Setting Quilting Goals
 

As we see the end of 2019 just around the corner, I have been setting goals on which quilts to finish this year. I quilt pretty slow compared to most of you, but I'm hoping to finish five quilts by January. I have three tops waiting to be quilted, but two tops nearly done. I think I'll be joining the UFO train here on the QB next year. I tallied up that I have eight WIP (works in progress) and another ten UFOs. Heavens, I'm not even counting the PIGS (projects in grocery sacks!)

How about you? Anyone else assessing their quilts and UFOs with a new year in mind?

I have given myself an out, I don't consider tops as unfinished. They are a finished top, they are just not quite a quilt yet. If I leave the world with a couple hundred "unfinished" tops, well -- it will be ok.

Sometimes it gets to me... So I just shove it down and start another project! I do have several projects planned and a couple of groups of fabrics collected to work with next year including Civil War prints and Metallics.

I'm ok with the number of WiPs I have. I am really trying to motivate myself to do just a few paper pieced blocks. Don't know why I'm so resistant, I actually want to do it and get that project going again before it stalls out.

It's a perpetual thought process... there are plenty UFOs, WIPs & PIGS to keep me busy for the foreseeable future but what about all the Christmas gifts? Oh, I first need to make my niece a gift for her 18th in October! And look at this pretty fall fabric that jumped into my arms at the thrift store yesterday so I better hurry-up and make some fall items to gift to family/friends. Wait a minute - what about the French Rose quilt that's been in progress and sitting on my sewing table for two months?? No, not before I quilt that Irish Chain king quilt I made last month! Feeling a bit guilty that DH has asked me to make golf club covers since spring, better do that next. Arrrrghh... The struggle is real! And I haven't even opened up my sewing closet which is full of projects waiting for my attention.

I think I shall commit myself to both the fabric moratorium and UFO train for 2020 and make it a 'clean-up' year. I am so much happier when I finish one before starting another so that's my over-arching quilting goal!

But, wait, I think I just saw an email with 60% off... oh no, I don't need that!

Have a great sewing day everyone!

I think the longer I quilt the more I get behind. I used to have a rule that I didn't start a new quilt until I finished the one I was working on. Oh how long ago that has been. But I don't have tons of things unfinished. I do make out a list every January and this year's was smaller than last year. And, it's never a lot. I think I have 8 things unfinished at the moment. And, one of those is my LBB that I knew would take a minimum of 5 years.

I will make my list again in January, 2020. I hope it's yet a bit smaller but if not, that's okay. I love the process and whether it takes a week or 5 years, it's all good.

my feelings also. UFO's will probably end up in the dump, along with a lot of fabric, not finished tops. And if I think I'm getting over the line I shout at myself in all caps, what are you, 8 years old? :)

I have one QOV to finish putting together, then have this one and one other QOV to get quilted by mid-October as first goals, then I have a drawer full of tops to get quilted yet this year. Will not start another top till I get these caught up!!!

I have been on a mission for the last several months to get my tops actually quilted. I am hand stitching the binding on the second to last to be done. Woohoo for me! One more top to quilt. Already have backing/binding so it's only the quilting process. Up until this year I have been exclusively a hand quilter. For several reasons I jumped into machine quilting simply to get these quilts done. They are early quilts of mine that I never particularly cared for. Straight line, walking foot machine quilting. They are done! After I get the last one quilted the machine is going in for service and I am going to ruthlessly clean my sewing room. It's been forever since it's been done. I have dust bunnies and thread nests galore everywhere in that room. Battery cover on the TV remote is somewhere under a piece of furniture so the remote does not work at the moment. Straight and safety pins everywhere! You can barely walk in the room. No more sewing projects until the room (and the rest of the upstairs) is completely and thoroughly cleaned! I suspect (hope?) there will be at least some purging in the process. I have also methodically over the last couple of years giving my 'scraps' to another quilting friend so that pile is quite reduced as well. It's no longer a happy place for me to be so this is a very necessary step. But I am looking forward to planning my next quilt after the above process is complete.

NZ--well, new baby may be the best excuse anyone could have for being slow on quilting! LOL
I don't even worry about what I have in progress and isn't finished--figure some day I'll get back to that WIP (hopefully). I am trying to work on stuff I have instead buying more--frankly, I don't have more storage space or otherwise I would be buying. But one motive to work on my stash is the sampler I'm working on right now--it's a kit bought in 2011 and the shop cut the fabric so tightly! It may end up with only 9 blocks instead of 12. Christmas gifts do give me motive to move forward on some stuff though.

Yes, I set goals at the end of the year for the upcoming one. Do I stay on track? Rarely. Mostly because I am a mood quilter and I work what I'm in the mood for. I also find I make a list of techniques or skills I'd like to try. But I also don't get uptight about finishing quilts because if I'm not in the mood, it shows in my work.

This year my shoulder trouble sidelined me and practically crushed my desire for quilting --for 4 long months. But I was able to participate in a boom swap, I made big strides in decluttering, didn't buy any fabric till August (my birthday treat), and am confident I'll finish the one throw quilt and 3 doll quilts on my to-do list before Christmas.

I don't usually set this kind of goal. This is for pleasure; no pressure. That being said, on another thread a discussion was on keeping a record of quilts and I commented that since 2010 I've been keeping a spread sheet. When I first started the sheet I had to go back(wayyyyyy back) to get all tops, UFO's, WIP's and PIG's(not too many of those, just fabric in bags) to go on the list. The list was suppose to help you keep track of things.{yeah, right!} But it really did. It was also an eye opener as to just what I had, and what needed to be done to finish. I think I like making the tops more than quilting them. I say "I think" but I really don't feel that is true. But for some reason I have more tops than quilts. It could be that the LA is not in the same room that I piece in. I have so many, and the spread sheet showed them to me, that I said I would piece a top then quilt a top before I made another top. That didn't last long at all. But I have cut way back on tops just because I feel I should get more of them quilted before making others. One thing I've learned about myself since the spread sheet is I don't like UFO's or WIP's. When I start a top I don't start another until it is finished. And thanks in part to Juki, I can usually make a queen size top in about a week, no more than two and that's only working on it in the evening. I usually prepare the binding as soon as I finish the top. Now my goal is to make backings for all the tops. I have a few hanging with the tops now, but no where near all. A girl has to pet the machine some how and since I'm trying not to make any more tops......... And this will help my spread sheet numbers because backing is one of the check offs. So my goal for 2020 is to keep at what I've decided on for this year. (but there are so many patterns I still want to make[sigh]
What is a girl to do [sigh, again]

Well, yes. I did make my list of goals for 2019. I am not crossing off things very fast this year. My CFS has really kicked in this year. Dr. just started me on a new medicine so I have hope. I do relate to all of what has been said. The pins on the floor, messy sewing room. I just cleaned and vacuumed my room. Sucked up a lot of pins, dust, beads, sequins (I don't know where they came from) and a ton of threads and bits of fabric. My cleaner sewing room is inviting. It's more usable and streamlined. So maybe I will make progress in the rest of the year. If not, I will roll my goals over into 2020 and update my direction.

Oh yeah! I feel like I am running a marathon right now and am afraid I will not get done what I have on my plate right now. My quilt as you go quilt that I am doing right now is #1. Then I have 3 others. With canning season in full swing I am slowed down for now. I figure another week on the first one and then slowly work on the others. I can see one of them already ending up in the UFO for next year if I don't get busy and work my brain around the frog stitching that will be necessary to finish this one. (Double Irish Chain).

Haven't made a quilt for my self in a while...mostly concentrate on charity quilts for children in need. Been buying a good amount of fabric for these projects lately. But it has come to me that I should somewhat organize it all. I plan on getting 5 small totes, one pattern and fabric to complete it in one tote, until all 5 are used up. When I empty and complete a quilt I'll reuse that tote and put it in the back of the line. #2 is now #1 etc. I may have enough children's fabric to make 50 or more quilts!!

Each year at the beginning I set some sort of goal for myself, one year was to make a quilt a week, 52 quilts, and I reached that goal in 51 weeks. Last year was to challenge myself with projects I hadn't done before, and I achieved that goal. This year was to work on clearing my stash and limiting my purchases. I have done quite well with that. I have made 40 quilts so far this year, many of them bably quilts with stash fabric. I've been working on using up my stash of precuts, have done well with that, and have only purchased a few that I couldn't resist. Next year I think my goal will be to work on a Civil War quilt or two that I have been collecting fabric for. I will continue on with the intention of using up my stash.

I shoot for 12 a year. This year I will have finished more than 12, but I also wish to make some serious dents in my stash. As the years pass, I do not want to leave bins and bins of fabric for my children to deal with when I can no longer quilt or I have passed. I am part of the UFO group and finish about one a month. That is what is moving my yearly total closer to 20. I find a monthly goal easier to reach than a yearly goal!

I would love to set some 2020 quilt goals. A couple of you mentioned spreadsheets with your UFO's. Does anyone have a link to a good free spreadsheet? The ones that come up when I Google.... they seem to be links to expensive Quilt Planner binders or they are just simple "to do" lists. Thank you in advance!

I haven't been updating my spreadsheet for awhile, but I also have one. Last time I updated it I had less than 20 tops, I try to keep it under that. I don't think there is a one-size fits all for record keeping.

My Minions zip drive is not where it should be so I can't offer mine, but I will look for it today. I use Open Office, the files will open into Excel or other spreadsheet programs.

I have the name of project, size, and several boxes for comments like Binding Made? Back Made? Quilting Designs Selected?

When I started my list, mostly I had tops and needed various things. Now pretty much all projects are put in the "to be quilted" box(es) with a back, with the binding, and hopefully with an idea of how to put together. The binding I wrap around a largish piece of cardboard.

I like the idea of goals, otherwise I get too scattered and spend more time in the studio trying to decide which of my ongoing pieces to work on than actually getting any work done.:D

In the past I've tried to finish at least 12 UFOs each year in addition to quilts that are current WIP. I joined the UFO thread several years ago and it was really helpful at keeping me on track. However, as of the end of 2018 I had finished up all the relatively easy UFOs- the ones that only required a little more piecing, or just needed to be quilted.
The ones that were left (20+) are ones that for whatever reason seem a lot more daunting to me. So for 2019 I decided not to start any new pieces, but to only finish UFOs and WIPs. I thought surely I'd be able to complete one UFO as well as the WIPs that were scattered all over my quilting studio. BUuuut.....

So far, this year, I've been in a bit of a creative drought and have only finished 5 UFOs. I did start and finish one new project (a thread painted and quilted panel that I did as part of a Joyce Hughes workshop). I also started a piece in a Danny Amazonas workshop and will consider that one of my ongoing WIPs. Oh, and I also started a slow stitch kit which isn't really quilting, but there it is, another new project. Other than those, I have not started any new projects this year as I really wanted to get through more of my UFOs. I have one WIP left to complete and I think I'll get one UFO finished this month since it's now sandwiched and ready to be quilted (my favorite part of the process). I'm good with that as I've felt a need to slow down a bit.

For next year, I'm going to again concentrate on my pile of UFOs- I keep a list of them in my studio notebook and will try to choose one each month to complete. I also have 3 WIPs that I want to finish up: the Danny Amazonas workshop piece and the slow stitch piece mentioned previously and a whole cloth doodle quilt that I've been painting which needs more painting, some additional stitching and some embellishments.

Does anyone think it would be a good idea to create some sort of reward for accomplishing those goals? I think for me, I will reward myself for finishing one UFO and my DA workshop piece by signing up for a garment sewing class at my LQS- I've had my eye on one that they offer regularly and almost signed up for the fall offering, but decided to stick to my original goal of finishing each workshop project before starting another. So maybe setting that as my reward will help me get motivated:shock:

Rob

Goals??? Scary thought! I pretty much finish a flimsy..... I am really great at putting off sandwiching a quilt and quilting as I am not so good at quilting. Hate the thought of gathering up my “projects” and counting them....Scary!

Rob, what several friends of mine are doing are "reward jars" where for each day/time they do something they are supposed to do they pay themselves a set amount. You can do something like that and use it to fund your class you want. Each day you don't start a new project should be worth a dollar. Each time you work on something, another dollar.

Make a fancy jar and the price list for rewards and place it in a conspicuous place, whether that is in your sewing room or next to your coffee pot or whatever! The thing is to have a concrete reminder of what we are doing and why.

Oh lord, I think I’d feel too overwhelmed to even make a list. I have so many unfinished projects. It’s a wonderful idea for those who are more disciplined! Right now my only “deadline quilt” is for a humane society quilt auction next March.

Yes, I do! I will be thinking more specifically about setting goals & rewards for 2020. I think establishing a balance is key.

FYI - I keep an Excel spreadsheet of finished quilts/projects but have not tracked my UFOs, WIPs, PIGS, etc.. I think I will create something to help me focus and plan better - thanks for all the great ideas shared here :)

I'm no close to finishing my goals for this year. And today I agreed to make some fabric gifts for our guild's sale table in November so that puts me behind more. I am very good at carry over to the next year.

[QUOTE=TheMerkleFamily;8300803]Feeling a bit guilty that DH has asked me to make golf club covers since spring, better do that next.

i think this is a perfect christmas present. reminds me i have a dh request that would make a good present. what else is lying around that would be for dd & her dh? motivation for ufo's

my goals this year were so broad, it was easy to find a project to fit. completed at least 12 ufo, charity Q's, LA quilting, Using 120 yds fabric from stash, and finished ~10 Q's that were class projects. I didn't meet goals; "just for me", fiber art quilts, charity for another guild. Right now I'm recovering from shoulder surgery, prob 4 wks to any sewing project. For the rest of this year, hope to finish LA 10 charity Q's which are ufo. And finish 3 fiber art quilts that're just for me

next year 6-10 stacks of coordinated fabric can go into charity Q's. and another year of downsizing begins

I have had success with setting goals for 2019 (the first time I have done this). This system is working for me, because previously my UFO pile was constantly growing, and I almost never finished a project or so it seemed.

My 2019 goals were:
- New Projects: 4 (2 specified, 2 unknown)
- UFO Finishes: 6 (unspecified)
- Work on skills: A, B, C
If I completed 4 projects, I could increase one of these numbers by 1 (Reward)

So far, I have completed 3 new projects, and 2 UFOs. This is the first year ever, where my UFO pile has reduced in number. And I never felt like I was working on something I did not want to do! More exciting is, I have decided to spent the remainder of 2019 working on UFOs rather than start a new project! The skills in my Goals, were all skills that would help me finish projects. (FMQ, big stitch quilting) I did NOT name my UFO projects in my goals because I wanted the freedom to choose which UFO just before I tackled it.

Yes, I will be setting similar goals for 2020. My goals helped me to focus my efforts and get results, and still feel like I was trying new things.

Thanks for the chuckle!

Our LQS sponsored a UFO challenge for 2019. You had to write a list of your UFO’s and leave it at the shop. When you finish one, you bring it in to share, they cross it off your list and give you a ticket to add to a big drawing at the end of the year. I have so many friends who have been taking advantage of this.

Listing the UFOs on a paper was indeed scary. I recoiled in horror when I reached 12, then 13..... Although several (maybe 3) have been crossed off as done (done as a top is done, certainly not quilted or bound), more have appeared on the horizon.

I'm the kind of person who is quick to blame someone else. Who me? take responsibility, not a chance. So let's see who is to blame here.

I say this board is suspect as everyone here is so talented and produces so many lovely things. I just want to make one like them. Then you post the picture of something totally dazzling and I'm hooked. I'm off in an instant to order the pattern and then hi-ho hi-ho off we go to the fabric store. Yoder's department store and Lolly's are only eleven miles away. I'm doomed. Marcia

I don't set any goals for myself then I feel pressured and that is not why I make quilts. I enjoy making quilts on a leisurely basis and it is so relaxing. I too am a very slow sewer. I have two quilts waiting to put binding on and I have blocks for two Halloween quilts to be put together. However, I don't think my Halloween quilts will be done this year so will probably be the first two I work on in January.
My daughter and 3 granddaughters just moved to their new place after living with us for 8 years so I am getting my sewing room back ---!!! Just getting fabrics organized and pulling bins out of the shed in the back yard. I am so tired of sewing on the dining room table and having to clean up before getting ready for a meal. Having fun going thru my fabrics. :)

I am such an odd one! I finish everything. I usually have 3 things going. One to take to once a month quilting, one to take to the sew in at the local shop on Fridays and the one I’m quilting at home. I quilt my tops on my Brother PQ1500. I am not expert but I really do enjoy that part of it. I don’t have a stash to speak of. Maybe a couple drawers partially filled with leftover pieces and some fat quarters I have won at the shop and three bins of scraps. I have lots of ideas in my head but that’s where they will stay til I’m ready. I quilt for my own pleasure so there is no pressure and no deadlines. Mojo comes and goes. I am not bothered by that. One day all my quilts will be donated but right now I enjoy having them. That works for me - not suggesting anyone follow what seems to be very unusual quilting behavior!

I make charity quilts for the Head Start Program at my church. I have the 20 done that I need for this year and 15 or so tops which need to be sandwiched . The sizes are all approximately 40 x 50
which seems to work well with 4 year olds. I mostly use old sheets for the backing but I wonder if I'll get next year's batch done since I'm going in for major surgery soon. I can't work on any of them because I am making a Cowboys quilt for my dd and have vowed not to start anything else until it's done. I hate the way it's coming out. Bad choice or maybe too many cowboys fabric but she loves it so far. I'm cutting 3 inch borders out of the darkest fabric and that's it. Oh yeah, dd bought some other Cowboy fabric online for the backing and I think I'll have to piece that with other fabric. Hopefully when older dd comes in to help me after surgery, she has plans to sandwich some of my tops. Did I mention I Hate sandwiching. Don't know why there isn't a sandwiching machine. Well, that's enough venting. I usually finish one top before starting another.

I worked too hard and too long with deadlines and pressure to put myself under those guns with quilting. If I feel like quilting, I do; if I don't, I don't. I have made good strides this year in not buying so much fabric. I tell myself, that I have to make two quilts out of my stash before I will allow myself to buy more fabric. I have finally learned not to commit to making a quilt unless I really like the fabric/colors. I really procrastinate if I have asked (I know better.) what colors a person prefers, and they are not colors I enjoy working with. I do not quilt for others, but sometimes I want to give someone a quilt. I have decided if they do not like the quilt I give them, they can donate it to a shelter. Quilting is my recreation, and I do not need to add a lot of stressors to it.

We each work differently. We are motivated by different things. Deadlines and goals motivate me; gets my mojo moving. And usually goes to meloncholy and I don't do anything.

Had shoulder surgery Aug 27. Just realized, I'm typing with 2 hands! Progress!

I "currently" have 11 UFO's. (my definition: not sandwiched for quilting) I have 5-6 that are ready for quilting... My Word of the Year for 2018-19 is Completion. I started with 25+ UFO's on Jan 2018. I'm getting there. BUT oh look, a new pattern... AFADD (adult fabric attention deficit disorder) Truly trying to get a handle on this UFO issue so I don't feel overwhelmed.

I’ve only been quilting for a year and a half and have finished three quilts, have two tops waiting to be made into quilts and I have three quilts in progress currently that need to be finished by Christmas. I’ve written out every step for each one and am marking each step off with a red pen as I complete it. As an added incentive I ordered some custom labels for these Christmas quilts today and they all say 2019 on them so I really have no choice but to finish them now 😂

I agree.. I'm too am trying to "get All of my affairs in order". Not the spring chicken I once was. This place needs to be ready to go, when I've gone....

My husband and I were visiting with a classmate this morning about people who hoard items to be left for family to handle following a death.

My reasons for quilting are the challenge of designing, satisfaction of learning a new technique, and the stress relief for mental health. In the past two months, I have probably given away $2,000 worth of fabric, but the cost does not bother me or my husband.

Most recently I passed on hundreds of blocks made during my scrappy fabric era, the majority of my homemade pre-cuts, some yardage and batting. I was so fortunate to learn of a small business owner offering workshops to make a quilt for a child. First responders have even participated in the workshops to publicize the value of the availability of a quilt in the car trunk to wrap a traumatized child in something which brings comfort. This was an excellent place to re-home my extensive I Spy collection and children's prints.

The second group is composed to talented quilters who have the capability to design beautiful quilts for hospice patients. They rely on donations, both physically and monetarily. The supplies are used for such a good purposes!

The items I gave away were not for glory. They had served their purpose and could be used by others. This was not a waste of time or money on my part. I had made the purchases with my own discretionary funds. I have been very resourceful thorough out my life and it is time to downsize. I can't possibly use all of what I have. It is a pleasure to be able to pass things forward.

Fortunately, my wonderful husband has always supported my interest in quilting without complaint or judgment. Down-sizing consistently will give us the freedom to select what we want to do, how, and where. Now, it's time to go to my playroom and sew/ quilt/ pet fabric!

As my summer took over my time this year, then I hurt my shoulder so that's set me back some, still waiting for my dr appt to see what I did to it and its been since middle of July. Thought I'd have a couple quilts quilted by now but no such luck. Winter is coming soon enough so hopefully between the shoulder issue and winter I'll be able to cut down on the quilts needing quilted........only 12 on the rack to this date. Have 1 project on the design wall, 1 needing the binding turned and tacked down to be called finished, 1 project with its blocks made but waiting for the design wall and 2 projects waiting for me to get back to them. So if all goes well this winter should keep me busy enough that I won't care what the weather is like outside. Keep enough food for myself and kitties that I wouldn't have to venture out all winter unless I run out of TP.......!!!!!

Suz, you know you can order TP delivered from Amazon, right?