I always find I spend the last few weeks of December looking ahead to the future. Contemplating what projects and events I want to tackle, deciding where I want to spend my time in the coming year and setting goals for my business.
Back in January, I declared 2016 "The year of Cyndy"....Ha!
Looking at that post, I remember how exhausted I was from an extremely busy 2015. And early in 2016, I did adjust how and where I was spending my time.
Well, the pendulum definitely swung to the other extreme because I over committed myself with "fun" projects and by mid-year, my projects all began feeling like a chore.
So this year, I hope to find a happy medium.
I am really making a concerted effort on my UFOs. It is time to clean these up and get them off my shoulders. I am down to having only 20. I decided to make a list of 12 and join American Patchwork for their UFO challenge. Each month they will pick a number and that will be the project I work on throughout the month. I may not finish it, but I hope to make some progress on each of these.
This is the year I am going to start learning to sew garments. I have been collecting patterns and fabric for a few years but I have failed so miserably in the past, I have been frozen to start. Well, I have signed up for a class at a new local store and I will share my journey with you.
This should be interesting!
Remember my Scrappy Sampler? I have been thinking about hosting a Quilt Along and if there is enough of an interest I will get planning on something very similar.
What do you like to see in a QAL?
Scraps will be a big part of 2017. Scrap-A-Palooza is coming back and I will still be hosting Oh Scrap every Sunday. I also plan on participating in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge but I am keeping it simple this year.
Scraps really make me happy!
In March and September, I will be once again hosting the Quilty Orphan Adoption. It is great to see UFOs that are languishing get packaged up, sent off and finished, sometimes for donation to some great charities. In fact, if you have adopted and finished a picture, I would love it if you shared a photo.
So that is my plan for the year.
I have decided to not commit myself to a lot of long term projects. I have also decided not to list a bunch of things I would like to achieve throughout the coming year.
I am keeping it simple this year!
Thank you all for your friendship, support and encouragement! It warms my heart so much to know so many follow along on my quilty journey.
I wish you all a happy 2017 filled with laughter, good health and great success!
I am joining the fun over at Quilting Jetgirl. Yvonne holds a Planning Party every year. I enjoy seeing what everyone has planned for the coming year!
25 comments:
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. It is now 12.15 am and I am heading off to bed...
I will enjoy following your blog throughout 2017 and might even be able to join in on some link ups occasionally. Enjoy your UFO's
Admirable goals, indeed. I've already started putting things in my "Adopt Me" bin! Happy New Year, My Friend.
Sounds like you have a good plan for 2017. It's the implementation that gets me too. A quilt along sounds fun, but I'm tied to those graduation quilts till they get done, so no new projects till June at least for me. Good luck with your 2017 ambitions. Have a very Happy New Year.
I sewed clothes for years before beginning to quilt, it is fun but a different skill set. A class is a great way to get started. I am only setting a couple of goals, leaving room to participate with fun things that come along during the year. I will be doing another Scrap Dance Mystery QAL beginning in January, which will take advantage of any scrap pre-cuts you might have sitting around, or other scraps if not. With only one thing to do each month, it is doable around other projects. I guess I am weird, I don't have any UFOs, other than the current project on the frame!!
Great way to welcome the new year...esp. you plan to tackle your UFO's. I will continue to enjoy following your blog and looked forward to continued inspiration to use my scraps and manage my stash. HAPPY NEW YEAR friend!
Your Scrappy Sampler would make a great QAL!! Best of luck with simplifying your 2017. Achieving balance and simplification is harder than is sounds. I should know, as finding balance was my goal for 2016!
I too would like to tackle clothing but with a retro pattern. I bought my dress form so that should be helpful for alterations.
I will be participating in your scrappy challenges.
Have an amazing New Year!
http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com
I have done quilt alongs, and enjoy them best if they are presented in PDF form like Soscrappy has done, so they are easier to print. I have many UFO's to finish.
The pendulum does like to swing, doesn't it? I hope you can find a good balance in 2017. Thank you so much for linking up!
Sounds good to me! You have fun meeting your goals!
I'm so glad that you continue OhScrap!, because scraps make me really happy. I always find so much inspiration on your blog every Sunday. Happy New Year to you!
Happy New Year to you too, filled with pleasant moments, love, health and scraps! Good luck with your goals. I haven't made garments in so long (except for PJs). Seeing your projects might tempt me to get back on that wagon too. I started too many projects in 2016 and want to finish some up before getting on any new QAL. You'll see me at Oh Scrap! for sure. ;^)
All sounds good today in your world!! I am busy listing my WIPs and projects nor this year but I do love your Scrappy Sampler so I'll be watching out for a post from you with any details.
sewing clothes can be so much fun ... when my daughter was small and we did not have much money due to me staying at home with her i sewed her clothing ... because i know unfortunately we are often judged on the label i would take labels out of other clothes and sew them on the ones i made for her ... one day i equally cash strapped lady asked me if she could buy all the designer clothes when i was finished with them ... to her great delight i told her the story and then told her she could have them free if she promised to send them on to another mother in need
Cyndy, it's so fun to see what you have in mind for 2017! So glad you are continuing with Oh Scrap and Scrap-a-Palooza because those are a big part of my life - so much inspiration to be had! I would definitely join in on a QAL, too! Happy New Year to you, my quilty friend!
I'd do a QAL - I love the one you have in the photo! Happy New Year - keepin' it simple!
Thanks Cyndy for your great blog and your ideas - I love it. All the best for 2017 😀
You have wonderful goals and it all sounds great. I would love a QAL that uses our own stash and isn't a sampler for a change. How about two or three block designs that together create one unified quilt? So many of these yearly quilt plans are for sampler quilts and I just find them too busy. So that's my two cents. Happy New Year to you and your family!
I am looking forward to following your journey in 2017. I enjoy your inspiring posts.
It looks like a great plan! You will love garments - Prior to becoming a quilter I owned a Maternity and Kids clothing business - I desgined all the patterns, and had 7 seamstresses working for me - so.... questions? I may be able to help you ;-) ( Or not, maybe I have quilted so much I lost my knowledge - ha ha)
Looks like a great year!
Finding the right balance is always a challenge I think I look forward to seeing what you create this year.
I love your list and goals. I look forward to seeing your projects in 2017.
I like participating in various communal quilting activities. I like to use my scraps in QAL if possible. I like scraps, too. I can't throw pieces away. I want to try the RSC this year. Have a great year.
Ahhh balance, the holy grail of organization! Looks like you've got it well thought out, it's all about working with it and seeing what works well for you. Regarding a QAL, the most important thing to me is that it post regularly on the specified day/dates -- it's hard to keep checking back to see when/if something has posted especially if you are following more than one. However, things do happen even with the best of plans so maybe have a few ready in advance to allow room for Murphy's Law" from week to week?
What a nice post Cyndy. I hope you are able to achieve the balance you are hoping for. I like the idea of the 12 UFO project. I bet that will be a nice way to finish a few up.
I love garment sewing - I have moved away from it with all of this quilting over the past few years. But it is on my list of Want-to-do's this year as well. Maybe we can work on that together!
Post a Comment