This is the last 15 Minute Challenge report of 2011. Looking back, this challenge started for me back in February, when the lack of progress on my quilting projects was beginning to frustrate me. Surely I could find 15 minutes every night to sew. How can it be so hard to find my way up the stairs to the sewing room to do something I really, really like to do? Actually, really, really need to do to maintain some sense of sanity in my crazy world of work deadlines and family stuff. I really am a nicer, saner person if I get a daily dose of fabric handling (there must be something to the rumor that fabric gives off mood enhancing pheromones). I started 5 new quilts this year, finished 7, and am close to finishing 2 others. I'm pretty sure that challenging myself to spend those 15 minutes sewing each day is a big factor in having made that much progress.
For whatever reason, having to report my success or failure to my blog buddies each week was a good motivator for me. More often than not, the fact that I had to write a report was the sole motivator getting me up those stairs some weeks. (Doesn't that sound pathetic?) So the 15 Minute Challenge will continue in 2012. Rules for 2012 are the same as they were for 2011. Spend 15 minutes a day, or as many days a week as you think you can routinely manage, doing whatever art/craft (depending upon which camp you are in on that subject) project that brings joy and sanity to your life. You decide what activities count. So if organizing your stash is needed, you can count that as your 15 minutes. If shopping for some fabulous fabric is needed to start/finish a project, you can count that.
So let's wrap up 2011. Did you get those Christmas gifts sewn and under the tree? I did better than expected on the finishing gift front. Geisha became a finished top, the label was added to the Texas Twilight and Flurry was finished. I had really good (though rushed) week.
Christmas Eve was the only day I didn't manage to find time to sew. It was filled with last minute Christmas shopping and other family activities.
Did your sewing time become present wrapping time, baking time or family time (all very valued activities this time of year)? Share how your week went by linking up below.
1. Liz | 2. Pat |
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9 comments:
I'm so pleased your 15 mins a day worked for you. You definitely achieved a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing what you accomplish each week in 2012.
Wow! I'm really impressed...do you find that your 15 minutes often spreads to more, or do you watch the clock as you sew, if you've got other things to do? I think a 15 minute/day challenge is quite brilliant! :)
Thanks for starting this challenge and I found that by reporting, I was making an effort to do more quilty things. I may have been doing the 15 minutes a day, but since I didn't write it down, it was forgotten.
I listed activities even though it wasn't always sewing, especially when I was playing with new programs.
Liz
I think you did pretty good, and if having to post about it is what helped you stick with it, it doesn't matter! Sometimes we need things like that to motivate us, that's okay. In a perfect world, we'd all be self-disciplined (like my DH!) and the only motivation we'd need is getting the job done... sigh... if only!
Congratulations! You accomplished a lot this year. Thanks for hosting the Challenge. I'm more motivated when I have to own up to it and report on it. Your new blog header sends shivers down my back. Cool!
I got two of my four cloth books done. I couldn't work on the others because I got sick a week before Christmas and couldn't concentrate nor did I want to cough and sneeze all over the books. But they'll get done eventually and be loved just as much!
Good on you for continuing your personal challenge in to 2012!
I think I have sewn more this week than I have in a while and have really enjoyed doing it which has been lacking lately. The sewing room got a bit of a tidy, I started a cross stitch (haven't ever done one before) and am loving doing it (it is from Blackbird girls new book). Have cut out a heap of paper piecing templates for my This goes with that BOM and today I started cutting out another version of the quilt I designed which is only 4 blocks instead of 9. Have a lovely rest of the xmas break.
Thanks for hosting this challenge this year Kate!! I know I only played a little while, and pretty much gave up on my reporting over the last few months, but I am keen to get back into it this coming year! If only to challenge myself, lol, regardless of the reporting! Have a great week ... See you in the new year!!
I just spotted this challenge. I'm going to play in 2012 - motivation is good, if only 15 minutes sewing, cutting or doing whatever needs to be done.
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