As I consider my professional goals for this new year, it seems important to look back first.  What were my goals for 2009 and how well did I achieve them?  After all, there’s not much point in setting goals if you never go back and evaluate the results.

Goals

I set three major goals for 2009.  A goal, for me, is a concrete, attainable target that sets my course for the year ahead.  Achieving a goal requires action items and ideally prioritizes my activities.  I am just as much a victim to the tyranny of the deadline as anyone else, but having some goals helps me to keep moving forward professionally.

Instruments of Praise

Goal #1
My first goal for 2009 was to complete the quilt Instruments of Praise.  As of January last year, the quilt top was done.  So my goal meant designing the trapunto and quilting motifs, executing them, completing the hand couching and embellishments, binding and finishing.  If possible, I hoped to get all this done by the end of April so that the quilt would be ready in time to enter it into the IQA competition in Houston.  I am happy to report that I achieved this goal, and a dream as well.  Instruments of Praise won First Place for Innovative Appliqué in Houston!

Goal #2
My second goal was to prepare a proposal for a second book.  I might have achieved this goal except for two things.  As soon as Instruments of Praise was completed, I started working on designs for the book but I just wasn’t loving them.  It’s a lot of work to write a book – it helps if you love what you are working on!  I might have overcome this obstacle by persistently reworking the designs if it hadn’t been for the second thing that happened.  Inspiration struck and I became consumed with a new quilt project.  I don’t regret that this happened; in fact, it will have a big influence on my goals for 2010.  I now have a completely new idea for a second book!

Goal #3
My third goal was to begin the process of becoming certified as a quilt judge.  The Canadian Quilters Association announced this new program as a three step process, with Part 1 being an intensive three-day course in May.  Part 2 involves acquiring practical experience by judging two quilting events.  Part 3 is the final examination, where we are evaluated as we critique selected quilts from the CQA annual National Juried Show.  I am well on my way to achieving this goal.  I attended (and passed!) the class in May and have completed my two practical judging events.  If these are approved, I will pass Part 2 and become eligible to complete Part 3 this April at Quilt Canada in Calgary.

Two out of three ain’t bad!

Action Items

In addition to setting major goals for the year, there were also other strategic action items that I hoped to complete in 2009.  These usually related to ongoing professional activities already in progress or anticipated in the near future.  How well did I complete these projects?

Quilt Exhibits
I was invited to submit quilt entries to be considered for the special exhibit O Canada.  This exhibit would be displayed at the three International Quilt Festivals in 2009:  Chicago, Long Beach, and Houston.  I submitted three entries for consideration and two were selected:  Trinity and Tools of the Trade.

Candlelight Holly

Magazine Articles
As part of my ongoing efforts to promote my first book Sewflakes, I wanted to submit some designs to various magazines for possible publication.  My block design Candlelight Holly was accepted by The Appliqué Society Newsletter and was published in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue.  Spring Snowflake was accepted by Quiltmaker Magazine and published in their 100 Blocks Special Issue in November 2009.  Those are the successes.  I had also hoped to submit the pattern for Butterfly Kisses to a quilting magazine but did not.  I have received so many requests for this pattern, it will have to go on the top of my to-do list for 2010.

Butterfly Mosaic

Workshops and Lectures
I developed three new workshops in 2009 and updated a fourth.  Peek-a-Boo Appliqué, Introduction to EQ6, and Intermediate EQ6 were taught for the first time last year.  Fabric Mosaic was updated with a new project, and will be taught this May.  I also made significant updates to the lecture Computer Aided Quilting, incorporating new information about the many ways technology can aid our quiltmaking.  But yes, I did have ideas for some other new workshops that didn’t quite get launched.  I started on them late in the year, so they should be ready early this year.

Web Updates
Quite a bit of progress here!  We added three new patterns from the Stormy Seas series to the online store:  The Lighthouse, The Sailboat, and The Puffin.  Supply Lists are now available for download from each Workshop page.  There’s a new Home Page, now featuring Instruments of Praise, and lots of new detail photos of that quilt as well.  And of course, the blog!  If you’re reading this, you’ve already found it.  I had wondered about adding slide shows to the site, featuring excerpts from my lectures or short promos for my workshops.  This idea is still pending.

Working in the U.S.
I pretty much dropped the ball on this one.  I had received an invitation to speak at a guild in the States, and intended to consult with a U.S. immigration attorney to understand their rules and regulations.  This will be important going forward, especially if I hope to expand my business outside of Canada.

Evaluation

How did I do?  I’d say that I accomplished the bulk of what I set out to do.  Missing my second goal was pretty significant, but I’ve reset my course and that is important.  Next week – if I’m brave enough to share it – I’ll document my goals and strategic action items for 2010. 

What are your thoughts?  Did you set goals for last year?  Do you have any successes you’d like to share?  I encourage you to set yourself a goal or two for this new year, and maybe next week you’ll be brave enough to share them with us too!