Resolved to Sew 2012

Very Berry Handmade has set forth a challenge question: What are bloggers resolving to sew this year?

I’ve been giving this some thought, and here’s what I know:

B of Sweet Limes and I made a pact. She said that she is going to start jumping: “Each and every opportunity that is presented to me I am going to jump on it.  Not just that though, I plan on making opportunities for myself.”

I said I wanted to come along and so we’ve agreed that this year is going to be one heck of a ride and we’ll be like two friends, riding bikes, yelling back and forth about all the wondrous creativity in our lives.

From this our motto for the year was born: “No Hands!” Not only are we going to be fearless, but we’re also going to let go once in a while and let the wind carry us.

Here’s my translation into sewing terms:

a.     Force myself to make a design of my own. Maybe just a block. This terrifies me.

b.     Use the fabric I have before I become a finalist on the “Hoarder” TV show. I’ll start with a baby quilt to keep the tears at a minimum.

c.      Try a fiber-arts project. More terror.

d.     Make more charitable items. It lifts my soul so I’m going to sew more and give more away this year.

e.     Write a tutorial. (This is in the works!)

      The biggest challenge?

f.      Embrace the aberrations and Just. Keep. Sewing.

Now git Ye Wee Hiney o'er to Very Berry Handmade and enter the contest by telling e'eryone what ye sewing resolutions be!  Oh, you're supposed to say what you'd like if you won so I'll say it's a toss up between the Erin McMorris and Amy Butler fatties. Both yummy.

2012, I'm going to eat you!

Dear 2012,

So far you’re not being very kind, especially yesterday, but that’s okay because I’m learning resiliency. I asked a lot of 2011 and here’s what worked:

1.      Lose weight: 30 pounds, baby! Oh yeah!

2.      Opera singing lessons: I was proficient in 3 octaves within 3 months. My teenage son told me one day that I sound good. Yeah, that’s a serious compliment!

3.      Find balance: yoga, school, home, work. It’s not perfect but certainly supportive and encouraging intermingling going on there.

4.      Continue being lucky: I won so many awesome quilting things it’s bizarre.

This year’s resolutions are:

1.      Lose about 15 more pounds and gain strength. Weight training here I come.

2.      Go on a date.

3.      Finish quilting projects that have been sitting around. One per month would be nice.

4.      Simplify: Throw/give things away, unsubscribe from emails, etc.

5.      Diet: Eat tasty, nutritional, protein-rich meals at home.

6.      Travel somewhere interesting.

7.      Continue being lucky.

Seeing as this is a quilting blog, I’m going to start with #3. Quilter in the Gap is hosting a FAL (Finish-a-Long) for those of us who need a freaking audience or kick in the arse inspiration. And there’s even prizes for the partygoers who get their shitake mushrooms together and finish something.

Item #1: Across the Sea QAL. I love this quilt so far, but it’s been in this condition since September. It needs a back, quilting, and binding.

Item #2: Hollyhocks and Lemondrops quilt. This was started, oh, 2008 maybe. Needs petals, backing, quilting, binding. All those flowers cut by hand. Which is why I’m not giving up on it, even though I’m not quite so in love anymore…

And it looks like this is my 100^th post so I’ll need to give something away here pretty quick (oh, that counts as resolution #4, right?)