Wednesday, January 4, 2012

First WIP of 2012

Sorry...I don't want to disappoint you...These WIPS aren't
actually FIBER-ous or QUILTY.
 
It IS
... kind of related to WORKs IN PROGRESS.
First it's about a LIST.

...a list that I started early in 2011

 ~ ~ It's a WIP list ~ ~

You might be surprised to see the list attached to a door?  Wheeeel,
...there WAS a reason for this.  And, the reason sounded good at the time.
 If it was in plain sight,
right under my nose... while I was in my sewing room...then,
I wouldn't want to start new projects.
I wouldn't want to start new projects because...I'd be reminded
by this huge list - of all ones I'd already started.
This is where we both sing/SHOUT in unison

...YEAH, RIGHT!!!

You can see here that I DID do SOME of the things on the list.

AND, well...
as you can see here...some things went  "un-noticed"

Now, I worked hard at the beginning of last year...CREATING
 this "wonderful" list ...on an excel file and enlarging for the door.
 I put titles of quilts, how old the project was,
if it was a kit and what percentage of complete it was. 
Then, they were prioritized by number.
In retrospect, I don't think  I'm sure, this list
 - no matter how "in-my-face" it was -
 really motivated me to finish many quilts.  It did, sorta
... for the first couple of months.  After that, it was just
a pretense to ignore.  I think I just have a hard time being
accountable to just myself.  =( 

One BIG thing that really helped me last year was joining OPAM!
TEN quilts were completed by my hands last year...yeah!
I can't deny that a few of those finishes were BRAN-new projects.

I think another help for my getting some quilt finished is that I
bought a long-arm and have been machine quilting my own quilts.

I have a few goals this year
 - not resolutions...just destination points.
For me, it's like creating a map (planning a trip) to a place I'd like to go. 
 I need to have the goal to make the map.  
I also want to have points of interest along the way.
I want to enjoy the journey. Enjoying the journey might include
taking classes, purchasing new products - tools or fibers.
 I can keep the destination in sight. 
 But, I don't have to beat myself up if I don't actually get to
 the destination on a certain date.  I can still get "there" just at
a different time.

So...part of my map (for crafty/quilty) in these current weeks, is to get
projects organized and categorized
...in certain locations and labeled so that I know
what's where.

These are some ClosetMaid cubicles I bought on sale this
week.  They come in 9 cubes, 6, and 2.  Each cube measures approx 12x12.
The fabric drawers come in quite a few colors.  I can put 2-4 quilt projects/kits
per drawer.  After I have all the cubicles assembled and projects in drawers,
I will make labels as to what is in each drawer.


and....the cubicle-project drawers have freed up more space
on the shelves for________________???
(dare I fill in the blank line above with the word... FABRIC?) 
Most of my family members would shoot me if I did!!  

So for this Wednesday, my WIP is ...
organizing  

I'm hoping next Wednesday, I will have an actual
quilty WIP.

One of my goals for 2012 is to blog each Wednesday
about a project I am working on
=============

Has organizing been part of YOUR New Year's
WIPs?


20 comments:

Vroomans' Quilts said...

But a list like that is super. And it did serve it's purpose if you even did a little on it - looks like more than a little. Love the new cubies.

Susan said...

That sounds so like me - I did a list at the beginning of 2011 (in a spreadsheet with priority numbers) snd worked on and finished quite a few - but also added "quite a few" - its just an addiction isnt it? Good Luck with reducing your list this year!!

c. Joy said...

I saw your list and started laughing. I do the same thing with freezer paper and a Sharpie! I like the 'goals' idea better than resolutions - sometimes we resolve to do things and then discover they will take time to implement... it's better to break them down into manageable bites or goals so they aren't so intimidating. I leave you now to go and drink more water. ;)

Anonymous said...

That list idea skeers me!

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

I'm good at making lists and then ignoring them too - lol! I like the cubby idea for all the projects. Mine end up in bags and then get stacked and forgotten.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Thank you for stopping by my blog, and for commenting. :-)

No snow for you either, hu? Then you can understand my excitement, at flakes falling.

But of course, by now the ding-dang sun is trying to come out. -pout-

Love your blog name, btw. I'd love to always wear Ruby Slippers!!! Do you try? To wear red shoes?

"Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers, I think;
When I'm grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these."

~Christopher Morley

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Ohhh and I love lists too! Not long ones. Daily ones, at times. It feels so goooood, to mark things off! With a big marker. :-)

"Animal crackers, and cocoa to drink,
That is the finest of suppers, I think;
When I'm grown up and can have what I please
I think I shall always insist upon these."

~Christopher Morley

suemac said...

Well you did make a little dent. I got all of my quilt tops (specifically made for a person)done but three. I have other ones in the closet that are charity quilts or tabletoppers that I have not done anything with. Just gave a pieced lap quilt to a friend. She is making homemade gifts for her mom's assisted living center for bingo prizes. It is out of my closet into hers. She is much better at finishing up projects on a timely basis.

The Twilight Quilters Coven said...

Good for you! I love your "map" idea.... Organization!!

Chris H said...

You ROCK! at organising.
I must do it too... though my sewing area is fairly organised now, just not as amazingly as yours.

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

What a fantastic idea with your list....it looks like you did achieve heaps...gald OPAM helped...not long for our sign up for 2012....

Deb said...

I love lists! However, it is more because I don't remember things rather than as a goal setter. I have lists all round he house!! I then need a list to remember where all my lists are.

LimeRiot said...

Oh my goodness!! I can't believe the work that must have gone into creating that list. Good for you for being that organized! I love making lists. Sometimes I make lists for the lists I want to make :).

I've joined a Craftalong over on Craftster to keep track of some of my project goals and what I've accomplished this year. There is a great group of motivational and talented people participating.

Fabraholic said...

Sure thing; lists are just great! You do sound my kind of person. Last year I had 25 items on my UFO list; this year I've counted 21 so far.
My plan is to keep the UFO in boxes and not to start anything new until one of the boxes is empty. This method worded rather well, but some of the projects didn't fit into these small boxes so they got forgotten...

Michele said...

Absolutely! I moved almost everything around in my craft studio twice already and I'm much happier. I hope to actually get it painted before spring so I can hang lots of pretty things on the walls. Your list...well I make lists all the time and wouldn't ever think of living without them. It is the only way I make progress.

Barb Neiwert said...

The only way I can make a dent in my projects is to write down what I'm going to work on next. SO many new ideas come to mind each day as I cruise across the Internet of my quilting friends, that it is awfully easy to get distracted. I'd say you did quite well with marking items off your list last year - congrats!

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

What a great list! I did a list last year and I really need to get one made for this year. I've been cleaning my quilt room and finding a lot of quilt tops that I need to quilt. I like it being goals instead of a resolution too!

Sarah Craig said...

You'll love your cubbies - I have four sets, 2 8s and 2 9s, in my studio that hold my fabric. I've found that by folding my fabric around a 5" wide ruler, I can put two stacks of fabric in each cubby! Good start on the organizing- I need to do some of my own! Whoop whoop!!

Diane said...

I love how pretty your list is.. I did the same with a list on my design board... didn't help me much either. When I wanted to workon something I looked around and grabbed something, I didn't go to the list.

pinsandneedles said...

I have decided that organizing was a need in my sewing room too! I have spent the last couple of days ironing and folding my stash. It is fun to see the neat little piles, but it did create a whole new pile of scraps.