DIY Quilting Planner

In the last two previous years, I made a list of projects I wanted finish before moving unto new ones. My planning was simple. A list of 12 projects; whatever new or UFOs.  All that changed last year when I joined  two wonderful blogs and it kept my busy during the long cold winter for sure.  Also if that wasn't enough business in my quilting life,  I ran the workshops for our community quilts guild.

The year flew by and many projects never got done  or started. My list simply was left forgotten in a drawer somewhere in sewing room,  never once I bothered to look at it for inspiration or what else I wanted to do.  As I thought about  this, it made me realized  that I needed to plan differently or what's the point of making a list at all. If you're like me, quilting isn't your only hobby or activity, so a bit a planning ahead made sure some goals are met.

A note here. If your family is a priority in your life and quilting is the last things on your mind, then bravo and good for you. I've been there myself for many years, because I homeschooled my children. Those years were  a blessing as I met wonderful moms and valued their support, encouragement, and tips. A big thanks to those moms that made a difference in my life.  Now  that my children are all adults and I can enjoy quilting, I'm back with a relentless heart to sew...sew.. beautiful quilts. So if you have to put your sewing  aside, don't be dishearten, your love for quilting will return with a more creative ways then you thought you had.

Now lets see how I planned my quilting for this year:)

From one of my previous posts, I mentioned that I wrote a list of things I wanted to be done; whatsoever it was an unfinished quilt or new pattern I wanted to try. My list was simple with only twelve projects in mind. It was inefficient because I didn't look at my list until my year was over, which I realized not much was done from it. *big sigh*

This January 2017, I decided it would be extravagant the have a quilting planner. After searching on the web, I found this wonderful and well put together Quilting Planner I'm sure it's worth spending the money and it tugged at my mind for a few days. Should I buy it or not? Why not as a Christmas gift to myself. *A Grinch evil laugh*

Would it be cheap to make my own DIY Quilting Planning? Why would you want to plan a year of quilting anyway? Will I even use it as a reference book after all that effort into it? All those questions ran wild in my mind. Then it happens!!

While I waited in a store for my daughter to post her parcel to a friend,  I browsed the magazine section and after flipping through a few magazines, I purchased two that seemed interesting enough. My daughter was still not done, and believed it or not, I had time to flip through the pages of one of the magazine. The more I flipped through the pages of the Easy Modern Quilts the more I fell in love with it and an ingenious idea popped in my mind right there in the store and I couldn't wait to put it to plan. It was so amazing. So thrilling.  Okay, you got the idea. *laugh*

What if I made every single quilt in that magazine in a period? What if I only used my stash. No cheating this time. What if I skip the free-motion quilting entirely for those 18 quilts and focus on the sewing tops only? My mind brainstormed over all the possibilities and even kept me awake during the night.  It was insane!

 Use with permission January 2017

This is the magazine that inspired me to make my own  DIY Quilting Planner. There are 18 easy to make quilts. All the patterns in the book used squares, rectangles, or strips.

 My goal will be to make one top quilt a month. Yes, it sounds crazy but doable. My big challenge is the summer months when I love being outside. Just a few rules I set myself because I'm giving myself to finish all those 18 tops by spring 2018. And because of that short time, I will not worry about quilting them. It all in the fun of playing with my stash and sewing this year.

 Most of the quilts in the magazine are made with solid colour fabrics, which I don't have in quantity, so I'll have to improvise. It sure will be interesting to see what comes out. Oh, but look at the fun that is awaiting me:)

Step one: To Cut or Not to Cut?

 

Can you imagine pulling apart your brand new magazine? I just did that so with mine. The reason for doing it was to be able to store the pages in a binder. It wasn't easy and certainly struggled that thought for a whole day, before I considered buying another if it really...really bothered my conscience. Just that thought helped me to move on with my DIY Quilting Planner. 

Step 2: Free Supplies

My only expenses for this project were a sheet protector, less then$20. If you already have plenty of school supplies at home, like binders, graph paper, pencil, glue, used it before you go crazy on shopping for everything new. Or if you have scrapbooking stuff,  you can use that too. Creativity isn't required for this DIY Quilting Planner.

 Step 3: Binder Cover

 

 Make it simple, but interesting enough that you want to use it throughout the entire year.  After I finished my cover for my binder, I realized it may take me more than one year to completed. Writing the year on it may not have be a good idea, but that's okay.

Step 4: Dividers

If you have more then one project on the go, then you probably need to separated each project with a divider of some short for quick referral. My DIY Quilting Planner will be divided into five sections, each section with its own goals for each month in its entire year.

 

Here are two simple examples how I personalized my dividers. I used  five paper of the same color  and type the title of the book, what it's about, and the designer's name.  Any form of  divider you choice will be fine too. What I like about a binder it you can add  additional information to your section as you go or add pictures of your progress each month.

Step 5: Planning Goals

 

 With so many line-paper sheets left from my homeschooling supplies, I decided to use some for printing my goals of the months for each section. Now, I have some quilts already started from last year and will take a bit longer to complete, so I'm given myself two months to complete apart.

My DIY Quilting Planner is personalized to my goals and interests. You certainly do not need to stress yourself with a load of projects that you cannot possibly finish in the year to come. Be kind to yourself and mal it fun and realistic.

And of course we always...always have UFO with us. So why not put it in there and work on them too.  This is one of my last section in my binder and has no definite goals when it needs to be done. If I have time...then I'll work on it. Or better bring them all at the retreat in April.

Note: If you're interested 2017 UFO Challenge  they have a printable sheet for that purpose and a blog you can follow other quilters with that same goals. To work on their UFOs. Check it out!

Step 6: Repeats Perhaps?

             

Sometimes a pattern from one magazine has similarities from another one. In such a case why not simply replaced it with a project already precut. A very good opportunity to work on it.

Step 7: Use Your Stash

 Orange Fabric? Are you serious! One of my fewer favourite colours. What to do with it? For myself, I'll use one of that beautiful pattern and rid of it. Yeah.

I hope I have inspired you in many ways to start a quilt with your own stash or to make your DIY quilting planner.  For now, let's cut some of our stashes away. Please share your pictures or thought on how you planned yours.

Happy New Year!