One of my goals for 2018 is to become more focused in my quilting life. I have a tendency to get carried away with numerous project ideas bouncing recklessly in my brain, each competing for the top spot on my mental to-do list. Sometimes, I admit, it makes me feel scattered! I know I’m not alone. Other quilting friends in this new social media age have told me the same thing.
My first step toward quilting focus was to purchase Lori Holt’s Scrappy Project Planner. I ordered it from my friend and sponsor, Allison of My Timeless Day. We’re both big fans of Lori’s clear and concise pattern writing, as well as her self-proclaimed love of list making (a passion I share). Somehow I knew that Lori’s planner would suit my needs, and I was right!
The Scrappy Project Planner includes project planning/sketching pages, weekly planner pages, tips on organizing your scraps, and six awesome scrappy quilt patterns! It is spiral bound, printed on high quality paper, and just as cute as can be. I’ve only had my planner for a couple of weeks, and already three positive things have happened!
1. I created a list of quilts I want to make. That may sound like an obvious thing to do, but I have never done it before. It was exciting to see them all on paper, in one spot! Focus!
2. I read Lori’s tips on better organizing my scraps, and I’m going to make that a sub-goal for 2018! Act!
3. I feel a renewed desire to sew from my scraps and stash. I adore these fabrics I’ve been hoarding . . . why on earth am I not sewing from them? That’s going to change. Sew!
I felt so excited by #3 that I pulled out my much loved and long saved collection of Fig Tree creams and bit the bullet. (Or should I say, bit the rotary cutter?) I selected one of Lori’s patterns from the planner called “Happy Trails” and got to work, first in my planner, and then on the cutting mat!
While Lori\’s original quilt is much more colorful, I decided to make my chain the dominant color element (in red and green), with the low volume creams making up the main portions of the blocks. I\’ve made one block so far, and I\’m really pleased with the result!
Before any cutting, I used the planner to sketch out what was in my mind. I spend a lot of time working on my computer, so it was gratifying to pull out some colored pencils and play around on paper. You can see some of my doodles and notes below.
I also purchased some of Lori’s washi tape from My Timeless Day. Okay, that may have been a frivolous purchase, but I really like washi tape and it was super fun to tape fabric bits to my project planning page. (quilting nerd alert)
Here’s my Scrappy Project Planner, at work on my kitchen counter, in tandem with my personal daily planner. Right now I have 10 quilts on my Project List. Only three of them have deadlines and a couple are already in progress. The rest are just quilts I really want to make. This was a simple exercise that left me feeling very focused and excited.
Having said all this, I want to assure you that I will continue to get carried away now and then, and I think you should too. But, I am feeling a sense of quilting focus today that I am enjoying!
When I mentioned to Allison that I would be sharing my Scrappy Project Planner experience on my blog, she asked that I share some fun shop news from My Timeless Day. All of you Lori Holt fans will enjoy these tidbits:
The Let’s Bake Sew Along with Lori Holt starts next week, and My Timeless Day has a few Let’s Bake Quilt Kitsremaining in stock. You better snatch one up quickly!
Also (drum roll) Allison has just opened preorders on another fabulous quilt kit which will feature Lori Holt’s upcoming fabric collection, Autumn Love. Isn\’t this beautiful?
With that lovely news from My Timeless Day . . . I may have just lost my quilting focus. I better head over to my planner and rethink my project list.
~Taunja
