3rd Quarter 2013 - Review of Goals and Progress Report

back in january i set some goals for myself for 2013 in a number of different categories, one of which was sewing/quilting.

here's a recap of those goals:

quilting and sewing:
1.  learn to use my serger
2.  work on improving my FMQ skills
3.  complete more of my WIPs (when cleaning out, i found more pre-2012 WIPs that weren't on last year's list!)
4.  finish at least one quilt per month
5.  make at least 4 string quilts for charity
5.  make japanese plus/minus quilt
6.  make at least 3 quilts from patterns/designs i have pinned on pinterest
7.  use the fabric i have instead of purchasing more!

so, let's assess how i've done now that 2013 is almost over.

1.  serger gifted to me by jacey from her grandmother is still in the box she brought it over in.  oops. i really do want to pull this out and learn to use it, especially since i just made a knit cardigan, and having a serger would really have helped.

2.  i have done a good bit of work on improving my FMQ skills.  lots of practicing, both on paper with a pencil and also on a variety of quilts, and trying new patterns. by the end of the first quarter, i felt pretty comfortable with both a loopy meander and a regular meander.  by the end of the second quarter i felt comfortable with a few more patterns.  i haven't done much actual "quilting" this quarter other than straight lines and basic meandering, but i feel confident that i haven't lost the skills i developed earlier in the year.

3.  I made good headway on the WIP list during the first quarter, but then slowed down.  from my pre-2012 list, i've checked off 10 items so far, and have 7 left to complete.  it turns out i didn't finish any old WIPS during the 3rd quarter, although i did unearth another that got added to the list!  of the 7 uncompleted projects, four are definitely finishable this year, the hand-quilting project may never get finished, and the two that are just cut out or barely begun will likely have to wait until 2014.  if i get 14 out of 17 crossed off this year, i'll call that success!  as for 2012 WIPS, i currently have my elephants spring carnival bits with me now on vacation, and i should have it ready to make into a pillow when i get home.  my low volume HST quilt will likely end up waiting until next year to get finished, and i may never pull out those little apples drunkard's path blocks again!  i might just need to find a new home for those!

4. ACHIEVED -  i've definitely got this goal under control!  i've already finished SIXTEEN quilts this year, and that's not counting minis or pillows or anything like that.

5.  i made another string quilt last month, bringing my total string quilts for charity this year to three.  i've used up a lot of my strings and scraps in other projects, as well as made many other charity quilts this year, so if i don't get a fourth done i'm not going to sweat it! nonetheless, i'll likely try to whip out another wheelchair lap quilt sized one before christmas.

5.  whoops!  looks like i had two items numbered 5 on my list!  i finished the top of my japanese x & + (good thing i got the name wrong back in january!), at the end of the first quarter and am planning to send this one out for quilting, but that hasn't happened yet.  since Pam is likely getting a long arm at Festival, i am currently thinking i'll wait and have her quilt it.

6.  ACHIEVED -- so far i've made ashley from film in the fridge's equilateral string triangle quilt,  a plus block quilt i'd pinned, and jenni baker's giant star - i finished that one up in august as a baby shower gift for M's niece, Amanda. 

7.  i've done pretty well at not buying fabric.  i've bought several pieces of yardage for garments, but have made the garments fairly quickly following the purchases. as for quilting cottons, i've bought maybe 3 FQs this quarter.  i'm up to just shy of 40 yards purchased or otherwise acquired this year, so that's not too bad.  i've continued to use stashed fabric for things as much as possible, and i've used 105 yds of stash fabric so far out of my goal of using 120 yds this year.  i recently made a Giant Star baby quilt, and i was able to use only fabric from my stash, together with a small piece i swapped a friend for.  i've also been sewing clothes with some of my previously stashed garment fabric, including almost all of the rest of my green linen, half of my blue linen, and some other random smaller cuts.  sadly, i still have quite a bit of garment fabric still stashed, some of which i just don't know what to make with.  


so, while i didn't do much quilting this quarter, i was able to check goals #4 and # 6 off as ACHIEVED, and made progress in goals #5(the first) and #7.

i need to get in gear this last quarter and learn to use my serger, especially since i've been sewing more garments lately!  more importantly, though, i need to finish the bunny embroidered dish towels and the grandmother's flower garden quilt that are on my pre-2012 WIP list!!  i also need to quilt the hope valley quilt i have basted, and i can check that off the pre-2012 WIP list, too!