Plans

At the end of 2012, I realised that I had bought more fabric in that year, than ever before.

I justified these purchases by the number of swap groups I was in, some pretty good deals that were floating around and a vague feeling of “wanting”

I intend to keep joining swaps….after all I think that if it weren't for the deadline of swaps, I wouldn't have even made it to the sewing machine as much as I did last year.

However, I now have a huge stash, lots of books, patterns and bookmarked projects, and it’s about time I committed to using what I have.
The sewing room is tidy.

The stash is neat.

The UFO’s are all in one handy to get at spot.

My mantra for 2013 is going to be:

"No more fabric
No more books
Use what I have"

In the interests of full disclosure, here is the last of the 2012 purchases (um...except there are 2 “reserved” precuts that will ship sometime this year, which might help with the whole withdrawal symptoms bit!)

A glorious FQ bundle of ‘Type’…

A whopping pile of Joel Dewberry…

and some pretty smart reds to fill the hole in my red stash (yes that is exactly how I justified it!)

...finally, a wee case of crafting books that I felt compelled to buy because they look cute and I might one day want to learn bead embroidery, or sashiko, or felting, or...!

I've been slowly adding my computer bookmarks to pinterest…all of my boards are here, and there are a few quilt-a-longs that I'm joining in with, which hopefully will all make a big dent in the fabric hoarding.

I’m looking forward to a very productive 2013.

thanks for taking a peek over the fence…

Resolutions...or not!

Remember the giveaway post here...when I joined in with the Quilting Gallery's 4th Birthday Blog Hop.
Well for your edification and enjoyment I present

 The Analysis of the Data post!

Yes!... you asked for it...well some did and I thought it was worth running with as well...

The background: to make the comments on the giveaway post a little more interesting, I asked entrants to tell me what resolution they kept or failed to keep in 2011.
As the comments poured in, I thought it would be fun to have a bit of a look at all the reasons people gave, whether they made them, kept them, and why or why not...
Let me say straight off, THANK YOU to all who commented. I couldn't reply to you all, though I did try at first...but you left me with a song in my heart and a goldmine of fun comments. THANK YOU! 

Before I launch into the results, I have to tell you that I worked as a Psychologist, pre-children, and really enjoyed the Uni courses on statistics and scientific method and carried out a few research projects in my time. Now the reason I tell you this is that I had a really hard time not turning this into a mini thesis with and Introduction, Method...aaaarrrggghhhh!!!…don't worry I'm not about to - it would have taken up far too much sewing time...

So in pictures here’s the graph of the answers to the post question:
GRAPH #1 
These were the categories that I took out of all the answers. Many had to be grouped together because this was getting to be bigger than BenHur and remember I want to get back to sewing!!!
The first three listed below are items only mentioned once in any of the replies - I should resolve to do the 'snip loose threads as I go' it would save a lot of "grrr-ing" at the end of projects!



So by far, most people (excuse me - I mean my readers!) don’t make New Years Resolutions.
The next most made resolution involves getting fit/losing weight/eating more healthily.
I was glad to see that the third most frequent resolutions have to do with quilting/sewing; including finishing specific projects or UFO’s (some a few yrs - or more - old) *coughs*, taming and organising fabric stashes and sewing areas. For some that was setting up their sewing area for the first time. PIGS are Projects In Grocery Sacks...I love that name)
[The reasons that fade to dots are: tame/sort/use fabrics or organise/tidy up sewing room,  and
be a better mother/wife/daughter/take care of self & manage own time- my graph skills are rusty as...]

RESULTS: (sorry couldn't help myself - it's like being on automatic!)
Ok enough of looking at the types of resolutions…how did we go at keeping those we made…
GRAPH #2 [The raw data people - like you really needed to know that!]

So the way to read this is

 the bars in blue show the number of resolutions that were KEPT

The bars in red are those that were PARTLY KEPT, either till part way through year, or slower than the person wanted.

eg the reader who wanted to read 52 books in the year only made it to 43

 – I say only with total awe in my voice!

The numbers in green are the one's that WEREN'T FOLLOWED through *sigh*,

and

The purple are those who were brave enough to propose a resolution, or continue with one, into 2012!

(disclaimer: I think the numbers tally, but there were multiple answers and multiple reasons - which just shows how lovely bloggers are to take the time to make considered and careful replies - so forgive the odd miscalculation...not thesis...remember)

GRAPH #3

DISCUSSION: (oops it happened again...)
Ok, so what does it all mean...(and note that in the above graph #3 "resolution not done" doesn't mean that it was a total failure, as it may have been partly done - (or in the case of don't make resolutions is that "not done" 'cause they weren't made or "not done" cause they didn't make any LOL- {see Graph #2})

* Don't make resolutions and you'll never, ever  have to worry about breaking them, remembering what they are, or feeling like a failure...

* You are more likely to keep a resolution that involves your hobby.
* You will be 100% successful if you choose to start, or better, your blogging skills
* The next most successful resolution was to improve your quilting skills - almost 90% of those were kept!
* Other successful resolutions were to finish a specific projects (just under 70%) and UFO's (50%) were finished. 
* You will also be quite successful if you plan to tidy/tame/sort/ fabrics or sewing area - about 45% followed through and of those that didn't, over 50% did at some stage, but it got messy again as they worked on projects - I'd call that a win!

*You are less likely to keep a resolution based on "getting fit/losing weight/ eating healthily" - that's not to say that you won't...but it seems to be one of the hardest to stick to...

Ok now we come to the bit where I put in some fun anecdotal information that came out of the data!
*  write it down - then you won't forget it
*  Projects In Grocery Bags - well I laughed and then frantically tried to put my projects into anything but!
*  someone found that making mid year resolutions worked better for them!
*  Dont make resolutions, set yourself A GOAL OR A PRIORITY...it sounds better and isn't limited to a specific year!

Ok that's it...I'm cured of ever wanting to make another resolution...THE END...

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL...

Your comments on here

Your blogs I've read

have made this a fun year, 

No looking BACK for me...

It's all FORWARD into 2012,

with a smile on my face, 

a bazillion projects in my head

and a sewing room beckoning...

thanks for taking a peek over the fence in 2011

PS Just in case there is someone out there who feels the urge, there really is no need to critique this (pseudo) scientific study. If I ever put it into the Journal of Social Psychology, then you can tear it to shreds! OK? Good!

New Year Resolutions - 3 months down the track

Back on January one of my new year resolutions was to make something with this pile of old denim jeans and skirts.
Well, I've just taken my first steps into the world of recycling denim - and a well worn and well-loved lot this is. Talk about a family history in denim, from maternity skirts to toddler jeans and teenager clothes. Not to mention fashion trends of denim colours!

After much cutting (and cursing) that jumbled old pile ended up looking a bit like this - 

then with a bit of 'decorating' , cutting and resewing they ended up looking like....


Actually I can't show you the next bit. It's a ****** and it's for my oldest who turns 21 on Monday. She might find out and that would definitely spoil the surprise. And we can't have that now can we?


and whatever am I going to do with this lot? I think I have reached my limit of how far I go with recycling.










Thanks for taking a peek over the fence...