It’s here already — the final task in The Final Countdown. Have you been hanging in? Frankly, I’m exhausted. I haven’t done this much “cleaning” in I don’t know when . . . so I’m ready to take it easy on myself . . .
For your last task . . .
Pampering and Dreaming
Today you get to grab a cup of your favorite beverage (mine will be hot, cuz it’s cold where I am), put your feet up, and settle in with some of your newly organized magazines or books, picture your neat fabric stash all put away, envision your clean sewing area, and pick out a new project that you want to do in 2010. After all, you finished a UFO with Task One, so you’re perfectly justified in starting a new one, right? I feel like I am! Note that I said “new“, NOT “finish a UFO” . . .
I’m challenging you to challenge yourself, step out of your rut, freshen your quilting outlook, and tackle a completely new project. Yes, I know you have several UFOs already, and that you’re already spread thin with all the things you do in a day, but if you’ve been playing along, I KNOW you’re a dedicated quilter, and YOU know what I’m talking about. It’s a new year, and you’re ready to try something new, branch out, get more involved, make new friends, and expand your quilting repertoire. So . . . here’s some suggestions for some things you might try:
You could choose to do “The 1951 Quilt” from “The Life of Hazel Ilene”, the free Hazel’s Diary Quilt-Along that starts here tomorrow. I’d be excited to get even more participants — the more, the merrier! It’s fit for any skill level, and will move slow enough that you can keep up easily.
You could choose to start that quilt that’s been lingering in the back of your mind that you’ve always wanted to do, but just never have quite gotten around to. Be brave, jump in, learn that new technique, amaze yourself — you can do it!
Tomorrow will be January 1 — what better time to start a brand new Block-of-the-Month quilt? Is there one you’ve had your eye on, but keep talking yourself out of? Re-think it, set yourself a schedule, and don’t hesitate. If you’ve looked at it before, and still like it, you know you want to do it. Now would be a good time to start, don’t you think?
Maybe all you want to do in 2010 is bust that stash . . . That’s a great idea! Get out that wonderful scrap quilt pattern you’ve been wanting to do, and get cuttin’. I’ll bet you could finish more than one in the next year.
Pick an online swap and make blocks for others and get blocks from others that will end up in a quilt uniquely yours. It’s a great way to keep yourself on track (because others are depending on your participation) and you can make lots of new online quilting friends while you’re at it. Not to mention the things you can learn when you’re involved in a quilting group.
Always wanted to try foundation piecing or applique, but just never got up the nerve yet? Now is the time. If you don’t think you can do it on your own, find a friend who can help you get started and show you some tips, or sign up for a class at your Local Quilt Shop or Adult Education program. If it’s basic piecing you need to learn, I’ll repeat that the Hazel’s Diary Quilt-Along is great for beginners, goes step by step and not too fast, and it’s fun and free!
Have you had dreams of entering a major quilt show and competing with one of your quilts? There’s no better time to get crackin’ on your masterpiece. You’re not getting any younger. There’s no reason one of your quilts can’t be hanging at one of those shows. All those quilters who have quilts hanging there had to start somewhere, too. This could be your time to shine — don’t put it off!
I’m positive that you can come up with many other ideas for a new quilt to do in this coming year, so for your comment today, I’d like to hear what you’re planning on doing. Tell me what new technique you’ll be learning, show me what quilt you’ll be making, let me know that you’ve decided to enter a quilt show — put it in writing, cuz that makes it more real, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll do more and go farther with your quilting than you ever imagined!
And I wish all of you a great 2010 . . . Happy New Year!!!
Prairie Moon Quilts 
I am doing the smaller version of the 1951 quilt from the Life of Hazel Ilene project. I will be learning how to do everything from threading a sewing machine, to rotary cutting, to piecing …..*sigh* i have a lot to learn lol.
Good morning, I finished task #4 last night after supper. My goal for 2010 is to use up my stash and make all of the quilt kits that I have already purchased. I can think of 8 right off the top of my head. Although I have a few bright quilts, I usually use more earthy colors. SO, I will add a wild/bright/beautiful quilt to my list. Thanks for the “final countdown”. I will keep in touch.
Good Morning! On Tuesday of this week my SIL and niece came for lunch. I had my SIL pick out fabrics for me to make her a tablerunner and my niece picked out fabric for a lap quilt to go on the rocker she has in her bedroom. I love them both dearly and am looking forward to starting on these fresh new projects January 1st.
For 2010 I would like to work on free motion quilting! I am also doing the large version of your quilt along. I want to start projects AND finish them! I would also like to start the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler quilt and increase my stash – yes I would to increase it as I am just starting out! Oh I am going to have a busy and hopefully productive year!!!
NO rest today ….but my goal for 2010 is to find more time to sew and doing it. I want to finish several UFO projects and even start some new ones. This has been fun and from one farm to another Happy New Year!
I want to try paper piecing and get back to applique. Thanks for this nudges.
I have been telling myself for years that I need to make some table runners for my dining room. This is the year!! One for each month. I was up in my sewing room laying out the fabrics from a kit I bought on a shop hop for the first one. I am quite excited…I love to have goals and deadlines…really helps me get things done.
I don’t know about pampering, but dreaming comes easy in the sewing room. I made a list of works in progress–at any stage from “pattern and fabric selected” to “ready to quilt.” I am either embarrassed or proud to say that there are 14 items on the list. That is only a little over one a month for the year to be…well, I don’t know what the word it, but that is what I’ll be.
My New Challenge for the year, and one of the items on my list, is the Hazel quilt. I have never participated in an on-line quilting group, made a mystery quilt, worked in the colors I am using…lots of new experiences for a new year.
Thank you for this challenge–it has been really helpful to feel like there was someone supporting me in my end-of-the-year efforts to spruce things up.
I will sit down with a cup of hot cocoa and dig thru my batik stash because I have decided to do a quilt from the book Strips that Sizzle with lots of curved piecing. (I think that’s the name) Happy New Year to all.
Please don’t encourage me to start something new…it will add to my already too long list of projects in the works. And I know I’m going to start quilts over the year — just don’t know what yet. I’ve got pigs (14), will be going to one quilt retreat with a potential mystery quilt and have plans to take at least one workshop with Bonnie Hunter when she comes to the area this summer. Then there’s that overflowing box of 1 1/2″ strips….
I really love paper piecing, and a mini quilt that is paper pieced would be fun.
Happy New Year!
Micki
Hello 🙂 today’s task is going to be hard to do, lol, but I’ll try my best, and I’ll let you know. I like to make paper piecing for the next year, also I want to want a big blocks quilt, I like challenges and I’m most than ready to make them, I also like the idea to quilt-along, so I promise I’ll take a look at the link you gave to us, have a Happy New Year and only the best for you for the 2010! 🙂
I have to get my pics uploaded for the other 4 tasks… but I can share the new quilt I will be working on for 2010, and it is a new challenge for me.
I joined the Journey of a Quilter BOM. http://www.pastimesonline.ca/block-of-the-month/
This will be my first time trying a quilt with pieced, applique and embroidered blocks. There will also be SILK fabrics used in this BOM. Luckily each month there will be tutorials on the blog to help me through any rough spots.
Can’t wait to try it.
SheilaC
This year I received EQ6 for Christmas, and my goal is to learn how to use that program, and maybe (maybe) even design a quilt of my own. Shelly I didn’t know you had another blog for the quilt along. I will have to take a look. Thanks for giving a good challenge for the New Year. I have completed all the other tasks. Wishing you a very happy and blessed New Year.
Oh Good Grief!!!!
I was, in the back of my mind, hoping you’d give us a WONDERFUL last task! *VBG*
And my goodness, I’ve been feeling guilty ALL year because, according to hubby, I NEVER finish any projects and I have TONS of them NOT finished… which is totally NOT TRUE, IMHO!!!!
*grin*
I felt like a child, while I was reading your Task #5… you were actually giving us PERMISSION to be FREE… let ourselves go – reward ourselves!
What better feeling, eh? *still grinning*
I will start a new CW project that I’ve been eyeing, for a few months now, but didn’t dare start it… still have lots of UFO’s, but will, nevertheless, follow your task instructions! Why? Because you said so, that’s why! LOL
Tks a bunch!
Rosa
Oh I wish! I would love to start something new or even work on something in progress. Instead I am nursing the head cold of the year. I can’t think and I don’t dare use mechanical equipment in this condition. Surely in one more day and I will be ready to roll into 2010 with a rotary cutter in one hand and quilt magazine in the other. I have lots of ideas and just hate it that reality takes over sometimes. I am starting Hazel-Ilene no matter what……tomorrow!!
I went out today and bought a brand new magazine as a reward for my participation over these 5 days! I have my cup of tea, feet up on the coffee table and am about to enjoy dreaming and reading. For a new project… considering that I just started one, does that count as my new project? Otherwise, I may be forced to join in with everyone doing your Hazel Quilt-along. Happy New Year!!!
I had a relaxing day, I didn’t cook as was supposed, so I had a hot shower and lay down for a little bit. I was looking my mags for a crafs, I left them in the same place. I still like to do a big quilt for this (are we in yet?) year. I loved the tasks you left us, easy to do!, thank you so much!
Well, I tried and tried and tried to start a new project. You’ll have to put me down as having “dreamt” about a new project. *grin*
Took some totes out… started scrounging for fabrics for my new project – the one you gave us permission, right? As I was scrounging, 2 things occurred. First, my sewing table was getting messier and messier and most importantly of all, I was touching and moving and bouncing up against zip locked bags with un-assembled blocks: fall swapped blocks (circa 2007), birthday siggie swapped un-assembled blocks (2008 and 2009), 3 years of regular swapped siggie blocks (2005, 2006 and 2007), a heart block swap, yet to be assembled, also…. Shall I carry on? LOL I think you get the picture.
PLUS, my two…. “DARN-IT-I’LL-GET-THEM-QUILTED-BY-THE-1st-OF-JANUARY” quilts!!!
So, I sadly put away the 3 or 4 pieces of fabric and the pattern book, that I had pulled out… for my “new” project. 😦
But, there WILL come a day when I can, without guilt, start a new quilt!!!
Tks for allowing me to dream, my friend!
Rosa Robichaud
Saint John, New Brunswick
Canada
robich@rogers.com
Have you started drawing names for your lovely prizes yet? *grin*
I don’t know how I missed posting but just to catch up…yes I dreamed…I just got the latest Irish Quilting magazine (my favourite magazine and our bookstore carries a lot of international magazines due to our tourist influx…and we get a couple issues of this one every couple of months). and I dreamed of red doors.
Oh and I started a new quilt. I signed up for a fall inspired mini quilt exchange a couple of months back. The mailing deadline is Jan 18th. so I pulled some batiks in fall colours and made several snowball blocks. I pieced them together, saw my points were off in the middle and started ripping the seams. Hey it’s a small quilt, doesn’t take too long. So now it’s ready to re-piece. This time carefully!
Have a great one ladies, Vivian