Happy New Year!!! I am excited to kick off another fabulous year of quilting adventures, starting with my 2016 Quilting New Year's Resolutions:
1. Use It or Lose It!
I spent the past week organizing my studio and I've uncovered a lot of beautiful fabrics, precuts, scraps, tools, rulers, books, embellishments, etc that are just waiting to be used in future projects! I have a particular weakness for precuts and simply cannot resist purchasing charm packs, layer cakes or jellyrolls for some of the beautiful fabric collections. And I consider my stash of hand dyed fabrics (including my own creations) to be too sacred to cut up or use. But now that I know how to dye more (thank you 2015!!), I am ready to pull them out and start actually incorporating them into my quilts. So it's time to stop admiring or fondling these little gems and actually use them to create treasured quilts!!
2. Incorporate more intentional design into my quilts.
Up until now, I've relied on intuition when designing new quilts. My mentor, Terry Waldron, gifted me a wonderful design book by Gerald Brommer. It is my goal to dedicate time each month to studying the different design principles through these books, taking photographs, studying quilts and art and examining my own work. I am also looking to participate in some design intensive courses, and perhaps join/form a critique group with other artists.
3. Put Myself Out as a Quilt Artist
Thanks to the encouragement of my family, friends and mentors, I am ready to take my quilting to the next level and project my work and myself out into the Quilting community. I am looking forward to participating in several Quilt Challenges this year including the Hoffman Challenge, Cherrywood Challenge 2016 and several others on the horizon. I love how each challenge pushes me to try new techniques, designs and evolve as a quilt artist. I am also hoping to enter some of my quilts into some new Quilting Competitions this year, including Houston and Road to California. I will continue to promote my work via my blog, facebook and Pinterest, but I'd also love to explore opportunities for printed publication? I would also love to empower others on their quilting adventures, and hope to do another Q101 demo and perhaps start teaching others.
4. Beat the Looming Deadlines!
While I do manage to meet most deadlines, it is often at the 11th hour!! Oftentimes, I don't even get started on a project until a week or few weeks before the deadline, and then its pedal to the metal as I try to crank it out. While I've been pleased with the results, I wonder if this habit leads to optimal results, let alone add extra stress and anxiety as the deadline looms. I'd love to develop more healthy creative habits when it comes to brainstorming new ideas and designing, so I am able to be more intentional in my designs, enjoy the journey and invest more time into the application process (photography, writing Artists summaries, etc). Now that I have a bit of a lull in my schedule, I am hoping I can get a jump start on some of the upcoming challenges!
5. Continue Tackling UFOs!
I suspect this will be an annual resolution for me (and many of my fellow quilters!) There are several WIPs that I am exciting to continue in 2016, but have good intentions of finishing them this year! In past years, I have parted ways with several older UFOs that lost their appeal, but have several older UFOs that hold a special spot in my heart! At least two of these tops are done I have intentionally postponed quilting them until my free motion skills were up to par. Other special UFOs have been been put into "time out" due to design and/or construction issues...but are ready for their second (third or fourth) chance at completion!
1. Use It or Lose It!
I spent the past week organizing my studio and I've uncovered a lot of beautiful fabrics, precuts, scraps, tools, rulers, books, embellishments, etc that are just waiting to be used in future projects! I have a particular weakness for precuts and simply cannot resist purchasing charm packs, layer cakes or jellyrolls for some of the beautiful fabric collections. And I consider my stash of hand dyed fabrics (including my own creations) to be too sacred to cut up or use. But now that I know how to dye more (thank you 2015!!), I am ready to pull them out and start actually incorporating them into my quilts. So it's time to stop admiring or fondling these little gems and actually use them to create treasured quilts!!
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| Ready to Dive Into My Collection of Precuts, Scraps and Hand Dyed Fabrics!! |
Up until now, I've relied on intuition when designing new quilts. My mentor, Terry Waldron, gifted me a wonderful design book by Gerald Brommer. It is my goal to dedicate time each month to studying the different design principles through these books, taking photographs, studying quilts and art and examining my own work. I am also looking to participate in some design intensive courses, and perhaps join/form a critique group with other artists.
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| Texts for My Independent Study on Design Principles |
3. Put Myself Out as a Quilt ArtistThanks to the encouragement of my family, friends and mentors, I am ready to take my quilting to the next level and project my work and myself out into the Quilting community. I am looking forward to participating in several Quilt Challenges this year including the Hoffman Challenge, Cherrywood Challenge 2016 and several others on the horizon. I love how each challenge pushes me to try new techniques, designs and evolve as a quilt artist. I am also hoping to enter some of my quilts into some new Quilting Competitions this year, including Houston and Road to California. I will continue to promote my work via my blog, facebook and Pinterest, but I'd also love to explore opportunities for printed publication? I would also love to empower others on their quilting adventures, and hope to do another Q101 demo and perhaps start teaching others.
4. Beat the Looming Deadlines!
While I do manage to meet most deadlines, it is often at the 11th hour!! Oftentimes, I don't even get started on a project until a week or few weeks before the deadline, and then its pedal to the metal as I try to crank it out. While I've been pleased with the results, I wonder if this habit leads to optimal results, let alone add extra stress and anxiety as the deadline looms. I'd love to develop more healthy creative habits when it comes to brainstorming new ideas and designing, so I am able to be more intentional in my designs, enjoy the journey and invest more time into the application process (photography, writing Artists summaries, etc). Now that I have a bit of a lull in my schedule, I am hoping I can get a jump start on some of the upcoming challenges!
5. Continue Tackling UFOs!
I suspect this will be an annual resolution for me (and many of my fellow quilters!) There are several WIPs that I am exciting to continue in 2016, but have good intentions of finishing them this year! In past years, I have parted ways with several older UFOs that lost their appeal, but have several older UFOs that hold a special spot in my heart! At least two of these tops are done I have intentionally postponed quilting them until my free motion skills were up to par. Other special UFOs have been been put into "time out" due to design and/or construction issues...but are ready for their second (third or fourth) chance at completion!
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| My WIPs and UFOs that are hoping to be 2016 Finishes!! |
Here's to another fantastic year of quilting! May 2016 be filled with quilting bliss for all!!
I love the three dimensional looks in some of these designs! Here's to a fantastic 2016 filled with fabric and friends and fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa--I love challenging myself to create various illusions through fabric: transparency, luminosity and 3-D! Glad my fabric selections are working their magic!! Hope you have a fantastic year of quilting ahead!!
DeleteGreat resolutions! What is it about the fabric that we don't want to cut it? I'm the same way. But today I cut into a FQ bundle that I've been hoarding for years. Just a couple of inches, but still, it's progress!
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best as you work toward your goals!
Thanks Nicole--I hope I resolved the no reply blogger deal. I really enjoy setting fun quilt-related new years resolutions (much more likely that I actually follow through on them) as they've really helped me grow as a quilter!! And glad to know I am not alone with my fears of cutting into precious fabrics. We may need to form a support group!
DeleteBy the way, do you know you are a "no-reply blogger"? I couldn't reply to your comment on my blog via email which is how I like to acknowledge comments on my blog. Thank you for your comment!
ReplyDeleteSuch great goals. And I have to say that I love your double wedding ring.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jasmine! I love the double wedding ring too...but need to do some unsewing in order for the curves/seams to match. But your encouragement will certainly help motivate me to get it to completion!
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