I know it's early in the year and even earlier in the month but I am feeling very focused! For a few years I've felt I've had various projects going in all sorts of directions. It's been bothersome.
Recently I talked to my son who is a district manager for a very large Texas grocery store. He explained their product mix formula to me. When I was chatting with Laura (his wife) recently, she reminded me about that formula.
It all clicked for me!
The formula is 70/20/10. 70% of a product is what average customers can afford, 20% is a slight upgrade and 10% is the fanciest product.
It can be applied to the work I do too. It allows me to look at my various projects and decide in a given time frame (which can also follow the 70/20/10 formula) how much of what kind of project to pursue.
What it has eliminated is the feeling I should be working on some other project while I am working on a current project. For instance: am I spending too much time on charity quilts when I have an upcoming show?
While I was busy being a math head, I also figured out how many days a month to work & what is my desired price per square inch.
Phew! Something about writing down that information with my monthly goals opened dormant possibilities for me.
Without any hesitation I headed to the longarm and stitched out 5 yards of raw edge collage strips. Once they were stitched I could visualize them incorporated into a few ideas I've been contemplating lately. I pulled out beads and button boxes that have not been opened in 5+ years and started hand sewing embellishments. It was a Christmas Miracle!
My current plan for the raw edge collage strips is to add them to white linen, stretch on frames and sell at my art markets. They are also possible candidates for some fabric postcards, accents on clothes or home goods and incorporated into small accessories or wallhangings.
The alcove I cleared out was a good place to set up a folding table for handwork. My other large table is a standing table so I couldn't very well stand and stitch handwork. I think not having a dedicated handwork table was inhibiting me. I can still get to the design wall. And, I may not keep the table up all the time.
It was so good to see some of my supplies again. It's been a very long time since I've sat and hand stitched.
This is the 5 yard length of raw edge collage strips. It took some courage to cut them but I mean, really, I could stitch 5000 of these and still have blue/turquoise/green fabrics left over!
Recently I talked to my son who is a district manager for a very large Texas grocery store. He explained their product mix formula to me. When I was chatting with Laura (his wife) recently, she reminded me about that formula.
It all clicked for me!
The formula is 70/20/10. 70% of a product is what average customers can afford, 20% is a slight upgrade and 10% is the fanciest product.
It can be applied to the work I do too. It allows me to look at my various projects and decide in a given time frame (which can also follow the 70/20/10 formula) how much of what kind of project to pursue.
What it has eliminated is the feeling I should be working on some other project while I am working on a current project. For instance: am I spending too much time on charity quilts when I have an upcoming show?
While I was busy being a math head, I also figured out how many days a month to work & what is my desired price per square inch.
Phew! Something about writing down that information with my monthly goals opened dormant possibilities for me.
Without any hesitation I headed to the longarm and stitched out 5 yards of raw edge collage strips. Once they were stitched I could visualize them incorporated into a few ideas I've been contemplating lately. I pulled out beads and button boxes that have not been opened in 5+ years and started hand sewing embellishments. It was a Christmas Miracle!
My current plan for the raw edge collage strips is to add them to white linen, stretch on frames and sell at my art markets. They are also possible candidates for some fabric postcards, accents on clothes or home goods and incorporated into small accessories or wallhangings.
The alcove I cleared out was a good place to set up a folding table for handwork. My other large table is a standing table so I couldn't very well stand and stitch handwork. I think not having a dedicated handwork table was inhibiting me. I can still get to the design wall. And, I may not keep the table up all the time.
It was so good to see some of my supplies again. It's been a very long time since I've sat and hand stitched.
This is the 5 yard length of raw edge collage strips. It took some courage to cut them but I mean, really, I could stitch 5000 of these and still have blue/turquoise/green fabrics left over!
I have 3 canvases to use for a set. They are long and narrow so I think they will be very handsome. I have a lot of white linen so will use that as the background. I had originally thought about cutting the strip edges straight but I love the ragged edge so much!
This is just a mock up on the canvas. Following are a few pictures showing the embellishments.
An approximation of one finished strip against a white background.
I'm just swooning over the little details!
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Do you save tiny snippets of fabric too?
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I am swooning, too, Debra! The composition of colors is beautiful, and then you took it all to the next level with fun, playful embellishments. I love the 3-dimensional look that your art now has... Love it!!!
ReplyDeleteEverything is a process. I just had to get it all worked out so the magic could happen. Thank you, sweet friend, for your encouragement!
DeleteIt seems that you made a breakthrough in how to organize your work. Your strip compositions are so vibrant and playful, and it’s brilliant to have a dedicated place for hand stitching. I just posted a new strip quilt on my blog. The post didn’t show up on my feed, so it might not show up in yours, check it out when you get a chance.
ReplyDeleteI stitched for a little while last night. It wasn't long but it was enough time to make some forward movement. I was delighted to have the space set up so I could just sit down & stitch. Every thing in its time!
DeleteI like your quilt! We speak the same language!