A New Year Means New Goals

Happy belated New Year all! Starting 2018 on the blog 3 weeks late. Awesome.

I usually like to start the year with a look back at the previous year. 2017 -- well, not a very productive year for me on the quilting front. Only 12 posts on the blog. I used to do 12 blog posts a month! I did finish a few quilts, but work and kids took over. And my quilting mojo disappeared sometime around May. The passion and a lot of ideas are still there, but the motivation and energy are not.

I would like that to change for 2018. I want to reinstate my 20 minutes a day routine. Hopefully that's doable. Since a lot of my motivation comes from goal-setting, here are my quilty goals for 2018:

• Get quilting for 20 minutes a day
• Finish my BeeSewcial quilts
• Reduce my stash -- my sewing space is feeling too cluttered these days
• Finish at least one project a month
• See if I can finish something in time to submit to the National Juried Show at Quilt Canada. This one is not looking too promising. 

This is what I'm working on right now:

The concepts I'm trying to explore with this one:

• Improv styles that transition from order to disorder/chaos
• Maxi colour to neutral
• Value progression through the neutrals
• Matchstick quilting with grey and rainbow thread

Too much for one little quilt? We'll see. 

Q1 2017 Finish-A-Long Goals

Alright, new year, new goals! I have yet to look back at my goals for 2016 and see how I did, but time is running out for linking up with the Q1 2017 Finish-A-Long so let's do that first. For this quarter, I hope to finish the following:

1) My Improv Modern Christmas tree quilt with blocks from my xx bee. The top is done and the layout for the back is planned. It just needs to be sewn together, basted and quilted. I definitely want this done for this Christmas and am motivated to work on this one now.

Layout for the back:

2) My It Takes a Quilt Village quilt with blocks from my Bee Sewcial bee mates. I think I have the vision for the layout sorted out (not what you see here though). Now, I need to sew it.

3) Wee Spy baby quilt for little Jane. It's ready to be quilted.

4) Ice Blue Mountain (not the name yet). Still trying to sort out some design issues, but this one won't leave me alone so I'm adding it to the list.

5) Fibonacci quarter log cabin. Here's a rough sketch. Playing with the colours for this one now.

Possibly in these colours.

Way more than I'll probably finish, but let's give it a go! Linking up with the Q1 2017 Finish-A-Long gang.

What are you aiming to finish soon?

Q1 2016 Finish-Along Goals

Yay, it's Finish-Along time again! In case you missed it, I'm a pretty goal-oriented person. I find it motivating and would probably not getting anything done if I didn't make a game of things. I like my gold stars, thank you very much. ;)

Like last quarter, my list this quarter is going to be more ambitious than realistic, but it will give me the flexibility to finish whatever I feel like finishing. Remember, we like flexibility this year.

1) Rainbow House quilt - the top is done. Will blog about that soon when I can get a good picture of it because it's huge!

2) Colour Pop - it's being quilted right now. This one has the best chance of getting finished, I think. 

3) Heart Strings - some hand stitching and quilting to go. I would really like to finish this one too. 

4) If A Tree Falls - top is assembled! 

5) Leggings Light - Haven't shared this yet, but I want to turn these fabulous bee blocks from my Canadians Quilt Bee into a quilt. 

6) Going Fractal - needs to be sandwiched and quilted. 

Linking up with the fabulous peeps for the 2016 Finish-Along. What are you hoping to finish this quarter?

Simple, Fun and Flexible

Happy New Year, everyone! Woo hoo, it's 2016! I, for one, am not sorry to see 2015 go. Not at all. Good in several areas, but very rough and stressful in a few others. I think 2016 will be better.

I already know it's going to rock on the quilting front because I'm going to QuiltCon in February! And I'm taking classes with Gwen Marston and Melissa Averinos! So excited. I'm looking forward to meeting people from this fabulous online quilt world so if you are going, let me know.

Before we get to plans for 2016, I'll just finish up my Q4 goals for the Finish-Along with Adrienne on the Windy Side. Not really thinking I'd get them all done, I put seven projects on my list to give me flexibility to count whichever ones got done. Only one got done in the end, but after the crazy Fall we had, I'm so happy that even one got done. Moreover, Carsick had been languishing in the works in progress (WIP) pile for a couple of years so I'm pretty satisfied.

Carsick

I made some progress on some of the others though. I finished the tops for If A Tree Falls and Rainbow House, as well as the hand stitching for Heart Strings. Will share more about those soon.

As for planning for the year ahead, I'm going to be keep things simple for 2016. Simple, flexible and fun are going to be my key words, I think. As the things that were very stressful in 2015 are unlikely to get better for the foreseeable future and will probably get worse, it's going to mean that I will need to change how I deal with it.

I started to reduce my volunteer commitments this past year and turned down some quilting opportunities. I'll continue that for 2016. Also, no deadline stress allowed this year. It's important that my de-stressor doesn't become another stressor. I'll still host some of TGIFF!, but even there we've brought in Leanne and Fiona to help.

I don't know what this means for the blog other than I'll post when I have projects and fun quilty stuff to talk about. I still have lots of ideas and fun things I'd like to do with it so maybe they'll happen this year or maybe next. We'll see.

What are you hoping to do for 2016?

Predictions for 2015

Happy New Year all! I wish you all a fantastic 2015! After spending the last few days chilled and feverish, I'm very happy to be starting 2015 on the mend. :)

I'm going to channel my inner psychic and make some bold predictions for 2015:

• I will do some quilting. Okay, a lot of quilting.
• I will do some blogging too. 

Phew, that was hard. I'm no Nostradamus, but I'm feeling pretty confident with these predictions. Now all we have to do is see if they come true. ;)

I'm not one to leave these things to chance though so I'm going to do my yearly goal setting. No BHAGs (Big, Hairy Audacious Goals) this year again -- there's just too much change going on in our household. That said, goals help give me some focus on those days when I don't really know what to work on. 

Goals for 2015

1. A quilt for my youngest. He's not pushing for one or anything, but the kid is a hand-me-down king so it's time he gets something made just for him. He's only seen bits and pieces of the movies, but he loves Star Wars so maybe something along these lines for him. 
2. Finish my patterns, dang it! Third time goal's the charm? 
3. Tutorials - yes, I haven't done any tutorials in quite some time. I'm planning some basic how-I-do-things tutorials.
4. Creativity challenge - Get scrappy. Projects, big and small, that use scraps. Yes! 
5. Another creativity challenge - selvages. My fellow guild members have been gifting me their selvages for a couple of years now and I'm thinking that I need to start using them for more than pretty decoration, no? Maybe selvage bowls or baskets...hmm.

6. UFOs/W.I.P.s/P.H.D.s - Complete 3. And keep a running list as a page on my blog because there's nothing like public accountability. 
7. Have a quilt finished for whenever I host TGIFF! this year. This will definitely require better planning on my part since quilting time is now at a premium.
8. Do more Quilt Design A Day challenges. Say 12 or about one a month. Doable, right?
9. Have fun! Never really a problem when it comes to quilting, but good to be upfront about it. :)

I'll close with a peek at the finished top for Carsick. It's now basted... yay!

Bonne Année!

A Quilty Look Back at 2014

With the craziness of the Fall, I actually forgot that I had set out some goals for 2014. Oops. So let's see how I did then. Fingers crossed...

Goals for 2014:

We're definitely keeping it simple this year because I will be returning to the paid work world. Hopefully soon. I'll still be keeping up the blog though, but I doubt I'll be as productive as the last few years. C'est la vie!  The return to the paid work took a lot longer than hoped and this is true since I started the new job in September, but it was still a pretty productive year holus bolus. :) 

1. Finish Falling for Stripes pattern! Maybe design another one? Hmm. I worked on it. I did do another one, Modern Totems, which also almost finished. Writing good patterns is hard, but I think I have more of a mental block on this. Maybe I'll just blame it on the EU VAT taxes. ;)

2. Triage my WIPS and UFOs. Seriously, some of them just need to be put out of their misery. Some completed -- Fibonacci Is Not Random. Yay! Others added to the list. Boo! Triage? What?

3. Quilt for the guest room. Yes! Yes! Scrap{Bee} 2.0!

4. Quilt for oldest son's bed. Yes! Rainbow Creek! 

5. Quilt for youngest son. Cobbler's child, that one. He received a hoodie for Christmas and asked who it belonged to before him! LOL! Um, no. We started a placemat for him though. Okay, that just sounds sad. 

6. More scrappiness and more working with prints. Still love my solids, but I'd like to get better at mixing and using prints. Working on it.
7. Drawing/Sketching/Zendoodling. Yes, working on it. 
8. Organize my sewing studio. :) Yes, here and here!

Not bad, considering that I forgot about these goals for the latter half of the year. There have also been a number of other quilty highlights and milestones in 2014 that weren't accounted for in my goals list. 

1. Happy Canada Day, Eh! was accepted and shown at Quilt Canada 2014 in St. Catharine's. Still pinching myself for this one!
2. I started accepting sponsors for Quilt Matters and I'm so thrilled that these fabulous stores on the left hand sidebar support Quilt Matters. Thank you to my sponsors for your support and thank you to my readers for supporting them!
3. I started teaching two workshops - Modern Free Motion Quilting and Modern Totems. Such a thrill to see students' work!
4. I continued speaking for guilds and added a new lecture - Bring Out Those True Colours - to the line up. So much fun!

Quilts completed in 2014:

Other sewing projects from 2014:

Thank you for indulging me in this look back at 2014 and for taking the journey with me this past year. I always look forward to your comments, feedback and suggestions. They truly make my day!

Tomorrow we'll talk about some goals for 2015. What are you hoping to do next year?

Wrapping It Up and Moving Forward

Snow Crab Nebula

Ever feel like you are about two weeks behind? That's how I'm feeling on the quilting front, mostly because I haven't done a 2013 wrap up or done my goals for 2014 and our computer's WiFi connection is giving me such problems that doing pretty much anything online through the WiFi is crazy making. I'm connected via Ethernet at the moment -- bliss!

I know neither a wrap up or a goal-setting post is really necessary, but they help give me direction. At the beginning of last year, I set out some BHAGs (Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals). If you'll indulge me a little, let's review 2013 and then set some goals for 2014. :)

2013 Wrap Up - The Year I Became a Hard Core Quilter

When I was forecasting my quilting year last year, I certainly did not foresee that I'd learn how to quilt with a broken wrist. It stopped me from quilting for about 10 days, until I took Elaine Quehl's class. I still remember that goofy excitement when I realized I could do the technique she was teaching us with my cast. LOL!

1) New and old projects:

Falling for Stripes

• Since I'm still hosting TGIFF! once a month, I'd like to have a quilt finished per month. Wrap-Up Update: Achieved and then some. I'd also like to enter three quilts into our guild show this May. Wrap-Up Update: Done! I entered six and actually won three ribbons -- still woo hoo-ing that one! Some of my finishes this year will hopefully be:
• My existing WIPs - There are now 18 on my list, 12 of which were on there this time last year. Those 12 will be either finished, repurposed or given away for someone else to finish. May join Project U.F.O. Wrap-Up Update: Umm, yeah, about that…maybe in 2014?
• A quilt for the guest room Wrap-Up Update: Nope
• A big boy bed quilt for my youngest Wrap-Up Update: Nada
• A few more things off my updated bucket list Wrap-Up Update: Yes! Su{Brrr}nova, Happy Canada Day, Eh! and Hexed

2) Design:

Hexed

• Design a quilt pattern for a magazine or Moda Bake Shop. Gulp! Wrap-Up Update: I did design a pattern for Falling for Stripes, but it's not finished. I just need to finish the diagrams. 
• Scrap Bin Mission - I'd like to explore ways of using the insane stash of scraps I've collected over the years. Wrap-Up Update: I did use some scraps up for various projects, but I'd like to do more in 2014. 
• Modern Block Monday - I miss doing these modern blocks so 2013 will see a comeback -- maybe on Mondays, maybe not. Wrap-Up Update: Yes, I've kept this up, but only sporadically. 
• Keep on keeping on with Electric Quilt (EQ). Wrap-Up Update: Yes, a few more quilt designs were made with it. Still not all that comfortable with it.

3) Colour:

• Play with different colour schemes using EQ and the Stash Play game. Wrap-Up Update: Wow, that one really fell of the wagon, eh? Hmmm...
• Bee blocks - I'm part of one bee and just joined another so I'll get to play with other people's fabric and colour choices. Always a great way to try new colour schemes and blocks. Wrap-Up Update: Loved doing bee blocks this year, especially the Simply Solids Bee. 

4) Technique:

• Practice more layered free motion quilting designs, combining motifs to create images or scenes. Wrap-Up Update: Definitely more comfortable with this now. :)
• Learn and experiment more with new-to-me techniques, including:
• Drawing/sketching - I'd love to try some zendoodling. How fun would that be to quilt? Wrap-Up Update: This one also fell off. 2014!

Lunch bag

Goals for 2014:

We're definitely keeping it simple this year because I will be returning to the paid work world. Hopefully soon. I'll still be keeping up the blog though, but I doubt I'll be as productive as the last few years. C'est la vie!  

1. Finish Falling for Stripes pattern! Maybe design another one?

2. Triage my WIPS and UFOs. Seriously, some of them just need to be put out of their misery. 

3. Quilt for the guest room. Yes!

4. Quilt for oldest son's bed.

5. Quilt for youngest son. Cobbler's child, that one. He received a hoodie for Christmas and asked who it belonged to before him! LOL!

6. More scrappiness and more working with prints. Still love my solids, but I'd like to get better at mixing and using prints.
7. Drawing/Sketching/Zendoodling. 

8. Organize my sewing studio. :)

There, that feels better. How about you? What are you hoping to do in 2014?

2013 - They're Big, They're Hairy, They're Big Hairy (Audacious?) Goals

2013 is shaping up to be another great year on the quilting front. I'm speaking at the Richmond Area Quilt Guild on January 16th on modern quilting and the online quilt world, which I'm very excited about. On February 7th, I'll be participating in the Something New Sampler Blog Hop (more info coming soon) with Amy @ The Cute Life, when I'll be sharing a tutorial on some modern-style trapunto. I will also get to take a course on Radial Strip Piecing with Elaine Quehl on February 16th. Sweet!

While there are a ton of things I'd love to do quilting-wise this year, I'm conscious that there are also a number of things I'd like do with the kids and projects around the house that I'd like to complete before we're thrown back into the go-go-go life of a two-career family next year. With that in mind, here are my quilting BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals) for this year:

1) New and old projects:

• Since I'm still hosting TGIFF! once a month, I'd like to have a quilt finished per month. I'd also like to enter three quilts into our guild show this May. Some of my finishes this year will hopefully be:

• My existing WIPs - There are now 18 on my list, 12 of which were on there this time last year. Those 12 will be either finished, repurposed or given away for someone else to finish. May join Project U.F.O. 
• A quilt for the guest room 
• A big boy bed quilt for my youngest
• A few more things off my updated bucket list 

2) Design:

• Design a quilt pattern for a magazine or Moda Bake Shop. Gulp!
• Scrap Bin Mission - I'd like to explore ways of using the insane stash of scraps I've collected over the years.
• Modern Block Monday - I miss doing these modern blocks so 2013 will see a comeback -- maybe on Mondays, maybe not.
• Keep on keeping on with Electric Quilt (EQ). 

3) Colour:

• Play with different colour schemes using EQ and the Stash Play game.
• Bee blocks - I'm part of one bee and just joined another so I'll get to play with other people's fabric and colour choices. Always a great way to try new colour schemes and blocks.

4) Technique:

• Practice more layered free motion quilting designs, combining motifs to create images or scenes.
• Learn and experiment more with new-to-me techniques, including:
• Drawing/sketching - I'd love to try some zendoodling. How fun would that be to quilt?

I know that it's quite an ambitious list and I may not achieve them all, but I'd rather aim high than be safe. It's way more interesting and fun that way, eh? :) 

I'll be back tomorrow with a finished Su{Brr}nova top...

2012 - That's a Wrap

Happy New Year, all! 

All in all, I'm pretty darn pleased with 2012, especially since the world didn't end. ;) I'm ending the year feeling a lot more confident with my sewing and quilting skills, especially my free motion quilting skills. I tried many new techniques and learned a lot from other bloggers and quilters. I joined my first online bee, participated in a few blog hops, and even got to meet a few of you in person! 

I had the opportunity to speak at my quilt guild about the online quilt world and modern quilting, learned that My What the FMQAYGQAL? quilt was a finalist in the spring Bloggers Quilt Festival, and was commissioned to make two quilts. Another highlight that I haven't shared until now is that I reached a milestone this year -- 100 quilts made (in 15-ish years). :)

Back in January, I set some pretty big quilty goals for 2012. So how did I do?

1) Not just starting quilts, but finishing them!

• Since I'm hosting TGIFF! once a month, I'd like to have a quilt finished per month. Achieved! Some of these will hopefully be:



Canadian - HBC Point Blanket Quilt

• A quilt to cover our own poor bed! - My Hudson's Bay Point Blanket quilt is done and gracing our bed!
• A leader/ender quilt for the guest room - Yeah, I was dreaming in technicolour.
• More charity quilts - Achieved.
• A few things off my bucket list - Achieved. Tulip à la Elaine Quelh, HBC point blanket, Supernova started.
• FINISH MY EXISTING WIPs - they are out of control! - I started 2012 with 22 WIPs. I finished 10 of them -- woo hoo! But then I kept getting start-itis and added a number of projects throughout the year so I finished the year with 18 projects in various stages of completion. Under 20 though so I'll count that as a success!

2) Design:

Growth Chart Tutorial

• Design a quilt to share online. - HBC point blanket quilt was shared just in time. :)
• Modern Block Monday - Make and share a block from Modern Blocks every Monday. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! I don't think I'll do all of the blocks in the book but I'd like to make a Modern Block Sampler. - Unchanged from September - 24 blocks done. I miss doing these blocks though, so 2013 may see a comeback of Modern Block Monday.
• Raise my EQ so that I don't turn into a Wild Thing every time I use Electric Quilt. I will start learning EQ from the beginning AGAIN! This is attempt number 3, but I'll post my misadventures here so I don't give up this time. I really don't get what the block (ha ha) is that I have with this program but I will succeed this year. As I figure out this program, I'll make and post some of the designs that I make. - I designed two quilts on EQ this year, as well as my grey Colour My World Challenge. Still turn into a Wild Thing though.
• Do a tutorial on the growth chart. - Done! You can check it out here.

3) Colour:

Colour My World Challenge Collage

• Colour My World Challenge - This one is going to be a fun experiment and challenge! Each month, I will be doing a small project (12" by 12" or 14" by 14") focusing on one colour. Red, blue and purple will probably be easy. White, orange and brown, not so much. The Colour My World Challenge is done and such fun! 
• Once I figure out EQ, use it to experiment with different colour schemes, especially those outside of my comfort zone. - Achieved, but by using the Stash Play game.

4) Technique:

• Achieve a consistent 1/4" seam allowance. Seriously, I've been quilting for um-13 + years and I still can't do this properly. It's why I don't make blocks. This will change. - Achieved! 
• Learn and practice more free motion quilting - participating in the QAYGFMQQAL and the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Project should help achieve this goal. - Achieved with What the FMQAYGQAL?, although my participation in the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Project deserves a big raspberry.
• Learn and experiment more with new-to-me techniques:
• Machine pieced curves - Drunkard's Path - Achieved with Colour My World Grey Challenge.
• Trapunto - Achieved with Colour My World Black Challenge.
• Fabric painting - Achieved with Heathia, but ongoing.
• Collage - Achieved with Heathia and Colour My World Purple Challenge.
• Drawing/sketching - Achieved with my Colour My World planning sketches, but ongoing.

I reviewed and updated these goals in September when I joined up with Kelsey for The 100 Day Hustle with Kelsey Sews. For my 100 Day Hustle, I pledged that I would:

• Finish the HBC Point Blanket quilt and share the rest of the instructions online. - Done and done!
• Catch up on the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge. - Not done!
• Try machine-pieced curves. - Done with Colour My World Grey Challenge
• Finish five projects from my On hold/UFO mashup list, one of which will be a quilt for the guest room. I finished five from the September WIP list, but only two from the On hold/UFO mashup part.
• Keep working with EQ. - As I mentioned above, there was some progress with the Colour My World Grey Challenge.

If you've made it through this gargantuan post, huge kudos to you! Now to start thinking about goals for 2013. I'm thinking simpler. ;) Do you have quilty plans for 2013?

Hustling From Now Until The End of the World

I survived Beaver camp -- yay! -- but brought home a cold -- boo! We actually had a fabulous time and the weather was much better than forecasted. Phew! It was so fun introducing Daniel to canoeing and camping and watching him experience a campfire and sleeping in a tent for the first time. Now that I'm back from hustling kids to and fro, I can get back to hustling other things...

***

HBC Point Blanket Quilt Top

Back in January, I set some pretty big quilty goals for this year. I've been meaning to review them, but other things kept snagging my attention. When I started seeing posts for The 100 Day Hustle with Kelsey Sews though, I thought it was a perfect chance to get back on track! Great idea, Kelsey!

Let's review and update my goals - updates are bolded in burgundy:

1) Not just starting quilts, but finishing them!

• Since I'm hosting TGIFF! once a month, I'd like to have a quilt finished per month. Some of these will hopefully be:
• A quilt to cover our own poor bed! - My Hudson's Bay Point Blanket quilt is half-way quilted - Doable!
• A leader/ender quilt for the guest room - Hmm, not sure about this one!
• More charity quilts - Achieved, but this will be ongoing.
• A few things off my bucket list - Achieved. Tulip à la Elaine Quelh, HBC point blanket quilt in progress.
• FINISH MY EXISTING WIPs - they are out of control! - Yikes! I better hustle!

Modern Block Monday - Diamond Ripples

2) Design:

• Design a quilt to share online. - In progress. I shared the measurements and instructions for the HBC point blanket quilt top, but not the back or binding yet.
• Modern Block Monday - Make and share a block from Modern Blocks every Monday. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! I don't think I'll do all of the blocks in the book but I'd like to make a Modern Block Sampler. - 24 blocks done. Will need to pull this out to see what's left to do.
• Raise my EQ so that I don't turn into a Wild Thing every time I use Electric Quilt. I will start learning EQ from the beginning AGAIN! This is attempt number 3, but I'll post my misadventures here so I don't give up this time. I really don't get what the block (ha ha) is that I have with this program but I will succeed this year. As I figure out this program, I'll make and post some of the designs that I make. - I designed two quilts on EQ this year. Still turn into a Wild Thing though.
• Do a tutorial on the growth chart. - Done! You can check it out here.

Tulip à la Elaine Quelh/
Colour My World Purple Challenge

3) Colour:

• Colour My World Challenge - This one is going to be a fun experiment and challenge! Each month, I will be doing a small project (12" by 12" or 14" by 14") focusing on one colour. Red, blue and purple will probably be easy. White, orange and brown, not so much. The Colour My World Challenge is going very well! 
• Once I figure out EQ, use it to experiment with different colour schemes, especially those outside of my comfort zone. - Achieved, but by using the Stash Play game.

4) Technique:

• Achieve a consistent 1/4" seam allowance. Seriously, I've been quilting for um-13 + years and I still can't do this properly. It's why I don't make blocks. This will change. - Achieved! 
• Learn and practice more free motion quilting - participating in the QAYGFMQQAL and the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Project should help achieve this goal. - Achieved with What the FMQAYGQAL?, although my participation in the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Project has ebbed a bit. Will fix that.
• Learn and experiment more with new-to-me techniques:
• Machine pieced curves - Drunkard's Path - Nada yet.
• Trapunto - Achieved with Colour My World Black Challenge.
• Fabric painting - Achieved with Heathia, but ongoing.
• Collage - Achieved with Heathia and Colour My World Purple Challenge.
• Drawing/sketching - Achieved with my Colour My World planning sketches, but ongoing.

Very good progress overall for the year, but still some BHAGs (Big, hairy audacious goals) left to go. To recap, for my 100 Day Hustle, I will:

• Finish the HBC Point Blanket quilt and share the rest of the instructions online.
• Catch up on the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge.
• Try machine-pieced curves.
• Finish five projects from my On hold/UFO mashup list, one of which will be a quilt for the guest room.
• Keep working with EQ.

Right! Gulp! Off to hustle now...

From Now Until the End of the World

Courtesy of Madame Samm
(http://www.sewiquiltnow.com/)

I'm big on goal-setting. Some years, I write down my goals, other years...not so much. Invariably, I find that I achieve the goals that I write down. So here's my stake in the ground for 2012/until the world ends.

1) Not just starting quilts, but finishing them!

• Since I'm hosting TGIFF! once a month, I'd like to have a quilt finished per month. Some of these will hopefully be:
• A quilt to cover our own poor bed!
• A leader/ender quilt for the guest room
• More charity quilts
• A few things off my bucket list
• FINISH MY EXISTING WIPs - they are out of control!

2) Design:

• Design a quilt to share online.
• Modern Block Monday - Make and share a block from Modern Blocks every Monday. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! I don't think I'll do all of the blocks in the book but I'd like to make a Modern Block Sampler. 
• Raise my EQ so that I don't turn into a Wild Thing every time I use Electric Quilt. I will start learning EQ from the beginning AGAIN! This is attempt number 3, but I'll post my misadventures here so I don't give up this time. I really don't get what the block (ha ha) is that I have with this program but I will succeed this year. As I figure out this program, I'll make and post some of the designs that I make.
• Do a tutorial on the growth chart.

3) Colour:

• Colour My World Challenge - This one is going to be a fun experiment and challenge! Each month, I will be doing a small project (12" by 12" or 14" by 14") focusing on one colour. Red, blue and purple will probably be easy. White, orange and brown, not so much.
• Once I figure out EQ, use it to experiment with different colour schemes, especially those outside of my comfort zone.

4) Technique:

• Achieve a consistent 1/4" seam allowance. Seriously, I've been quilting for um-13 + years and I still can't do this properly. It's why I don't make blocks. This will change.
• Learn and practice more free motion quilting - participating in the QAYGFMQQAL and the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Project should help achieve this goal.
• Learn and experiment more with new-to-me techniques:
• Machine pieced curves - Drunkard's Path
• Trapunto
• Fabric painting
• Collage
• Drawing/sketching

I'm very excited to see where my quilting journey takes me this year. How about you? What do you want do in 2012?