Uncle, Uncle!!! I give!!!!!!

So. A few days ago, maybe a week, I posted that I was going to think about joining the 10-25-50 challenge that so many of you are participating in. Yesteday, while I was filing away things from my recent binge (Hey! I'm stressed, ok?!) I decided, enough is enough. I have to get control of something in my life cause certainly I feel that everything right now is out of control. It's a control freak's worst nightmare, not to be in control, and I am the ultimate control freak in my world. YOU may think YOU are the ultimate control freak but step aside, cause I OWN that crown.

But I digress...

I was filing and sorting and going through piles and getting very antsy and frustrated cause I LOVE every pattern that I laid eyes on. I thought to myself, SELF, get a grip. Exactly how many patterns do you think you will actually stitch in this lifetime? Golly, I hope to live to be a crotchety old lady with cats and God willing the eyesight or the means to purchase the world's highest magnification light. But there ain't no way that I am going to get around to stitch all my stash and I continue to buy more. So...I decided to toss in the towel and join you all in this challenge.

Here's MY rules. I pinched some of them off a few blog sites cause they just made sense. Thanks to those who saved me from burning brain cells trying to figure out what's best for me. You did all the work so props to you.

I have decided to join the 10/25/50 projects challenge.

The Rules:

Have fun reducing your pattern stash.
There is no time limit- I have different size projects I would like to work on.
But with that being said, the first commandment shall be:

Thou shall not purchase any new patterns until 5 current completed WIPS are stitched and the remainding 10 are chosen and stitched from the stash that's taking over the universe. I must stitch the first 5 before I begin on the next 10.(Did you hear God's thundering voice proclaim the first commandment? I did.)

Pattern size does not matter.

EXCEPTIONS...(Ya gotta have loop holes)

1. I may buy stash for inclusion in exchange packages and I can buy supplies needed to complete projects on my list as long as I absolutely can't substitute something using my existing stash.

2. Gifts, gift cards, trades, RAKs (stash sent by others randomly) and patterns bought with gift money are not a violation of this challenge.

3.Freebies count as part of my total and I may aquire them at any point.

4. I do not have to declare the projects I intend to work on. (Listing makes me feel better...it's like journalling in Weight Watchers, that I've had good success with when I've faithfully done it. Plus, listing the projects keeps me focused and accountable.)

The offical start date of this challenge will be January 1, 2007. (I have some things that I MUST finish prior to Christmas and I could cheat and count them but I want a new start for the new year, so there!) Prior to January 1st, I will review my list and make any changes, corrections or updates.



My list consists of WIPS and wants. The first 5 entries are wips that I am currently working on exclusively to finish. I will not begin a new project until the first 5 are completed.
The next 10 on the list are designs that I want to begin. They are in no particular order. However, I reserve the right to swizzle this list based on which patterns are screaming to be worked on. So those ten future WIPS are subject to change during this challenge. But, once I begin to stitch a pattern, I can not abandon it in favor of the pattern of the moment. Once it's started, I must finish it. I do not want to have a gazzillion new starts and eventual UFOs.

I also reserve the right to work on any of my current WIPS in any order that I chose for however long I want to stitch on them. That's the screaming part of my modus operandi.

I am committing to stitching and completing 15 of the projects listed before buying any new stash for myself.

Oh God, please help me.

1. Autumn Leaves - The Prairie Schooler. A SAL with Patti & Cathy
2. John Foster - Historic Stitching
3. Beatrix Potter - Quaker Sampler
4. A Prairie Year - The Prairie Schooler (currently UFO, wince)
5. Real Roses - Drawn Thread
6. BOAF - Peace Sampler
7. Chester County Collection - Elizabeth Pusey
8. Nantucket Needlecase - the Drawn Thread
9. Armada
10. Nellie's Garden Revisited
11. My Home Town - CHS
12. Rose City Sampler - EE&F
13. Atelier de Brodeuse - Au fil des Reves
14. Friendship Sampler - Plum Street Samplers
15. An opern slot just because I want an open slot

So there you have it. It's posted and I expect all of you to keep me honest.

Let the games begin.