Hooked on Needles

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Project List for 2009 -- Organization Tips

A few years ago when I was fortunate enough to have my little sewing room built in the basement, I came up with a few items that I have found to be very useful and that help me to be more productive and organized. Perhaps you might find them helpful too.

The first is my bulletin board which hangs directly above my sewing machine. You can see it in one of my Before Clean-up pictures. I use it to pin up things that inspire me, notes that I have received from nice people who sent me gifts and giveaways, and other little odd things that I like to look at or remember. When I am not taking pictures or making videos for Hooked On Needles, I will remove the fabric that is pinned on the board and use the board to pin up my pattern or instructions for whatever sewing or quilting project I am working on. This way I can see it in front of me and it doesn't get lost in the surrounding chaos, which thankfully isn't an issue anymore!

Are you a list person? I surely am! The older I get, the more I rely on written reminders to make sure what needs to be done each day actually gets done. This brings me to the next item I use frequently.

The other item I have found to be very useful is a small, easily portable white board. I use this to jot down notes or ideas or plans until I can get them into a more permanent state, such as onto the computer. While I was doing my big clean-up recently, I used it to list every project as I found it in my mess. You can see it here in the second picture, sitting on the ping pong table among all the Stuff, and already it is quite full.

I was amazed to find so many projects that I have all the materials for in amongst my mess. As I came upon each one, I recalled when and why I got it, and wished that it had not been lost in the mess over time. This year, I have made a promise to myself to be more productive and not as wasteful in terms of my crafting projects. I have decided that each new project that I work on this year will come from my Shelf of Projects, right in the cabinet in my sewing room. In order to help with this effort, I have made a list of all the projects I discovered and wrote on my little white board. After putting them into a file on the computer, I organized them by craft method. So now, when I'm in the mood to begin a project, I can look at my list and pick just what I am in the mood for.

Here is The List:

2009 Project List

Sewing
Fabric Baskets x 1
Tea wallets x 2
• Make knitting needle roll

Make crochet hook roll x 2
PIF gift #2, red apple tote bag and misc items - mailed 5/22 to Myra
Kitchen Swap gift - mailed 5/22 to Adrienne - apron and misc. items
Jeans aprons - paisley, ladybug, vest panel
Jeans Clothes Pin Bag
Pin Cushion Bag
Origami Bag
Fabric Baskets for washcloth swap
Sweet and Rosy Needle Wallet
Friendship bag x2
Embroidered Country Rose Drawstring Bag
Halloween Apron Swap

Quilting
• Tree skirt panel
• Color bridge quilt
• Finish log cabin quilt
• Finish Elizabeth’s scrap quilt
Country cabin doll quilts - gave to band yardsale
Disappearing 9 patch block swap - blocks finished 6/18
I Spy squares mailed 10/1/09
Jane's Red and Aqua D9P block swap - blocks finished and mailed 10/12
Scrappy Love quilt block

Knitting
• PIF gift #4 - never heard back from Mrs. Bubba
PIF gift # 1 - mailed 4/22/09 (elongated knit stitch scarf and other misc handmade items)
• Socks
• Baby sweaters w/encore yarn - Purple Size 1
• Fruit rollup hat
• Pink poncho
• Knitted Santa
• Vanna’s Choice Contest entry
• Oddball blankets – Tutti Frutti, Cherry Berry, Pumpkin Delight, Cotton Candy, Citrus Sunshine, Here Comes the Sun, Circus Circus, Seaside Park, Sherbet, Lollipop, Tiny Dancer
• Oddball Care Shawl - Blue Skies
• Triangle Lace Shawl - Christmas gift for Mom

Crochet
Finish wedding gift afghan
Sweet liberty afghan for Jonathan Roberge Memorial Golf Tournament Raffle - finished 7/2
Tunisian Short Row Dishcloth - lost count after a dozen or so!
PIF gift #3, pink bag and misc items - mailed and received 6/09
• Oddball blankets - Rainbow Connection, Butterfly Kisses
Beaded Rosary Case
Crocheted Bag for my favorite bag lady
Mini duffel for 400th post summer giveaway
Crocheted pin cushion
Half Granny shawl like Ma Ingalls wore on Little House on the Prairie

Craft
• Beaded shade pulls
• Beaded banners, Christmas Tree for Angel Swap gift
• Long Leggs Santa
• Wire Christmas trees - x1
• Wire angels
Fish wind chime

Cross Stitch
• Uncle Sam Santa

Needlepoint
• Rose cottage needlepoint

Framing
• Ballerina cross stitch
Hardanger snowman
• Daisy Cottage needlepoint


As I finish each project, I will change the entry on this list to red. I am hoping by the end of the year, there will be more red than black, but we'll have to wait and see about that. What do you do to keep yourself focused?

Happy Stitching!


Click here to return to HookedOnNeedles.com

Labels: ,

2 Comments:

  • Wow, I thought I had a lot of projects, you sure beat me, i will love to see tham change to red as I am sure you will too!!!

    By Blogger Jane's Fabrics and Quilts, At January 21, 2009 at 11:45 AM  

  • Wow! That is a very long list MG!!! Good luck to you for all that! 8-)
    You have certainly done quite a few cross-stitches! All lovely I might add... Good for you!!
    That Noah's Ark baby afghan is adorable! Glad you were allowed to post it.
    Love the fabric choices that Pat used for her bag! I love sunflowers...
    Happy stitchings! 8-)

    By Blogger Myra, At January 22, 2009 at 12:01 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



<< Home


 

 

Newer Posts Home Older Posts
Copyright ©2010 HookedOnNeedles.com. All rights reserved.