Stitching together a plan

 Hi all! Well, it looks like we made it through 2021-- hurray for us! It had its challenges, but now I'm ready to look ahead to the new year and make a few stitching plans. To get ready for 2022 I'm taking inventory of my sewing room and sorting out what to sew, what to toss, and what to repurpose. I'm being ruthless. (Kind of. We all know how hard it is to part with some things!) Want to come along and see what's up? Come on in, but watch out for pins on the floor. . . and you know there's thread everywhere, right?

 

 

Before we look forward, I guess we should look back at my goals for 2021, shouldn't we? I actually had some! Let's see:

 

Get the remaining unquilted tops quilted or donated (or both!)  According to my handy dandy quilt project spreadsheet, I have 23 completed quilts for 2021, along with three tops and a few other small projects. Hold the phone-- can that be right? Yep, it is. Before anyone is impressed, the vast majority of these are projects from the closet, some of which had been there for quite some time.  Happy to move those out! So I guess that also counts for the next goal, Continue cleaning out and repurposing UFOs. Yay for that!

 

Another goal was Learn one new skill or take on one new challenging project. I did this! I've been learning to longarm and renting time on a machine. I'm getting better at it, but I have a ways to go. It's super fun, though, and learning is definitely not a chore.

This quilt is a finished UFO that became a donation, plus it's the first one I used for my longarming lessons. Win, win, win!

 

An unrealized goal: Finally finish a quilt for our bed. It's cut, with some stitching, but mainly in pieces-- lots and lots of pieces. Let's make that a goal for this year, okay? 

 

So, I didn't do too badly with my goals for last year. I got all those tops out of the closet, and that's a major win. I must really like quilting, or else I really had a lot of time alone, or both. Of course, we did have Covid lockdowns and protocols and social distancing and grocery pickup, so I'm sure that all contributed too.

Let's look ahead! I have some specific things to accomplish next year:

--Finally, finally finish a quilt for our bed. It's pretty shameful that I don't have this completed yet.

--Quilt up and donate the three remaining UFO tops that are hanging in the closet.

 

  

--I've repurposed and ditched and finished a number of piecing UFOs, and I kept two that I really want to finish, so one goal is to finish the black blocks quilt:

 

--I also want to finish the string flowers quilt:

 

--In a related goal, I want to finish putting together the free-pieced churches (no pictures, sorry)

-- A few years ago, I purchased a bunch of custom hand-dyed yardage from Vicki Welsh:

 

There is at least 11 yards here. I bought it for a specific quilt pattern and then I never made the quilt. Because I am very, very stupid. So my goal is to either make the planned quilt (which I no longer want to do) or find a project or two to make use of this really beautiful yardage. Open to suggestions!

 

--I also need to start a hand applique project which I have been planning for years. It's time. 

 

--Finally, on a personal note, I will continue my search for balance in a world full of stress. Clearly I have little idea what this means, but I keep trying! 

Those look like some good goals, so that's my list! Let's meet back here next year and see how I did, okay?

 

With that, let's put a bow on 2021 and turn towards 2022. It's bound to be a good year, at least in our little quilty community. Let's pray that it finally brings an end to the pandemic and more normalcy, along with greater health and happiness for all. Until then, though, be as safe as you can and stay healthy.

Wishing you all a new year filled with peace and joy, health and happiness! Happy 2022, everyone!

Sharing at the 2022 Planning Party at Quilting Jet Girl.