Motivation by Avoidance

My friend, Becky, and I went to a social quilting day today.  Jonanco Hobby Workshop puts on "Jonanco Quilting Days" two to three times per year.  These events include a whole weekend of quilting, though I was only able to attend one of the four days. I was too busy sewing so I wasn't my usual camera-happy self, but Diane, one of the Jonanco organizers, managed to snap a picture of me at my machine.

I worked on a quilt for my niece. A nice easy square-in-a-square pattern that would come together quickly was just what I needed.  I managed to get the 12 blocks I needed pieced, though I was sort of hoping for a finished quilt top.  She's slightly obsessed with Frozen, so I grudgingly use Frozen fabric for her quilt.  It's a good thing I'm working on hers first, since I'm very much looking forward to Nolan's Star Wars quilt of the same pattern.  Olaf is pretty cute, though. 

I needed a bit of a break from my art quilt that I'm making for my dear friend of an artist, Colin Spencer. (He doesn't have a website and I don't have permission to post any of his work right at the moment, but here's a link to a print maker's website that has a couple of his pieces posted.) I was excited for the challenge. And it has proven to be quite the challenge.  The process is basic enough, but getting the stripes just right managed to frustrate me.  I got that part done but hadn't been motivated to go back and keep going, especially since there was another striped part I would have to work on - with even skinnier stripes! Here is what I've got so far...

You can see the coloured pieces on the left and might even be able to see where they will fit in on the right side there.  You can also see the template of the striped piece I needed to do next. Well, having a break with something simple seemed to be enough motivation to get going again this evening. I managed to get half the strips sewn together before I ran out of white thread....

Motivation for the win! Maybe I can actually get all my quilts done on time. Colin's art quilt by April 17, the kids quilts by April 23, beach quilt by May 15(ish) and maybe even catch up on the myster quilt that I'm a couple installments behind on.