January 06, 2019

Getting Organized

One of my 2019 goals is to get my quilting stuff more organized. I haven't thought much yet about the fabric and tools side of it, but I need to figure that out soon. I found out this week that I've been accepted as an Island Batik ambassador again, which means I'm soon going to have another big box of fabric to play with that's going to need to go somewhere. Such a wonderful problem to have, right??
getting organized | DevotedQuilter.blogspot.com
I have, however, created a bulletin board with all my current projects on it and space for the upcoming ones. I'm hoping this visual aid will help me decide what to commit to and also help me feel like I'm moving forward with the right things.

I've hung the board in our spare room (where the wallpaper is still the same as when we bought the house, lol. Renovations happen slowly around here!).
getting organized | DevotedQuilter.blogspot.com
I started by printing out monthly calendars and writing all the deadlines I know of so far, along with my Medallion Magic QAL schedule (Will you be quilting along? We start on the 15th and I can't wait!!). As I'm writing this post, though, I realized I also need to note the months that I'm responsible for managing TGIFF and the weeks that I'll be hosting.
getting organized | DevotedQuilter.blogspot.com
Since I'm usually piecing at least one project and quilting something else, they each get their own category. I haven't actually started quilting the pinwheel quilt that's listed here, but I'll need to get to one that soon in order to meet the deadline. I just need to quilt enough of Multiplication to free enough pins to baste the pinwheel quilt first. Anyone else have to juggle the basting pins like that?
getting organized | DevotedQuilter.blogspot.com
The 'write pattern' category is for new patterns that I haven't released yet, while 'update' is for my existing patterns that I want to get ready for printing. There are several more patterns in both categories, but three of each seemed like enough to have in my head at any one time. I'll just add a new one each time I finish one.

The upcoming category is for things that I know I need to get started on soon, but that I haven't actually started yet. I need to add a few things to this category, too. Nana's placemats are actually her Christmas gift (oops!), but I'm hoping to be able to start them next week, so they'll soon be moving up to the piecing section. I pulled fabric for the Turnabout Patchwork quilt yesterday and I think I'll be starting that tomorrow, so it's about to move, too. Moving things around like this is exactly why I wanted a bulletin board rather than just a list.
getting organized | DevotedQuilter.blogspot.com
 As I mentioned earlier, I'm an Island Batik ambassador again this year and there was considerable excitement in the ambassador FB group as we all started receiving notifications of big boxes of fabric headed our way. This section of the board will start being filled in once we have the list of monthly challenge themes. I think planning ahead will be easier if I'm often reminded of what the upcoming challenge themes are and I can also make notes of possible projects and stick them to the board.

You can see in this picture that I was merrily trimming the papers close to the words until I remembered that I should leave room for the pins to hold everything in place. You can barely see March! I clued in partway through the trimming that I need to leave room on the sides for the pins 😊
getting organized | DevotedQuilter.blogspot.com
I may make changes to the board as the year goes on and I see how it works for me, but this is looking good for a start. It makes me happy to see it each time I go into the spare room, which is actually quite often since that's where my fabric is stored.

How do you organize your projects?

6 comments:

  1. I am a very visual person and this looks a lot like the system I have pinned up in front of me at my desk. It really helps to visually see the next 3-4 months ahead of time for me! I hope you have a fabulous year and I look forward to seeing what you create!

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  2. I like your bulletin board! I'm using the Quilter's Planner to help keep me organized, as long as I look at it, it seems to help :) And renovations happen slowly here, too!

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  3. I love this!! I have a calendar to keep track of stuff, but I really like this visual reminder. I think I'm getting a bulletin board and taking down a quilt in my sewing room. What size is your bulletin board?

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  4. I have a large monthly daytimer here on my desk and write in everything to help keep me organised. About the basting pins, I kept buying more then started using basting glue. My 5 year old granddaughter has found them and uses for everything now that we told her she can no longer pin things to her stuffies using my straight pins. I had to remove several long pins from Dora to remove her from my design wall.

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  5. Organize my projects? I'm supposed to keep them organized? LOL
    I usually just pile them up on my table - and I have to work on them to make room to start something else... Not the best plan, but it's been working since I re-organized my craft room a few weeks ago... Of course, that was before I got Emily Dennis' new quilt book - I may have to work faster - there are more than a few that I want to make!

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  6. This is a very good idea. I have a wall planner with all the classes I'm booked to teach - it's really helpful to look across the months and see when I need to be preparing samples/revising class notes. For my projects I created a table on Wordpress with columns for each stage of creating a quilt and print it out with each project listed (and a few blanks for unexpected projects...). I shall have to put that next to the wall chart and then like you I will have everything in one place :-)

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