If I Could Save Time in a Bottle

07 December 2016 was the last time I blogged. I have quilted off and on during this time, but the largest portion of my time is tied up with work. I hit the ground running in January and we started a new training class. This was the last time that we anything near paramilitary in the training environment. For those that may not understand it, we used rank structure in hopes that delegation of activity and decision making is made at the lowest level. In my line of work decision making is a priority and you must be able to communicate clearly at all times. The decision was made to go academic or "collegiate" style training. I am trying to maintain a cautiously optimistic point of view about the change. Law Enforcement in and of itself is a paramilitary operation, yet we are trying to remove it from training. For the younger generation that might often appear to have no concept of responsibility, self-control, or organization/time management, this makes our process of training quite difficult.

Needless to say the past 4 months have been a moderately radical change in processes I feel comfortable in. The good thing is growth occurs outside our comfort zone so I anticipate my abilities and experience to grow.  I want to make sure I maintain the training position of leadership verses management.  You manage time, commodities, and materials.....not people. Last week ended for me and from Friday of the previous week to this past Friday I worked no less than 74 hours. Needless to say I was exhausted and barely functioning by the weekend. Alot of sleep, and early sleep started Friday evening.  I had to make a choice on relaxing...what to do.  Video Gaming is another hobby of mine, but this weekend I opted to get some quilting done.

That all being said, Tish and I getting ready to release a pattern soon. I want so badly to post my first one of the Baby Quilt I did as well as the Lap Size that I completed to, but that is yet to come. I committed to ordering some plastic sleeves to use to put hard copy patterns in to sell at some local stores.  I think Tish plans to release it on Craftsy first.

Speaking of patterns, I have been designing, hot and heavy.  I have quite a few, and several that we may look at releasing depending on how well the soon to be released one sells. I decided  several weekends ago to take a very simplistic pattern that I designed, and turn it into a weekend project.  I completed the first one and asked for input on making it into a lap quilt, but got little to no response. So, I asked Tish and she said I should make it into a lap quilt so that is what I am doing. I got one (1) additional block and a third (of a third one) done.  I had to do alot of HST. I was getting burned out with the process and took a break, thinking that HST are bad ideas.  The worse part was to come with cutting and trimming. Needless to say I got all the HST done, but not the blocks.

This was an impromptu color palette for an impromptu project.

Cuts and chain of HST

 Row

 Block

Multi-Block

This is the measure of my current project.  I have my Kaffe charm packs that will have a project to follow soon. I am anxious for it. I am debating on doing a Looking Glass 3.0 with it. If I do, I will have to buy one more charm pack.  I had picked out another pattern, but I can't remember where I placed it, so it is yet to be decided.

Anyways, these are some other things I did in the past few months, mostly consisting of December and early January.

A paper-piecing class that Tish wasn't able to attend.

A Tree skirt that didn't get finished and an impromptu table mat for my mother-in-law

The pick of colors and the final top for other boss...a modified Turning Twenty because I didn't like the colors in the pattern layout.

My finish to Meadow Mist Mystery Quilt of 2016.  I unfortunately picked out fabric, that I am relatively certain, was a Polyester/Cotton blend. Love the pattern, but my fabric choice made this a killer process.

Impromptu with a new ruler Tish got me for Christmas.  Sorry the picture is sideways, but I could not get it to load right. This fabric is from a stash Tish received from a friend that her family member had, prior to passing away.

One of the color palettes for our soon to be launched pattern. I did two other versions also. I don't think this will or my other larger one will be the ones with the pattern when it is debuted.  However, once it is released I will do a blog post with multiple pictures.

This post was much less about quilting and more about why I have not been around.  I do try and read still, but my time is limited. Needless to say, I don't remember my first post nor when I completed my first quilt, but I am pretty sure I am coming up on the 1 year mark.  I hope that Tish and I will be releasing more patterns and more on a regular basis.  However, I know not what the future holds.

I am linking up with Mollie Sparkles Sunday Stash.

In closing, I hope this post finds you well and enjoying your quilting projects. Till next time....Time is finite and your most valuable resource...more valuable than any amount of money you can give a person....Money can be made, but when time is given, no more can be made....it is a gift of the highest value.