I always have trouble ...

... working out which project to start next when the last one is completed.

Do I do something simple because the last project seemed to take forever to finish?
Or do I do something complicated because I enjoy learning new skills and challenging myself to getting those larger things done?

Then I have think about gifts that I want to give to others that require a bit (or a lot) of stitching. Do I do that cute baby sampler even though I know I can't finish it until I know the baby's name, and whether the baby is a boy or a girl? Or do I wait until the baby is born to even buy the kit? OK, so I haven't done that yet, all the ones I've done for babies have been suitable for either boys or girls - except one that I did for my cousin's baby where the pattern would change slightly depending on whether it was for a boy or girl.

If you ever have that problem, get the 2 patterns side by side and work out which stitches you can't do until you know and if there are any stitches that will change mark those off and only stitch the parts where it doesn't change.

Another question is whether you want to stitch one of the kits you have on hand, design a new one yourself or do some completely different craft/project.

Last Christmas my parents gave me a mini quilt kit of a lighthouse for something different to do. So far I've opened the pattern and looked at the instructions. Not sure when I'll actually start that one though. It's not a project I can do infront of the TV, which is where I do most of my stitching.

Stitching in front of the TV is a challenge in itself - do you watch the tv or 'listen' to the TV and stitch. I have to admit that if I didn't stitch in front of the TV I might get my projects done faster. But I don't like to sit in front of the TV and not do anything. If there's a part of a movie you don't want to see it's really handy, you just put your head down and focus on your stitching rather than on the screen. But the stitching generally stops when I'm watching the critical parts of a movie or show. The biggest problem is that I make mistakes and sometimes I can't figure out how I made them (short of pulling everything out and starting over again - which is not an option when you've stitched half of the project before you even find there was a problem).

But I digress ... the real question was which project next. And to tell you the truth I don't know the answer. I think I need to line them all up, spin in a circle, point with my eyes closed and stitch the one I end up pointing to.

I haven't got all of my 'To Start' projects on this blogg. Some because I don't have the pictures and some because I plan to do them for other people and I don't want them to know about it. Only problem with that is I can't do most of them right now because I still live with the people I want to do them for and they would see what I am doing. Can't do presents that way - they need to be a surprise.