Here we are again, that weird part in the middle of January. As always, this part of the year gets me thinking about what I want to do with my stitching projects and with this website throughout the year…
I was reviewing my list of things I wanted to accomplish in 2017 and, well, it was honestly just a really crap year for me and due to health issues. I didn’t accomplish much of anything in any area of my life and there was very little stitching. These are all still very much things that I want to do. So, I’m just taking this lovely list of things from last year, scratching off 2017 and filling in 2018.
Stitch more often. Daily as much as possible. This is a thing that I used to do always do without fail, then life happened, work and kids, health issues and everything in between. I’m looking to reclaim that little bit of consistency again because it brings me sanity and recharges my mental batteries.
Participate in stitch-a-longs. I’m always in groups that are doing stitch-a-longs, but I’m always way behind everybody else. I’d like to try to keep up a bit more this year because I really do enjoy the whole SAL process.
Design a mystery stitch-a-long for the Stitching the Night Away community. This was already on my to-do list, but now I actually have some ideas for it. I’m leaning towards band sampler.
Frame and hang at least two of my finished pieces in the house. For someone with as much needlework as I have, there is a serious lack of stuff on display in our home. Need to fix that for sure.
Learn more about reproduction samplers and historical needlework. I know a little bit and I have some charts, but I want to learn more about the whole process of finding and cataloging, recharting and preservation. I find it all fascinating and I would love to find a way to get more involved in the preservation of historical needlework as well. (please do drop me a note in the comments below if you know of any info I should read on the topic)
Publish, publish, publish. I have so many in progress designs that I need to finish charting, plus print book layouts that need finalized. I’m really looking forward to sharing more about that with you very soon, I’m hoping to make it a big part of my year.
Help other independent designers grow their needlework business. It’s no secret that independent designer doesn’t come with a big fancy salary, there aren’t many job perks, and the paydays can be kind of small. Most independent needlework designers have a day job of some sort. I want to take what I’ve learned working in the internet marketing world to these designers to help them grow their businesses and make a better living from their craft. Some of the materials for this are already in the works; there will be a mastermind group, resources, tools, and services provided. It’s going to be fun 🙂
Stitching videos! I just got a new tripod, so I look forward to giving this video thing a try again. I’m hoping to have at least one video to share with you this month.
Provide more free patterns. I have a handful of designs planned for this year that will be released as free charts. A series of famous quotes and a few other small projects will be released here starting next week.
Teach and enable whenever possible. It’s part of the mission statement here at Stitching the Night Away to teach a new generation of stitchers to love the craft, to do their own thing with it while honoring traditional needlework. Also, to enable stash buying, needlework experimentation, and stitchy enjoyment for all.
What about you, what fun and stitchy things are you hoping to accomplish this year? Drop a comment below, I’d love to hear from you 🙂
That’s a big list, Loretta! I wish you luck. #1 is always on my list.
I plan on stitching more often as well! I just want to stitch whatever catches my fancy at the moment and not have to worry about a schedule so that is my main goal. Looking forward to see what you will have for us this year!
Happy New Year!
Hey Loretta! Can’t wait to see your SAL when you release it – I’m now seriously considering signing up for Emma Congdon’s Stitchrovia SAL for MIND after you featured it on your 12 SALs for 2017 post as its a cause really close to my heart and I’ve not actually stitched for myself in yonks – my most recent pieces have been my sampler for my daughter, my nephew’s sampler thats a WIP (almost done though) and my nieces sampler.
I’ve also got 2 projects planned for other people this year so I think its high time I did one for me as the only other piece I’ve got on the go is a memorial piece for my dad 🙂
So my aims this year are:
1) get my daughters one framed (its a bothy kit and I’m so proud of it!)
2) finish and frame my nephew’s
3) stitch my friends birthday card/pressie (for early april)
4) stitch my other friend’s wedding sampler that I’m designing myself (target is mid October so it reaches them before the wedding)
5) take part in a SAL
6) stitch for me (see #5)
7) follow STNA now I’ve found you!
and 8) make sure I do at least an hour a month on my dad’s piece no matter how painful it is to pick it up.
Loved this entry and see that I need to subscribe to this site/newsletter today! (That’s going on my list, right now!) I actually laughed at your third sentence, and continued to laugh through your list, because you and I have quite a few similarities. It seems like I am constantly moving my stitching stash from one box to another, or one room to another, in my unending efforts to “get organized” around here. I hate to admit this, but from one “list maker” to another, I am always writing PLANS for my stitching, but I never seem to actually see them through to fruition. And, like you, though I am frequently stitching, I have only a few framed pieces on my walls to prove this. So – for 2017 – I plan to save up some dough to get a few pieces framed AND I am finally going to finish stitching “project X” — I’m leaving that slot open because it changes just about every week. Hope you enjoy much success with your plans for 2017, Loretta. Looking forward to reading more of your newsletters.
Good for you! ♥️
We can only do what our fates allow. Don’t beat yourself up, just do your best going forward. Xx
Anyone interested in Samplers and Stitching and how and why of our craft
needs only to go to the nearest Museum and ask if they have any samplers or needlework of any kind? You might be surprised to find that yes we do have some ( and here’s the kicker ) but we don’t know how to display it or what to do with it! So it is in a box in the back room or a drawer of some sort and it is most likely wonderful pieces but in need of love! You go girl!!