2018 Quilting Goals

My mind is like a steel trap. Rusted shut with everything on the outside....  Therefore, I create lists. I make daily to-do lists on my iPad, mostly just to space out the essential housework and let me spend my time doing something - anything - else. Sometimes it's just shopping lists (that I often leave at home or in the car). But I find that even the act of writing things down helps me remember the items better.  

So, it seems only natural to take this list thing a step farther and join in with the many bloggers who are posting their goals for 2018.

Rainbow String Blocks

I participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, (see link in sidebar) where a monthly color is assigned and we dig into fabric scraps of that color and sew whatever block(s) we want. I’ve also committed to participating in OMG (One Monthly Goal - see link in sidebar) because we can choose our own goal each month. Perfect for me, as some of mine will be time sensitive. The Block Lotto has started up again this month. There, we make anywhere from 1-9 blocks of the assigned pattern and color way, then a drawing is held at month-end and the winner(s) take all. Voila! Instant Quilt. I’ve also agreed to be the Host/Leader of Block Lotto for the month of March.

In 2018 I will endeavor to make a couple dozen kennel quilts (about placemat size) to use up my remaining pet scraps. As well, I will make between 2-6 baby quilts for the local church charity drive. And then there is Covered in Love, a worthy cause where blocks and quilts are made then gifted to families of persons who have died of cancer. Based in Texas and run by Kat from Kat and Cat Quilts, it’s been going strong for 3 years now.

Plus Blocks

The above goals are general in nature, and I expect that often I can work on two or more simultaneously. For example, using small leftover scraps of the Rainbow Scrap Color of the month, I can piece small kennel quilts, baby quilts or a donation block if the colors dovetail.

In the first quarter of the year, I usually finish up the Rainbow Scrap Quilts from the previous year, if I can. There are at least a half dozen in various stages of progress, but the ones I have my eye on for the first quarter are Friendship Stars (see previous post), Rainbow Strings, and perhaps The Plus Quilt.

Bruce’s Guitar Quilt

After Friendship Stars, probably the next quilt I’ll work on is my brother’s Hot Rod Quilt. No pictures yet, although I do have all the fabric and a general idea of what I need to do to accommodate the large-scale prints. I’m hoping to whip a flimsy out in a couple days of intense sewing and cutting. I want it off my plate.

Then I can get back to DH Bruce’s Guitar Quilt, which has aged nicely in the corner of my sewing studio. I’m hoping it’s ready to behave now. What that means, of course, is that I hope my brain can wrap around working backwards (fusing reversed images).

Sometime in the first half of the year when I just need a break from thinking, I can quilt my Autumn Sampler Quilt. It’s already backed and basted and waiting for it’s turn under the needle.



And speaking of Under the Needle, Bernadette (my Bernina 550QE) is spending a week at the spa for her annual “spa treatment” (servicing). I miss her fiercely. In her place right now I’m using Ken - my 1974 Kenmore that I had serviced a couple months ago. Ken is terminally ill, and it breaks my heart. The bearings in his motor are going, although he still runs. I can sew regular cottons (like for piecing), but denim and several layers are just too much for his weakened “heart”. Bruce and the repairman talked, and we will be able to fix Ken if we can find an appropriate replacement motor. We'll be scouting yard and estate sales, or may even resort to purchasing one online if reasonably priced. Bruce will do the transplant. I’ll keep you posted.

Another first-half-of-the-year project will be a baby quilt for our daughter Stacy, who is pregnant and due in July. I will have to wait to begin that for another month or two until we know if it’s going to be a girl or boy.

In addition my Rainbow Scrap projects (at least one of which has not been introduced yet, but will be over the course of January Saturdays), I have promised my daughter Megan another quilt. We’ve decided on a medallion style, although it will be rectangular, not square. Drafting THAT pattern was a nightmare. While she was here visiting in December, we picked out the fabrics. The picture below is an old one, but while most of the specific fabrics have changed, the color way is still the same.

And I hope to finish this WISP - Work in Slow Process - this year. I believe all the lozenges and most of the white corners are cut. Now I just need to cut the black corners (they will alternate with the white) and put the pedal to the metal! I’ll work on this during the RSC orange month.

Finally, without showing more pictures, I have a linens quilt in process that will be worked on as one of my monthly goals; another pineapple quilt is planned for my nephew Wes; I have some lovely Kaffe Fasset fabric I’m itching to cut into for a quilt; and I want to make a Spiderweb Quilt this year too.

Somewhere in there, I’ll pull out On Ringo Lake, the Bonnie Hunter December-January Mystery Quilt and work on that. I have all the pieces to Clues 1-8 cut and just need to begin sewing blocks together and then doing sashing, etc. I did make two blocks, and I love the colors. However, my precision leaves a lot to be desired.

As luck would have it, my Sewing Supervisor Darla was on hand when I finished these, and I asked her what she thought of them. This was her reaction:

 Enough said.

And today I sewed up these four blocks for the January edition of Block Lotto.  They look rather Mondrian-like, don’t you think?

Tomorrow it’s back to more blue sewing for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. And at some point I may talk about personal goals, most of which have to do with weight loss and exercise (so what else is new?)

For my friends on the east coast, please stay warm and safe away from the awful storms that are being forecast.

End of the Year Recap

Oh my, it’s been ten days since I’ve written anything. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, regardless of what you did or did not celebrate. I hope it was warm with the love of family and friends, that the spirit of giving and sharing was present, and that everyone enjoyed good times and good health. It was all that here, and I am so filled with love and contentment as I write this 2017 recap post.

I’m going to divide this post into two sections; quilting and personal. Feel free to skip one or the other as your interest dictates!

QUILTING

It was a great year in which I finished 19 quilts. You can see them in my Quilt Gallery tab at the top of the blog, under the header.

I also made 4 whole cloth baby quilts (for donation) and 84 kennel quilts/beds for Best Friends that are in addition to the regular quilts. I plan to continue making donation baby quilts and some kennel quilts in 2018. The latter will be primarily to use up specially-dedicated (animal-themed) fabric stash.

This first collage shows the five quilts that were 2016 Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) quilts that were finished during the first quarter of 2017.

Top Left: Rainbow Rails, made of vintage sheets

Top Center: Cool Improv, made of tiny bits of blue, green, teal and purple fabrics

Top Right: Warm Improv, made of tiny pink, red, orange, yellow fabrics 

Bottom Left: Rainbow Dresdens, with doily and yo-yo centers

Bottom Right: Rainbow 16-Patch (I’m so original with quilt names, eh?)

Next are the 4 Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts I started and finished in 2017.  

Top Left: Scrap X+plosion, a quilt made of “kitchen sink” fabrics 

Top Right: Color Me Quilt (pattern by Emily Herrick). I added one extra crayon.

Bottom Left: Reading Rainbow

Bottom Right: Rainbow Selvages (more creative naming) (*insert dripping sarcasm*) 

I have five other RSC2017 quilts which are in process at the end of this year. They'll be finished in 2018:  Starry, Starry Day, the Plus Quilt, Bow Ties, Rainbow String Quilt (started 2016), and Geese Migration.  I’m planning of participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge again in 2018. What a great and supportive group of quilters! Come visit the RSC linky party at So Scrappy to see some other rainbow finishes

And finally, I’ve picked the following three quilts as my overall favorites for 2017 (one is a repeat picture). All of them were such enjoyable makes. Each step of the process was fun, although I had different reasons for enjoying the making of each quilt. 

  

Reading Rainbow. What a fun journey this quilt was for me! From the piecing of “books", to the hunt for great selvage “book titles”, to the silly additions that were added to the “shelves” as the mood struck, I couldn’t wait to see “how it ended”!  I would do another bookshelf quilt in a heartbeat. Well, maybe in another two or three years.....  It will be a gift for my friend Nancy Burkey (see post HERE from last year). Her home burned down in the Santa Rosa fires this fall. When I finished it, its purpose seemed so clear to me. You may recall that Nancy had her first book published last year. She was lucky in that the manuscript for her second novel wasn’t harmed in the fires. But I figured she could use the quilt for warmth of the figurative and literal kind. I’ve love the notion that a quilt is like a hug, and this quilt is my hug to Nancy. 

The Tulip Quilt. This was a joint effort with my friend Terri, for another friend Diane (are you still with me?)  It was fun to find out what colors Diane liked and then find fabrics to fit our ideas. We settled on this tulip pattern, the quilt color way, and both pieced half the tulips. I sewed together the quilt top and quilted it. Terri did the binding. Each step was a collaboration over the course of six-plus months. And I’m thrilled that in the process, Terri and I have become closer friends. 

The Pineapple Quilt (another original name, brought to you by me)

For the pure joy of each step of the quilting process, this quilt takes the cake fruit! It was another fun ride during the long, languid days of summer. When it was finished, it was such a soft and dreamy quilt! I’m happy to say that it captured my granddaughter Lauren’s heart, and she wanted it. And so it’s now serving her well. 

PERSONAL

Life had it’s ups and downs this year! There were twice as many of the ups as there were downs, and the year is ending on a high note.

In February, we learned that DH Bruce once again had cancerous growths in his arm. After almost 8 weeks of tests, surgeries and recoveries, Bruce is cancer-free with all arm function intact. That was confirmed in his 6-month post-op checkup this fall. Down, then way up. 

Trump was elected President and took office in January. What a downer! But the spunk and sheer number of of supporters of the Women’s March immediately followed. Exhilarating! A real UP! I’ve never been overly fond of politics, but this Presidency has been a personal source of depression for me all year. 

My brother Steve came to stay with us in July. He is transitioning from a working citizen to a retired one. I helped him with all his retirement paperwork, healthcare, etc. He isn’t good with that stuff. Now Steve has begun making plans about where he wants to live and travel, etc. Definitely ups and downs here. But we figure he’ll be out and on his own by next April.  

I began a personal weight loss and good health journey mid-year. I’ve lost about 30 pounds (final weigh-in for year still to come), and got a Fitbit for Christmas. I’m walking more, and enjoying it. This will journey continue into 2018. I’ve got some more weight to lose, and becoming more fit is always a win.

We had a great Christmas season! My daughter Megan lives in Seattle and visited us (and her two brothers, who are also local) for a week. She was masterful at splitting her time between her dad’s family, us, her siblings and friends. I asked my kids if they’d humor me with a group picture. To my surprise, they were all enthusiastic, not grumbly. 

My three: Megan, Shane, Ryan

Shane with granddaughter London (AKA Rudolph)

Bruce’s daughter Stacy with our granddaughter Oakley

There were lots more fun pictures of the family, but I won’t bore you with them here. Although family gets a smaller share of blog space, they have the lion’s share of my heart.

*****************************

In my first 2018 post(s), I’ll be sharing my quilting goals for 2018, my planned Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects, My “On Ringo Lake” progress, and whatever else is under the needle. In the meantime, friends, have a Happy New Year from all of us (Cathy, Bruce, Alfalfa and Darla)

Rearranging Colors. And Priorities.

Yesterday I showed you a picture of a large HST (half-square triangle) quilt I had started for my son.  As he is an artist and graphic designer and has always - since the age of 6 - painted with oils, the fabric with the artist paint colors on it was a no-brainer. However, I wanted to keep the quilt masculine, so we selected charcoal gray and a bold design off which to bounce the colors.

This was yesterday’s picture, and the more I looked at it, the less happy I was.  The paint pieces are chaotic and need to be tamed. I had originally tried the layout using the same color or fabric for each concentric circle (an orange circle, then a multi circle, then blue, etc).  That didn`t look right, and I didn`t have enough of some colors.  Then after taking the picture below, I also noticed that one of the multi pieces is positioned sideways (second row down, just to the left of the orange).

So today I got busy and deconstructed most of it. I decided that solid colors around the central diamond would work.  That bulls-eye effect draws your eye there, and it is the most important area of the quilt. So I added a yellow HST, and the remaining pieces inside that gray circle were given over to the multi-print, all with the correct orientation. Much better.

The rest of the quilt can and will be randomized as far as solids and prints, but as long as that central part is in order, I think it will work.  There are six rows pinned up there and three more that will join them.  I hope to have this sewn up today and/or tomorrow.  It won`t be finished for 2014, but should end up being my first finish for 2015.

Thanks to my readers who have stuck with me through thick and thin this year. My posts have been sporadic, but I think I am getting my groove back. The most important thing for me this fall and winter has been to “clear my plate” of commitments and things that have been taking too much of my time.  I spent November and December hunkered down, stitching, sewing, planning my weeks, then days, just to get every last thing done. And my Etsy shop was hugely busy with special orders.  And I did it. But I do not want to repeat that.

My Etsy Shop
I am going to simplify my Etsy shop. Hand-painted lace is being phased out. I will offer white and golden-dyed lace trims and a few appliques. I have been working as a rep for a lace mill for a few months, and love working with large customers (bridal shops, clothing and lingerie makers) and large orders. More human contact, more lace, more money, fewer tiny details than selling by the piece. 

The fancy fabric packs are being phased out; I will instead concentrate on selling off my drawers of vintage fabric, both fancy and cottons (vintage sheets).  And vintage patterns. I have hundreds and need to list those.


My 2015 Plans

Going forward into 2015, I want to have more fun.  If I plan on a handmade Christmas, I will begin much earlier. My granddaughter London has started school, so there is no babysitting in the near future (although my son Ryan and his wife Kim are pregnant and will welcome Baby Flox in July 2015).  And as for my online CQ activities, I plan to take a back seat. I will not be planning any retreats. The Yahoo Groups forum is dying, and I am tired of trying to resuscitate it. We added CQI to Facebook, but there is already another thriving CQ community there, and I wonder if it is necessary to re-create the wheel?  Besides, running an online group is a giant time suck, and few realize the work and effort it takes if you are organizing activities, challenges, etc.  That’s not what I want to continue to do with my time. So, I will be stepping back into the shadows as far as crazy quilting.  But I do have 2-3 projects that will go on my 2015 calendar to finish.

And then there is the sewing and quilting.  I have joined the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and in between making quilts for family members, I will make blocks here and there that will eventually come together in scrappy quilts.  I want to sew more clothes. Spend more time in the garden. Take more walks.

Times are changing, and so am I. So are my interests. But I will always be Crazy. By Design.

Hugs,

2011 Goal Review

Wow, am I glad this year is almost over! It’s sure been one crazy ride, hasn’t it? Too many disasters, too many lives lost - and that’s just my cooking!!! Seriously,  the roller coaster of disasters starting in March with the Japan earthquake and tsunami, the Turkey earthquake, Hurricane Irene, flooding, fires, tornadoes. Whew! Many people lost their lives, still others lost jobs (DH among them), others lost their homes or their savings. But have no fear! The Fat Cats keep getting richer!  But I digress…


Next year, 2012, will be easier. Simpler. With that in mind, I have set no new goals or resolutions for myself to tick off. But since 2011 is drawing to a close, I may as well wrap up this year’s look at what I accomplished with my goals for this year.


1.  Goal:  Participate in 3-4 CQ round robins.   100% complete.

2.  Goal:  Piece my “CQ by 2012” quilt and have half of seamwork done.
Progress:  This morphed into the CQJP for 2012, which is now pieced. Half of the seamwork? Well, since we haven’t even started CQJP yet, I will give myself 50% on this one.

3.  Goal:  Enter at least 2 CQ or quilting competitions.
Progress: 50%  I did one.

4.  Teach a CQ class locally.
Progress:  0%.  I decided I didn’t want to pursue this in 2011.


5.  Goal:  Attend 3 CQ retreats or gatherings.
Progress: 100%.  CQ Adventure (Connecticut, April), CQI Retreat (Colorado, September) and Victorian Stitchery Retreat (Kansas, November).

6.  Goal:  Take a class with Carole Samples
Progress: It was awesome!  100%.


7.  Goal:  Finish or give away at least 3 UFO’s.
Progress:  100%. This was done at mid-year.

8.  Goal:  Finish Seascape Valance.
Progress: Um…. I hope to work on it this winter. Did some seamwork, though.  20%


9.  Goal:  De-stash.
Progress: 100%. Progress detailed last October.

10.  Goal:  Sew a quilt for granddaughter London.
Progress:  I did one cheater quilt, hated it, and gave it to Goodwill. Will try again in 2012. 50%


11.  Goal:  Ramp up Etsy presence.
Progress:   100%.  I still plan to expand my fabrics, patterns and vintage linens sections more, but the laces and trims have been doing great - better than I had hoped for!


12.  Goal:  Begin reselling vintage things. Rolled into #11.

13.  Goal:  Conduct a local sew-for-charity event. 100%.

14.  Goal:  400 blog posts. 0%
       Goal:  Contests/tutorials:  100%
       Goal:  250 followers.  100%.   
       Total for Item #14, 67%.

Overall rating:  Approximately 80% of my goals were accomplished.  I’m happy with that.


And if truth be told, I have created a few more UFO’s during the year…. 

Half-done Journal Cover. I am actually still working on this one.

Potential Boho Purse…. stuff gathered, drooled on, then put away until next Spring.

Until next time,

It’s time for a quarterly review of my artistic goals for this year.  I am finding that a lot of my goals have changed over time, and am now questioning the wisdom of yearly goals.  Maybe quarterly is better to allow flexibility?  Quilters, sewers, embroiderers, actually any crafter in general, knows that eventually some things will end up as UFOs. We lose interest or momentum, and the desire to see it finished.  Into a drawer it goes. I’ve read in several blogs that people are realizing that the reason some projects become UFOs is because interests and tastes change.  If they didn’t, I guess we’d all still be wearing poodle skirts!

So let’s quickly review:

1.  Goal:  Participate in 3-4 CQ round robins.   100% complete.

2.  Goal:  Piece my “CQ by 2012” quilt and have half of seamwork done.
Progress:  Nada.  I will still call it 10%, since I have my ideas and color schemes in mind.

3.  Goal:  Enter at least 2 CQ or quilting competitions.
Progress: 50%  (CQI annual handbag contest, entered and won first place).

4.  Teach a CQ class locally.
Progress:  0%.  And it will not happen this year; too many other irons in the fire. One of the things I'm thinking of is teaching basic sewing classes to girls in the neighborhood, next year.

Sandy and Cathy at CQI Retreat

5.  Goal:  Attend 3 CQ retreats or gatherings.
Progress:  I have attended two of three retreats, and will be attending the third, Val Bothell’s Pink Bunny in Wichita, next month.  67%.

6.  Goal:  Take a class with Carole Samples
Progress: I’m enrolled to take this at the retreat next month (Oh Happy Day!) and will soon be 100%. But for now, let’s say 50%.

7.  Goal:  Finish or give away at least 3 UFO’s.
Progress:  100%. This was done at mid-year.

8.  Goal:  Finish Seascape Valance. 
Progress:  Seriously? I HAVE been working on it. My first step is to stitch seam treatments over all the fused seams, and I worked on it at the CQI retreat, getting quite a bit done. I will be doing a post later this month to re-introduce this project to my readers and show my progress.   20%.

9.  Goal:  De-stash.
Progress: 100%.  I took several garbage bagsful to the CQI retreat in Colorado for the Stash Dash, and donated more stuff to the fire relief effort for Texas stitchers being coordinated by Shari at the Yahoo StitchMap group. I have even dug into my tubs of fancy fabrics to sell assortments on my Etsy.

10.  Goal:  Sew a quilt for granddaughter London.
Progress:  Well… I am getting antsy to do it, does that count?  LOL.  It’s getting colder here, and London loves to nap with blankies.  One of these days I may just whip out fabrics and have at it.  Everything is gathered, though.  25%

Need to get this listed!

11.  Goal:  Ramp up Etsy presence.
Progress:  My sales have been going great, and I have rearranged my schedule (have quit my bookkeeping job at the Farm) to accommodate more time with Etsy. I have over 100 listings at any given time, and I still have so much more to do.  But my goal (ramping up) is met 100%, even though I plan to keep growing. Especially with the Holiday crafting and gifting season coming!

12.  Goal:  Begin reselling vintage fabrics, linens and collectibles.  Progress: Rolled into #11.

13.  Goal:  Conduct a local sew-for-charity event.  100%.

14.  Goal:  400 blog posts. Nope, I just don’t talk that much, LOL!
       Goal:  3 Giveaways and 2 Tutorials:  100% (counting current giveaway)
       Goal:  Reach 250 followers.  100%.   Thank you, dear friends!

Overall progress:  roughly 62-65%, about where I should be. And it probably won’t get better than that, considering my abandoned goals.  But I am happy,  especially as I recapped it all, because it represents a lot of work.

Next year: no formal goals.  Maybe some quarterly targets to shoot for, but that’s it!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Don’t forget to enter my 250 Follower Giveaway!   You just need to leave a comment on yesterday’s post (link here) and you will be entered to win $25 of merchandise of your choosing from my Etsy shop.  And I add new things every day!  Deadline is Sunday the 16th and the drawing will be on Monday the 17th.  Good luck!

Hugs,

Mid-Year Goal Check-in

Well, we passed the mid-year mark a couple weeks ago and it’s taken me until now to get a moment to sit down and review my progress against the goals I set for myself for 2011 (needlework-related goals).  


This time of year is so busy for me - one of my grown sons had a birthday, Bruce and I celebrated our 8th anniversary yesterday (we didn’t forget this year! LOL).  Plus working part-time at the Farm, building my Etsy, Bruce’s surgery and retirement (and all the paperwork that goes with THOSE), tending DGD London once a week, plus stitching, sewing private commissions, the garden..... whew! But I love it all.  Well, maybe not the paperwork.... So, here we go.

1.  Goal: Participate in 3-4 CQ round robins.
Progress:  Complete. (I have one block left to mail, but it is done except 
for writing in the booklet).  100%


2.  Goal:  Piece my "CQ by 2012” quilt and have half of seamwork done.
Progress:  None, except that I’ve decided on my colors and basic design idea.  This is the same as 3 months ago, but I have been gathering things, and I can feel the desire to work on it finally building.... planning to start in September or October.      10%

2.  Goal:  Piece my "CQ by 2012” quilt and have half of seamwork done.
Progress:  None, except that I’ve decided on my colors and basic design idea.  This is the same as 3 months ago, but I have been gathering things, and I can feel the desire to work on it finally building.... planning to start in September or October.      10%

3.  Goal:  Enter at least 2 CQ or quilting competitions.
Progress: I entered the CQI annual purse contest and won first place this year.  There is another contest I had planned to enter this month, but time is getting away from me and I realize it will not happen.  Must look for something else.    50%

4.  Goal:  Teach a CQ class locally.
Progress:   No progress on this in the last three months.  I keep vacillating, but DH is encouraging me (and you, too, BJ!), so it may happen.    0%

5.  Goal:  Attend 3 CQ retreats or gatherings.
Progress:  Have attended one (CQ Adventure in CT) and am registered for two more: the CQI Retreat in Colorado (September) and the Victorian Stitchery Retreat (Pink Bunny) in Wichita in November.   - no change this quarter -      33%
 
6.  Goal:  Take a class with Carole Samples.
Progress:  I am registered for a 2-day class with Carole Samples in Wichita in November!!!!  This remains the same, so since it is already paid for, I am going to mark it as  33%


7.  Goal:  Finish (or give away) at least 3 UFO`s.
Progress:  Last quarter,  I finished and auctioned off my Teatime Wallhanging and gave away (to CQI, who auctioned it off) a wool crazy quilt top, putting me at 67%.  Well, the block I used to make my purse (see above) was a UFO that I reworked, so this one is complete!   100%

8.  Goal:  Finish Seascape Valance.
Progress:  None yet, but I will begin working on it this month.   0%

9.  Goal:  De-stash.
Progress:  More progress here.  This has been relatively easy for me. After gathering up two tote bins full of stuff for CQI,  took a carload of things to the local church Humanitarian Center.  Wheeler Farm, where I work, closed down their costume department and was going to throw away the fabric, laces, etc.  Literally. Into. The. Dumpster.  Well, I rescued them all.  Yes, I did keep some of the lace (nothing there older than the 1980’s), but 99% of it went to the Humanitarian Center.   To it I added a sack of 50 cut-and-ready-to-sew pillowcases that I had been hanging onto for a charity project.  They will assemble them and use ‘em.  Still up in this category:  We are having a huge yard sale in late August or mid September. I will call this category done AFTER the yard sale, just in case I find more stuff to get rid of.  75%

10.  Goal:  Sew a quilt for London (DGD).
Progress:  Some progress here.  I have decided to make London a quilt from my vintage sheet collection - such lovely floral cottons.  It will be a simple patch quilt with a flannel or minky back. Everything is gathered.    25%

11.  Goal: Ramp up Etsy presence.
Progress:  Woo-hoo!  More progress!  I have been focusing on this in June and July, and the shop appearance and sales show it!  Rather than having an average of 12-15 items, I now have an average of 40-45, some of that in a second category of vintage patterns. 
That is due to a huge box of patterns I ran across at an estate sale.  But I digress.  Next up is adding the fabric packs (this month), the vintage lace and trims (hopefully also this month) and then the vintage linens and vintage fabrics and other (slated for August).     50%



12.   11.   Goal: Begin reselling my vintage fabrics, linens and collectibles.   Progress:    I am going to roll this one into #11 above, because it makes sense. 

13.   12.  Goal:  Conduct a local sew-for-charity event.
Progress:   I could not get permission to hold another Operation Pillowcase at Wheeler Farm, so instead donated them to the Humanitarian Center (See Destash #9, above).  Since they were donated to a charitable cause who will use them, I am considering this complete.  100%

14.  13.  Goal:  Blog milestones: 400 posts, 250 followers,  3 giveaways and 2 tutorials in 2011. 
Progress:    Posts: at 350, 50 to go in approximately 5 months (10/month or one every 3 days. Do-able and on track).  50%.   Followers:  I believe I started at about 178-180 followers and now am at 212.  So we have had approximately 35 (out of 70 hopeful) join us, or 50%.   Giveaways:  Two out of three are done. 67%.  Hmmm... it’s about time for another, wouldn’t you say??  LOL   Tutorials:  One done (needlebooks) and one planned (zipper flowers).  50%. Overall in this category:  55% 

So all this averages out to about 50%, which is right where I should be.  So why do I feel guilty because some items are still at 0%??   And another thought - what if my goals change mid-year?  I am not sure that I want to teach this year.   Right now I prefer to focus on Etsy (and a couple other irons I have in the fire) and not spread myself too thin.  Or is that just an excuse?

Did you set goals for yourself this year?  How are you progressing, and what, if any hurdles are you experiencing?  Were your goals realistic?  Have they changed or remained the same?  I would love to hear your goals, progress and thoughts...

Hugs,

Reviewing 2011 Goals

Back in January, I set 14 stitch-related goals for myself.  (See post here). Now that the first quarter is behind us and I’m mostly unpacked from my Connecticut trip, I think it’s a good time to review my progress.

1.  Goal: Participate in 3-4 CQ round robins.
Progress:  I am currently in four and two are about to wrap up.  This will be done by mid-year!

2.  Goal:  Piece my "CQ by 2012” quilt and have half of seamwork done.
Progress:  None, except that I’ve decided on my colors and basic design idea.

3.  Goal:  Enter at least 2 CQ or quilting competitions.
Progress: I am registered for one and have info and intentions of entering #2.  I will be at 50% by mid-year.

4.  Goal:  Teach a CQ class locally.
Progress:  None yet, although I have gathered some contact info.

5.  Goal:  Attend 3 CQ retreats or gatherings.
Progress:  Have attended one (CQ Adventure in CT) and am registered for two more: the CQI Retreat in Colorado (September) and the Victorian Stitchery Retreat (Pink Bunny) in Wichita in November.

6.  Goal:  Take a class with Carole Samples.
Progress:  I am registered for a 2-day class with Carole Samples in Wichita in November!!!!

7.  Goal:  Finish (or give away) at least 3 UFO`s.
Progress:  I finished and auctioned off my Teatime Wallhanging and gave away (to CQI, who auctioned it off) a wool crazy quilt top.   So, I’m 67% done with this one already!

8.  Goal:  Finish Seascape Valance.
Progress:  None yet.  This will start when I am done with the RR’s and first contest entry.

9.  Goal:  De-stash.
Progress:  A lot of progress here.  My old storage is gone, and I have gathered two 22-gal plastic totes of fabrics and things that The Fabric Fairy I will be taking to the CQI retreat in September.  

10.  Goal:  Sew a quilt for London (DGD).
Progress:  None.

11.  Goal: Ramp up Etsy presence.
Progress:  Yeah, well I have been meaning to do that.  Now that I’m home from vending at the CQ Adventure, I can list the things (dyed lace, vintage lace and trims, and fancy fabric packs). Sometime.

12.  Goal: Begin reselling my vintage fabrics, linens and collectibles.  
Progress:  Do good intentions count?

13.  Goal:  Conduct a local sew-for-charity event.
Progress:  I have a huge bag of 50 ready-to-sew cotton pillowcases that I will donate to an appropriate charity as part of my de-stashing program and will consider this two birds killed with one stone.  (OMG, I hate that metaphor...)

14.  Goal:  Blog milestones: 400 posts, 250 followers,  3 giveaways and 2 tutorials in 2011.
Progress:  I’m at approximately 315 posts, 185 followers and have had 1 giveaway.  A second giveaway will be announced next week (watch for details!) and one tutorial is planned for May or June.

If I assign values to my progress, I show I am at about 25-30%, which is right on target for this point in the year.  But I have to admit that reading the list now makes me more tired than enthusiastic!  What was I thinking?


Now I’m off to cook dinner (what a change THAT will be!  But I am craving crab cakes...), then clean my studio and watch American Idol eliminations tonight.

Hugs,

And We Begin Again ...

Happy New Year, Everyone!  Today we start anew!  2011 stretches ahead of us, the next leg of our journey on the Road of Life, just waiting to be explored.  What will it hold for us? Probably much of the “same old same old”, but also we are likely to experience highs and lows - good times, bad times, unexpected bumps and ruts.  Whatever comes our way, I hope that the friendships we have made online through our stitching, reading, blogs, etc, will continue to be a source of happiness and goodwill. And that they will help bolster us through the rough patches.  


The older I get, the more I feel compelled to squeeze into my life. You’ve heard the saying that life is like a roll of toilet paper; the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. People make Bucket Lists (things to do before they “kick the bucket”). And then there are the inevitable New Years Resolutions.  


I prefer to think of resolutions as GOALS.  I know full well that I will not accomplish every single thing on my list, and that is okay.  That will not make me a failure, just perhaps overly-ambitious.  I am not clairvoyant, so there is no way to know that curves Life will throw at me in 2011. Things will change, goals may shift mid-stream ... that is the way of things.


But with that in mind, I still believe the best way to get where you are going is with a roadmap, or a list of goals.  So here are mine for 2011. They are primarily my art-related goals, not all of my personal goals, like financial and family. But I do plan to lose another 35-40 pounds this year, reaching (and hopefully dipping below) my Weight Watchers goal.  I would like to become a Weight Watchers instructor so I do not relapse again like I did in 2007-2008!!


2011 GOALS


1.   Participate in 3-4 crazy quilting round robins. These will serve as a personal refresher course in lots of disciplined, regular stitching.

2.  CQby2012:  Sketch out the design idea and colors of a new crazy quilt.  Gather fabrics and piece all blocks. Complete at least 50% of the seamwork and several primary motifs.


3.  Enter at least two CQ/quilting competitions this year.  Stretch!


4.  Teach a crazy quilting class either at a local fabric store or community education venue.  Ulterior motive:  begin building a local CQ group.


5.  Attend 3 CQ retreats or gatherings.  Already committed:  CQ Adventure in CT (April) and CQI Retreat in CO (Sept).  




6.  Take a class with Carole Samples somehow, somewhere.  


7.  Finish (or get rid of) at least 3 UFO’s.


8.  Finish Seascape Valance.  This is separate from the other 3 UFO’s.  I want a d@#% valance up in my bathroom!!


9.  De-stash. Use some, share some, reorganize. Get rid of the monster storage unit on wheels that is wasting so much space in the studio.  (Anybody local who might want it?  Bev? Colleen? Stasha? Adele?)


10.  Sew a quilt for London.  Hopefully, by destashing and reorganizing the studio, I can make an area for London to “play” with Grammy and her Stuff!


11.  Ramp up Etsy sales presence.  More potassium-permanganate dyed laces, vintage lace and trims.

12.  Resell vintage fabrics, linens and collectibles on Ebay and/or find local venue (consignment shop?) Explore the possibilities and get rid of 50% of “sale-ables” by year-end. If good progress is made by May, I will give myself permission to continue scouting estate sales!!


13.  Conduct a local sew-for-charity event (similar to Operation Pillowcase that we did in 2010) at Wheeler Farm.  


14.  Blog:  Reach 250 followers and 400 posts by year-end.  Have at least three giveaways and provide two tutorials.  


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I think I’ll stop at 14, since that is my personal lucky number.   What goals do YOU have for yourselves, ladies?  I would love to hear what your plans are for 2011!!  


Hugs,

A Review of 2010

One of my very favorite people - and for so many reasons - is Kerry Leslie of Kerrykatiecakes.  I have the pleasure of being a co-moderator with her (and Leslie and Hideko) on Crazy Quilting International.  She is our esteemed leader and a wise and intelligent woman.  Plus, she is a lot of fun and has a killer sense of humor.  Her only fault is that she likes to push maple cookies on me, but that’s an inside joke, LOL.

Anyway, earlier this year Kerry published a list of her 2010 goals and then periodically reviewed her progress against the list.  I found this fascinating and also made a list at the beginning of the year.  I never published it, but I did monitor my progress.


So, here is my 2010 list and my comments.  In a day or two, I will publish my 2011 list, but wanted to get this one “off my plate”.


1.   Participate in CQI Challenge, doing at least six (of 12).  Finish Challenge piece by year-end.   50% accomplished.  I did participate in at least six challenges, but since I was the Challenge coordinator, that was not such a great accomplishment, LOL.  My challenge piece was a valance I pieced for a bathroom window.  Most of the seams are stitched and I have a plan.  All supplies and embellishments are gathered.  That’s it.  It will move on to the 2011 list.

2.  Help plan and attend the CQI September Retreat.   Check!  It was a blast.  I blogged about it in October. 


3.  Begin selling off extra fabrics, laces, linens, books & other items on Ebay and Etsy. Well, yes, I did do this.  I sold alot of fabric on Ebay in the fall.  I opened an Etsy shop in July, but haven’t given it the proper attention.  Will continue on these in 2011 with more realistic and specific goals.

4.  CQ by 2012: Finalize theme, colors, format.  Piece the entire quilt. Yeah, right.  I wonder what I was smoking when I wrote THAT.  I’ve finally figured out what I will do, which to me was half the battle.  And I gave myself permission to do “just” a crazy quilt, not the masterpiece I initially felt compelled to do.  I haven’t sketched the layout yet, but it’s in my head.  I will talk more about this in 2011, because a significant portion of my stitching will be geared toward that after spring.

5.   Participate in the CQI Purse contest.   Check!  I got second place with my “I Love Paris” purse.


6.  Learn Photoshop Elements.   Yes and no.  I have learned some things (and used them in designing my Etsy header), but it’s such a complicated program with so much to learn, that I am still only a novice. Will continue this in 2011.


7.  Finish 3 UFO’s.  Well, ooops!  I had listed the three specific ones I wanted to finish, and those are DEFINITELY not done.  But I did scrap one UFO project and am almost finished with the Tea Time wallhanging, so there was some progress here. This needs further attention in 2011.

8.  Participate in Salt Lake Farmer’s Market and sell consignment items at Wheeler Farm Country Store. The Salt Lake Farmer’s Market kicked out the Sidewalk Vendors this year, so that venue was a no-go.   But I did do a boutique at Wheeler Farm and had consignment items at the Wheeler Country Store.  I sold some aprons (girls and women), some vintage baby clothes, a couple pillows, and some purses, sachets and artsy small wallhangings.   I will stick to sewing and CQ, because the my jewelry only sold when I marked it to clearance prices, and the altered bottles were a resounding flop.  


9.  Make a quilt for London.   Shame on me - that’s a no.  I have all the fabric and will try it again in 2011.


10.  Participate in 3 Round Robins.  Check!  I did the Wool RR, the Art Nouveau RR and have started the Autumn RR.  


I also had some personal goals, which included losing 35-40 pounds (did that) and getting through Level One on my Rosetta Stone Spanish.  Didn’t get that one done because DH hasn’t installed it yet.  I guess I’ll have to perfect my nagging hounding asking pleading skills in 2011!!