2018. It's a new year. Where do we go from here? Something about the change of the calendar from December to January causes many of us to have a renewed sense of purpose. We feel ready to start over: ready to set goals, and confident that we can achieve those goals.
So, as a quilter, how do we go about setting and achieving those goals? I do tend to get quite a bit done each year, and I have a few small suggestions of things that I like to do to get going in the new year.
1. Straighten up your space! Lots of people can work in chaos. I am not one of those people. Even if you are one of those people, your sewing area can be more functional if it is at least organized so that you can find whatever you need to have to work on your projects. Nothing is more frustrating, or annoying, than looking for a tool, ruler, fabric, pattern, etc. and not being able to find it! "I know I have that...somewhere." is a sad statement. Inevitably, if you give up looking and buy another...you will find it! Don't put yourself through it! "A place for everything, and everything in its place" is a well known and oft used phrase for good reason!
2. Focus your attention! If you are like me, you have A LOT of unfinished and unstarted projects. It can really be overwhelming sometimes! A few years ago, a friend started a Facebook group for her quilting friends, and I was blessed to be included. One of the fun things we do in that group is pick 12 projects for the year, label them 1-12, and each month someone draws a number. That number is your focus for that month. I started out that first year picking my OLDEST projects. I wanted to clear out some of those things that had been sitting around a while. It was amazing how much I got done that year, and I've never looked back! Each January, I choose projects to focus on for the year. Now, I just label them by month and don't use the number system because I am involved in several groups that do this. It got too confusing for me to keep track of which number was for which group! I have included a picture of my projects list for the first half of 2018 so you can see what I mean.
3. Join a group that encourages you! Like I said, my friend Anna's group was really my first experience with social media in relation to my quilting. I found it was so much fun to see what others were working on and to be able to share my work with others. I know for a fact that I would not have completed nearly as many projects without the encouragement and interaction from that group of ladies! Last summer, I decided to start my own group. My group is called Sewing with Sandi and was started as a way for me to interact with even more quilters from around the world. It is an open group, but in order to join, you must be a quilter with a Facebook page that actually has evidence that you do quilt. You must also answer a couple of questions in order to be approved. Search for quilting groups on Facebook, and you will find all kinds of groups from wool applique to modern quilting. Join several and see how much encouragement you find within the group. You can always leave if you don't enjoy it.
4. Remember that the goal is PROGRESS! I don't put pressure on myself to FINISH everything on my list. That would be stressful, and I do this for fun! My goal is always just to work on that project (or those projects) during that month. When the end of the month comes, if I am close to finishing I will carry over into the next month and finish. If I am not close, I put it away and work on the next month. The reason I have two or three listed each month is that I get bored easily, and, also, if I finish something, I can move on to the next thing on the list. Try to make some progress each week on your chosen goal. It makes a huge difference! Last year, I simply wrote Bonnie Hunter down in three or four of the months. I have several of her quilts in progress, and when her name came up, I worked on one of those quilts. I actually finished two of them last year. This year, I hope to finish at least two more of hers before I take class in October with her! My point is this: if you have something you really want or need to finish...write it down a couple of times. Nothing says you have to have exactly 12 items or that you have to finish within one month. Some projects are bigger than others.
Like I said, I do finish a lot of projects each year. These four items help me to do that. I hope they help you, too. Happy quilting, and I'd love for you to join Sewing with Sandi!
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