Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Screaming or Squeaking?

I have such lofty stitching plans this year. I hope I am able to accomplish half of what I set out to do!

I used to think that I used a screaming rotation system. I let the projects speak to me - the one that screams the loudest is the one that gets the most attention. Having said that, I'm in the middle of Terre de France and I am stitching each new part as it is released - whether it screams or not. Perhaps what I "hear" from the projects is not a scream but a squeak - and the squeaky wheel is getting the grease. TdF is guaranteed to squeak every month.

This month is a fine example of a squeaky wheel rotation. Yesterday I finished my Garden Exchange project for the Stitching Blogger Exchange BB. Talk about a just-in-time finish! It had to be mailed yesterday, and it was. I wanted to start the Miss Mary SAL so I stitched a few rows last night. I need to stitch a small project for a friend that is sick; the deadline for that is next Monday, the 16th. I haven't settled on a design yet for her! Joy and I are stitching Snapperville this year as a SAL and she got started on hers last night. My Snapperville start might have to wait a week...or at least a few more days. I also have Part 17 of TdF to start and finish before the 31st. Wowzie!

While I am enjoying the projects already in the works and can't wait to start the ones that still need starting, I do hear some of my old Move It Out Monday projects calling my name, begging for a little needle time. I have almost a dozen of them, plus a few other projects that have been started and set aside. I feel like I need a plan, but setting rigid goals has never worked for me. It makes stitching feel like work.

I think I will do what needs to be done this month, then in February I'll sort through my WIPs and figure out what I'm longing to finish and add those to the mix. That way may rotation can have both squeaks and screams.

8 comments:

mainely stitching said...

Ha ha ha.

So far I don't use any rotation system, but when I start up the bigger projects I want to do, I guess one will be necessary.

I started MMM today. Hooray!

Lelia said...

chelle: If it makes stitching "work" -- don't get organized. Use the screaming rotation ... LOL.

Cathy B said...

I like your choice of words - screaming rotation - ha!

I also started Miss Mary Mack and posted a picture on my blog. Lots of fun - thanks for suggesting this great idea!

Anne S said...

Last year is the first time I've ever done a 'real' rotation - I've always listened to which projects scream the loudest ... but they've usually been the new ones, so I ended up with oodles of UFO's as the result :/ I hate stitching things I don't enjoy so it's nice to find a good mix of fun pieces and 'chores' :)

Anna van Schurman said...

I started Miss Mary Mack but should have followed you, doing only half stitches. I put in three rows and took out three. What an evening! :(

CJ in OK ;-) said...

I agree with avoiding the rigid scheduling, cross stitch is our pleasure not our jobs. Screams and squeaks seems to be working for you as long as there are a few Squeals of joy it should work.

Gina E. said...

LOL Chelle, I love that - screaming rotation! I don't use a rotation method, but after reading about other people's successful finishes lately, I think I should do something about it. But where do you start with nearly 100 UFOs? Not all cross stitch, and many dating back nearly a century. Ah well, that's something I alone will have to figure out.

Susan @ Real Girl Designs said...

I'm not really a "rotation" stitcher, but after reading your description of the "screaming rotation", I've decided that perhaps I am, after all, a rotation stitcher. Definitely of the "screaming" kind.