New Year. New resolution.

For most people, when we see January on our calendar, we decided it's time to make new resolutions. The list can be short or extremely long with goals and challenges that will demand time and sacrifices. We rolled up our sleeves with good determination. Then the month passes and we looked back to see our progress and discouragement engulfed us with despair.

Or maybe you are like me go at your own pace with goals and challenges that you can continue even if the year has passed away. Sometimes I go fast and sometimes I'm stalled because of events in my life that cannot wait and need attending. That's is one main reason I make a Quilting Planner last year, so I refer to it again and again and checked mark my projects and goals when they are completed. Also, I've created this blog as a dairy and I can go to it and see where I left one project and started another one.

And of course, share my love for quilting with others and now that I said my peace, it's time to go back to quilting.

So far, I have learned to:

1. Washed my fabric before using them. For many years I didn't washed my fabric, now I do. It's a preference for sure.
2. Spray starch my washed fabric. A necessary process if you washed your fabric.
3.Spray starch again when my blocks are completed.
4. Removed the water in my iron and spray starch instead. What a difference!
5. Made homemade spray starch. So much cheaper and environment friendly.
6. Quilt every day and enjoy the whole process.
7. Share my progress with a friend is so much fun.
8.Watch YouTube tips that  will help me improved my quilting skill. Better take an free online classes. So much fun!!
9. Change your needle, blade, and clean your sewing area.
10. Never assumed your sewing machine is clean.

This was after many hours of sewing and quilting one small quilt. It does build up!

 It does also built up lint under the bobbin case.

This is what came from under it. Never blow with your mouth or you could easily pushed the lint inside the machine where you couldn't reach and damage your machine. Instead use your sewing machine brush for that purpose and clean as much as you can.

A rule of thumb to consider, the more you sew with your machine, the more you should clean those areas. It does build up quickly, all depending on the thread, batting, and backing, you've used.

Now, if you haven't yet cleaned your sewing machine, I suggested you put that as your priority for on your calendar.

Happy New Year sewing!!!