Goal Setting for August

 

It's a new month, so time to set a new list of goals.  A big, long list may look like I'm turning this into a chore, but it is the opposite.  I find it is too easy to achieve nothing and miss the opportunity to have fun and look back at progress, however little.  I'm doing much more now and that makes me feel so good. 

Here goes.

1.     ONE MONTHLY GOAL

I'm enjoying playing with my new Trail Mix Quilt.  I had originally thought I'd use it as a leader and ender and make twelve blocks each month.  Well, I think I want to get stuck into it.  After working on quilts where every block is different and sometimes challenging (which I'm really loving), it is nice to do some simple, repetitive stitching.  

Therefore, my goal this month is to make sixty blocks, which is five rows, which will have the quilt half done.  Now, I do need to say that I have already made a decent start on this during a Zoom stitching party on Saturday, but still have quite a lot to make.  If I end up making more it will be a bonus.

2.    BLOCKHEADS 3

There will be another four blocks released this month and I hope to keep up to date.  We are now over half way there, which is exciting.

3.  RAINBOW SCRAP CHALLENGE

The colour for the  month is purple. I will make my pineapple block in pretty 30s reproduction fabrics and also my drunkard path blocks.

4.    WOOFA CHALLENGE

I had to have quite a think about what to work on this month.  Most of the obvious UFOs have now been completed.  The ones remaining are mostly from the very dim past, and are UFOs for a reason, or do still entail quite a bit of work, which I am not in the mood for just now.  I'll get around to them one day.  The project I decided to work on has decided to play hide and seek.  While searching through boxes I found an abandoned project I had quite forgotten about.

I started making this bag a long time ago.  I know I did blog about it at the time.  The pattern has vertical strips with an uneven top border.  I was going famously until I had it turned inside out to box out the base.  It was the first bag I have ever cut the corners out of before stitching.  You can imagine my dismay when I turned it right way out and found I had boxed the top of the bag!  Not happy Jan!

Despite being told it would still look fine, I put it away in disgust.  I had considered turning it into something else, but it never eventuated.

Guess what, it doesn't look too bad, even though it isn't nearly as nice as was planned, so I'm going to finish it just as it is.  Finished is better than perfect, right?

5.    ONE PROJECT A MONTH

The grand plan is that my UFO bag will also be my OPAM for the month.

6. CHRISTMAS PROJECT

This month I've dug out a pre-printed Christmas bunting panel I bought quite some years ago and never got around to making. (I seem to have lots of such projects - more unstarted objects that unfinished objects). Hopefully, it will be a fairly quick and easy make. 

This is a little challenge Lou and I have going, although she has had to take  a short break.

7. FRIDAY NIGHT WITH FRIENDS

I've only participated in this fun evening since the start of this year, as we generally watch TV on that night.  However, it is nice to join in with everyone else and enjoy some stitching.

7.    PROGRESS MY CROCHET SHAWLETTE

I really do need to get this finished.  Surely I can get it done this month.  Otherwise it will be summer before it is completed.

Phew, I make myself tired reading all that, but it is achievable and should be fun.

Now for the non stitching goals.

1.    READ A BOOK

As usual, who knows what it may be, but I will endeavour to read something.

2.    TRY A NEW RECIPE

This is always fun.  The extra challenge I'm giving myself this time is to try something that isn't baking.  We will continue to bake, as we are really enjoying that, but I need to try some other recipes.

3.    GO FOR WALKS

We did walk last month, but not as much as I would have liked.  Winter does that to you.  Hopefully, as the weather starts to warm up and the days get a little longer we will get our more often.

4.    GO FOR A MOTORCYCLE RIDE.

I do hope we can achieve this goal.  The group we ride with are supposed to be going out on Saturday,  but it is forecast to be wet, so that doesn't sound promising.  We'll see what their ride later in the month is like, or we will just have to head out ourselves.  Fingers crossed for some nice weather.

5.    HAVE A WEEKEND AWAY IN THE CARAVAN

I'd like to say we will have a weekend away, but realistically, who knows at this stage of the game.  If things stay the same as they currently are in NSW, it may be possible, but the situation can change rather quickly.  If we do get away, we have a sort of plan, which involves a relatively small town and keeping pretty much to ourselves and preparing all our own meals.  That doesn't boost their local economy, but keeps everyone safe.  Watch this space.

6. HAVE A FRIDAY FUN DAY

I'll make sure this happens.  We'll find some way to have some fun.  It will be a surprise, even to us, what it is.

So, there you go.  Lots of fun things to achieve throughout the coming month.  I'll report in at the end of the month to see how we went.