Thursday, January 2, 2014

2014 Goals

    Every year, my husband and I sit down and go over the goals we set the year before. He keeps them in a folder by year. We also list the top 25 things of the year for each of us. We look over our datebooks to refresh our memories. We read them to each other. To do this, we go someplace else rather than home so we don't get interrupted/distracted. Spot Coffee is one of our favorites. Yesterday, the sun was shining on us as we worked through them. We then write goals for the new year in categories. Here, I want to list my goals for quilting/sewing/machines. I was inspired to do that by Sarah from Confessions from a Fabric Addict. I am one of those people who have a lot of projects going at once. I think it is from a career in graphic design and teaching art to many grades each day in public school. I log every quilt into a sheet I made and printed out. I have separate sheets for my comfort quilts. I keep all my sheets, a list of comfort quilts given, quilt patterns, and ideas in a very large binder. If this sheet is any use to you, it is a Word document that I can send you. You can tweak it for your own use. It could be better, I am open to input.

Red dots and cross marks mean the quilt is done.
I write comments in pencil so I can change them.
 I have another sheet, hand done, that lists all open work in three categories: Comfort, regular, and art. 
      I list the progress so I can see where I am. For example, I saw I had a lot of quilts that just needed binding, so I worked on those. 

I remade this today for a clean copy
     I also have a wish list, ever expanding of quilts I want to make.

Twenty one  goals for 2014:
1.   Make more comfort quilts. I would like at least one complete with bag per
      month. Ideally, I would like to have others join me somehow.

2.   Make a paper pieced quilt. I love New York Beauty, but anything like that.
3.   Get a lot better at Free Motion Quilting.
4.   Blog- regularly with information to help others along. Gain more readers.
5.   Attend quilt retreats- one scheduled for the end of February.
6.   Take at least 4 classes.
7.   Go to Houston for the International Quilt Festival in October.
8.   Quilting by the Lake in July, class with Victoria Findlay Wolfe. Find a roomate.
9.   Teach people some quilt related skills, techniques.
10. Cut out, sew, quilt my daughter's choice of wedding quilt. Fabric is bought.
11. Equipment changes: one new large sewing table for machines, better lighting   (ceiling), better way to photo quilts, more fabric organization (did some scrap organization recently- photos to come), treadle cabinet refinish and machine installed, new large cutting mat.
12. More fabric- scraps, batiks, strips
13. Serve my guild.
14. Learn at least 3 new techniques.
15. Sew purses/tote bags. I did a few, but want to expand.
16. Do denim art quilts. One started on design wall.
17. Make more scrap quilts.
18. Do a challenge.
19. Treadle more.
20. Do more art quilts- incorporate fibers, landscapes.
21. Keep my machines maintained and help others with vintage ones.

      What about you? Write 'em down!

4 comments:

Jasmine said...

That is a lot of goals. I wish you the best of luck!

Peg said...

Wow! I could NEVER complete your year's goals - even in a whole lifetime. You GO GIRL!!!! I hope you get more blog viewers too - I love what you post.

I don't make sewing goal lists - I'd disappoint myself and feel defeated. I just peck away at a few sewing projects. However I do have serious goals to grow enough food to feed my family and this summer, to send much more to our local food pantry. You should see my seed order!

Linda Swanekamp said...

If I don't spell it out, I won't know how I am doing. I want to be comprehensive and not random. Even if I hit half of them, I will be better for it. I try to be specific, not just I want to be a better quilter.

Linda Swanekamp said...

From years of making goals, I know I don't hit them all. I try to picture what would a good year be like, where would I like to be? This is a watershed year, I am turning 60. I don't want to just coast on, but run a good race.