Project: Enjoy the Process

Post-It Notes to the rescue again!  My quilt sketch, not to scale, in progress.  The orange squares represent the quilt squares and mark the width and length of the combined squares.  The white space in between is for sashing as is the abutting white space around the outside of the squares.  The outermost white space represents the binding.

One of the projects I hope to finish this summer is a Helen Keller’s Rose quilt that I started in (yikes!) 1997. 

At some point between then and now I finished making all of the squares needed for said quilt; of course I chose a quilt size that was not in the pattern instructions, so I had no idea how much sashing and binding fabric was needed.  I suppose I did not buy that fabric in 1997 because I wasn’t sure what I needed or wanted. 

With a little help from various web sites, I wrestled through figuring out how much of each fabric I would need to buy in order to finish the top of my quilt.  Once the top is sewn together, I’ll measure and figure out how much batting and how much backing fabric is needed to finish the quilt completely.  It is occurring to me as I type that this may be a project that takes me more than one summer’s effort to complete.

In the past that realization would have both panicked me and overwhelmed me.  Instead I am eager to shop for fabric and to begin the process of sewing together the quilt top.  Recently my wise husband encouraged me to "focus on the process more"; actually he cajoled me to enjoy the process more, whatever the project.  I knew that he was correct and that I needed divine help in order to succeed.  With thanksgiving I understand that the answer to my prayer about enjoying the process more is sprouting!

Are you more of an “enjoy the process” person or a “focus on achieving the goal” person?

What process are you enjoying or could you be choosing to enjoy?

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