Year End Reckoning and 2018 Goals

Normally, I do a year end review on how much quilting I've gotten done in the last year. 2017 was a horrible year for finishes, I only finished three quilts total, the worst year since I started quilting in earnest. Just because I only finished three quilts, doesn't mean I didn't work on any quilts, or finish non-quilty sewing.

Here are my empty spools from 2017. They represent 11,206 yards of thread, or 6.4 miles if you prefer.

I made a bunch of placemats, potholders, bean bag frogs and some other misc. stuff this year. I made several quilt tops this year, just failed on the quilting part.

So, how does the 2018 quilting forecast look? There are so many variables right now, it's hard to predict. I did join the Stashbusters Yahoo Group UFO challenge, to help keep me on track. I need to finish the backlog of wedding quilts that are long overdue, as well as make three baby quilts for babies due this year. Two of the wedding quilts are quilt tops, two are halfway or more on their way to being tops, and one only has some cutting done. Those five wedding quilts and the baby quilts are my priority, along with getting quilts on the beds in our house. I've got tops made for three of the beds in the house.  I have one that would match our bedroom adequately, that needs the top assembled, but all the blocks are made.

I've got things working for me quilting-wise, and things working against me. Right now, it's looking like there will be 2.5 months of 2018 I will likely get no sewing done at all. That's a big chunk of the year to lose. Also working against me is my repetitive stress injury, which is still causing problems, and is slowing my progress considerably.

In my favor are my new sit down longarm, along with the quilt suspension system DH said I should get. Hopefully the quilt suspension system will make quilting easier on my arm.

Right now I have no sewing room, but sometime this summer, that should change, and I think having a sewing room again will make things easier. Knowing I will have whole months without quilting makes me hesitate on saying 2018 will be a banner quilting year for me.

In order to keep things straight for myself, I'll list my 2018 goals.

1) Finish and deliver the five wedding quilts that are past due.
2) Make and deliver the three baby quilts I know I need for 2018
3) Finish and deliver the five weighted blankets I need to make.
4) Finish quilts for at least three of the four beds in our house.

IF I can accomplish that, I'll be thrilled. I have lots of UFO's that are not represented on this list, so finishing any of those would be a bonus. I have a couple dozen quilt tops needing quilting. I also have several quilts that need the tops assembled, but I have all the units made. Getting some of those blocks into quilt tops I would also consider a win.

I know I can't catch up in one year, especially not this year, knowing there is already so much going on. I'm really just wanting to make progress, finish some things, move others to the next stage.

For most of the year I'm going to try to be no-buy on fabric. It's not a financial decision, but rather a practical one. When I get to set up my sewing room, I may decide I'd like a piece of furniture or two, and building up some quilting funds will help with that. Also, there is a chance I'll get to Marshall Dry Goods in Arkansas this year, and if I do, I know I'll stock up on basics (blenders, tone-on-tones) there. If I want to concentrate on UFO's, no buy should help with that. I should have everything I need to finish the UFO's I've got, so really no need to shop.

Wishing all of you a Happy 2018!

Melodie