February is for Finishing: Just Keep Stitching

This:

is not a small project. As of today, I have 20/81 squares, plus some, quilted and a number of perforations on my left middle and index fingers. I seem to be picking up speed now that I have the use of a quilting hoop (thank you, Bekah) and a good rhythm going. Still, I have three quarters left to quilt, plus the binding and a little over two weeks left in the month. It's probable that I won't finish by March, but I'm going to give it the old college try.

I have a natural inclination toward sticktoitiveness, which is likely an extension of OCD. It's not just that I like to finish things, but rather that whatever malfunction in the brain prevents me from scrubbing my shower without going crazypants also comes up with universe-ending scenarios if things don't get finished. I have to finish.

Well, it's that and no little bit of non-crazypants stubbornness. I've often thought that sometimes the difference between greatness and mediocrity is just the willingness to stick with something to its completion.

Even with all that, I do get overwhelmed by very large projects. If I thought about the entire quilt, I'd feel crushed under the (cozy and warm) enormity of it, so I take it in chunks. What's in the hoop isn't much to do, really, so I do that.

This block, this length of thread, this square, or this stitch are all that I hold in my mind at one time. The rest is irrelevant for now.

Just keep stitching.

Just.

Keep.

Stitching.

And if all else fails, I take a break for a little while.