Pieceful Sunday: 2018 Planning Party

This week on Pieceful Sunday, I will be joining Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl for her 2018 Planning Party. This is my first year to participate. I met Yvonne through the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers group. She was the primary leader along with Leanne at She Can Quilt
and Beth at Cooking Up Quilts. These three people had a lot to do with my successes in 2017. In this post, I will reflect on the past year and share some of my plans for 2018. 

   2017: What a Difference a Year Makes!
I actually started JANDA Bend Quilts in July, 2016. However, even though I had a web site and a plan, I had not gotten very far by January, 2017. Let's face it. I was a newbie. I needed some guidance. 

Then I discovered the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers group. I am not sure that I can tell you all that I learned, but can share some categories:

• Technology skills
• Communication skills
• Blogger ethics and professional standards
• Group leader and follower skills
• Confidence!

I also met some wonderful experienced bloggers and some wonderful newbies like me. Some of my new blogger friends participated with me in the I Wish You a Merry QAL! quilt along. Through this experience, I honed my skills in

• Social media communication
• Pattern designing
• Group decision making
• Setting up Linky Parties
• Understanding the online quilting community

Here are my fellow bloggers in the QAL:
Abbie at Sparkle On (Host)
April at JANDA Bend Quilts (Host + Block 2 Designer) That's me!
Becca at Pretty Piney (Host)
Bobbi at Snowy Days Quilting (Host + Block 9 Designer)
Diane at Cwilt Fabrics & Haberdashery (Host + Block 10 Designer)
Jennifer at The Inquiring Quilter (Host + Block 4 Designer)
Karen at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats (Host)
Kathleen at Kathleen McMusing (Block 11 Designer)
Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts (Host + Blocks 3 & 12 Designer)
Sandra at Sandra Healy Designs (Block 6 Designer)
Sandy at Sandy Star Designs (Host + Block 7 Designer)
Sherry at Powered by Quilting  (Host + Block 5 Designer)
Sola at Alice Samuel's Quilt Co. (Block 8 Designer)
Vanda at Quilt in Piece (Host + Block 1 Designer)

In addition, I designed my first pattern for sale (Geese in Flower Pots), opened my online store, started an online Newsletter, joined Bloglovin, was a guest host for Thanks Goodness It's Finished Friday, started my own Linky Party (Pieceful Sunday), attended Spring Quilt Market, participated in blogger quilt alongs with the Fat Quarter Shop (affiliate link), offered several quilts for sale in the JANDA Bend Christmas Trees Shop, and rented a space to teach a six-week workshop for beginning quilters that starts February 10, 2018.

Of course, some of my 2017 plans were not completed, but that is what 2018 is for!

Plans for 2018: What comes next?
My plans for 2018 fall into several categories.

Workshops: I want to conduct workshops throughout the year. I am a Quilt in a Day Certified Teacher. I plan on starting with Quilt in a Day patterns and then teach workshops centered on  my own pattern designs. This year I am going to try renting my own space at the Tahlequah Armory in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The workshop will run for six Saturday mornings in February and March. I am also going to continue to reach out to quilt guilds and quilt shops.

Pattern Designs: I want to concentrate on designing patterns this year. I am working on several ideas now. Initially, the patterns will be sold as pdf downloads.

Online Stores: I opened my own online store in 2017. However, I would also like to open an online store on Etsy and Craftsy. Both stores would make my products more visible. In addition, I think that the Etsy Store will facilitate International downloads of my patterns.

Web site: A web site is always something in progress. This year, I want to reorganize the site so that it is more user friendly.

Social Media: Last year, I began to use Instagram, Twitter, and group Facebook pages. I still have a lot to learn. This year, I want to start a JANDA Bend Quilts Facebook page.

Quilt Alongs: My I Wish You a Merry Quilt A-Long! group is planning a fall-themed quilt along this year. I plan on participating. In addition, I want to participate in the Fat Quarter Shop's quilt alongs as time permits.

Fall Quilt Market and Quilt Festival in Houston: I plan on attending Fall Quilt Market this year and applying to demonstrate my patterns in a class at Fall Quilt Festival.

FInally, it is important to me to maintain life balance. My quilty world is important to me, but so are my family, friends, and community.

It looks like I have a challenging year ahead, but I love challenges. What about your year? If you want to link up to Yvonne's 2018 Planning Party, click on the link.

If you want to link up to Pieceful Sunday, you can link up your in-progress or completed piecing projects using the blue button with the frog below. Please note that the thumbnail photos and links will not show up on this page. You will need to click the blue frog button below to see the photos and links. This may be a little different from what you are used to.  The link up will be available until Monday, December 18, 2017 at midnight. If you prefer, you can also link up on Instagram using #PiecefulSundayatJANDABendQuilts. ​ 

To see the Pieceful Sunday link-ups or to add your link-up, click on the blue frog button.

Please include a link to this page in the blog post that you are linking up. If you wish, you can include the Pieceful Sunday button as well. After linking up, I hope that you will stop by the posts of others to see their work. Encouraging comments are welcome. Quilters tend to be nurturing and supportive.  I am hoping that this Linky Party will help us establish an encouraging quilting group. 
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Thanks for stopping by. If you have questions or comments, please go to comments or contact me by email. 
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Happy Quilting!

This post was originally published by JANDA Bend Quilts.