  Just as well the magazine photos don;t show the details.

Then I had to bind it and decide if it needed to be washed to make it look flat.  this is what I had when I went to bed last night - plus a really sore spot between my shoulder blades.

I just noticed some left over markings on this block.  My first idea with the blocks was to do a free-motion design over the top.  I chose the template and marked it on this block.  I did the quilting and it was REALLY BAD.  It took me ages to get the stitches out, and then I settled on the straight lines with the walking foot. Better get those marks out before I send it off

These are some of the blocks signed by by lovely friends.  I made a heap of blocks and took them to the USA with me in 2005, plus Sydney in 2006, and some were sent to me from in Europe, and some from my local quilt group.  Nice memories while I was putting it all together.

I just have to make a sample or two, and hope to get it in the post this afternoon, or Monday at the very latest.