A crafter's reality check.
I came up with a brilliant new year's resolution this year. I would finish 20 assorted projects, and then 10 quilt projects. that means slightly less than one a month for the hard stuff and slightly less than two a month for the easy stuff I really get around to. I also felt quite clever with my whole 20-10 thing. I felt so clever, in fact, that I made a second new year's resolution. I realized at one point that I had already cut out fabric and started about 12 handmade books, and that would be a ridiculous dent in my 20 projects goal. So I adjusted the first goal and made a second; 20 assorted projects (that aren't books) and 10 quilt tops, as well as 20 hand-bound books and 10 quilts. Finishing ten quilts can be expensive when I'm paying my favorite local artist in Berkeley to quilt them for me, but I thought this might force me to quilt some of my own.
Up until June, there was progress, but also quite a bit of laziness. (The year is early, I'm doing fine, etc etc.) During the month of June, I was working 5 days a week at one job and 3 days a week at the other. During the month of July I tried to recover, moved, and went on two different vacations for the last ten days.
It is now halfway through the month of August. I have finished 10 assorted projects and one quilt top, one book (the other eleven are still just as close to being done as they were eight months ago) and three quilts. (I almost had to fight my mother for the second one. While at her house I unearthed a 39" square wall hanging that was quilted and even had the binding halfway sewn on, and immediately offered to finish it. She said no, it was small and easy and she just needed to get around to it, I really didn't have to. I said yes, it was small and easy and a cheap way to add to my quilt quota. She laughed, but agreed.) I think that this is not at all a shabby turnout. I still have hopes for getting all 60 projects done by the end of the year, but I'm not entirely sure how possible that is. A good goal though . . . (Incidentally, if anyone reading this isn't already friends with me on facebook, I've been posting them to albums; 20-10 resolution and Another 20-10 Resolution.
I also may be renting a booth on Venice Pier, the local spot for artists to sell their stuff. My coworkers and I are thinking of going in on a booth, and I think it sounds like fun.
Up until June, there was progress, but also quite a bit of laziness. (The year is early, I'm doing fine, etc etc.) During the month of June, I was working 5 days a week at one job and 3 days a week at the other. During the month of July I tried to recover, moved, and went on two different vacations for the last ten days.
It is now halfway through the month of August. I have finished 10 assorted projects and one quilt top, one book (the other eleven are still just as close to being done as they were eight months ago) and three quilts. (I almost had to fight my mother for the second one. While at her house I unearthed a 39" square wall hanging that was quilted and even had the binding halfway sewn on, and immediately offered to finish it. She said no, it was small and easy and she just needed to get around to it, I really didn't have to. I said yes, it was small and easy and a cheap way to add to my quilt quota. She laughed, but agreed.) I think that this is not at all a shabby turnout. I still have hopes for getting all 60 projects done by the end of the year, but I'm not entirely sure how possible that is. A good goal though . . . (Incidentally, if anyone reading this isn't already friends with me on facebook, I've been posting them to albums; 20-10 resolution and Another 20-10 Resolution.
I also may be renting a booth on Venice Pier, the local spot for artists to sell their stuff. My coworkers and I are thinking of going in on a booth, and I think it sounds like fun.