Kicking off the 2014 NewFO Challenge Linky Party and Giveaway!

This giveaway is now closed.

It's time to kick-off a whole new year of unbridled joy in starting new projects with no requirement that you finish them ever! The NewFO Challenge has proven so popular that this Enabler in Chief has no choice but to continue into 2014. And just think about it for a minute: A project languishing on your to-do list is already a UFO, so you can take your first big step toward finishing your project by actually starting it! What a concept! Is that brilliant enabling, or what? And if you're completely at a loss as to what I'm talking about, just click on that button above to learn more about the NewFO Challenge. (And did I mention that there are prizes!?!)

On the last day of each month of 2014 we'll be playing for one of these adorable quilt block lapel pins, generously offered up by Quilters' Gift Shop.

There will be a different one each month, so you can tell everyone you're a quilter by proudly displaying your lapel pin. And all you have to do is link up on the last day of each month with your new project(s) and you will be entered to win. Simple, huh?

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So today's linky party is to share some or all of the projects on your wish to-do list. Share a whole year's worth, or just one month, but sharing is the first stop along the way. I'm going to post my wish to-do list for the year, but you shouldn't feel obliged to share in as much detail as I have.  I'm just verbose and new projects get me so excited that I just get all quivery all over, and so I'm going into massive detail about mine. You can link up just by posting one project or all of them, or anywhere in between. Oh yes, and don't consider my list or yours to be carved in stone. I've been known to switch out projects or reject them completely when they turned out to be too much trouble (read that: requiring templates).

So here goes on my list for 2014:

January: We're On a Roll--I found this pattern at a quilt show last year. The quilt was made up and the paper hanging from the rolls was three-dimensional. Very cute, and my bathroom needs some new art work. Also, I'm mainly sticking with small quilts this year. After two years of NewFO's, my large quilt quota is plum full-up.

February: Duluth Trees--I've had this pattern for a long time, and I just like it. There are two wall-hangings included, and I once went to the trouble of getting permission to make the smaller one for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. I never got around to it. My plan is to make the larger wall hanging. 

March: Chili Rounder table topper--I saw this made up in a quilt shop I visited in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and I fell in love with it. I simply had to have the pattern. I have an idea this might go to Erik and Mae, but I haven't decided for sure yet.

April: I Love Sewing--Get started on this free BOM from Sulky that ran during 2013. I haven't made any of the blocks, but I love the pattern. If you like this, you can find the free monthly patterns right here.

May: Here's one that's been on my to-do list almost as long as I've been quilting. It's about time I made it, don't you think? This is a project I'm putting in the "Fabric First" category that I just made up. In other words, I had the fabric, and then I found the pattern. This one will be for my nonexistent grandchild. (Eternal optimist that I am, I figure one will pop up any day now.)

Here's the fabric that inspired the "to-do" listing.

June: Away From Home--Now I've said many times that I like how we can learn history from quilting. This pattern is from a book by the same title, with the subtitle, "Quilts Inspired by the Lowell Factory Girls". I can't tell you much more than that, but it has some Baltimore Album style blocks. I'm still hoping to try needle-turn applique one of these days, and maybe this quilt will inspire me to get started on a new technique too.

July: Sunny Trio--a pattern by Patrick Lose. I found this in a quilt magazine (Love of Quilting?) so long ago that I can't remember now where it was. It's a table runner, and I've had the pattern matched up to the fabrics for years...literally. Time to get started, don't you think?

August: Cat Lover Wall Quilt--This one is from Lynette Anderson's "It's Quilting Cats and Dogs". Love it. I think that's all I need to say about it. And, by the way, I love Lynette Anderson's patterns too.

September: A Corvette fabric BQ2 pattern, another "Fabric First" project. I've had this Corvette fabric (for Mike, the Corvette lover) in my stash for a long time. Recently, I decided to use this BQ2 pattern since it will do a nice job of showcasing the large print fabric. I've made this quilt before, but perhaps I'll choose a different layout for the blocks this time.

Here's the fabric, but I'm seriously considering giving it a flannel back since Mike likes the softness of flannel best.

October: A Few of My Favorite Things, a Bigfork Bay Cotton Company quilt. I love their patterns, and my favorite things happen to include cats of all kinds. I've had this pattern for ages. Time to get started on it, I'd say.

November: Vintage Linen Table Runner--I believe this pattern came from Quilter's World magazine. I just happen to have a whole cedar chest full of vintage doilies, dresser scarves, pillowcases, and you name it, all made by my grandmother. Since these things never see the light of day, I'm going to sacrifice a few of them to make this table runner. They'll be seen that way, and I'll enjoy remembering my grandmother every time I look at it.

December: Serape--I just happened on this pattern the other day. It was a free pattern on the Windham Fabrics website. This is another of my "Fabric First" projects because I want to use some fabric I found in New Mexico several winters ago, and I think this will be a great way to showcase it.

Here is the fabric. The one on the left opens up to reveal multi-colored earth tones, and it is one of the prettiest fabrics in my stash. I've been waiting for the right pattern to come along, and finally, I think I have it.

So that ought to keep me busy in 2014. As I said earlier, I've been known to change my mind as time passes and substitute in some different quilt. For now, that's my plan, and at least until this blog post goes up, I'm sticking to it. Please don't feel you need to stick with the plan you lay out for yourself now.  You can change your mind at any time. Believe me. No one will be tracking you!

Now, don't let my list intimidate you. You may link up with just one project you'd like to start in 2014.  Or, if the idea of starting with a whole year's worth of projects excites you so much that you can't help but let loose, then by all means, LET LOOSE! 

And, of course, you'll need some fabric to get you started, won't you? So one random party-goer will be the lucky recipient of this 10-fat-quarter bundle of Snowy Winter Wishes by Timeless Treasures.

So here's what you need to do to win:

1.  Everyone who links up is eligible to win.  This giveaway is open to all residents of Planet Earth.  Link up using Mr. Linky below.  Please link to your blog post, not to your blog.  Links to blogs will be edited or deleted entirely.  Also, please do not link to Etsy sites or to posts promoting other events.  Links to such posts will be deleted.  (Sorry to have to say this, but some folks just seem to have very bad manners.)

If you don't have a blog, you can link up by posting an image of any quilt you'd like to make in 2014 to my FlickR group. Over-achievers can make up a collage, if you like. Use the URL to your image to link up below.  If you're having trouble, email your image to me as an attachment, and I'll link up for you.  You don't need to leave a comment, but comments are always welcome.

2.  If you're a blogger, please link back to this giveaway in your post. 

3.  PR Angels can gain a second chance to win by posting the 2014 NewFO Challenge button (code in my right sidebar) to your blog.  Just leave me a comment letting me know, and please include a link to your blog.

I'll leave this linky party open for one week and announce the winners on Sunday, December 22, 2013!

Now's your chance to show off your 2014 NewFO Challenge plan of attack:

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