Smash My Stash # 4: Setting Priorities

Smash My StashPicking up where we left off here, here, and here

Making A List

When I first decided 2016 was going to be my year to begin reducing my inventory (Smash My Stash), I felt it was necessary to make a list of everything I had, categorize it, establish a plan of attack and then return each of the items to storage. My next plan was to share the list with YOU. By the time I had my enormous list of UFPs (unfinished projects) written down I realized it was slightly too large and way to boring to share with anyone but myself. Nobody wants to read a list that extends beyond one hundred items.

One Hundred Weeks or More

With that volume of projects, if I successfully completed one each week, I would have enough to keep me going through all of 2016 and the better part of 2017. For some of the projects a week would be more than enough time to finish. For others a seven-day goal would be way too ambitious.

Prioritizing

Even though it didn’t seem so at the time, making the list was much easier than the thought process I went through to prioritize it. Much contemplation went into separating out the things that must get done from the ones that could stand to be moved to the bottom of the list.

At the top and glaringly obvious were:

IMG_3290_NewOne of the blocks in the Heart & Home Quilt

Once those are complete I think I will work on a few of my smaller projects.

If I add up all of the above items the total count comes to fifteen. Fifteen is not a small number.  To start the ball rolling I have chosen to finish Mr. J’s cathedral quilt. See photos below.

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IMG_8776Mr. J’s Quilt Top

So glad you decided to come back for round four. Be watching for the next edition in my series Smash My Stash!

Cindy Anderson

Heart & Home: Next Comes the Borders

Heart & Home Quilt

Hours and hours have been invested in my Heart & Home Quilt  by Heart to Hand Patterns I’ve been watching the twelve blocks as they evolved from a pattern in an envelope to fully developed 14 1/2″ square quilt blocks complete with hand applied embellishments.  All twelve blocks are pretty enough to stand on their own yet even more beautiful when combined together.

The Last Stitch was Applied

Late this afternoon I finished the last bit of hand stitching.  Next each of the twelve quilt squares were assembled and stitched into four rows.  The rows were then combined to form a quilt top.  After carefully pressing the entire project I grabbed the quilt, my camera and headed upstairs to take some photos.

The Reveal

I am so proud to share with you my fabulous Heart & Home Quilt top

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along with a closeup of one of my favorite squares.

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I Can’t Wait

Now I can’t wait to get busy sewing the borders and finally quilting the whole thing on my long arm quilt machine.  This is going to be a spectacular quilt.

I Am Linking Up

It’s Wednesday so it’s time to link up with Freshly Pieced.  I’m so honored to share my post with the other WIP updates.  Make sure you pay a visit to

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

and check out the other wonderful projects.

P.S.  If you are interested in reading about the history of this quilt, browse through my categories and look for Heart and Home under the Quilts I Have Made section.

A Look Back at January

Before I completely say good-bye to January here were some of the highlights

A Lovely Year of Finishes

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Tick-Tock

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A Fabric Bundle

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Sandy Quilt # 2 Update

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The Composition Cover

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Heart and Home Quilt Update

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Take A Look at This

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and This

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Sandy Quilt # 2 Finished

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Daisy Cafe & Cupcakery

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Just imagine, that’s only the highlights!  January was an incredibly busy month.  One can only guess what February holds in store.  I look forward to unfolding its pages.  See you soon!