This has been a crazy year for me.
I had hoped to have so much more finished by now. But calamity and rotten luck has gotten in the way.
Image by melodi2
All of my plans to get sewing projects underway went south when my stitch length dial stayed stuck on ‘0.’ I discovered this when some fragile fabric was eaten by the machine.
Of course, I thought it was the fabric. So I tried again. Then I tried using paper as a backing. When that tactic did not work, I checked everything and realized the truth.
The dial regulating stitch length was turning but not adjusting. Somewhere a spring must be stuck.
Getting it fixed requires money. Money I do not have. It has been a summer and fall of stretching the budget to extremes. Bills are getting paid but it has been tough and tight.
While I have spent some time whining about what I cannot do, I have totally forgotten what I can get done.
I have a quilt that needs to be tied. It was a project started by a girlfriends daughter. Because it has already has a binding, there is no way machine quilting will work neatly. But hand-tieing will not stretch out the fabric.
Suddenly, the year of completion feels as if it might get back on track. While there is no way to get six quilts done by the end of the year, I can work on one.
Another thing I am still working on is the novel. My plan was to try to get 500 words written a day. I took the idea of NANO which does 1600+ words a day and broke it down to manageable bits.
Image by Mantamagorical
Some days I write more, other days I write less. But I have five chapters completed that need sprucing up. While I have ten chapters to go, I have a direction. They are barebones that are waiting for the layers of descriptions and personality flaw to clothe them and dress it up.
I just hope that the rest of the book is done by the end of the year.
How are you working on those goals set last January?
Notes from Rumbly Cottage 
I know the frustration of sewing machines that eat your fabric for lunch. ARG!
Tying a quilt sounds much more soothing. I’ve done that and it goes fairly quickly, so that’s rewarding.
Good luck with the novel. Yes, you can write. So write and quilt and, most of all, enjoy each process fully while you’re doing each. 🙂
That’s what I am trying. I did not outline the book, I wanted the characters to speak to me as I wrote. But they are being awfully damn quiet.
They’ll probably start talking to you at about 3:30 in the morning… 😉
I met a few of the characters you’re looking for as you write your first novel. One was waiting in line at Subway. You can learn much from the bread and cheese a person chooses. Another sat quietly in the local library, oblivious to all going on around him as he read yesterday’s paper. Did I mention the associate at JC Penney’s? If you can’t find the characters where you’re at, you’ll have to make a return visit to northeast Indiana.
Yeah, because Chicago does not have many characters hanging around.
I am sorta like you – two steps forward, three steps backward – gets a little frustrating at times, but just try to plow through it – ha! Have a Great Day:)
Maybe your characters are like forest animals…not to be found if you are searching – but sit and occupy yourself with something else and they feel neglected and show up demanding attention (usually when there’s a lot going on and you have no time to spare!)
My mom made quilts, but I learned to hand tie quilts from my dad – he said when he was a tiny boy to young to really help with big chores on the farm he sat and helped tie quilts with his mother. (They needed quilts as the only heat came from a wood stove in the kitchen.)
Life is a tough fight sometimes, and it isn’t made easier by financial troubles. But isn’t it wonderful to stop and reflect on what has gone right?
I’m new to your blog and I’ll do some cruising around it to get to know you. Keep on writing, that’s one thing that is satisfying and no money needed! -Lee
Tackling a quilt sounds like it would be way over my head. But you apparently have skill and patience and the organization to break everything down into manageable bites. Well done.
My sewing machine ate many of my projects. I always assumed it was because I was a bozo sewer. I never thought to blame the machine, but after having the thing take up space for over 30 years, I finally gave it away last year. It wasn’t much of a sacrifice because I’d much rather write than sew.
I think sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves to get everything done. And we fail to take credit where due. You are a busy woman, with a family and household to manage, and I don’t know what all else. Making ends meet is stressful and distracts from the pleasures in life. I vote for you to do that which soothes and comforts whenever you do have discretionary time. If that is quilting, great. If it is curling up with a fluffy novel, that is great. If it is imploring your characters to visit your keyboard, that is also great. Just enjoy as much of your life as you can, because truly in a blink of an eye it is over. And at the final moment, I don’t think you will care all that much about the things you’ve left unfinished. It is the things you enjoyed, the passions you fed that will allow you to go out with a smile on your face.
Oh I feel your pain. I had my little Singer featherweight serviced and that only lasted a few months. They charged me $100 and truly I didn’t get that much service out of it, so must take it back to make good on it. I don’t look forward to doing that but must.
I’m in awe that you’re writing 500 words a day and that your blog says you’ve hosted 73,000+ views/reads. You are a prolific blogger!
I should clarify. I am trying to write 500 words a day on the book. Gets tricky some days.
Still I’m in awe.