Half the job is in the preparation.

My own guilty UFO.

I enrolled in a Block-of-the-Month (BOM) program where I was supposed to follow an applique/patchwork pattern and get one 20" square finished each month. For the first three months I was always on target, and then life interrupted, as did other more interesting sewing and knitting projects.  So I got a bit distracted and instead of having 9 finished blocks by November I have only got 3 and a half done.

This is the progress of block number four.

Having this blog makes me feel a little accountable, so I decided I would photograph the process of finishing block 4, in the hope that I would then be re-motivated to press on with the work.

First I trace each shape from the pattern onto the paper side of Freezer Paper.

Then I label each piece to indicate position, then cut them out
(with paper scissors) and store them carefully.

Then I choose my fabric colours, using the pattern photograph as a guide.

Then I sit the pattern pieces of freezer paper spaced-out onto the fabric,
plastic side down, and dry-iron them onto the fabric.

I let them cool, then start cutting them out, leaving about 1/4" edge of fabric,
to later become the turned under hem.

Then I match the fabric colours to some thread, and keep it all together
in a zip-lock bag so that I can grab it and go, and I know everything
 I'll need is inside ready to be worked on.

All of this takes MUCH longer than the actual sewing, I spend about an hour one day doing the paper tracing and cutting, then on another day I will choose the material and press the pattern pieces onto the material and cut them out. Then on the third crafty session I can actually start the sewing part!

Actually, now that I have typed this out I have noticed that it is the same with my dressmaking.

Day one I cut out the paper pattern, for about an hour. Day two I pin it to the fabric and cut that out. Not until the third day do I actually spool on a bobbin and begin the sewing... I wonder if I could have made an entire dress in the same time as it will take for me to finish this block?? Hmmm...