Launching A New Year - 2024

 Yesterday in the midst of a quiet first day of the year, I was contemplating that we are almost a quarter of the way into this century!  Just 23 years ago, we were nervously entering a new millennium with more than a little dread of what awaited us.  But here we are -- still moving forward!?!

My family was together for a few crazy hours last week (although Grandma had to put down her Mom foot -- boy, can young ones get wound up!?!).  I hope you were able to gather with friends and/or family for some holiday cheer!!

I spent New Year's weekend with tea and cookies hiding in my sewing zone -- reviewing my 2023 accomplishments and setting some (okay, perhaps too many) 2024 goals.  In 2023, I set four goals plus I wrote out a list of  potential "new projects" in the hope of being less overwhelmed with all the exciting "new projects" that are thrust into my view (daily) by Instagram scrolling?!?

I've reviewed my progress at the end of each quarter, so today's comments will be brief and focus on my satisfaction.  Suffice it to say that two of my goals were accomplished or acceded -- I let go of more quilted pieces than I finished (yea!!) and I finished another half dozen old UFO's!!  Progress on one more of my goals was moderate -- I quilted three of the five tops made in 2022.  Three of my new 2023 projects came from the list of seven projects (but I did cave to "exciting" ideas from Instagram at least three times -- two of which are completely finished so in my mind, that was okay).  The fourth and final goal was something of a fail -- to deal with all the antique quilt tops.  The only two I "dealt" with were ones I sold -- I didn't touch any of the other seven.  

I suspect lots of folks resist setting goals because they expect to fail based on past performance, but I feel like even modest success makes the "setting" worth the effort.  My annual goals are a guidance system that help me re-center.  I write them down in my daily work journal (which keeps me accountable) so it is easy to revisit them regularly both to look for a "new" project and to encourage focus.

So New Year, New Goals!

1.  Try again to deal with the antique quilt tops!?!  Just had an idea -- perhaps a self-challenge where I "draw" one out of a hat to work on for two months???

2.  Quilt the tops I made in 2022 and 2023 -- there are five big ones and five small charity quilts.

3.  Give away fifty yards of fabric -- this is so hard for me, but I definitely have more than I can use?!?

4.  Still eliminating UFO's -- I must be close to the end of this aspect of my work but five popped up in the weekend tidy-up of the sewing room.

5.  Let go of more pieces than I finish -- this goal reduces inventory for the benefit of my heirs???

And face it, it gives me a reason to keep piecing!!

6.  Not quilting but I need to use up yarn -- so use at least 12 skeins/batches from the stash!

PLUS revisit my list of "already on-hand" projects when I get the itch to start a new one.

All this reflection and sorting and planning and tidy-up always results in impulsive sewing!  Pawing through UFO's triggers me and next thing I know I'm laying out blocks and piecing more blocks, making a plan, modifying for a quicker finish . . . 

. . . now that box of squares and 9-patches left over from the 2013 Civil War hand-piecing workshops during the Gettysburg battle commemorations are a wheel-chair size lap and a large lap robe size quilt tops.  I might even be layering them later today??  And just like that one of the UFO's will be crossed off my list.  It's a good start on the goals list!

The yarn stash got some attention, too.  Now there are two new projects lined up that I enjoy knitting -- a pair of High Desert socks and a Musselburg Hat -- both use bits and bobs of yarns plus most of a full skein!  I've knit each pattern several times and once set up, they are somewhat mindless knits that occupy my hands well during webinars and meetings.  Plus they are great gifts to have on hand!

Both patterns are available on ravelry.com if you are interested in checking them out.

Because "goal setting" works so well for my stitching efforts, I also decided to set some genealogy work goals.  I enjoy the discovery process and have definitely embraced it over the past three years but my curiosity often lures me down interesting rabbit holes that distract me so I end up not getting to the end of a particular research effort.  Maybe goals will help??

Time will tell!

So lets launch a New Year and embrace contentment in our lives

Find ways to use your skills and your passions to support the people around you!

Step up to defend people and the earth to leave a legacy of kindness and respect! 

Be courageous every day.

Happy New Year!!

Mary

 

Accountability? First Quarter 2023 Review

     Earlier today, I was looking for something in a recent blog post and reminded of my (energetic) post from the end of 2022 laying out a few goals for 2023.  I can't forget about them because I leave my work journal open to the page with the list on the desk by my sewing machine so I will see it every day!

Just the same, perhaps a "first quarter" progress review would be a good idea to keep me accountable and rejuvenate my focus?  So this post is written mostly for my benefit which makes reading further optional for you.

  1.  Finish six more UFO's from the leftover 2022 list.  Excellent progress here -- two are completely finished, three are finished tops (instead of piles of stuff) and another one just came off the shelf to serve it's time as a "leader/ender" project!

Leftover blocks and a hoarded fabric finally used!!

2.  Quilt the new tops I made in 2022.  Moderate progress here -- no finishes but one is just past the halfway point of quilting.   And I'm giving myself a "pat on the back" for quilting three lap-size quilt tops that I've pieced since the beginning of the year!!   (That's so not me!?!)

A blend of machine and hand quilting is in progress on my version of Homage to Grandmother's Flower Garden.  I just finished the hand quilting last evening and will now do the machine quilting around the outside edges -- an April finish for sure!!

3.  Deal with all the antique/vintage quilt tops I own.  I sold two!!  And I have a firm plan for finishing a third one including a recipient when it's done!  Six to go!!

Perhaps I should move this stack to a place where I see it more often?

4. If/when I start new projects, chose from a list of seven that I've wanted to make for a while.  Looking at this one again, what a silly girl I was to say "if/when" -- of course, I'm going to start new projects?!?  Of the four piecing and applique projects . . . . no, make that five . . . . that are actively in process at the moment -- two are from the list.  But you get it -- it's so hard to resist a shiny new idea!?!

Three of my current "works in progress" -- two from the "list of seven" and one shiny new sew-along (lower left).  I'm "storing" them flat on the portable back-up design wall (seeing them every day is so inspiring!!).

5. Rehome twelve finished quilts.  Progress on this goal is a bit shaky.  I have let go of two quilts and have a short list of quilts and recipients on my desk, but as usual my follow through is a bit light.  What's my excuse?  I'm a quilt hoarder???  I just need to let go!!

As I'm writing this, I'm reviewing my potential recipient list and realize this quilt which I finished last month will be perfect for one of them.  It's in the washing machine as we speak getting ready for it's forever home!!

As I was looking for a picture of it to share, I realized I never showed off the finished quilt after posting the tutorial on piecing the honeycomb pattern HERE so here it is!!  A vibrant border was needed to balance the yellow but when I didn't have enough of the stripe, I had to get creative and plug in those two green prints.

I kept the quilting simple because "finished is the goal" but I did get courageous and use one of my (much neglected) quilting rulers to create that border design.

That was fun for me and not too boring for you, I hope -- I just put a sticky note on my July calendar to do a quarterly review again!

Our spring has achieved a normal pace thanks to see-saw temperatures, high winds, and lots of rain.  I prefer a slow bloom season myself.  Here's my best hellebore surrounded by deer fence (it's growing under a witch hazel bush that the deer covet) with a carpet of last year's leaves (hopefully harboring overwintering caterpillars and bumblebee queens) and flanked by stalks of Joe-pye weed from last year (hopefully to be the home of this summer's stem-nesting bees and wasps).

Back to the stitching!!

Mary

Time To Review and Adjust!

This year I'm going to try a new strategy of reviewing at the end of each month to assess my progress in order to adjust my plans for the coming month (this post is written mostly for my benefit so you are excused if you want to skip reading it).  I hope this keeps me on track to reduce the quantity of UFO's in a big way in 2018!

I achieved my January target to finish or re-purpose 10% of my UFO's -- 4 old projects were finished by me and another sent out to a long-arm quilter.  I gave 6 others to my charity quilt making gang with downsized plans for finishing each one -- less guilt for me and quicker makes for them (I hope)!!

However, before we begin all the "high-five-ing" -- you need to know that I also started five projects during January that weren't finished during January -- so does that water my success down a bit?  Perhaps, but (there's always a "but", isn't there?) . . . . one is a long term project that requires a little work every couple days and is going to be so cool!! I
It's a temperature quilt -- see it growing at the top of my design wall?

(The "rose star" blocks below are my current chain-piecing "sew-offs" -- only two blocks left to go so it they should be ready to set together sometime in February -- UFO progress!!)

Another start are two new shirts I cut out during the retreat a couple weeks ago.  I finished one on February 1 to get the month off to an upbeat start.  It's Itch-to-Stitch's Uvita top -- visit her on-line pattern shop HERE -- it was a quick make and fits well!! I used a Birch organic cotton knit I grabbed during the crazy year end sales at FABRICWORM.  

It will be perfect for our winter-to-spring weather here in Northeast Ohio.

I was "sucked" into @naomialicec #fussycuttingsewalong on Instagram in spite of the fact that she started off the year with "purple" (not my favorite color) -- she is using hexies and I can knock those out quickly by machine -- one, maybe two hours a week!!  It's a year long affair and will give me a cluster of 52 hexie flowers.  I'm using my reproduction stash (no shopping necessary) and the inspirations of the too tempting #libbymorganmosaicquilt (check out that hashtag on Instagram) posts of several other Instagram friends.

Two birds, one stone?

 I had to start a new "teaching sample" for an EPP workshop in August -- I've been using that excuse for 40 years and it always works?!?   Fascinated with the fabric -- Big Sky from a Moda Fabrics scrap bag -- and rather like this spontaneous arrangement but not sure where it's going?  Stay tuned.

I stalled out for a second time on the quilting of the blue/yellow UFO, but with just the borders left to do, I'm leaving it hang on the back of my work chair to make it harder to ignore!

The quilt under the needle is a twin size charity piece I'm finishing -- look for it soon!!

This circa 1998 UFO is at the top of the "to-do" list.  It's going to be turned over for long-arm quilting, so waiting for the "I'm ready" call is keeping me motivated!

I finished the applique during my hand-stitching weekend!!

(I think I also realized that BIG hand applique projects which I love to look at might not generate the type of enthusiasm in me needed to complete BIG applique projects -- hmmm??) 

Was that just a "life lesson" learned??

Yesterday I pieced and cut a stack of HST's for the sawtooth border and hope to finish this top over the weekend!! 

I also realized that keeping projects on the shelf for 20 years is an effective way of "hiding" really lovely fabrics!?! Is that a good thing?

Indications are that I'm not going to quit starting new projects and the big UFO's still here are ones I want to finish so confining myself to small new starts for the time being while staying focused on finishing more UFO's is a good way to move through February!

I've made a list of five likely UFO finishes for the month!

Shall I go for another 10% reduction in UFO's?

It would only be 9!!

Enjoy your weekend! 

 I think mine's going to be pretty busy!!

Mary