October Objectives (A Quilty To Do List)

About this time last year, I realized that I'd only completed a grand total of 2 quilts for 2007 and 2008 combined.  And if I stayed on the same track, I wouldn't do much more for 2009.  After thinking about it a bit, I came to a couple of conclusions.  First there was no thought being given to what I really wanted to do in terms of quilting and second I wasn't taking enough quilting classes   To address the first I started making a monthly "to do" list.  Putting the list together helps me think about what I really want to get done in my sewing room.  I rarely finish the list, but it seems to have helped my productivity.  I finished 3 quilts last year and 6 so far this year. 
So what are my objectives for October? 

1.  Complete October blocks for Seeing Stars and Texas Blue Bonnet BOMs
2.  Finish the 2008 BOM top
3.  Piece the back for the 2008 BOM project
4.  Decide on design for school auction quilt
5.  Cut fabrics and start piecing the school auction quilt
6.  Bind the pink mystery quilt
7.  Use "leaders and enders" technique to work on the purple/yellow scrap quilt
8.  Decide if I want to participate in the "Layer Cake Quilt Along" being sponsored by Moose on the Porch Quilts

A "to do" list seems pretty logical way to get more done, so why the thought about taking more quilting classes?  If I look back, I finished more quilts in 2005 and 2006.  At that time I lived near a very "quilter with a day job" friendly quilt shop.  They offered a lot of classes that I could attend and I attended a lot.  So I was starting a lot of new projects.  We moved a few years ago and no I don't have a local quilt shop where I can easily take classes (the closest is about an hour away).  I realized that I wasn't starting very many new projects since I wasn't taking any classes.   So  I've been looking ways to take "classes" on line.  This year I'm doing a BOM sponsored by Country Junction and I did a mystery quilt sponsored by Planet Patchwork back in July.  It's a way for me to get interested in starting new projects, plus I get to see what everyone else is making.  My favorite part of he quilting classes is to see what everyone starts out with and how a project turns out with all the different fabric choices.  So I like those on-line projects where everyone shares photographs of their progress. 

So back to the "Layer Cake Quilt Along".  I have a layer cake that I bought for a school auction project, I used some of it, but still have a lot of squares left.  How do you think this would work for the "Layer Cake Quilt Along"?

There are other fabrics, but this shows the color range and type of patterns that are in the layer cake.  Not sure what I would use for an accent, beige maybe?  Dark brown?  Any thoughts?