Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Multi-tasking and me...
Someone once asked me how I could work on so many projects, simultaneously. The short answer is, "I can't." The long answer is, "I can't, not without lots of notes to myself." Here is a very bad picture of how I do some of the multi-tasking that I do. I had to chop half of it off and then change the color of it so that somebody won't be able to see what I am up to. As I work on one quilt, when I start to tire of it and it seems to be more of a chore than just fun, I know it is time to put that particular project away for a little while. Now I know that there are a whole lot of people out there who have a greater attention span than I do and they find some sort of sick satisfaction from finishing a project they just started only a month or so ago, but that's not me. I have found that when the time comes to walk away from a quilt- to start something new, that it is crucial to leave myself plenty of written reminders of what I am doing, where I am going and how I plan on getting there. I never get why post-it notes say that a person is a nerd. It just tells me the person is way too busy to assign important brain cells to menial tasks that a paper and pen can manage quite well. So, I compartmentalize the quilt pieces of one quilt into zippper bags with a little note as to what they are. Then all the zipper bags go into a larger zipper bag, with general instructions of what I have done and what I need to do to finish the quilt. This may sound dry, but I try to leave myself inspirational notes that will make me laugh later, and encourage me to finish this project. OK, that may sound nerdy, and it is. This one says something like, "I have all the units made in order to make all 130 blocks for this quilt. What was I thinking?? But hey! I'm halfway there!" On the wall over my work counter, I keep a post-it note of quilt projects I am working on, so when I go into the quilting room- with my cup of tea, I spend a few minutes looking over the list, deciding what I shall work on that day- or I start something new. I keep a list of finished tops on one side- for days when I feel like quilting. Most days I do some of both. I can't begin to say how lovely it is to have a space dedicated just for sewing. I don't have to pack everything up anymore so that we can sit down for supper. Much nicer this way. As I finish quilts tops they move to the quilting side of the counter. I used to re-arrange all the notes to fill in the gap left by the finished quilt, but I find these spaces indicate a project accomplished, and that's a lot of fun to see.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Nines ...
I have post-it notes all over. They keep my brain from just melting down. How can an organized person NOT have em everywhere is beyond me.

Sarah said...

I have been nervous about sharing
with you my love of office supplies - but now I know that fear was silly! Would I be the person you are trying to hide something from? Please tell me there are not 130 blocks in my b-day quilt! Now what I am going to make you that will compare with this? Plus it has to be orange!

Miss you!
Sarah

Tonya Ricucci said...

Clever you! I've got that tiny little attention span too, but I'm not smart enough to leave myself notes. So I'll stumble over a project years later and not remember what I was doing with it...

Laura said...

I carry post-it notes with me everywhere. My desk at work is covered with them, also my desk and cutting table at home. I don't know how I ever lived without them.

Finn said...

Just stopping by to say "hi". Still not able to read all that is posted these days, but I get some of it..and I love the pictures..*G* And I love what you did to that picture..LOL..I'm still laughing..good job nines!! Hugs, Finn

Hunter said...

I always have to have paper and pen with me even in front of the computer. My books all have Post It notes sticking out.

I hope you're having a great day.
Darilyn

Katie said...

And to think I was the person keeping the post-it notes in business :)

Darcie said...

Yeah!!! I'm a list maker too, Nines! 'Cept, I think you're a much more thoughtful list maker!

Thanks for sharing the fun post!