Needlework Tuesday - Moving forward in baby steps

 I've been meaning to get a second set of animal pillows finished for a while now.  I got stopped at the step - sew in the zippers. Not my favourite step even though I have been sewing in zippers for forty years and do a good job.  I just don't like all the steps it takes.

Yesterday, I thought I would try a different approach.  I told myself, I didn't have to sew in a  zipper, I only needed to pin the zipper in place.  Step one (the fabric was already stitched together).  Once I had it pinned in place I went in the other room and knit for a while.  Then I went back to my sewing room and told myself I had one step to do, baste the zippers in place.  Once that was completed, I was able to go and knit again.

In the photo you might be able to see those basting stitches.  They are almost a matching colour to the zipper tape and it blends in real well with the fabric,  Those tiny little baby steps of progress have gotten me through what I see as the hardest steps of installing zippers.  Next baby step, top stitch the zippers.  Whew.

I am thrilled with any progress, it doesn't have to be the entire project completed for me to feel a sense of accomplishment.  If it's a step forward, I am happy.  When working on  long term project, I can't wait for success until the entire thing is finished, I need intermediate successes; hence the baby steps.

 I'm doing the same thing with the socks for my sister.  Each part I complete is a success, especially when you consider how long they sat around waiting.

The heel flaps are done.  Alternating pairs of rows in the solid and the variegated. It does look pretty.  Once I finished that step and read the next instructions, I realized that I made a mistake in the first row, I should have used 27 stitches instead of 25.  Not going to reknit for that.  Will just have to adapt later.

Baby step - turn the heel.  I liked the suggestion that you use both yarns for extra thickness and alternate, checker board style.  Cool bit it pattern.

Now I am set to pick up stitches back around and work the decreases along the instep.  At this point I am going to work on one sock at a time until I have to pattern re-established.  Then I'll go back to both socks on the one needle.

In the back ground in the breaks between these projects, I have been cutting t-shirts for a t-shirt quilt.  I am seeing light at the end of that tunnel.  I'm going to use the same approach, instead of looking at all the shirt fronts that have to go one the quilt, I am going to consider one at a time and move forward in those sturdy little baby steps.  I did the same when I started running.  I was amazed when I could run for one minute.  Then the next week it was two minutes until I could actually run for ten minutes without a stop.  Now when I go out walking with my Fitbit, the only way I get to my 15 000 steps is one at a time.  One step, then another.  Over the course of my walk , they add up and I reach my goal.  Since this approach works for me in so many ways, I'm going to maintain this outlook and keep moving forward.

We each have to do what works for us and not worry what others think or do.  Go for it and step by step, you'll get it done.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

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