I have been seeing a lot of year end wrap up thoughts by a lot of different bloggers. After reflecting on 2014, I am ready to establish some quilty resolutions for 2015. Would you like to join me? I am hosting a link up for our quilty resolutions – grab the thumbnail image at the bottom of the post and join the linky fun and reflection!
Without further preamble, below are my 15 Quilty Resolutions for 2015, in no particular order:
1. Give myself a raise
I am delighted to be my own boss! After review and thought, I am going to change my rates to $20/hour for quilts (from $15/hour) and $15/hour for quilted placemats (from $10/hour) for 2015.
2. Express gratitude and thanks more frequently
I love quilting. It brings me great joy and satisfaction to create something with my love, energy, and creative talents. Quilting is a safe expression of love and care that can be shared and handed around. Quilts are the literal hug that I might not be there in person to deliver. I am so grateful for quilting as a creative outlet, for the online quilting blogging community, and for the people who use my quilts on a daily basis. I want to spend more time being mindful of the joy and gratitude and thanks I feel for every thoughtful comment, every completed stitch, and every wonderful tutorial. I will begin hosting Thankful Thursdays, a new weekly linky party, where we can cultivate this gratitude and thanksgiving for all the big and small things we appreciate through our craft each week. Stay tuned; more to come next Thursday!!
3. Give back
I want to make and donate at least one quilt in 2015.
4. Practice conscientious reading
I spend a lot of time each day reading over blogs and leaving comments. It means so much to me when others take the time to thoughtfully read and respond to my work, and I want to continue to practice conscientious reading. This might mean I need to spend some time evaluating the blogs that I am following, but I want to keep this goal in mind as I continue to meet more people in this community.
5. Strive for balance
I left my full time job back in April to give myself the freedom to be able to cultivate a better balance in my life and to address all aspects of my health: my mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional health. I have made great strides in these areas, and I think in 2015 I need to be aware of the balance in my quilting life. A balance of internet time, creative time, time creating for customers, etc. This will definitely be a work in progress, but reminding myself of balance might just be a great idea for mini quilt selfish sewing project…
6. Celebrate!
I want to find ways to express joy and celebration through quilting. I have in mind a fun twist to my QuiltCon 2015 experience, and I hope you will join in on the fun with me! Stay tuned for my wacky / silly idea!
7. Learn to say no
Part of starting my own business this year has been a big learning experience in how to interact with customers. I need to cultivate my ability to tell someone no. Often times, the easiest way for me to do this is to refer the person to another quilter who would be better suited to work for / with them. But sometimes I need to listen to the little voice in my head that whispers to me and just. say. no.
8. Be more interactive
I joined the Stash Bee for 2015 to interact with more quilters on a personal level, and I hope there are more fun opportunities for mini swaps or classes for interaction with real, live people!
9. Create more patterns
I have a backlog of ideas that I want to turn into patterns. This probably goes hand-in-hand with my goal to find balance. I want to carve out time to make these ideas a reality!
10. Try something new
I might not try something new each month, but I want to be open to new quilting experiences in 2015. Do you have any great ideas for me to try?
11. Let go of things that no longer serve me
This includes de-stashing fabrics I know I will never use and letting go of the idea that everything I do needs to be perfect. I am not perfect, and my quilts will not be, either.
12. Sing along
I listen to music all day. It has been a long time since I felt free enough to sing along to my favorite songs, so get ready to cover your ears in 2015. OK, I probably will only do it when I am home alone, so you should be safe enough.
13. Embrace change
Change is inevitable in life, and it is something that I struggle with as a topic. I want to learn to embrace change in my quilting in 2015. Currently that means I want to celebrate my new relationship with Olive.
14. Cultivate friendships
Quilting has brought so many wonderful people into my life over the past year, and in 2015 I want to appreciate and cultivate those friendships that have started to form. I am really looking forward to meeting many of you in real life at QuiltCon in February!
15. Keep going!
I want to have the courage to keep going on this journey and see where the adventure leads.
I can’t wait to read your quitly resolutions! This link up will be active through the end of December.
I currently host my blog through WordPress.com. I have learned a lot today about how linky parties work (or rather, cannot be embedded) in a WordPress.com blog! Please click on the button below to be taken to the InLinkz page that contains the linky party. Next year, when it is time to renew my WordPress.com account, I think it will be time to consider migrating my blog to a self-hosted Worpress.org site. Thanks so much, and I can’t wait to read your quilty resolutions!
I loved your list! I also love the idea of it — and I will write my own sometime later today! I am planning to forward your post to my daughter (swedish scrapper) to make sure that she does not miss it! (BTW, glad that you are going to sing along! I have what has been described as “a good background voice” and I sing my lungs out as I sew.I am the only one in the workroom and it translates to pure JOY!)
Sounds like you are thinking ahead! Wishing you a wonderful 2015!
Oh wow! This was a sincere dear read! I love it and I will definitely join in on the link!!! I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately too and was going to wait until the first of the year, but I’ll gather my official thought out list over the weekend and join in! Great idea! I am going to enjoy watching all of these play out over 2015! I might get to meet you at QuiltCon!!! *crossing fingers*
great list, it spurred me to do one of my own!!!
I’d like to create my own list, but I so agree with everything you said that trying to come up with my own list seems pointless.
Great idea! I’m going to try to come up with a list and link up. I think it’s great you’re giving yourself a raise, you deserve it! I also like the ‘create more patterns’ one, it’s a great goal.
Your goals make me smile big time. So good to take a step back and consider why we do things and make new goals. One of mine is to meet you at a Quiltcon. 🙂
Hillary
Here’s to you!! What a wonderful list. I’ve been thinking about doing one myself, and you have inspired me. Hope to meet you at QuiltCon too. Wishing you a Healthy, Happy New Year!!
2015 is fastly approaching…thanks for the swift kick to get me planning ahead! I do hope we get a chance to meet at QuiltCon. I’m ready for wacky and silly!
I need to keep working on 7. I am getting better, but I still need work.
I can give you tips on 12! I sing along with the radio in the car, at home … I am rubbish, but I have fun, and I don’t care if other motorists think I am nuts.
My main resolution would be to focus on the materials and projects I have and to stay away from the shops for a bit until the pile shrinks.
Such a thought provoking post! I can relate to so many of the items you talked about, especially the “strive for balance” and “be more interactive” ones. Both of these are things I’ve been giving a lot of thought to lately. I’ll have to write up my own list and join in!
These are great goals Yvonne, many resonate with me as well!
I agree with 14 of your resolutions and already adhere to most – I do not however make patterns so that one does not apply. The 3 I cam up with for myself are: 1. to try FMQ again and not give up – if others can do it so can I! 2. To try simple paper piecing and make something with my initial attempts. 3. Clean and tidy my sewing after every project big or small. This actually should be my #1 resolution.
Pauline
perry94022 at hotmail dot com
Great post! I think we can all relate to your desire for balance. I shall look forward to following your progress to achieving your goals in 2015.
What a great list. I need to think through some more of these more clearly, but I love the idea of finding balance in my sewing life!
I will not have such a long list but am working on one. One of my resolutions will be to keep it simple!
My list is short. I need to FINISH more of my quilts. I love the piecing but not the quilting. I don’t like heavy quilting, just SID and I use the serpentine stitch a lot. But, I would rather start another awesome project after the flimsy is done!
What a wonderful list, I think that a lot of your list would show up in mine too. I need to make up a list (and link into your fun party)! I did not know that you were going to be at QuiltCon, I will be there too, we should try to meet up.
You always amaze me with all the things you manage to do. You seem to be so organized. You are my source of inspiration in that field 🙂 Well, good luck with those Yvonne! I’m currently happy with smaller projects so there won’t be any resolutions on my side.
Great post – It made me think about what my plans for my blog should be. Thanks for giving me a gentle nudge!
Those are great goals – I encourage the singing… it makes the heart happy! I will be honest …. I haven’t thought much about next years goals – I *crazily* said yes to some last minute gift quilts…. But your post is making me think!! –
What an excellent idea. It is important to focus, isn’t it? Otherwise ideas and intentions are fleeting and opportunities are missed. Since December is a busy month, I’m glad you have given us extra time to link up. Thanks! 🙂
What a wonderful list of intentions. I really haven’t thought about any resolutions for next year yet, quilty or otherwise! I shall mull it over the next few days. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas XXX
Love these, I have been working on my quilting goals for next year, so I am going to join along :). This year I want to better balance my life too! That whole goal is very well said. Not sure how to fit everything in my day and still make it work! Thanks for the inspiration and also the consistent comments, happy to see that will not be chaining in 2015 🙂
Decided to b more involved in this new found quilting world
In 2015. Decided to get more disciplined, b a dependable
Guild member, take advantages of opportunities when presented,
Learn to have both hand projects & large machine projects
Going at the same time, use up stuff in my stash and not buy this year except what I need to finish projects, totally rearrange & organize my sewing room, and maybe make something for us!
How does it look so far? Not bad. Jan- Mar is booked. Jan is the OKC quilt show, Feb is a quilting retreat at the Hen House, and Mar may be a trip to Lancaster, Pa.quilt show. I have 2 wall hangings to do for our dtrs. Have the FAM picture squares done
So just need ideas for a memory quilt. Any ideas? Have a throw in need of finishing for a nephew. A large diamond of fabrics of things he enjoyed w Family growing up done. Now got to design the rest of it. A baby quilt started, whole cloth, just couldn’t
Decided how to finish the corners. Any ideas? Just need to be disciplined to sew every day. I like your site. Thanks for sharing!
Love your list. It was so inspiring! Linking up, too! Thanks so much for the great idea!
Ahh – #1! Yes! I need to start thinking about that. And I love #3, Yvonne – I toyed with the idea of donating a quilt, but have decided to save it for next year’s goal after we move. I did decide to do some smaller “happy mail” giveaways this year instead. Love your list : )
I came here via Jasmine’s post and just love what you’ve written. I hope to get to know you better this year thru our blogs! I posted on goals but didn’t format them into 15 so guess I can’t link up. LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color