rryder

Hey Y’all,
Since we’re in a new year I thought I’d start a new thread. No organizing for me today since it was a barn day, but tomorrow I will work on time organization.

In mid December I started a notebook with a to do list for my studio and it was really helpful. I listed the projects that I needed to finish and the date each was due. Then I listed each task needed to complete the project and crossed them out with a yellow highlighter when done. Using the list, I was able to walk into my studio and get to work rather than spending time looking at all the piles and trying to decide what to tackle and getting overwhelmed. It was especially useful on those days when I only had a small amount of time to spend in the studio since I can quickly run down the list and find some small task to complete- thus keeping the projects moving along and lessening the feeling of being overwhelmed.

I’m going to continue that for 2019. Tomorrow I am going to make a list of the quilt shows I want to enter and organize it by entry due date. I’ll put that list on page 1 of my 2019 studio to do notebook. Page 2 will be a list of UFOs and also WIPs that have specific due dates (like birthdays and gallery shows). Following those lists will be my pages for each month.

has anyone else tried this method to help organize their studio time?

Rob

Conchalea

Rob, it sounds like you’re off to a good start! I have not tried anything like this. The closest I came was listing the colors I mixed to tie-dye some yarn, & even that fell off after a while. I have listed quilts I want to make & those I’ve finished. That’s about the limit to my organizational skills.

PamelaOry

I broke down and invested in a quilting planner. It should be here tomorrow. I’m excited for it to get here so I can sit down and organize my wip and ufo’s and come up with a plan to keep things moving forward.

gramajo

Nothing too organized for me. I'd spend way too much time in just making lists. I'm almost finished with a quilt; I made a short list today of what I want to work on next. I have a college graduation quilt for my grandson due in May. I have a UFO I want to finish putting together (no quilting on that yet) and the pillow cover for my February Kimberbell. I should have time to do these last two before the graduation quilt. I have several UFOs for finish after that. Then there are lots of things I want to do. I'll decide on those in May.

Rhonda K

My focus for 2019 will be small projects and wall hangings for my own use. I have seasonal embroidery designs and want to make something for each month.

No babies or weddings on the radar so no time pressures. I am also venturing into some paper and card projects for 2019 which will be fun too.

retiredteacher09

Thanks Rob for starting this thread.

Last year I made lists for the following things:

yardage used, donated: I did a great job keeping track in this category.
yardage purchased: I am missing a receipt that has my biggest purchase so this one didn't get completed yet.
UFO's: finished 1 of 2
Wips: I finished some; started new ones and added them
BOM/BOW: I did pretty well recording which weeks/months I completed for the first 9 months. So fairly successful.

I will make similar lists again this year. Unfortunately, a few WIPS will probably be added to the UFO group as their year anniversary approaches.

Although I am a retired teacher, I go through periods of being a very, very busy substitute teacher. I just need to learn to say no. LOL!

On a different organizing note, I am using your idea Rob for trying to purge something every day. I am, however, just trying to get to 365 items tossed, donated, or recycled for anything in the house this year. I decided I would count out 365 buttons from my DMIL and sort them by putting one button in it's color bin each time I get rid of something. I have pretty loose rules: A large garbage bag of shredding delivered to the pet shelter; a box into recycling that has been hanging around for at least 6 months, individual pieces of plastic food storage, etc will each be one button. At least I will have visual progress this way along with some buttons sorted by color.

I know l have 2 new quilt tops that I will start this year. One is a BOM through a LQS and the other is a BOW through a die cutter group.

Also, I will continue sorting through scraps and using strips in strip blocks.

Conchalea

Connie, it’s a good idea to list fabric used in projects. I think I’ll start that with this Unwind quilt I’m working on. I’ll also list any new fabric I bought to complete a project. I should try to add prices as well. It should help me stay on the Moratorium Wagon, since I fell off today to get backing for my current quilt.

oksewglad

Today worked in the office most of the day...treated myself to sewtime. I am participating in a small mystery quilt and pulled out fabrics to use for it...a country themed quilt for Christmas is my color scheme. Got 2 blocks cut...more if I wouldn't have watched a college BB game...and yes they won!

In my quest to get scraps under control...I pulled out a bunch of less than a FQ scraps, starched them and will trim them down when I have 10-20-30 minutes. These are from the brights scrap bin.

jmoore

Rob, thank you for starting this year’s thread. Even though my sewing room stays pretty organized I do find great ideas and motivation here as to staying on track with projects.

PamelaOry, I think you’ll like the Quilt Planner. It contains some great pages/sections to log your projects. I still use mine from two years ago...I should have asked for a new one for Christmas.

Connie, I think I will adopt your idea of logging fabric purchases, usage and donations. I’m sure it will be an eye opener for me. Although I don’t have a large stash by any means, I am going to make it a goal this year to use as much as I can from it, especially that which I have been looking at for a couple of years...or donate it.

ka9sdn

This year I AM going to clean up my studio and keep it that way--one project at a time! I got waylaid last year and just have a lot of stuff laying out that needs to be put away, then I got sick in Oct. and am finally feeling better so I need to clean. Wish me luck. Then after that finish quilting several tops--then I can start something new.