halloween

This year has been a year of creation for me. I have spent hours upon hours letting my creative self soar – something I have rarely allowed myself to do.  This year marks the first time in my life when I stopped following sewing and quilting patterns and started following my gut.  It has been incredibly liberating. I have made my own knitting and crocheting patterns for years – easy to do when you make a knitting mistake and end up liking that better than the original design.  Sewing though, was so much scarier for me. Cutting fabric has always seemed so final to me, like there is no going back. Knitting…I could just rip out my stitches and start over – no wasted materials or money, just time.

I learned this year that if I cut something and end up not liking it that I can hold on to that fabric and save it for a later project – ie. Bottled Rainbows.  I now view scraps and “mishaps” in a whole new way.  I also learned this year, as I mentioned earlier, to follow my gut. I know what I like and if I listen to my inner voice odds are everything will work out just fine. This is something that I have learned in both my crafting and personal life. Trusting yourself and your instincts is so important and I am so glad that I figured that out. It is so much more fun to sew now. I am not afraid.

I have a few goals for 2012. I am going to list them in no particular order with no real timeline in mind other than to do them at some point this year.

• Make several more dresses for Anne (I won 4 patterns from Hopeful Threads by Lily Bird Studio and I really want to use those patterns!)
• Learn to use the serger my mom gave me
• Practice FMQ and attempt to keep up with the challenges over on SewCalGal’s blog
• Publish at least 2 patterns
• Turn the 3 quilt tops that I have already finished into quilts
• Do more handmade gifts
• Play More!!!

Do you set yearly goals? How do you hold yourself accountable? Better yet, do you hold yourself accountable?

NOTE: Don’t forget, I am one of the bloggers who is going to lose Google Friend Connect in March 2012, please take a moment and follow me via Bloglovin’, Facebook, RSS or networked blogs.  You are important to me and I want to be able to stay in contact with you!  Check my side bar for all the best ways to stay in touch after GFC goes bye bye!