1. Continue to count fabric in and out of my stash.  The goal is not to reduce stash but to just monitor what comes in and what comes out.  I find that counting it, really keeps me – well, accountable.  When I am not monitoring it, it is easy for me to forget that I already added yardage last weekend and the weekend before and it is easy to constantly buy fabric because I love fabric, the colors, the feel of it.  I don’t need any more but I love to buy it.  So, by monitoring what comes in and what goes out, I can control my urges to buy more.  One day, I’ll make it a goal to reduce stash but that is not going to happen this year.

2. Concentrate on one thing at a time.  I want to finish quilts.  My goal is to finish 6 quilts.  When I’m working on multiple quilts at a time, nothing really gets finished.  Progress happens from week to week but really no finishes.  So I’ll work on one thing at a time.  The plan is to work on one quilt start to finish before going to the next project.  I know I will have a problem with this because I have quilters ADD.  I always want to do the newest BOM and work with the next fad.   As a result, I have a ton of UFOs – much more than what is actually listed on this site because that page has to be updated.  I know this is in direct contradiction to my priorities and to do’s post from last October and these thoughts may change again once I get really into it.  But I want to try and maybe this will work for me…

I’ll start with Scrapitude. Then work on the following quilts in this order (for now)…

• Tell It To The Stars
• Moon Glow
• Hampton Ridge
• Flowers and Baskets
• Raining Cats and Dogs
• Celtic Solsitce
• Grand Illusions!

3. View and complete Craftsy Classes – Last year, Sandy at Quilting for the Rest of Us had this as one of her goals and I admired her progress throughout the year.  This year, I’ll attempt to do the same.  I’m not planning on doing the reviews she did for each of the classes she takes but I do want to document which ones I have, which ones I’ve finished and which ones I’m working on in a similar fashion.  I also do not have a specific number that I want to complete, I just want to get some of these done. 🙂

4. Books – Similar to the Craftsy Classes, I have a bunch of books and magazines that have patterns and projects that I want to complete one day.  I won’t do a full on quilt since I do want to finish the ones I’ve got started, but I think I’ll do the small projects that I can finish in 1-2 weekends.  My goal is to do 1 per quarter – so just 4 for the year.  It seems small now but I want to keep things simple and realistic.  My main goal is to get quilts done (#2) so this book projects goal and the Craftsy class goal is secondary so I want to make them doable.

Update: Here’s how I did in 2015 as recounted on my recap post…

#1 – counting fabric – I was really good at counting fabric in and out.  I’m really happy that even though I’m still adding more than using, the net from year to year has reduced significantly.  In 2013, it was 158 yard.  In 2014, it was 107 yards and in 2015, it was 51.

#2 – work on one project at a time – I ended up getting really bored concentrating on one project at a time.  So I set up a project rotation to work on a different project every week.  I was able to get 3 projects to the to be quilted stage.  And if I hadn’t had to move in the middle of the year, I probably would have been able to get them all quilted.  But, it is what it is and now I’m planning on being in the black the first part of the year while I get them all quilted.

#3 – View and complete Craftsy Classes – I ended up forgoing this goal as I concentrated on working on projects and getting other things done.  I will continue to watch craftsy classes but I decided its not as important to me to complete them.  I found that I don’t really complete all the projects.  I learn from the classes by watching them and gaining tips and tricks without necessarily doing the projects.  That doesn’t mean I will not do the projects, only that I use the classes as a resource and something to watch while I’m working on a project.

#4 – Books – do projects in books – When I created this goal I was feeling upset about all the books I buy and not doing the projects in them.  I felt that I really should do the projects since I bought the books.  Now, this isn’t as important to me anymore.  I recognize now that the books are something that helps inspire me to do something creative.  It may not necessarily be the project that is in the book.  I especially love the books when I don’t have time or the space (like when I was moving and packing).  It allows me to be in a creative place when I can’t be creative.  So, I’m letting this goal go.  I want to spend time working on things that matter to me, that I enjoy doing.  One day, that might mean working on a project from a book.  But that doesn’t mean I have to make it a goal.  I’m okay with enjoying the pictures and knowing that if I ever want to work on a project, I can pull it out and do so.