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Plans for 2011

I’ve been thinking more about blog projects  in 2011.  Here’s what I’m thinking . . which is subject to change (over and over again if necessary!).  Tell me what you think and if you have better ideas, we’ll do it your way.  You can play along with one or all the ideas.

  1. Stash Reports will continue on Sunday.  You can add as much info to your report as you’d like.  Stashbusting isn’t going to be my main focus in 2011.  I’m not going to buy fabric . . actually my goal is to buy nothing in 2011, and I’ll report my ins and outs but I doubt I share my running total . . or I might do it once a month but not every week.
  2. Some had mentioned wanting to share photos of their stash to see if there’s any noticeable change.  On the first report for each month, I’ll recommend that you share photos if you wish.  I am not going to share photos.
  3. Design Wall posts will continue on Monday.
  4. UFO Challenge – I’ve heard of others doing this and I think it would be fun.  Number your UFO’s that you want to complete during the year.  Number them 1 – 12 (for the months).  Each month I’ll draw a number and that’s the UFO you complete for that month.  If you have 24 UFO’s you want to complete, then number then 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, etc.  Then whatever number I draw, you’ll do A & B for that month.  Start making that UFO list.  Photograph your projects if you’d like and share them on your blog.  We’ll have a UFO post with a link box right before the first of the year.
  5. Monochromatic Monthly Quilts – I’ll put in the colors and each month will draw one.  You can do one if that color suits your fancy or you can skip it.  No accountability — just do it if you want.  No set size — make a pillow or a wall hanging or a throw or bed quilt . . whatever makes you happy.  I don’t know if there are 12 colors — there’s always red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.  But then there’s pink, brown.  That’s 9.  Maybe we should skip December because of the holidays.  Maybe one month could be black, white and one other color and one month could be your choice for a 2 color quilt.  How does that sound?  Also, for the color, you can add white, ecru or black along with the color.  Say January is blue — you could add any shade of blue, along with white or ecru or black (but not black and white).  Can you do that?
  6. Memorial Day Challenge – We will do another Memorial Day Challenge quilt to be donated as a QOV if you desire.  You can make it and keep it if you want, or donate it as a QOV.  More info on this will be posted as we get closer to Memorial Day but put it on your calendar if you want to do participate so you don’t get caught by surprise.

Anything else I need to remember?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Ya the UFO challenge would be good! I have a bunch of them, but have crossed 17-20 off this year. It helped posting a list on my BLOG! Just one more reason to click on your BLOG each day…

  6. It all sounds good to me, especially the UFO and monochromatic quilt. Keep it coming and thank you.

  8. Funny how we seem to get more accomplished when we have a ‘friend’ to share the progress with. Thanks, these are wonderful ideas. My life is full of good intentions. I declare this the year to finish projects but just get side tracked all the time….reading blogs doesn’t help ;P

  10. I really like the monochromatic quilt idea. I’ve been kinda dreaming of something along those lines all by myself, so your challenge could be the motivation I need.

  11. I really enjoyed doing the Memorial Day QOV. I’m up for that again this year. The rest sounds good too, especially the monochromatic quilt idea.

    Thanks for all you do to inspire us.

    Judy D in AZ

  12. I’ll definitely play along on the monochromatic challenge! It’ll be a great way to weed out some of my color bins.
    Jeanne 🙂

  14. I like your ideas and I’m glad it’s okay if we only make a wall-hanging or a pillow cover sometimes (for the monochromatic quilts). If I do anything throw-sized or larger, I’m not able to quilt it myself and it then becomes a UFO until I can afford to send it off to be quilted…so doing smaller projects really works best for me most of the time!

  15. This sounds like a great plan for next year. Added to my list is to get my own blog. My daughter has promised to help me on her break from college. I just think I could keep track better that way. The UFO challenge is a great idea and so is the monchromatic quilt. I was able to finish several UFO’s this year without creating too many more. I have one more border to put on my Connect The Dots (YEAH! I even did the pieced border. A first for me.)

  16. I’m all over the UFO challenge, I need the motivation (read: kick in the butt). Since I have more than 30, I guess I’ll have to pick 24 of the easiest ones so I can do 2 per month. Whew! Really sounds challenging 🙂

    I also enjoy the design wall Monday, that keeps me going over the weekend — I like having something to show.

  17. I participate in a UFO Project where we have five projects that are due within the year, but it can be any one of the five. The due date is fixed end of every other month with the last month being November. You can do them ahead of time if you’d like. Gives a little more flexibility to changing schedules and events that creep in. The five items are made “Official” in January. Gives you extra time at the end/beginning of the year to tackle the most challenging UFO.

    I also have a UFO Pattern challenge that I came up with in 2010. We purchase/or obtain free from different sources so many patterns that we want to make…but never seem to get to. They aren’t a UFO Project since it isn’t something we’ve purchased fabrics or pulled fabrics or started stitching. I’ve challenged myself for five of these within a year. With no set deadlines. I’ve been able to get to my five in 2010 and plan to continue the challenge in 2011. Just a different swing to a UFO…

    My UFO Project challenge partners are a combination of folks. Not all of us do the final quilting. To make the challenge fair to all of us we make the “Finish” be at the top which doesn’t include the quilting.

    I’m in for the QOV project, but haven’t got the knowledge of what the acronym stands for :(!

    Check out my website http://www.kwiltnkats.com under Challenges and you’ll see how I record my UFO Projects and UFO Patterns. I post a photo to my website when the project is finished through binding. Fortunately all of mine are with my long arm quilters except for my last UFO Project that I missed the November 30th due date….it should finish this week though…I’ll have all 2010 goals achieved soon.

    Thanks Judy! Sandi

  18. I knew there was a reason that I look at YOUR blog before anyone else’s EVERY day (actually a few times a day), even thought Google Reader puts them in alphabetical order…just gotta jump to the p’s.

    THANKS! Can’t wait…and if I commit to not buying ANY fabric in 2011, I guess I’ll just have to ask for money for Christmas, so I can go stock up on what I “might” need for all these challenges!!! WHOOHOOOO!!!!

  19. Great ideas.
    I was going to remind you again, (now everyone can witness-opps) if you wanted to put a place on your blog (or website?) for us to put our quilts of yours that we make, so we can see everyone’s and what people are doing. There are so many great ideas out there of how to do things so many ways.
    I like the Quilt of Valor idea, but by the time spring comes, not too much sewing is getting done! Worse then Christmas for me! But, as always, will follow along faithfully…

  20. I like the UFO Challenge idea…I’d planned on getting 12 done this year but 7 are done and #8 still needs binding…with me running to VA for 2 weeks on Monday and then having the kids for Christmas, it’s doubtful I’ll get it done.

  21. Wow! Love your list. I like all of your ideas and will try to remember to check out your blog to play along. I like the UFO idea. At first I thought I didn’t have 12, and I don’t have 12 quilting projects, but I probably do have 12 projects if I factor in the sewing I want to get done next year BEFORE December so I’m not rushing at the end like I am now. Plus, I have several nono-sewing projects that need to be finished I may put them on the list. I’m thinking I can number my quilting/sewing projects and my non-sewing projects on two seperate lists and do one of each when you post the number. Sounds like a plan to me. I hope you don’t mind if I play along like that. 🙂 – Nita

  22. I can’t wait to see the monochromatic quilt ideas…I remember seeing a beautiful broken Texas star in a magazine many(many) years ago.the palest of yellows and white…it was very French Country in its look and stunning….hmm..maybe a new project to keep in mind!!

  23. Sounds like a plan! I love the UFO challenge idea and the Memorial Day QOV. I am in for both of those. Thanks for all you do to make blogland fun Judy!

  24. I love all the ideas Judy, and am waiting to see how it all unfolds, sounds like great fun, thank you!

  25. I like the sounds of all of it. I don’t (yet) have a blog, but when I get it going, I’ll probably participate in the Design Wall Monday. Probably not in the Stash Report, because I’m not too worried right now about how much I use or buy, although just naturally, I’m mostly only buying things I need to finish something in progress. Except for those things that just insist they need to come home with me 😉

    I’m like Brita, who has more than 24 UFOs — but I’m WELL into triple digits. So I think I’ll just work on prioritizing them and plugging away at them, regardless of what number you draw. I really hope to finish more than 24 next year, anyhow. I have hopes of finishing 12 or so yet this year! Don’t burst my bubble, please.

    Judy, as always, thank you for all you do for us, and all you share with us, quilty and not. Your blog’s always a comfortable place to stop by and visit.

  26. I can’t wait for 2011 to begin reducing my stash, finishing more UFO’s and trying some of your challenges. I also have goals of QOV to make and quilt, and my charity quilts, but I’m open to new ideas too. Thanks for keeping the stash busting plan. It really helps me get something finished so I can keep my numbers changing. IF I ever get someone to help and find the time, I would like to have a blog — just so I can post what I’m working on for others to see and maybe be inspired, but it seems like a big guzzler of time, which is at a premium aready. We’ll see.

    Thanks again for all you do, Judy. You are indeed a friend to me even though you reside far away. You are always there to listen and support and motivate — all the things that make for good friends. Dar in MO

  28. I especially like the UFO challenge. I uncovered an unfinished project recently that’s got to be 15 years old. Now she’s too big for that sweet baby dress with the crocheted lace top, but it still needs to be finished.

  29. I will continue to participate in the Design Wall Monday (when I’m not too lazy to take a picture and post it). lol

    I like the UFO idea. At first I thought I didn’t have that many UFO but I probably do.

    I hope to participate in the QOV this year so I like that idea also.

    Monthly monochromatic quilts are cool also.

    Boy, I guess I’m just in an agreeable mood today. lol

    I think the most enticing part is that you are not putting any pressure on anyone. I like the participate if you want and have fun attitude.

    Thanks for the time you put into this blog and projects. By the way, Arkansas is pretty cool-even if we have personal property tax along with real estate taxes. Ugh!!!!

  30. The UFO project sounds good, but stashbusters has a similar program. I would think that if the plan is too labor intense dropping the UFO project might be appropriate. Just a thought.

  31. Sounds like great ideas. I’m planning on working on my UFOs next year again — it’s an ongoing battle for me since I’ve got about 30 projects which haven’t made it to the top stage and then another 40 quilt tops. In the past I’ve had issues with the # pick because invariably I want/need to work on quilt #2 and #6 has been picked. However, since I currently only have 2 must finish quilts, I may just pick a dozen quilts not in my must finish list and see what happens.

  32. I was just thinking of settin gup my 2011 calender of plans
    now you add to it for me-LOVE IT
    lol
    first saturday of every month I go to a shop 50 miles away to Honey Bee, for BOM, then do my Austin errands. so I decided rather than put the block making off, that I would allow Sun. after that saturday to be the day I do the block
    get it out of the way. Plus work on the previous yearS blocks I didnt do and get those ufo’s done and out to friends I wanted to give them to

  33. You have been busy thinking – my dear – while you were sewing I am sure and cooking as we all multi task, right – all are GREAT ideas … hope I can take part in some. BTW- my Memorial Quilt I made last year has been passed along to a girl here in Florida who delivers quilts and pillow cases to a Vets Hospital each Nov. I think she had over 200 quilts this year and I dont know how many pillow cases. (Even though I am Canadian- we live here 6 months, so I do my part for solider quilts here and in Canada)

  34. I like this plan. I don’t keep account of my material and it would probably take me months to figure it out. I inherited lots of material from my mother months ago and just recently this week. But UFO definitely could get me moving again.

  35. Like all your ideas and hope to participate this year to get those UFO’s out. Like the different color each month idea also. Glad you will continue the Mon. design wall showing.

  37. I love the idea of the UFO Challenge. I’ve already decided that 2011 is the year to finish some of those projects that I love but have not finished. Love Design Wall Monday. Love the idea of a QOV for Memorial Day. Thanks so much for making plans that include us!

  38. I love all of your 2011 blog ideas, but please don’t stop posting your personal weekly stashing busting numbers. Each week your numbers inspire me to finish my projects . . . I think of all that you do, and yet you always manage to hit such a HIGH number of yards of fabric used. Inspirational!

    Can you share with us why your goal is not to buy any fabric next year? It is a hefty goal, I know. My girl friend and I tried it this year. Each year I usually buy A LOT of yardage, and so far this year I have bought less than 35 yards of fabric and have sewn up about a 100 yards. We started this goal for many reasons . . . one of which is that we are so very blessed in America, that people (we) have so much stuff (crap :0) that we have to go out and rent storage unit(s) for all of it because our closets, attics, basements, etc. are brimming over. We were just tired of being in the clutches of materialism and decided to manage “what we have” before adding to the pile.

    Thank you for your blog, Margo

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