It’s time for me to get my plan for 2019 in order, but before I can do that, I like to review what my goals for 2018 were, and see how I did.
I started the year with big plans. My goals were incredibly lofty. I accomplished some, and abandoned others. I signed up for lots of things, some of which I enjoyed, some not so much.
Longarm Quilting
- I am a serious professional longarm quilter now. I’m proud of the business I am building. I upgraded my Gammill with a computer. I learned a valuable lesson about buying the cheapest computer on the market (don’t do it.)
- My partnership with Gotham Quilts is very rewarding. I love going in and meeting clients, and my coworkers are the best.
- I’m also teaching longarm certification at the shop twice per month. Wow. I went from so nervous I was shaking and nauseated to just having fun every time. My students are the best.
Island Batik
Being accepted as an ambassador was a huge honor for me. When I applied I assumed there was no way they would ever choose me. I’ve tried hard all year long to live up to their expectations. I submitted my application to continue on with them in 2019. I did consider giving it up, but when it came down to it, the decision to quit made me sad. Cross your fingers for me!
Blogging
I still enjoy my blog. I’ve gone through a couple of periods of radio silence for a week or two. I try to plan ahead, but I’ve had so much going on that sometimes I get overwhelmed, and the blog is the thing to get dropped. I’ll continue to try to get better with blogging this year. I am going to give myself permission to be quiet for a week here or there if I have to.
The 2018 Monthly Color Challenge was great, but it was too much of a commitment for me. I am honestly stunned that I managed to keep up as well as I did. My blocks are still waiting to be assembled, and they may be waiting until after the holidays.
Pattern Design
This was a big goal for me this year, and it really didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. I’m going to face the music and accept that I am not a genius in this arena. I can design quilts for myself, but turning it from a design into a pattern is a lot of work, and I still have a lot to learn. I have a few things submitted to magazines here and there, but I am going to be a little more circumspect with what I apply to. I need to have an upside with these projects. My first magazine didn’t pay enough, and Moda Bakeshop resulted in zero bump in traffic.
YouTube
Is hard! I need a better setup to do a good job – lighting, clean studio, etc. Also, the YouTube profitability thing is a moving target. Maybe I’ll pursue this in 2020. I am astonished when I log into my account and find out that there are thousands of views of my videos.
Quilt Guilds
I am currently a member of two guilds. That will be changing to one in 2019. I am resigning as president of the Jersey Shore Modern Quilt Guild. My professional life is taking up so much of my time that I am not able to keep up with that commitment.
I will continue as the membership chair at Rebecca’s Reel Quilt Guild. I am also going to be teaching a class in January!
Personal
We moved again. That was rough, but I got a big studio in the basement of the new house. Jeremy sure knows how to push my buttons. It was a local move, but it has affected things, like interacting with some of my local clients. My commute into the city is a lot better, though. There might be some new quilt shops looking for a teacher, too.
I went to Quilt Market with the owners of Gotham Quilts. That was awesome.
I had quilts hanging at Machine Quilter’s Expo and New Jersey QuiltFest.
My quilts did very well at my guild’s quilt show.
I discovered that becoming a quilt show judge is something I want to do.
I had a mini quilt accepted into the Curated Quilts Mini Quilt Challenge.
I finished zero long term UFO’s.
I can’t wait to do my books in January and show my husband that my hobby is now more than self-sustaining. I’m actually making a financial contribution to the household for the first time in a long time.
How are you feeling about 2018? I kind of feel like I got dragged behind a truck most days. I’m ready to plan 2019 – the year of modest expectations. Lol.
Well, I’d say you met some goals and have a good perspective on some that didn’t pan out as you’d expected. I’m not good at goal setting, but you’ve inspired me to take some time to review my year. Here’s to a great 2019!
Wow, Jen, so much has gone on in 2018. You have been absolutely fabulous and done so much. I love your Island Batiks project posts, so I hope they continue your ambassadorship! You are the one that introduced me to them. Can’t wait to hear about your 2019 plans! See you in January.
Hi Jen! I think you had a fabulous year. Getting comfortable with long arming – enough so to be able to teach others is a HUGE step!! Don’t you think?!! I mean, look back at some of your posts from the beginning of the year and you can feel the stress in them. {{Hugs}} Yay you! Pattern design and YouTube in hard – if it wasn’t everyone would be doing it. I look forward to seeing what’s on your list for 2019, and I’ll be here cheering you on. Happy Happy Monday to you. ~smile~ Roseanne
What a great year for you! You have done so much and stretching and growing a business is stressful – not to mention moving. I am glad you love teaching – I find it terribly rewarding. I am so psyched to see how your longarm skills and business has grown – that is quite an accomplisment. Looking forward to 2019 in blogland with you!
It sounds like you had a really great year overall. It’s exciting to know that your business is contributing to the household, congratulations on that milestone!! Moving is stressful, and I am amazed at how much we can get done in a year when we look back. I also like to think that the things that don’t work out as well for me are just as important, if not more important, than the things that do because it makes it so much easier to say “no” in the future.
Learning to say no is so hard. That could be a community college course. I’m lucky to have people reminding me to say it all of the time.
I love the statement that you feel like you got dragged behind a truck most days. Me, too! But I guess that’s really good because I absolutely hate being bored 🙂
WOW!! Jennifer, you have had one amazing year! That was a fun read. I hope even with taking a break now and then you will still keep up on your blogging. That is so fantastic that your business is a profitable one! Not everyone can say that. I wish I lived near you so I could take a quilting class. I would do it! At least I am proud to say that I own one quilt quilted by you! (which still doesn’t have the binding on, by the way). 2019 will be the year!!
Congrats on a great 2018. I’m glad to have met you this year. I think these posts are the best because of the reflection that happens. I’m looking forward to what you do in 2019