Deadlines

What Jeanne wrote on her blog, Just String, got me thinking. Always dangerous, I know.

When it comes to stitching... I try not to set deadlines. Occasionally I'll have one for finishing a correspondence course, but I haven't even been trying to meet those this year!

I'm curious. Who else does this? Do you set deadlines for your stitching, or are you of the "it gets done when it gets done" mindset?

My take on this:

When I have a piece that has a deadline, be it gift or challenge or class piece or a self-imposed deadline, my mind set changes and I begin to think of it as "obligation" stitching. Sometimes my obligation pieces are still pure pleasure, i.e. my Quaker Diamond Sampler whose deadline is the end the 23rd of January (also known at my house as the day before we fly to London.) Not all obligation pieces terrorize me. But some do.

Somewhere back towards the beginning of December I mentally ditched all my deadlines. Told myself if I finished something - good. If I didn't - so what? the world would not come crashing to a halt.

I did make three deadlines in December - two ornament exchanges and one challenge piece - the bra bag. (Yikes I still need to post a photo of this.) The Quaker piece is a challenge and it might not be finished, but enough will be done to make me happy. (Though if I can get it stitched, I can get it framed and entered at Woodlawn - deadline around Valentine's Day.) After that I have another casual challenge - the Pomegranates and Peas Purse - deadline in March for Regional Seminar.

Let's examine the deadlines I chose to ignore.

Two other ornament exchanges - okay. This was easy as I have not always received ornaments equal what to give, IMHO.

One gift project - somehow progress is very slow on this piece and I am not certain why. May have to consult with a therapist to figure this one out. But by extending this deadline to next Christmas, I will certainly finish it.

My Master Craftsman piece. Oh, what kind of idiot am I? I really want to do this. On the hand, I don't. Hmmm. Where is that therapist? MAYBE someone should start a stitching blog called "The Doctor Is In" and devote it to counseling us wayward stitchers...

Never did work on my Shining Needle Society project. File this one under it can wait.

Hardanger Correspondence Course. I've still got time. And at least I have all the materials. Let's call this procrastination rather than ditched.

Every other ditched deadline I have was a self-imposed deadline. Mostly things I thought would be interesting to finish for the Woodlawn Needlework Show in March. And why do I ditch these things? Mostly it is because something else comes along and just demands my attention. Stitch me! Stitch me!

I'm not perfect. I'm easily distracted. Led astray even. But I've made peace with myself on this issues. And no longer waste time beating myself up mentally. It's all in my head and that's a very interesting place to be.