The 2024 Plans For Quilting: 24 in '24 and The We Who Love To Make Check Mark's Club

“Make New Year’s goals. Dig within, and discover what you would like

 to have happen in your life this year. This helps you do your part.

It is an affirmation that you’re interested in fully living life."

—Melody Beattie, author 

Happy new year and happy planning!

 So, so much planning and goal-making right now.

I love it!

And let me tell ya, I am not the only one out there.

There's not a thing wrong with making those goals and I might

just have words (kind ones) (er, sort of) with anyone who disagrees

with that.  And look, I know a few of you mean well but please,

please don't tell us list-makers not to over-do it, not to make

too-high of goals or any of those other discouraging comments.

A lot of us thrive with big goals and/or with lots of goals.

Just seeing them written down triggers something in our

creative souls.   Our fingers begin to twitch.  It's time for action!

We Who Love to Make Check Marks (WWLMCM) actually need that

hit so please do not discourage us!  Making a goal is making a

start and if starts aren't made, then things just don't happen.

So there. 😉

I was struggling to get a start on this year's list, which is pretty

unusual, and then it hit me.  Well, two things hit me actually:

[Ha! Look! I'm making a list already!]

Anyhoo...

1) I have UFO's.  I have UFO's hanging over me!

Generally, I do NOT allow UFO's because they block me mentally!

(it's that "unfinished business" thing)

But a few creeped in this year, mostly due to "double" projects:

ones cut out at the same time to save time but due to a lack of

 time I didn't find time to get back to to them.

So I believe the lesson for me here is:  don't do it next time.

2) I love my lists but darn it, sometimes things run amok and

suddenly the list is managing me.  A little of this happened in

late-fall but I've gotten pretty good at recognizing when it's

happening, and why.  I don't want to dissect what's a bit of a

"working at home" issue so I'll just say it continues to be pretty

frustrating for me at times but I'm working on balance,

and maybe someday I'll even find it.

Well with those two lessons (and some digression) in mind,

let's make some goals! Today I'm linking up to Quilting Jet Girl's 

2024 Quilting Planning Party, Quilt Schmilt's Tuesday To Do and

Melva's Sew & Tell.  (Btw, if you missed last week you might

want to go check out my 2023 Trunk Show and Yearly Wrap-Up.)

HOW MANY?

I thought 24 quilts would be decently aggressive and fit nicely

with the whole "2024" thing.  But as I was working on my

2023 Quilty Wrap-Up and Trunk-Show, I discovered I actually just

made 26 quilts in '23.  And most were substantially-sized quilts!

So how do I plan after that?  Well 24 still seems like plenty, even for

an obsessed quilter but I have skills and education that need

some focus, along with plenty of other non-quilt goals so:

2024 Quilt Count Goal:  24+ quilts

Looking down the road, I plan to have my goals will match the

years--while they remain do-able--because that sounds fun.

Anyone with me on the "24 in 24"?

HOW MUCH FABRIC?

I might buy a lot but I use a lot.  Just not enough.

 I have yet to meet my goal of using more than I buy but I did get

within sight of it in '23.   Look, it's time to get real about this:

Fabric Goal:  Use 24+ yards more than I buy

EDUCATION

Quilt Path, ruler work and custom/FMQ are all areas in which I want,

and need, to increase my knowledge and skills.   These are some

things I haven't really made time for but it's just time that I do.

I also need to learn more about my Pfaff that I bought last January.

It has more tricks than I could remember but now that I've had it

and work with it daily, I think I should go back and let the dealer

re-teach me some of those things that didn't stick.

Education Goal:  Become proficient in ruler/FMQ/custom work

Run through video and workbook courses on Quilt Path

Learn more about my Pfaff

And now for the actual quilts!

*Note:  Like a lot of us, I stocked up on Martingale books before

they disappeared.  Many of my project plans are from these.

1) FIRST, finish any UFOs

I already finished one before the new year but I do intend

on getting most of these finished in the next few weeks.

(those last two are biggies tho!)

a. Cabin in the Woods

The first was made for a friend but

I had so much fabric, I thought I'd just make a second.  

b & c. Two baby quilts

  

Made from a 3-from-1 layer cake pattern for my granddaughter,

I cut the other two out but with no imminent need for baby quilts,

it was all set aside.  Time to make them up for listing in the shop...

unless someone I know has a baby girl, of course.

d.  "Kelley" by Edyta Sitar,  A Season In Blue 

Meant as a side-project but it's time to get it done.

e. "Farmer's Wife" 

Started several years ago and not intended to be an

all-at-once finish but it got pushed aside when I started

selling quilts.  I'm over halfway--more than in pic.

2) Charity quilt(s)

3)  "Aspen" by Edyta Sitar,  A Season In Blue 

Stick with the blues?  Probably--but hmm, what about reds?

4)  Flying Geese by Bonnie Hunter

I do love geese.  But what colors?

 

5) Autumn Sky by Lisa Bongean, Rustic Gatherings

Can I make a variation of this from some of my trimmings/HST's?

6) "Scarlet Stars" by Kim Diehl--Simple Whatnots

I gifted this one but I'm so into red these days I now want one!

7)  Irish Chain(s) in green, maybe another in red/ivory

8) "Star Toss" Cindy Blackberg, Big Book of Favorite Scrap Quilts

This is the main one on the cover.

9) "Tracking Tradition" by Debbie Robbers

Red & White Quilts (Martingale)

This has been a to-do for several years. 

10) "Slapdash" by Kim Diehl

Simple Double-Dipped Quilts 

11) "A Dash of Plaid" by Kim Diehl

The Big Book of Quick To Finish Quilts

Saw this made up at a LQS and it is beautiful.

Fall quilts:

12) "Halloween-ish" by Susan Ache

 Big Book of Favorite Scrap Quilts

Have lots of neutrals in small amounts.  Must use up.

13) "Harvest Pumpkins" by Julie Hendricksen & Vickie Gerike

County Seat Quilts  

I had a blast making this the first time.  I recently picked up

a great background fabric for it so an encore is on the way.

14) Something with Primitive Gatherings flannel FQ set

This is a classic case of "saving fabric" but it's time to use it.

Christmas quilts:

15) "Christmas Vacation" by Susan Ache

The Big Book of Favorite Scrap Quilts

In reds or greens.  This would check off the Irish Chain, too.

16)  "Nestled in the Trees," Coach House Designs

17) "Peppermint Pines" by Erica Arndt

Made the above two, now planning a third for a gift

18) "Holiday Forest" by Edyta Sitar

As if I hadn't made enough of these already,

I still want to get a 5th done in blues/ivories.

There are easily another 10 that I could list but I think I should

stop there.  I have no idea if all of these will get made but it's

a pretty safe bet that at least most will.  And now that I have

a nice list to go off of, I'm getting excited to begin.

A FEW OTHER GOALS

 1)  Start running again.

2) Be more active in quilt guild & church quilt group.

(I rarely go, usually due to schedule conflicts)

3) Make Christmas gifts for next year.  I can't list what

I have in mind but there's a lot so I want to start asap.

4) Bring out the knitting needles again!

Especially in the evenings.

5) Listen to and/or read 25+ worthwhile books:

classics, history and/or theology/Faith-based.

6) Get rid of one thing every day

Yes, for 365 days.  Less stuff = less work.  

Well that's probably enough daydreaming goal-setting for

the year ahead.  I'm getting pretty excited to get started on

quite a few of these!  

Can't wait to see what everyone else is planning!

And hey, let me know if you're a WWLMCM member!
Happy planning and happy New Year!