What’s Next?

That’s a quote from one of my favorite West Wing episodes, but it seems a good thought for the day, looking forward to this new year. 

So, first off, I have a new pattern for sale at PatternSpot.  Jeff wanted me to make a case for his iPad 2, so that came first.

With a front pocket to hold his stylus.

I really liked it and decided it could be pretty, too.  With a little GO! applique – because, why  not?

And, as I look at the coming year, well . . . I have plans, which, as Jennifer Cruise says on her wonderful blog Argh Ink, are far better than goals. 

And I have quilt groups to help me out because my groups have plans, too.

In one group, there’s the 11 Project Progess Plan.  Of course, there are twelve months in a year, but we considered it and said, “December?  Really?  Let’s be serious.”   So 11 it is.  More on that later.

That same quilt group has declared this the year of the pineapple, so we’re each going to make a quiltie pineapple something.  It could be big.  It could be little.  It could be several pineapple projects or just one.  (I’m thinking if I make up a pineapple pincushion over break here I can slide through the rest of the year and not do any more pineapples unless I’m really inspired).

Another quilt group is starting up a block of the month sampler.  Here’s my first block:

It’s a good thing this first block had that ever so forgiving outer border.  After making up a bunch of little projects where absolute accuracy isn’t a concern, it’s always a bit of a shocker when I come back to precision piecing.  Which, as I think of it, is exactly what I was writing one year ago.  Points for consistency?

And my plan for this week?  To have an Etsy shop up and running by the end of the week.  We’ll see . . .

Meanwhile, I hope you are all enjoying a good start to the New Year – be it with goals, plans, or crossed fingers hopin’ and wishin’.