It Was a Very Good Year: 2018 Recap and 2019 Goal Planning

As the year winds down it's time to think about my quilty goals for next year. I'll be linking up with Yvonne's 2019 Goal Planning Party at Quilting Jetgirl.

But first, lets look back at 2018 and see how I did. My favorite accomplishment wasn't even on the list - grandson CJ's Big Boy Bed Quilt. And pillowcase. I think he liked them.

2018 Goals
1. Use (or give away) at least as much fabric as I bring into the stash. So close, but I missed this one. I used or gave away 150-3/4 yards and I brought in 155-1/8 yards, for a net stash addition of 4-3/8 yards in. I thought I was down enough for the year to allow for some December sale purchases, but then I discovered that I had counted backing for the Snake quilt in both November and December. After correcting the report, the stash is ahead for the year.

2. Blog at least twice a week; continue posting monthly goals and stash reports because they keep me focused and accountable. I've been blogging pretty consistently this past year, usually 2-3 times a week, and have kept up with the monthly goals and stash reports. I plan to continue in 2019.

3. Piece and/or quilt one donation quilt per month for a total of 10 donation quilts for the year. Could be in conjunction with other charity projects such as guild or H2H. I'd say I accomplished this. I made 10 little Nurses for Newborns quilts plus donated one from my collection for a total of 11 N4Nb quilts. I pieced and quilted 3 kids' quilts (Rocking Chair quilts) and donated them plus one from December 2017 to Hands2Help. Over the summer I pieced and sent out three tops for Heart Builders. In October and November I made two baby quilts for Operation Shower. In December I pieced a top for Mercyful Quilts.

N4Nb May

N4Nb November

4. Red Project: continue working on this as a BOM to a completed flimsy, then get it on a long-armer's list for quilting. I've worked on this each month to the point where borders are now being added. A few more months and it will be a finished flimsy. I've spoken to a long armer about quilting it when it's ready.

5. Pickle Dish: continue working on blocks and progress to a completed flimsy, then get it on a long-armer's list for quilting. The top is complete, the layers are sandwiched, and quilting has commenced. I'm quilting this one myself, very carefully.

6. Finish Roman Road UFO to a flimsy and get it quilted. The flimsy was completed early in 2018 and was given to Sandy in March for quilting. Due to her pending move, she was unable to get to it. I need to make other arrangements to get it quilted in 2019.

7. Review list of UFOs and determine whether to keep & finish or get rid of each one. Finish at least two of the projects on the list. I donated four UFO tops; I didn't actually finish any UFOs myself. I also donated several orphan blocks via Cynthia's Quilty Orphan Adoption event at Quilting is More Fun than Housework.

8. Send unquilted donation tops to someone who can/is willing to quilt and donate them. I sent four tops to Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for her church's Quilt Ministry.

Green Bohemian Bento Box UFO from 2016, donated

9. Participate in Hands2Help. I sent four "Rocking Chair" quilts to Little Lambs foundation for Hands2Help (one of which was completed in late 2017).

10. Post at least two new tutorials. Um... sort of just barely squeaked by here, with two little "how-to" posts. In October I wrote about my organization method for prepping projects for retreat. In December I posted about using die-cut triangles with the Simple Folded Corners Ruler to make snowball corners. My intent when I wrote this goal was actually to post complete quilt pattern tutorials, but that didn't happen. My excuse is, I was too busy making donation quilts.

Overall it was a very satisfying year. Sure, I could do better in terms of stash management and finishing UFOs - couldn't we all?!! - but I'm okay with how things turned out overall. I like that I was able to make donation quilts all year and I plan to continue in 2019. I like that I made progress on two special and more challenging quilts for myself, the Red Project and Pickle Dish, as well.

Since these goals worked for me in 2018, I'm basically going to continue them in 2019. I do better with specific objectives rather than overall goals.

2019 Goals
1. Use (or give away) at least as much fabric as I bring into the stash. Let's hope I do better at logging usage and purchases so I don't count usage double next year!

2. Blog at least twice a week; continue posting monthly goals and stash reports because they keep me focused and accountable. I still enjoy sharing with the on-line quilting community, so I plan to continue. I'm not on Facebook or Instagram, so I'll continue to post my stories and photos  here.

3. Piece and/or quilt one donation quilt per month for a total of 10 donation quilts for the year. Could be in conjunction with other charity projects such as guild or H2H. In 2018 STLMQG held a drive for small Nurses for Newborns quilts, but we don't know yet what the charity project will be in 2019, so I don't know if I'll be making a lot of tiny quilts or fewer larger ones. I do know that I'll be finishing the Mercyful quilt for Bernie at Needle and Foot, some baby quilts for Operation Shower for CSQ, and something for Hands2Help.

4. Red Project: continue working on this with monthly goals to a completed flimsy, then get it to a long-armer for quilting. I won a gift certificate toward long arm quilting and I've already talked to the quilter about this project. It'll probably be ready for quilting by summer.

5. Pickle Dish: continue quilting until it's finished. 

6. Roman Road:  Talk to Sandy again about getting it quilted and ship it to her, or find someone else to custom quilt it. I have a recipient in mind for this quilt and I want it to be finished and gift-ready by the next time we go to Arizona.

7. Review list of UFOs and determine whether to keep & finish or get rid of each one. Finish at least two of the projects on the list. 

8. Send unquilted donation tops to someone who can/is willing to quilt and donate them.

9. Participate in Hands2Help

10. Post at least one new tutorial. Hopefully this time it really will be an actual pattern, not just a quickie "how-to" post.

11. When Pickle Dish and the Red Project are finished, start a new challenging project with defined monthly progress goals. Because I'll need a new project for Accountability First Saturdays with my friends, and I want a challenging project to intersperse with all the fast and easy donation quilts.


That should keep me busy! Thanks, Yvonne, for hosting the Goal Planning Party and prompting me to write out my goals for 2019.