Saturday, January 4, 2014

January Goal Setting Party

As I wrote on my Focus post, I'm going to try to participate more to help motivate me to get more done this year. I want to start the year off right so I'm setting my goals for January. First up is the 2014 A Lovely Year of Finishes hosted by Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts and Melissa of Sew Bittersweet Designs.
I'm committing myself to machine sewing the binding onto the front of Jammer's 100 Good Wishes Quilt.
The quilting on this has actually been done for a long time (more time than I will admit) and I put it aside to finish later. Then many other projects came up and completing the last step was forgotten, until recently that is. I really want this UFO finally finished. It is H.U.G.E., measuring 116" x 130" so there is no way I'd attempt doing the binding hand sewing onto the back at any other time of the year other than in the winter and the 1st step will be to get it machine sewn onto the front.

If I can get that part done, than I can work on the binding hand sewing onto the back during February. Sunshine's 100 Good Wishes Quilt really needs to get made this year and I want to have Jammer's 100% completely done before I start on hers.

This year I'm going to participate in Barbara of Cat Patches 2014 New FO Challenge. Hopefully this will help me get my long awaited projects actually started and the A Lovely Year of Finishes will help me to get them done.
My New FO for January will be to make something with these Always and Forever charms. My plans for them have changed multiple times but I needed to stop thinking and start doing.
And start doing is exactly what I have done already.
Over the past recent days, while the snow storm swirled outside, I cut and sewed some of these beautiful fabrics together. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to actually get it quilted and bound before the weekend is over. Ah, who am I kidding? But I can dream, can't I and I just might surprise both you and me.

My 2nd New FO will be to get started working with these fabrics. I know...I only need one New FO but I'm adding this one anyway.
These will become an EMS/Fire Department themed quilt which will be raffled off at a work industry convention this year with the proceeds going to a charitable organization, which one to yet be decided by my employer. He is donating the fabrics and batting and I'm donating my time.

Last year I really loved seeing what everyone was doing with their scraps for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and lord knows I have plenty of scraps to do something with so I'm going to try to participate in this during 2014.
Soscrppy
I haven't decided what block I want to make yet each month but a few possibilities are swirling around in my head. The color for January is Blue.

So there you have it. My goals for January. Wish me luck. I sure need it.

So what do you have planned for this month?

8 of you added your own colorful comments:

Turid said...

What a pretty quilt. And that's a good idea to have small goals for every month. Last year I made my goals too heavy, and sat the last day of the month with my sewing. But I finished 12 projects, that's not a bad thing. I also love the colours of your fabrics.

Kathy S. said...

Great goal setting! I love the blocks that Sunshine and Jammer did. I need goals to keep me on track. Good luck with finishing yours this month! I haven't figured out what blue block to make for the RSC14 challenge either. Hopefully it will come to me this afternoon.

AmandaK@whatthebobbin said...

That is one huge quilt! I like the idea of breaking up goals monthly, it seems less like work and more like fun! :)

HeatherK @ A Reformed Heath'n said...

Jammer's quilt is amazing. I love how you set the blocks. What a treasure.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

That's huge, but gorgeous quilt - and he can grow into it!! Your small monthly goals are wonderful, manageable and not stressful - love it.

Mama Spark said...

Well you have given me lots of new to me things to look into. Thanks (I think) LOL.

Anonymous said...

I think that blue is the perfect color for Jan.!!!!! That is one huge quilt!!!!!! One step at a time.....machine sew binding on...then................... Hugs........

Stephanie Zito said...

Oh your quilt is absolutely gorgeous! I love your new WIP's!