Pages

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Slow Sunday Stitching - Achieving Your Goals?


Welcome to the weekly hand stitching link up! We are an international gathering of folks who like to be creative with our hand stitching.


starting needle turn appliquéd circle

Is it terrible to admit that I'm not a very goal driven person?  I don't keep a life planner, set resolutions, maintain daily or weekly goal lists, and have no idea most of the time where my life is headed! I have become a "live in the moment according to my values" kind of person and just follow whatever my heart tells me most of the time.
I've been thinking a lot about this after reading the thought provoking post on Diary of a Quilter. It was terrific food for thought and I recommend a read and reflection of how it fits for you. I do like suggestion #2, I am terrible at #5, and would love to focus on #10 all the time! 
Oh and I'm 99% sure there will never be a day when I use a planner for quilting projects! 
starting needle turn appliquéd star
But my Slow Sunday Stitching time is devoted to total relaxation, focused on breathing, stitching and thinking. 
That's my goal.  That's all I'm doing. 
Every few years I actually finish a hand made quilt and I do cherish those.
Today I hope to finish the appliqué on this star for the Blockheads II project which won't take too long. You can see all the lines it took to get a star shape that I liked!

Hopefully those lines will disappear!
Then I was planning to do some piecing on my 1st block for the Hand Pieced Quilt Along, but that was so quick and fun that I finished it already. Did you see my block here? Are you joining in?
So maybe today I'll prep another appliqué block since the star in a circle has been enjoyable. I am trying to resist starting the Hospital Sketches BOM by Barbara Brackman, but since I had a severe case of Startitis and started 3 new projects already this week, perhaps I ought to try to reign it in!!



What are you working on?  Link up your blog post below and share your slow progress with us.

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

22 comments:

  1. Thanks for the "Diary of a quilter" post....I shall have a look this afternoon. Your fabric choices for your circle/star stitching is very sweet :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love your philosophy about goal setting etc etc. I am a bi of a 'go-with-the-flow' kinda gal too. Enjoy the relaxed stitching of your needle turn blocks...such pretty fabrics.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So nice star block! I agree with you. I sew when I have time and desire. It is so important that the time of sewing is devoted to total relaxation, focused on breathing, stitching and thinking. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I will have to check out the Dairy of a Quilter I used to read her and then lost track. I normally do not have a lot of goals

    ReplyDelete
  5. I would have to say my only goal is to finish my quilt before the summer heat arrives. But other than that I quilt for pleasure and have no goals or deadlines. I have a friend doing the Barbara Brackman BOM but I am content with the projects I have going right now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I must admit I do have a list of projects I would like to finish sometime this year, but for the most part, there are no deadlines attached or the deadline is so far out, I will have them done well ahead of time. Your star block should be done by the end of the day. Happy slow stitching!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm with you on many of the things you wrote about! Goal-setting doesn't fit my sewing desires very often, unless I just really want or need to finish something above anything else. Enjoy your Sunday stitching today, and thanks for hosting us!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love your star in a circle on a square applique... looks like you will be having fun today :) Thanks for the linky... you sure keep me inspired to look forward to what I can share on Sundays :) Kathi

    ReplyDelete
  9. The goal system hasn't work for me yet. Enjoy your Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I know you will win over this star and it will be beautiful in the end. I read the 10 tips and #10 is my goal this year along with #4. It felt funny to read about it on someone else's blog. I need to do what I want to do and not necessarily what others are doing. Thanks for sharing the link. Enjoy your slow Sunday stitching. ;^)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am glad to hear we think alike! I tried to keep a planner--wrote in it one time! It just isn't me! I just go with the flow! Always enjoy your blog posts.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am a fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal, when I left the corporate world I tossed my watch, was never good at keeping a planner I was just so anal retentive I knew by rote what needed to be done and did it. Thank goodness that part of my personality is behind me. It took me a while to let myself be creative after I raised my son and now I just immerse myself in doing what I like creatively whether stitching, sewing, quilting painting or making pottery. I read that list which was interesting yet I see the pleasure of quilt making fly right out the window, it's one of the reasons I don't much like quilt classes I find them too rigid, too perfection oriented and I don't mind a wonky block now and again. Your star block is going to be fine.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love what you said. All the talk about planners & quilt diaries have been bugging me. Also all the buzz about tidying up ala Marie Kondo! It gives me anxiety to think I SHOULD be doing these things.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the link to those tips. I know I will never use a planner either. Bringing joy is the most important. I do find it hard to protect my creative time, but there are times that I insist on it. I am sort of envious of your startitis. Although I do have 3 projects in the works right now.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I agree, after years of goals and deadlines in my working life, I do not want to put that pressure on myself anymore. I find the planners tend to be younger quilters who have to fit in creative time around working and family obligations. But, I am retired, so I'll play as I want to each day. I do wholeheartedly agree with not doing a lot of social media, those are such time consumers that take away from actually being creative, getting outdoors, or interacting with people in the real world.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I must admit I like some goals, even if I don't always finish them! But I do love a list. Hope you get your star completed and have a nice relaxing day.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I need to have some goals, even if they are very loosely defined.I also need to have some structure, but it is also very loosely defined. If I don’t I seem to end up just spinning in place and getting nothing done.

    ReplyDelete
  18. HI Kath! I'm a totally list maker...goal setter. THOUGH! I will say that I've really mellowed with age. I'm much more laid back and really intentional when it's something I really want to accomplish....other than that I find myself simply enjoying the journey. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you for the link to that article. I truly enjoyed it!! I too am a go with the flow kind of gal, but I like a bit of structure. I have goals, but they tend not to be about finishing things but to be about working on certain projects. For example, I work on my cross stitch first thing in the morning before anyone is up and then try to knit after chores and lunch, but before kids are home. Beyond that I just do whatever strikes me.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm thinking of joining that Hospital Sketches BOM too. Great star block! I think your startitis has rubbed off on me! Thanks for the link up and motivation!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh Kathy! I am like you - startitis, no quilitng planner and am so tempted to join the Handpieced QAL! I've opened the pages and will be checking it out....sigh.... :) I do set crafty goals every week and am gentle with myself if I can't meet them. I would love to schedule in my crafty time and protect it....but who can resist grandbabies, puppies and such? :)

    Life is like a box of chocolates.....

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kathy you can be any type of quilter you like. Flitting from project to project seems to fit you just fine and you do get a lot done. I do use a planner mostly for meetings and stuff but I also give myself some goals but I'm pretty chill about whether I meet them or not. Maybe too chill.

    ReplyDelete