The beginning of a new year always makes me think about the things I'd like to do better than I did the year before. Last year I had some pretty lofty goals, of which I really only finished one - giving away the quilt ministry's 1000th quilt. If I could only finish one, I'm glad that was it!
But this year, I'm thinking a little smaller and more reasonable. I'd like to get my scraps under control, and make some quilts using those scraps. I'm also hoping to start getting up an hour or so earlier than usual, rather than laying in bed playing sudoku or reading. If I only did that four days a week, that's an extra 200+ hours a year that I can use to keep those scraps reined in! I always say there aren't enough hours in the day, but those are hours I just waste - let's see what productive things I can do with them.
I'm also working to lose at least five pounds per month. That's a very attainable goal, I think, and if I'm successful, this time next year I'll be sixty pounds lighter. Woohoo!!
On the blog front, this year I'll be doing a quilt-along in conjunction with the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge 2015. I've already begun working on that, and the posts will start this coming Sunday, January 12th! We should finish up with the quilt-along just about the time H2H begins - or at least, that's the plan!
OK - so that's some of my goals for the year. Let's see what's up for this week! But first, let's see how last week's list went...
1. Work on the re-organization of the sewing room.
Still a work-in-progress, but much better! I'm still working on getting the scrap bins pressed and folded, but I'm also working on using some of those scraps into my quilt-along projects. Slows me down a bit, but it does help with some of those resolutions!
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| The cubbies for yardage storage |
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| My sewing/cutting table (this looks different every day!) |
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| Some of the scrap bins I've gotten organized |
2. Start planning the quilt-along for Hands2Help 2015.
Done! It's called the Sweet 16 Quiltalong 2015, and there's even a button on the upper right side of my blog you can grab and add to your blog if you want! Starting next Sunday, we'll be making 16-patch blocks (a great way to use some of the scraps you've been accumulating!) and I'll share a different design to use them in each Sunday following that while we make our blocks. So check in next Sunday (1/12/15) for some tips on different ways to make 16-patch blocks, and join in the fun!
3. Press and cut scraps for the quilt-along samples.
In progress! While I was pressing my multicolor scrap bin, I found a whole bunch of 5-patch strips from a postage stamp quilt - a little time with the seam ripper, a few seams, and I have sixteen 16-patch blocks for one quilt! I also pressed my black and white scrap bin, and had a great idea for a black and white 16-patch quilt - those blocks are in progress and hopefully will be assembled tomorrow! It has begun!
4. Quilt at least two and hopefully five quilts for the quilt ministry.
Wow! I didn't think I would get to this, but with the small baby quilt I straight-line quilted today, I did manage to get two quilts done! No pictures yet, though. I'll share those probably on Friday.
5. Order interfacing for a commission t-shirt quilt.
Ordered! Guess I need to make 16-patch hay while the sun shines because when that interfacing arrives, I'll need to work on that commission t-shirt quilt!
6. Keep up with all quilt ministry needs that arise.
Done! A very quiet week - only one quilt was given away this week, to a lovely lady who turned 99 this past weekend! She was in the hospital for various medical problems but has improved and is being moved to rehab - hopefully she'll be home soon!
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| Sorry for the bad picture of this lovely quilt - the top was donated to us by Mina and quilted by Rita! |
One reason I didn't finish my studio revamp was because I was also working on cleaning out the attic while my DH was home to help! It sure looks a lot better - but there's still a ways to go. I've got space cleared out (two pickup truck loads of stuff to the dump and Goodwill!) so now I need to re-organize what's left and take some more stuff to toss or Goodwill.
Oh, and I finished updating the weighted blanket tutorial! Better pictures, and a few tweaks to the design. You can see it by clicking on the Page tab at the top of the blog….
OK, so far so good. Let's see what I need to get done this week…
1. Work on the quilt-along blogposts.
2. Work on the quilt-along quilts.
3. Prepare for a class on HSTs for the quilt ministry members this Saturday.
4. Keep working on those scrap tubs!
5. Quilt a couple of quilts for the ministry.
6. Mail some quilts to out-of-town quilt recipients.
7. Create this year's H2H button (while I still remember how to make it work!)
8. Start working on more quilts for another adoption fundraiser.
9. Keep up with all quilt ministry needs that arise.
Whew! Looks like I'm going to need all those extra morning hours this week! Oh well - I love being busy!!
So now the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?
Hugs!
Sarah
Wow, I am always amazed how beautiful y'all make my tops look
ReplyDeleteNow just fit sometime in that schedule to walk or exercise of some sort every day and those 5 pounds will drop off. Good luck with all your plans and if you need another quilt for your charity's just call on your blogging friends and I bet here and there we can come up with a baby quilt or something for you.
ReplyDeleteI have my floor bike out for use in the winter - not walking in that snow and ice. If I don't do that I will gain 5# a month - who needs that!! Have a box headed your way and probably another shortly.
ReplyDeleteNow you did it ... forced me to realize how much time I waste in the morning. I liked to convince myself that it's not totally unproductive, as I use that time to catch up with family and friends on Facebook (like today when I learned that our former worship minister lost his sweet mom yesterday) and catch up with blog reading/posting (like reading some of Karen's tutorials this morning - I'm armed for when I have to make bias binding). But I know that there's time lost in my mornings that could be better spent in the Word, in exercise, or in quilting! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI hope I can keep up with the QALs that I've signed up with... I may have forgotten one or two. Oh, well, I'm old, and that will happen.
ReplyDeleteYou are so industrious. I hope some of that rubs off on me. Maybe I'll get up earlier, too..............................LOL!
So I'm making blue butterflies for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I'm thinking some of those might work into my 16 square blocks. I might reengineer mine to accommodate the butterfly size. I don't want to make smaller butterflies. (I hope that would be okay with your QAL.)
Hugs
I put my last year's goals summary on my blog, and this year's new ones. You inspired me last year to do this. I can't seem to do this every week like you, but I am working on goals. Today I found a class to sign up for (I listed a goal of two) in April.
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Linda
I think reaching 1,000 quilts for the ministry is a remarkable accomplishment. After that, everything else is gravy.
ReplyDeleteAnd I now of one very specific person that will make your sewing time much less this year when he finally comes home.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on that 'losing weight' thing, too. I don't want to buy a dress for my son's wedding when I'm at my highest weight ever. Ugh!
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