Get It Done! November Recap, December Goals

Well as usual it's either feast or famine surrounding the monthly goals.  Ironically in a month where we celebrate by feasting, for the goals it was famine last month!  

Of the five goals on last month's list I only got to one -- trying to work on the Fall decorating projects.  However, even that didn't get very far.  I got the wool motifs for the Fall Treat Jar sewn up and even sourced the ribbon and a little bird for the top of it....

...but the ribbon was too loosely woven to work as hoped and I stalled on whether to go buy another or try to salvage it by adding fabric to it.  I also worked on the layout for one of the couch pillow covers.  Using APQ's Pretty Pumpkin Pillow pattern and my Accuquilt dies, I needed to size it up for my much larger pillow.....

...however, once I was satisfied with the layout, I discovered that I only had two oranges in my wool stash AND couldn't locate my flannel stash which I needed for the basket!  I had used them last year at this time when I made some holiday pillowcovers and now can't for the life of me find the box I know I have them in!   I did order some wools and was sure the flannels would turn up when I started clearing out my "studio" (aka the dining room) for Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately then "life" started piling on.  Between cleaning, shopping and planning for the holiday, finishing up a pruning class (and required garden work days), temporarily writing the weekly community newspaper column and handling other responsibilities for our Tenant Association while our President recovers from surgery and attending a couple of unplanned committee meetings, quilting consistently got pushed aside.  I also admit I got a little too distracted sourcing a cool new accessory for my Featherweight machine (something I will report more on later).  The biggest mistake was that I didn't set up things that could be sewn in those small, in-between time increments so ultimately I never got back to any of the quilting.

So what's up for December?  Way back in September, I had already planned out the things I wanted to work on as the year draws to a close.  I'm hoping to correct the mistake I made last month by making it a point to plan out what I want to work on each week, so I can juggle my priorities a little better.  While I'm still conscious that too long a "To Do" list usually doesn't pan out for me, I do want to keep a few things in the forefront of my priorities.  I've also got to identify the things I can get done -- say in less than a half hour or while watching TV in the mornings with DH when he comes in from work -- so that even if hours or a full day devoted to quilting aren't possible, something can still get accomplished.

December Goals List

Carryovers From Last Month:

1.  Fall Decorating Projects:  If I find a new ribbon (or decide on a plan) for the treat jar, I will work on that.  I'll also at minimum die cut the pumpkin and circle appliques for the long pillow and finalize the background to complete a "kit" for future finishing.  I also have a set of plain pillow covers that I want to whip up so those are at the ready when next Fall rolls around.

2.  Slow Sunday Stitching: QAYG blocks.  As noted previously, this is something I'm hoping to pick back up after seeing a finished one on another blog.  I want it to be an ongoing weekly project through the end of the year until completed.  If I can stick with it, it will also warm me up for the hand quilted wholecloth project I want to start in 2017.

3.  QOV #1 and #2:  Get the backs made up and get these layered and basted for quilting.  Only if time and desire permits, I'd love to get them quilted as well.

4.  Autumn Double Wedding Ring:  I'd like to get this one off the list at least to a top this year so want to get back to it.  Need to get the applique borders on and if possible, layered and basted as well.

Projects Planned For The Month: 

5.  Labels Update:  Finish all outstanding labels (seven and one update label) and now I have an "official" cause:  to honor taking the Quilt Alliance Labelling Pledge.

6.  Finish Wool Ornaments:  And hopefully get them on the tree this year!

7.  Husband and Wife Gift Quilts:  For two married friends of mine.  If finished this month, give as Christmas gifts, if not, their birthdays are in February so I have a head start!

8.  Baby Quilt:  Putting this one back on the list but have to contact the Grandmother to see if the original theme still stands.

9. Graduation Quilt:  Another gift that the recipient was warned in advance might take a while to come.  At minimum, I'd like to at least get this started by pulling out the stash accumulated to date and seeing where I stand with it.

10.  Scrappy Trips as "Leader/Ender":  Scrap quilt project to work on while doing other stitching.

That's certainly a long enough list!  Looking forward to the end of the year!