FAL

http://www.onthewindyside.co.nz/2015/04/introducing-official-2015-finish-along.html

A few of you may have seen that Adrianne recently introduced her FAL cheerleading squad to help her out with the 2015 FAL and along with Rhonda, Leanne, Helen and Wendy, I am thrilled to be a part of this great team. Adrianne very kindly commented that I have (and I quote) "been kicking some WIP butt this year" so I thought I would do a quick post with some hints and tips for getting things done.

Now I do like having a list to work from and it is really just about being organised. It is like what is often said about going grocery shopping...you are more likely to stick to what is on your list and not get sidetracked if you actually make a list in the first place. But it also needs to be a manageable list - if it all looks too overwhelming then you might think that it is all too much when really it is quite achieveable just by chipping away at it a little at a time.

In saying that , there will always be those projects that you just have to do now!! Either a new fabric or a pattern might come out that looks amazing and you want to use it right away and that is fine too - there will always be a few things that sneak in on top of the list and regardless, it is another finish anyway!!

1. Gifts:  try to plan ahead for any birthdays/special occasions that are coming up so that the present can be delivered on time. I usually have something in mind to make and just have to choose fabrics to suit the person.

2. Crochet - I recently took up crochet again and have found this a very relaxing project as it is something that can be put down and picked up again easily.  I just do a stripe of colour every evening whilst watching TV which takes me about an hour to do. So to crochet a blanket that is 60-70 colour changes long, that is only about 2 months work but as I am doing it in little bits at a time, it gets done without even really noticing it. And you can also save a lot of time by weaving the ends in as you go!

3. Swaps: I participate in a lot of swaps (mainly mini quilts or pillows) as I find it is a great way to try new sewing skills and also to connect with other quilty people around the world. There is usually a few months before the swap items are to be mailed but I like to get in ASAP and get it done just in case something goes wrong and I have to start again so that I can still be on time.

4. WIP's: these are partially finished projects that for some reason didn't quite get done - and often only take a little more work to actually be a finished project.

5. Smaller projects like epp hexagons or embroidery, and even hand stitching binding on quilts are quite portable and can be taken to things like kids dancing lessons or sport training sessions or on long car trips - it is surprising how doing little bits here and there can add toward a finished project.

6. Quilts: being a part of a quilting bee means that each month or so, you make a few blocks for another person in the group and by the end you all end up with enough blocks to make a quilt top. This is a great way to