NOTEBOOK CHECK
Attention, Class! It’s time for (the dreaded) NOTEBOOK CHECK! This will count as 100 points on your Report Card! Remember those days?…
How are you doing on your Quilt Notebook?
THE QUILT NOTEBOOK SERIES
In January, we started with a fresh, new Quilt Notebook-a place to store ALL of our quilt ideas, information, and inspiration. Read Start Today-A Quilt Notebook about choosing a notebook HERE.
Next, we discussed getting our quilt life organized and creating our personal quilt history. We started a new page for every quilt and listed ten important facts about each of these quilts. Read Take Note-The Quilt Notebook HERE.
Later in the month, we scoured our houses-basement to attic to find every quilt project we’ve ever started. We listed them on a new page in our Quilt Notebooks: The Unfinished Object (UFO) Page HERE
In February, we set priorities by evaluating the quilts on our UFO list and we chose The Big Three-quilts on which to focus our time and energy. Read Establishing Priorities (HERE)
Then we organized The Big Three Quilts and made it easy to stay focused on these quilts. Read about Jump Starting our Works in Progress (WIPs) HERE
In March, we added two more pages to our Notebooks: Mastered Skills and Techniuqes to Try —Read Skills Inventory HERE And we worked together to establish The Twelve Skills Every Quilter Must Know HERE to create a personal skills inventory so we continue to improve our skills with every quilt and project.
Then we went on a long vacation and didn’t do anything with our notebook ==Notebook Grade C- (OH, wait! That was ME—not YOU, right?)
GRADE YOURSELF
It’s time to pour yourself a cup of tea and glance through your quilt notebook.
- Do you have your notebook?
- Do you have a page listing your favorite quilting websites like The Inbox Jaunt?
- Do you have a page for every completed quilt? (what about a photo?)
- Do you have a UFO (unfinished object) page?
- Did you choose your Big Three Quilts? Are they each listed on a separate page in your Notebook?
- Are The Big Three organized in boxes, ready to work when you have 15 minutes to quilt?
- Do you have a Personal Skills Inventory?
- Do you Pages with Mastered Skills and Techniques to Try?
- Do you have a Pinterest Board to collect “Skills to Learn”?
ONLINE COURSE GIVEAWAY
If you’re still struggling with your UFOs–I’ve got great news for you! A reader of The Inbox Jaunt has just the right course for you! Mary Huey of Mary Huey Quilts.com is a very experienced teacher and she will be offering FREE Enrollment in her UFQ (Unfinished Quilt) Assault Tactics online class…
See how you can win…coming MONDAY!
Lori
NOTE to SELF–Add framed free motion quilted pieces to Unfinished Projects:
- Patterns stitched-Complete
- Projects framed-Complete
- Etsy shop opened-Complete
- Enter Adorable Free Motion Quilted and Framed Art Quilts in Etsy shop—Another unfinished item!
Note–The Framed Art Quilts were stitched on a Bernina 820 using Aurifil thread in the bobbin and Sulky Rayon on top.
PS…All images, tutorials and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to tell all your friends about us. Blog, phone call, Pin, tweet with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For any other use, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thank YOU!
24 comments
Pam
Lori,
I so loved your quilting notebook idea. I did start mine. I did list mine a little differently than you suggested, since I discovered that it helped me to know how many in “each stage” of their UFO.
I stared with 10 on my UFO list.(only have 7 left on it.)
Next tops ready to quilt – started with 7 only 4 left to quilt.
Quilts in que – these are quilts I have the fabric for but have not started. Total 5
Next my dream quilt list – Ideas I’ve seen that I dream about and want to start someday. Only 3 on there for now, since my goal is to finish up the current things. If I allowed myself, the dream list could get very, very long.
Lastly, current quilt in process – 2 (one queen size for my daughter and another charity lap quilt).
After creating my journal…I set goals for myself, to finish 1 large, and 1 small UFO each month, in addition to piecing my daughter’s queen size quilt. I set goals for the queen size quilt since it was 1832 pieces in the top. I am so happy, I now have all 56 blocks done, and only one more seam to complete the entire top. I was doing great until I got sick in March and missed 3 weeks of feeling well enough to quilt days. But I did complete one small UFO in March, and managed to catch up on the queen quilt in April.
Your quilting notebook has given me the incentive I needed to make a difference on my unfinished projects. I am a finisher and have helped so many of my friends complete or finish their quilts for them. It was a shock to me to discover how many UFO’s I had. When I realized that the majority of my UFO’s were items I was making for myself, it made me see that I was placing everyone else first in line. So I gave myself permission to complete some things just for me. And the joy it gave me has been worth the journal book time.
I love tracking details about the quilts as I’m making them too. This whole idea has just been such a blessing to me.
I love reading your blog, seeing your beautiful quilting and getting new ideas from you.
Thank you for encouraging all of us to complete the UFO’s. I am not allowing myself to buy fabric unless it is to complete something on one of my lists. It seems to be working so far. 😉
Lori Kennedy
Pam,
I was delighted to read your letter. You get an A+++! You must be delighted with all your finished quilts! So happy for you!
Thanks for your words of encouragement,too!
Lori
Janet Bevan
I have a UFQ going back nearly 15 years when I started quilting. I was making a quilt with horses for my thirteen year old daughter and realised that I didn’t have the skills to complete it. She is now 28 and it is till unfinished, although she has had other quilts since. This one will miss a generation. But I will finish it soon, now I have the skills.
Barb E
Since coming back from the south I have fallen behind in my notebook. I went back to when I started quilting, only three years, and have amazed myself with what I have done. I have only two UFO’s both cuddle quilts to FMQ. I want to thank you for starting this notebook. I already find it a real treasure and will soon get back to updating it with the rest of my quilting.
stitchinggrandma
Big fat F for me too. I never did a notebook, but have followed along with the posts. I managed a list of my projects on a spreadsheet tho…and have crossed off about 6 of the 16. I took out my bin of UFO quilt tops (they just need to be layered) last week, and have 1 pin basted for quilting! I am pleased with that step!
Lori Kennedy
You are a hard grader! I’d give you at least a B for all you’ve accomplished. That’s the real goal of the notebook!
Mary Posuniak
Big fat F on my notebook! all though I love the Idea of it ! I will try to look back at your notes and try again! Thank you for all your time, talent and inspiration!
big Fat
Pat
I went through my UFOs (gasp!) and found some that are sooo borderline – To keep or not to keep, that is the question. Did I miss the how to evaluate? I need the assessment plan and/or courage to toss some of these. Any thoughts???
Happy Friday.
Peggy R
UFO’s? Now that I am addicted to your blog I have MORE on my UFO list.
One I just posted on your Flickr sidebar, for example, is a project to practice your motifs. I’ve done about everything wrong you can think of (tension, wrinkles, sewing over something important on the back, making the motif upside down, not having neat starts and stops, leaving threads hanging,) but am having great fun and learning a lot (of how to cover one’s mistakes) and it will STILL be a great quilt to snuggle under.
Terry
Unfortunately, at the top of my UFO list is my notebook 🙁
Teresa in Music City
Lori, I haven’t been able to keep up my notebook with all the various sections you have discussed, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this series! I did start my notebook, and the exercises on analyzing our UFO’s were very enlightening and helped me target and prioritize mine. I’m finding that today my notebook has become more of a quilting diary, where I keep all my thoughts and notes while working on a quilt. It has proved very helpful in keeping me on track and documenting my processes! I just wanted to say thanks – for the notebook series and for all the stitching inspiration you share with us each week!
Helenanne
I appreciate this cumulative review outline of all the steps that require my remedial attention. I truly love your quilt notebook approach to organizing and accomplishing more in my quilting life. Sadly I wasn’t in a good place to begin in January at “the start of the term” due to a major life event. I was planning to go through your posts looking for the quilt notebook related posts and now you’ve done it for me! You are an awesome teacher!
Bluebonnet
I’m so glad I had my list of UFOs. I am moving, so I got my list, a big box, & placed my started projects along with any notes to myself about them into the box. I buy batting by the yard, so the quilt tops needing quilting, I am going to roll onto an empty batting cylinder.
Diane
My daughter found your blog, and shared it with me. I’m really enjoying it! Thank you for being so generous with your ideas. I love the notebook idea, and am going to get going on it.
sillyandrea
Add “place Etsy shop link in blog sidebar” 😀
rosemarazzle
Rosemary B here:
Oh my. Is this confession day? haha just kidding
I need several notebooks for my whole life.
I really want to do this. The closest thing I have managed to do is to print out projects I want to try to do and I have them in plastic page protectors in a notebook.
Some of my unfinished projects I am not sure I want to finish…. usually those I save for a quicky gift project.
I love your framed creations. What a cute idea. those would make sweet gifts for ….anyone that needs a gift!
I am making little jackets from sweatshirts, adding high quality fabric trim, for my mom.
She needs some fancy accessories for when she and dad move into their retirement community in August.
The next three months are going to be busy.
I am also working on our HST project for quilt club.
You always inspire me, Lori
<3
Leonie Micke
Oh… if only my UFO list would fit on one page 🙂
Julie Beard
Lori, I have to admit I failed miserably at my notebook! I did do some work on it for a day or two and then I fell back to my old routine. I will have to pull it out while my next door neighbour is away to keep the boredom away and to show her how much I have done to get in one it’s way to being caught up!!!!!
I am inspired and as I get thing done I will forward to you photo’s of my pages. Julie
Karen
I’m trying to keep my Quilt Notebook up to date. But it has been challenging. I did make a couple of new Boards on my Pinterest account to keep my quilting inspirations organized. One I call “Lori Kennedy”! 🙂 thanks for inspiring me!
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