I LOVE lists. It is so satisfying to see things written down in an orderly fashion and even better to check things off when they are completed. When I feel anxious and overwhelmed I make a list. I have lists for everything—things to buy, cleaning, home repairs, bucket lists, travel ideas, goals (big and little), books I’ve read and books to read, packing, podcasts, TV series, movies, and on and on. You get the idea. Lists are great for both planning and record keeping.
In my massive sewing room de-stash and reorganization I list everything. UFOs are in numbered 18-gallon Rubbermaid totes. Master lists show what is in each tote and the stage of completion for each project. If I need a quick finish for a gift or donation I can easily find one from the list. Much easier than rummaging through dozens of totes. Books, patterns and thread colors are going on lists. Just this morning I wished the book list was complete. I saw a quilt I like and the pattern is in a book I thought I owned. I looked through the shelves but couldn’t find it. Now my dilemma is whether to buy the book and hope I don’t already own it.
Each week I also make a list to stay focused on what I want to accomplish. It helps to keep things moving forward and avoid deadline panic. My weekly lists are in a notebook that I keep and use as a reference for when projects are started, how long they take and the stage of completion. I also jot down notes as I make the quilt in case I have to set it aside for any length of time. It’s easy to get back to it if I have some idea where to pick it back up.
This will be a short week since I’m going to Minneapolis to see my daughter. I probably won’t accomplish everything on my list but here is my focus for the week:
Piece at least 15 blocks in the Kinship Sampler 100 Days 100 Blocks Challenge. I like to stay well ahead of schedule on this to accommodate travel, babysitting and life events that keep me out of the sewing room. I select fabric for about 10 blocks (each block is separated by a comic book board), then cut and piece them 10 at a time. This set will get me to August 9 on the schedule.
Piece four more pineapple blocks. These are very tedious but I have the cutting done so hopefully I can complete just four blocks.
Finish quilting Stars Around the Garden. This is my July One Monthly Goal so I really need to get busy on this.
Quilt and bind or mount these two minis on canvas. I recently came across these two little Lori Smith tops and it’s time to get them out of the UFO pile!
I hope you too will make a list of sewing goals for the week. What other lists do you make? I would love to hear about them.
This post is linked to:
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Moving It Forward Monday at Em’s Scrap Bag
If you need a little Monday Motivation, check out a few links at any or all of these websites.
Everyone in my family laughs at me because of my lists! Often, someone will bring me a “Things to do today …” pad. Makes me smile.
When my overactive brain becomes *too* overactive, I can organize it by listing whatever it is that’s overwhelming me.
Once a ‘lister’, always a ‘lister’.
My favorite ongoing list is my UFO list that I wrote in 2007. It had 107 items in various stages of completion on it. My intention was to knock that list out in a year! Ha! I’ve added projects and checked off completed projects over the years, but still have a handful of the earliest UFOs. (Maybe it’s time to throw those on the never-going-to-finish pile, huh.)
You win, though, for the most lists. 🙂
(Gotta run … have to make out my grocery list.)