WIPGO 2021

I was watching an episode of a cross stitcher’s channel on YouTube the other day, and she mentioned this thing she created called WIPGO (kind of like American Bingo for your cross-stitch works-in-progress). The things I really liked about it were:

• you decide what will be in each square, whether it’s a project or a generic goal, or a specific goal
• you decide the rewards for reaching your goals – they could be starting a new project, a little treat for yourself, really whatever
• you can have as many single or duplicates or projects or goals
• she only draws the numbers (2 each month, 1-25) that will be used to determine your goals/projects during that time
• you can have one board for all your projects, or you can have multiple boards
• it’s not a competition

Since I like to do a lot of different things, but especially quilting and knitting/crochet, and I seem to be getting some of my cross stitching mojo back, I thought I would make three boards. That means that (even though I expect to be working on other quilting projects not listed here), I should have approximately 6 projects to work on each month – 2 cross stitch, 2 quilting, and 2 knitting.

Cross Stitch

Here is my cross stitch board. I only have 12 works in progress now, since I really whittled down my WIPs several years ago and de-kitted or destashed several to other crafters. That means I could list them twice. My goals for each? To get them out and stitch on them. Period. No minimum number of hours, no minimum number of stitches, no pressure. Just stitch. I think that approach will be helpful. This is an image, so you can also check out a list of my cross stitch/needlework projects.

Quilting

One of my goals has been to practice machine quilting on my domestic machine. I can’t get better if I don’t practice. So, I decided to add in Machine Quilting Practice multiple times for my quilting board. What happens if it is called as both numbers in a month? I’ll try to do at least two sessions of machine quilting practice.

I didn’t include some of my most recent quilt projects in this list, because I expect they will just be ongoing until I complete them. Three of those are Bonnie Hunter projects (Grassy Creek, Unity, and Easy Breezy), and those are great leader-ender projects anyway. This should allow me to touch these projects again, some of which haven’t been seen in some time. Again, I want to work on them, but no specific goals. Check out the full list of quilting projects.

Knitting and Crochet

Similar to the cross stitch (and hallelujah for that), I don’t have an overwhelming number of knitting or crochet projects in progress. Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty going on! But not 24, so I doubled up on most. A few I didn’t double up on because they are close to being finished (Mojito is in time-out because I was binding off and dropped some stitches, and it is lace, so I just couldn’t deal with that at the time). I may set some goals as they are drawn, but most projects I would just like to work on and see some nice progress. If I can finish a few, all the better. Knitting and crochet projects are each on their own pages.

Of course, all of this is predicated on my availability, work schedule, and energy. We have a huge project at work that will be ramping up next year, and I hope that I continue to have the energy to do the things I enjoy.

And what are my rewards? They may seem very silly, or not very reward-like, but they will be

• touching the things themselves, and making sure I still want to do them or pass them along to someone else, which will give me an inner peace and joy
• the possibility of having fewer total projects at the end of 2021 than at the beginning, because although I enjoy having a wide variety of things to do, the sheer number of them can be stressful at times, especially when I think what my family would have to dig through and deal with if I happened to be hit by a bus or something, so again, inner peace and joy
• if I have fewer projects already started, and I happen to want to make a gift, or I really want to try a new technique, or I just want to make something new, I’ll have more freedom to dive in without guilt

Looking forward to 2021 and participating #wipgo2021.