Last year I had a word of the year for the first time – my word last year was ‘FOCUS’. This year I’ve chosen ‘FINISH’ as my word for the year.
It may seem strange to have such a word as my word for the year – a word that can seem rather negative, a word full of finality. I beg to differ; it is a word to get behind – so that this year I finish more things than I start. I’ve got lots of projects in my head, and written down in my notebook – but I’m determined to finish more of my PHDs this year (PHD – Projects Half Done). It means focusing on finishing something, rather than wanting it to be perfect. In addition, ‘FINISH’ can mean bringing unhealthy practices to an end; maybe this applies to me keeping every tiny scrap of fabric, or keeping every piece of thread to use for some future project; or maybe even buying fabric without any idea of what I will use it for, buying it simply to add to my ever increasing stash. This year’s word doesn’t really explain why I’ve decided to start a new Calendar quilt BOM, or why I’ve signed up to the new Alice Caroline Alice’s Wonderland quilt BOM, when I’m still working on the Alice Caroline Flower Garden BOM! This blog post is my accountability post – so that next year I can see whether I’ve managed to stick to it or not.
As I write this blog, it is 3rd January 2022; I’ve started on the new British Patchwork and Quilting Calendar Quilt BOM. I thought it might be fun to do it this time, – I did most of the blocks for the magazine’s BOM that was published in 2012. So, to keep up to my word for the year, I thought I’d do the new one, but also complete the previous one as well.
Why have a word for the year? I’ve found that it helps me to focus (my word for last year) on what I want to achieve in the coming year. For a number of years I’ve written a list of what I want to achieve over the coming year – both quilting and other projects, and this year is no different. One thing that I really need to do is to quilt more of my finished tops. I like having a list of things to do – aims for the year, and I’ve found it helps me to create a list in my diary each day for things I want to achieve in the day, and it certainly focuses my mind.
Having a word for the year means reviewing it from time to time, which I certainly did last year. Now it is time to see how it worked for me. Each day my mind was focused on what tasks and jobs I needed to do; I didn’t fret if I didn’t manage to achieve all items on my list, I just had it on the list again the following day. My sewing was focused – I completed my temperature quilt; on 31st December I had 9 or 10 hexagons to sew on – the one for the day, and then the remaining border hexagons. With 20 minutes to spare, I managed to finish the piecing. In 2022 I will finish it – quilt it and do the label for it. In March I handed over a massive quilt I had finished and quilted for a friend. It had taken me far too long to finish it, so I was glad to be able to finally hand it over. The word ‘FOCUS’ meant that I was able to complete all the necessary jobs before starting on the sewing, which helped me to be more productive, and it has helped me to develop new habits. I was focused on my running – and continue to be this year; how does finish fit in with running? Well, it means finish lines, not finish times – which is a good line for sewing as well!
Have you got a word for the year? I’d be interested to know it, and why you chose it!
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