A New Year, and aiming to get some finishes

A happy, happy New Year to you all!

I know it is a bit late for that, but today is the first day I have the house to myself since half December or so, and to me it feels as if the new year is only starting today. So time to write a blog post!

This year I have not made any "official" New Year's resolutions, but I do have some good intentions. Though I suppose I have good intentions most of the year, it does feel a bit like starting with a clean slate at the beginning of the year, doesn't it? And I have decided this is going to be the year I'll be getting things DONE. 

To symbolise that intention of making this year one that counts, I thought about designating a specific word to 2016. I have seen some people do that very successfully, but I don't seem to be able to capture my idea for this year into one single word. It should be something like DO, or ACTION. But I don't see myself as some super hero, and that's what those words make me think of... Then I thought about MAKE, because that's what I want to do, make things, finish what I've started, and make lots more besides. But that word seems not to include CREATIVITY, which is something I want to incorporate into my year as well.

In the end I've decided I can go off and make my year count without designating a word to it.

Instead to set my year off on a good start, I have decided to link up with a Finish-ALong (FAL) which is this year hosted by several bloggers together from around the world. I am going public on (some of, there are many more!) my unfinished projects, and I am going to try my hardest to get some (all? joking?!) finished. Because I think that one of the main reasons that I don't get things done is that I have too many projects that I feel I SHOULD be doing. 

So here goes:

1. Hearty

This quilt top is sewn together, but several plain squares still need sashiko stitching in them. Then it needs a backing, and quilting and binding. Not sure I'll get it done, but worth a try.

2. Oakshott

 

This quilt has been around since at least 2011!!! I loved designing and sewing this quilt in those lovely Oakshott fabrics (the picture does not do them any justice at all), but then made the decision to hand quilt it in a very labour intensive way. Let's just say I got fed up with it. However it's more than half quilted, and I still love the quilt, so it NEEDS to be done!

3. Charity quilt no. 1

Ah yes, come on! Just the binding to be stitched down, no-brainer!

4. Charity quilt no. 2

 

A collection of 12 blocks, some sashing already stitched on. While I may not get this finished since the others involved may decide to hand quilt it between them, putting it here may at least push me to get the top together. I know that may mean I can not link it up as a finish in three months time, but as long as I am making good progress, I'm happy.

5. Knitted wrist warmers

An atrocious picture, I know! I don't do much knitting, but ever since reading Lynz' post on Susie Rogers' Reading Mitts I wanted to make some. The first one is knitted, the second one has not much more knitting to do. Let's just say I got distracted, but with the weather now turned decidedly chilly I will need them and soon! So I will finish the knitting, then finishing them off to give me toasty hands (hopefully).

6. Cubes quilt

Started in summer 2013 from my own design, this needs its machine quilting finished. Again, it'll be worth finishing!

So there you have it, my list for the first quarter of 2016.
Linking up at Nicky's finish along post.