{Net Zero Fabric} February Look Ahead

  

The days keep speeding along, and suddenly (though not surprisingly), I find myself a full week into February, and the promise to myself to look at my net zero fabric goals for the month is still on the to-do list. So, this will be a quick post to share my goals. Even the act of writing down my goals helps me focus and keep me motivated. 

Carrying on with Net Zero Fabric - everyone is welcome, make space and do what works for you.

My two goals for this month are:

1. Finish small projects
2. Check-in with community

{Small Projects}

Quilts, by their nature (even the baby ones), take time. If I'd like to use finishes to help me add fabric to the "out" category (and I definitely would!) I'll need to focus on finishing, and that means smaller projects. I've got two on tap - both with fabrics in my in-limbo category - that need to be finished and sent out in time for Valentine's Day. That deadline is fast approaching, so I better get sewing!

{Check-in}

I quietly switched checking in to Mondays this month, and it just makes more sense, so I'll keep doing that going forward. In my end-of-January review, I shared a template that I use for each check-in post. Having already built tools in place helps me keep up with this goal and makes it easier. I'm happy to keep showing up in this way.  

This Month's Tools

My paper planner is really my go-to for keeping up with all the tasks on my plate. The more I use it, the more I find ways to make it work for me. My planner has a space at the top of the week I've been using to review the big things I need to get done. This catch-all spot is helping me focus, and I see myself referring back to it often throughout the week. In the daily spots, using a Bullet Journal-like method has been really effective for me. I can identify tasks that keep getting pushed off and, from there, understand the 'why' and hopefully find a way to get them off the to-do list. 

Have I mentioned space is limited in our home? Ha! Without a dedicated sewing space, I find myself sewing at the dining table, and this means I've got to get things cleaned up every time I sew. I'm not sure what took me so long, but it wasn't until recently that I started setting up a thread catcher - I'm using an enameled tin - as part of the things I pull out when I start to sew. Instead of a pile of fabric and thread trimmings that I've got to manage at the end of my sewing session, I've been placing the trimmings straight into the dish. It feels silly, but I'm finding immense joy when I go to clean up and I put the lid on the tin and tuck the whole thing away.

  

Quilting and sewing are hobbies for me, and I use them as a way to bring joy and enjoyment into my life. Part of that is reminding myself to enjoy the process. I want to marvel at the way colors appear together. See the beauty even in the mess. Capture it with the camera I have at hand. Share the joy.   

Links from this post:

• Net Zero Fabric Challenge - Instagram highlight with all the details
• Fabric Tracking - all about fabric tracking from Jeni Baker at In Color Order - including a link to her fabric tracking spreadsheet I updated for this challenge