I am starting to get really excited about 2014 and am looking forward to wrapping up my
Year of Finish. For the last 2 months I've been allowing myself to daydream about what I want to accomplish in 2014 (before that it was a bit on the downer side because it was too far away and I was deep in the UFO pile).
One of the things I've learned during my return to quilting is that I work much better with a narrow range of focus. I can build momentum along a path and I don't feel distracted by the urge to step off the path in search of something else. The key is to pick the best path!
After thinking over lots of fun ideas I've settled on
Sewing for the Seasons as my quilting focus for 2014. I have a fondness for seasonal prints and have collected quite a few of them. Same thing with seasonal patterns and books. It's time to get them out of the stash closet and into use.
This also ties into the word I've chosen for 2014. Now that my UFO baggage is lighter I want to feel lighter in my rest of my world too. I want to do a top to bottom purge of my home and clear out the unused, unneeded and unloved stuff. This will be happening off blog for the most part but it holds true in my quilting life too. I'd rather decorate my home with my creativity a lot more and with my stuff a lot less!
So far I've come up with stash for Winter, Valentine's Day, Easter, Spring, Fourth of July, Fall, Halloween and Christmas. Some of them have a project in mind... others will be created as I go forward. I'm going to work in some gifts along the way too. Does anyone else want to join in? I'm going to start with Winter and Valentine's Day in January!
Of course there will still be UFOs to finish and other projects will be made in 2014. But as long as I don't wander too far off my path I think I'll be happy in the end.
I think it's going to be a very good year!
What a great idea! I normally do quilts sort of haphazardly, but this kind of structured plan appeals to me. Purging the house sounds good, too, although this is generally on-going at my house.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, CONGRATS on getting through all those UFOs :) Simplifying sounds like a wonderful idea to me! I want to focus on making more things that are useful, giftable or saleable (in my very tiny etsy shop) and, at the moment, I'm thinking that will probably involve more clothes and smaller projects and, I hope some patterns. I really can't afford to keep making quilts just for fun! I don't want to overly commit to just making seasonal things but I'm certainly expecting to make some and I'd to join you :)
ReplyDeleteI will be continuing my quest to finish. As a thought, if you start winter in the winter season, you will probably have to wait until next year to use it. I know how productive you are, so maybe this will work for you. I need to start thinking about a new word for January.
ReplyDeleteI simplified upon our big move five years ago. You will feel a wonderful sense of rejuvination once you go through the process in all areas of your home and life! I'm contemplating the word: BE for my 2014....haven't commited to it yet, but it keeps popping up in my head for many reasons...we'll soon see. :)
ReplyDeletesuch a great plan :-) My plan is to not buy any fabric (for the first half of the year anyway) and to make the quilts that I have already bought fabric for!!
ReplyDeleteI like your plan and think it will be fun to watch for the seasonal projects. I desperately need to simplifly my house. I've done pretty well simplifying a few other aspects of my life and I've gotten much better at saying NO to things that would have overwhelved me.
ReplyDeleteI am starting to simplify in 2014. I am already on a no buy fabric diet and I am using my stash slowly. I have a flannel quilt that is going in the floor frame in January and I am going to hand quilt it. And my Grandmother's Flower Garden is going to be a completed top in 2014 and hopefully start hand quilting it. I have lots of ideas but I need to focus, focus, focus!!!
ReplyDeleteI have learned to simplify my life a lot over the years.
ReplyDeleteI too find that I can do more when I can stay focused with just a few quilts to work on.
Good things to think about for the new year.
Good for you for being so disciplined. I hope to be on a finishing kick next year ; ) A total house purge? Sounds exhausting......
ReplyDeleteI agree - it's going to be a wonderful year!!! Good for you in your plan to simplify and get rid of distracting "stuff"! I'm doing much the same thing here at my house. I took two boxes of books (not quilting related!) to Goodwill yesterday morning, clearing off shelf space to better organize what I want to keep. I'm hitting every closet, corner, pile of "stuff", file cabinet - you name it and it's going to get purged!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great goal! I don't have enough seasonal materials in my stash to join in, but I think this sounds like a goal that will keep things fresh and allow you to use some of the untapped creative potential in your stash.
ReplyDeleteI was also on a big finishing kick this year. Your blog was a big inspiration! I think I am down to just a couple WIP. Now I want to do a bunch of stashbusting for charity quilts and get working on my bucket list--including a bunch of seasonal projects. Sounds like a great year!
ReplyDeleteI loved your post! My 2014 word of the year is PURGE.-- asin purging old fabrics, quilting books, magazines, etc. as well as old holiday decorations. Thanks for the incentive.
ReplyDeleteSounds great! I think I could do with more "simplify" in my surroundings too!
ReplyDeleteGreat plan, and simplify is my word of choice for 2014 too - good luck with your goals!
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