New Year’s Stitching Resolutions, Year 4, 2016
Here we are, about to ring in the New Year once again! Which means it’s time for my annual New Year’s stitching resolutions article. It’s the time of year to review my stitching goals from last year, and create my new list to move forward with in 2016.
If you would like to read last year’s article in its entirety, you can check it out here:
New Year’s Stitchy Resolutions, Year 3, 2015
Last Year’s Goals:
- Stitch More
- Finish 10 or more projects
- Complete a Rotation
Last Year’s Goals in Review
Last January I went for only three goals because 2014 was NOT my stitching year. I think I failed all but one of my goals from 2014. So I tried to go for small, manageable goals that I thought would be easy to complete in 2015. How did I do?
Well, I definitely stitched more – a lot more! Which I’m happy about. I still had a very long dry spell over the summer and fall, which was when I was working full time, but even with that I was still able to stitch on a lot of projects and even finished a bunch!
Which leads directly into the second goal – finish 10 or more projects. The last project I finished in 2014 was my Families Are Forever Photo Album (which I still need to do a Friday Finishes article on), so counting all my finishes from after that point, I finished… exactly 10 projects in 2015. This includes the 5 projects I stitched specifically for Christmas, so I just barely scraped by on that goal. But hey, I only finished 4 projects in all of 2014, so 10 is a big step up!
As for my rotation? Totally failed! I got about two months into my rotation projects (which you can see the first video of here: Mini Kit Rotation Series) before I lost pace and never went back to them. Rotations are apparently just not my thing. I’ve had a rotation goal on every single one of my stitching resolutions lists since I started making them in 2013, and I have failed that goal every year since. I think I’ve learned my lesson – no more rotation goals for me!
This Year’s Goals:
Finish 15 Projects
10 projects a year seems about my average for finished pieces. I did 10 in 2012, 10 in 2013, 4 in 2014 (let’s pretend that year didn’t happen), and now, 10 in 2015. I can definitely step it up more than that. As both an incentive to keep up my ‘stitching more’ progress and to boost my overall number of finished pieces, I want to finish at least 15 projects in 2016. No more, no less! I mean, more would be great, but I’m not going to push my luck.
Finish 3 or More UFOs
At this point in my stash-accumulating life, I have so many projects I’ve started and stopped. I’ve also taken in projects started by others so they wouldn’t end up in the trash, so my WIP/UFO box is almost full! To the point where I’ve had to separate out projects I’m actively stitching on from projects that are kitted up or started or half-finished, or else there would be no room. I want to turn some of those UFOs into FFOs! That way, I can make way for more stash. (I am shameless, give me the stash!)
Start A Large Project
This one is moving outside my comfort zone, but if I don’t go outside it, I will never learn or grow! Everyone who knows me knows I hate large projects. Anything over 5×7 is almost unmanageable for me. In 2016 that is going to change! I am going to start one of the many large projects I have in my stash. I won’t finish – so I’m not going to make that the goal – but gathering the courage and plunging into a project that would otherwise seem overwhelming to me is a great way to push my boundaries in 2016.
Finish The Owl Pillowcases!
This piece has frustrated me for too many years and I’m sick of it! I started these Stamped Owl Pillowcases for my sister several years ago… now so long I’ve forgotten the exact year. This year, I attempted to finish them for Christmas. And I completed failed, to the point where I took them off the gift list. These pillowcases drive me nuts, but I’m not going to give up and toss them, I’m going to finish these suckers so I can finally be rid of them! Wish me luck, because I’ll need it.
Four stitching goals this year! One more than last year, and slightly more ambitious. Now that I know I can push through the lack of motivation and get stitching done, I want to up my game and see what I can complete in 2016. 2015 was a good year – let’s see if 2016 will be better!
What are you looking to accomplish with your stitching in 2016?
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My goals are to do the 60 starts through January/February but don’t expect to finish many if any because I think it is an impossible goal! I also have lots of wips/ufos and hope to something on them. I love large projects and have 6 HAEDs and 5 Mirabilias on the go . Do take the plunge you may get to prefer large projects.
All great goals! I have never heard of the 60 starts thing, is that where you start a new project every day in January and February? That might be fun to do if I had any room left in my WIP/UFO box, lol! Maybe I should add a secondary goal to my ‘finish 15 projects’ and make it ‘finish enough to make room for the 60 starts next year’!