Keryn and I have been having big discussions about how we can get more done and also how to keep track of what we achieve. I love to make lists,(don't always stick to them!)  but Keryn doesn't normally. However she's trying a different tack now, and she seems to be sticking with it. In the past we always made grandiose lists that were doomed from the start, and I realised it was because there might be written boldly "Finish applique quilt", or "Clear out shed" but the applique blocks were only half done and the shed required two days of effort and three trailer loads to the dump. Who wanted to work for days or weeks or months and only get to cross out one thing?

It reminds me  of my son Matt, when he'd been teased into losing his temper by an older brother..."Thanks a lot Rob!!!! Just when I'd decided to be good for the Rest Of My Life!!!" It was never going to happen son....

 In the past I've written out lists of every step for each quilt, thinking I could cross off   "Finish blocks...set into top..choose border...make backing.... quilt...make binding....sew binding.... label.." blah blah ..zzzzz.Somehow seeing all that work written out like that had the opposite effect and just reminded me of what a long process it was going to be. Crossing off one step only pointed out how much else I had to do.

So breaking things down into what is achievable for the day makes much better sense. Instead of aiming to finish these two tops I'm making twenty of each block, and then I'll start to play with the setting.I may have to make more, but I don't have to decide that just yet.

                         

When these units are sewn together later today I'll have my twenty blocks of each and I can start auditioning fabrics for sashing or setting blocks. These small steps are much more achievable and they add up to the main goal of finishing the quilts.

So it's brown brown all the time around here at the moment. Sue  SA made the comment that my job counted towards Show and Tell, and I realised that I have been a bit slack about posting customer quilts. To appease those of you who think brown is boring here are two  projects from a lovely lady who is over 80 years old. She started to make these gorgeous blocks in amazing bright colour combinations and couldn't seem to stop.

 She turned them topsy turvy and made a quilt and a table runner from them. A loooong table runner! What an incredible array of fabrics here, I was kept amused the whole time I was quilting.

These must have been a lot of fun to do...

 

However, like Jan said, from What a Load of Scrap  -I've never not been in a brown phase......