First quarter goals and two tiny finishes

Well, it's about time I check in about all those goals I set for this year.  I think I am doing well, but of course there is room for improvement.

Because I am the only one who truly cares about the details, I am just going to give you the summary.

No buying fabric (with exceptions) - I did breach my rule once, a small quantity, to make this gift:

Really, I am OK with that.  I already know that I will allow myself more breaches, but these guidelines have kept me from making unnecessary purchases.

No buying books and magazines - Nothing so far

 

Keep track of spending - I have not exactly kept track, but I have a general idea.  With the fabric fast, it probably isn't necessary to keep track.  When I start buying on a regular basis, is when I really need to start counting.  Regardless, it's cheaper than therapy.

Major clean up of my sewing room in January - Done, but the room is back to being a huge mess.  I have my work cut out for me for the April clean-up...

Manage my stash - I washed the many new fabrics in the unwashed pile, ironed all but a couple meters, I physically split up my collections... All these resolutions have been great!

A WIP finish  - Yay!  I finished  my Colourful Scraps Improv Quilt

 

 

I have also learned to use Flickr, made and mailed my bee blocks on time, parted with flannel scraps I did not need, and best of all, I attended the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild's first sew-in (too bad about the other two I missed but such is life).   

 

And what about the tiny finishes in the title?  Don't get too excited... just two luggage tags I made today (see my tutorial here).  In case you haven't seen them before, there is a plastic pocket to insert a business card, even though you can't really tell from the picture.   

 

 

These will be my gift for a complete stranger whose scraps I ended up with.  I shared the story here, but in a nutshell, while on a work-related trip to the Bahamas, my husband asked a bartender where he could buy some fabric.  The man replied there was no fabric store nearby, but went home and returned with a bag full of local fabric scraps.

 

My husband is returning to the same place, and he figures he will likely run into the same bartender.  I don't know anything about the lady who gave me the scraps, other than that she does travel.  So luggage tags was a logical choice.  The one on the left is made with her scraps - I think it's interesting to see what other people can do with your scraps. Of course, I made a second one with my own scraps, while keeping the same general colour scheme.

 

 

How are you doing with your goals?