Tag: More in 2024

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First quarter of 2024…..

I started out this year by talking about some of my goals for 2024…..

More in 24!!!

Since the year is officially 1/4 finished, it is time to check out my progress.

Let’s start with a gold star…..

I have been keeping up with making one quilted mandala each month and am excited about the first three……

I was initially concerned about being able to come up 12 different ideas but now the designs are starting to flow freely!!

Now for a demerit…..

I had planned to spend 5 minutes each morning writing about my memories from childhood.

I did great on this until mid-March. Once we got back from our week in England, I started feeling pretty hectic about getting my work finished by April 15th, so this has pretty much gone the way of the Dodo.

But, I am planning to pick it back up again in the next week or so. It was fun to do and I really don’t want to lose the momentum.

Finally, there is my “taxing scrap” quilt. Again, I did great before we traveled, but I have found it increasingly hard to want to spend ANY time in my studio. I would much rather get stuck into my work each morning!

As I mentioned in my 2-month update, I am working to use up all of the 1.5-inch scrap squares and made a few blocks along those lines.

Here are few of the blocks that I have made…..

As you can see, my production speed has definitely slowed!!

One of my goals is to visit a museum, gallery or other display each month and that was certainly taken care of with my visit to the V&A Museum and Tate Modern Gallery in London.

SO…..where to next??

Tomorrow is the official end of tax season here in the US and I am relishing the prospect of being through with THAT part of my year. Of course, I have other non-tax work to do but it will be nice to concentrate more on accounting rather than taxation.

And, do I have goals in my studio?

YOU BET!!

In the next month, I plan to make my Cherrywood Challenge quilt. I have some fun ideas about it but won’t post for a while.

There is also a guild challenge that I am considering but will have to see how my time progresses.

I want to finish my “taxing scrap” quilt and use up all of those 6-inch squares that I have been toiling over.

I am looking forward to quilting this new quilt and also the “Rabbit Trail” quilt that I made back in February……

And, for the blog, we still have about 4 or 5 more QuiltCon categories to explore so there is lots more quilt candy to be enjoyed there.

How about you? How are your 2024 goals coming? Please let me know so that I can be encouraged along with you!!

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Thank you…….

More in 24!!!

Yesterday I posted my 2023 year in review and was encouraged to see what had been accomplished!! 

This past week has been a “deeper thinking” time for me….as it is most years. I have been trying to decide on my goals for 2024, both personally and for Frances Quilts.

There are a few projects that I am excited to try in the new year…..

First of all, I have long wanted to start writing a history of my life, and of mine and Michael’s life together, and this is the year to start!! As I have posted here before, I am a big fan of the “Happier” podcasts with Gretchen Rubin and Elizabeth Craft. Each year they present a challenge for the year and for 2024 it is to write more. You can either pick 2 to 4 minutes each day or 24 minutes each day. 

Now, I know that I would NOT do 24 minutes, but can I do 5 each of the weekdays??? I am going to give it a try and see.

I searched online and found lots of “questions” that can be used as writing prompts. The first is to describe the home that you were living in when you were born. SO….I am starting out with my parent’s first home…..

I am looking forward to peppering photos throughout the writing and using those photos to prompt me further. 

Depending on how it goes, I might share some of the writings along the way!!

Now…on to the Frances Quilts side of things.

This past year I finished both of my BIG, unfinished projects so I am floundering a bit as to what my next big things will be.

I have purchased the fabrics for the Cherrywood Challenge…..

…so that will definitely be on the “to-do” list for early in the year.

I also have started thinking about my Holiday Inn carpet fabrics and designs….

Floor or inspiration???

….so I am hoping to get some work done on that too.

Last year I enjoyed working thru lots of Grid FMQ designs and this year I am going to continue that, but instead of grids, I am going to work on mandalas…..Hopefully!!!

I have drawn a couple in procreate…..

….and downloaded TONS of free designs from the internet…..

Most of these designs are too complicated for quilting, but I will alter them so they will work.

I am planning to present a new part each Friday so be sure to stay tuned for that.

On the travel front, Michael and I are spending 5 days in Dallas in January and 7 days in England in March (yes….in the middle of tax season!!). 

I may make a quick trip to Raleigh for QuiltCon in February, but that will depend entirely on how tax season is going!! 

My guild retreat is the first week in May and I will definitely be there!! It is a welcome time of creativity after the rigors of tax season are behind me.

The rest of the year will be normal trips….. judging quilts at the Georgia National Fair in September and traveling to Houston for the International Quilt Festival in November.

I don’t know what else the year will bring but I do like this thought…..

Creator Unknown

….and this…..

What are your plans for 2024???

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In this blog, I post stories about creativity, techniques, tools of the trade, and lots more about the wonderful art of quilting. If you are enjoying these posts, please subscribe to be notified of each new blog as it becomes available.