January WIPocalypse Intro

Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!

Hi, I'm Suz, I'm a lab animal science professional (that's right - my circus, my monkeys - all of it/them, though I prefer rats) located on the Mid-Atlantic Seaboard, but I'm originally from CA or TX (depending on how you look at it).  I've been stitching for more than 25 years, and took a multi year break when I moved here.  Now I just never have any time to do all the things I'd like to do.

Right now I'm mostly stitching/quilting, but I also have a house I work on quite a bit, a dog I adore, a pretty awesome partner, and a lot of political activism stuff going on.   My other big hobby (non-crafting) is board gaming, so you'll see a few board gaming review posts after I go to big conventions (Jan/Sept).  I haven't been gaming as much as I used to, because I moved to a new area with a lot less gamers (boohoo).  I also read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy.   I'm a pretty rounded geek ;)   I'm on Facebook rarely now, but I like to Instagram a fair amount (@suzemo)

My WIPocalypse line up and posts only take actual current (as of Jan 1) WIPs into consideration.  Nothing started during 2018 will count.   I'm going to mix things up this year by adding in some non-stitching works, and adding in some projects that involve already-completed works that I'd like to finish all together.

I'm actually proud that I didn't end 2017 with any new WIPs, though I did add some to the list that are projects/sewing.

As always, progress can generally be seen on the WIPs/UFOs tab.

Here they are, cross stitch listed from oldest to youngest with a bit of info about relevant (ie: I hope/want/plan to stitch on them) pieces with bold = high priority, italics = extremely low priority:

1. Fantasy Sampler - this is my oldest WIP, and I'd like to finish this off, actually.  I made a fair amount of progress in 2016, but when I got to the bottom I realize I hadn't finished off the border, so I switched to something more fun.  It should be fairly easy to finish off (as far as TW can be considered "easy").   I wanted to work on it in 2017, but Freshwater Pearls started screaming - and I do use the screaming rotation.
2. Enchanter - I have no plans to work on this one, honestly.  It's pretty much last on my "TW WIP" list.
3. Freshwater Pearls - this puppy got a whole lotta love in 2017, and I don't see why 2018 can't see her off.
4. Celestial Dragon - I've been feeling the itch to get back to this one, we'll see how it goes.  I doubt it will go at all, though.
5. Fortunate Traveler - again, not high on the list; but higher than poor Enchanter.
6. Chinese Dragon - we'll see how I feel about this one, it's on aida (eek)
7. BoInk - I'd really like to make progress on this, but again, we'll see.   I've not made a whole lot of progress in a while, and honestly, these blocks seem really slow for  me.
8. Deco Spirits - ? maybe?  I love this piece, and working on it is easy, but I have "slots" for my WIPs and as soon as I finish this one, a new Mira will take its spot.  Since I'm more (currently) driven to reduce WIPS, that kind of takes the allure away.
9. Epic RR - I think I've finally figured out what I would like to do for my band, I could conceivably knock this one out in a couple of weeks.
   This RR went completely sideways for me, and I had to change plans, which slowed me down so this is high on the list.
10. Desert Sunsets - this will be finished in January, come hell or high water;  I'll be seeing a friend I want to give the patterns to, and I'm seeing her in Mid-Jan.
    
11. Hearts Across America - this is an addition I made even though there's nothing truly WIP-py about it.   I have three hearts finished (California, Arizona, Texas) for three of the four states I've lived in.  I need to do North Carolina, and then I plan on finishing them into mini-wall hangings that hang off of each other.  If I move again, I can always add on another heart - I have all of the patterns to make them.  Anyway, I'd like to get this out of the mental "to do" list at the very minimum.
12. Blooming 9patch Quilt - this is a higher priority than Allietare; I want my Miller bag back.
13. Allietere Mystery Quilt (Bonnie Hunter from 2015) - only a priority in that I'd like to try another Quilt mystery and I'm not allowing myself to do that until this is done, BUT I did pick up a couple of quilt kits and I'd like to move them out of the way, too.

As always, the goal is to get down to less than 6 WIPs (cross stitching). I don't do as much sewing, so I'd like to keep it to one sewing project at a time, but we'll see how that works out (all contingent on me finishing up the active quilt-WIPs I've got)

I have a few non-WIPocalypse things planned for this year, but not many.  I still need to make a 2016 biscornu (have pattern!) for my 2016 orts, and of course now I need a 2017 one as well.   I should just get these knocked out and out of my way.

I have numerous other things already kitted, and I have a number of adopted projects if I manage to actually get down to my personally allotted 6 WIP slot plan.  I can always dream.   I've even updated my rotation plan in the sidebar, so it looks like I'm ready to go!  Of course, I need to reconcile my desire to get something done in a couple of weeks with the Darkening of Tristram event going on this month with Diablo3, my lack of self control can be amazing for that ;)