Well, it’s come in handy as a transitional tool to ease into taking a break for most of August.
After weeks of teaching summer session lessons, following through with essential tasks, the editing/layout of my current Giving Voice series (part three is still in the works), and dealing with heat, heavy air and asthma, I’m ready to hit the pause button.
To refresh your memory, a little less than a year ago, I expounded on the virtues of a method I devised to help stay focused, motivated and balanced while working on specific music project goals. I set up a way to accrue points on time spent doing various aspects of specific items (ToDos) related to my primary music project Goals and translated them into ‘reward time’.
I called it the Ankara Reward because I’d been itching to play around with the Ankara fabric/Moda Grunge fabric combo I designated & set aside for a specific quilting project*.
Generically speaking the formula works like this: for x amount of time I spend on my priority/primary focus, I can then accrue y amount of minutes towards dedicated time for a certain other desirable activity focus.
Using this as a controlled ‘reward time’ helped when I was in a slump and needed motivation to keep going with my primary focus – music. It also served as a creative break that enabled me to return to my music with fresh eyes and an eager spirit.
Within weeks, I dropped the literal formula and flowed seamlessly from task to task. Making progress on ToDos, Goals, Tasks and plenty of Etc.s!
That said, musical goals are not as easily shared while in progress, so attached are some photos for you to see the Ankara Reward in progress.
left to right: 3 Ankara fabric finalists, chosen Ankara fabric, early piecing, first block with layout info, first block.
*my friend Mary and I took an on-line lecture class together on Ankara Fabrics awhile back. She, true to her ‘Zippy’ moniker, whipped up her version in no time. Me? Like I’ve said before, I am a slow stitcher.
Hi Laura! Writing can be intense so it does help to have a hobby that exercises another part of your brain. I am always in awe of people who can make sewing machines behave! Love the designs!
Thanks Jan for stopping by. Hope your leap into September is filled with focused ‘finishes’ (on your todoGoals List!)
Your Ankara Reward is a great motivating factor. As you say, whatever works is the right system. It has certainly paid off, as your quilt is looking stunning. Like Deborah I hadn’t heard the term ‘Ankara fabric’, but I have seen some of that it elsewhere. Such rich and vibrant colours and patterns.
Oh I’m thrilled an (he)artist such as yourself feels the Ankara vibrancy, too! Leaving it as shown is a motivator for me in that it sparks ‘hope of a quality completion’ sooner than later! And we all know hope is a strong enabler.
Love the fabric, enjoy your reward journey.
🙂 Thanks, Catherine!
Wow, such a smart way to balance discipline with reward. Love this, Laura. And your Ankara project looks beautiful already.
Thank you, Ritish. I appreciate you taking the time to visit and to comment.
Hi Laura, it is so nice to meet you over at Tierney’s interview last weekend and I am glad I made it here to check out your blog and say hello.
I enjoyed hearing about your reward system and the Ankara quilt!
Also, hope your month of August is going well in spite of the heat and asthma – etc.
Thanks for stopping by, PriorHouse! I’ve been offline for awhile, so please excuse my deferred reply. Yes, August is shaping up well, thank you for asking. 🙂
I am sooooo far behind in blog reading, Laura, but I finally made it here. What a delight! You know I love that gold background so much! I am happy that your reward system is working so well for you, and, reading the comments, seems to be motivating for quite a few of us! I have had such a difficult time getting my act together with the passing of both my Mom and a sister and all that entails (dealing with the IRS now…the crooks), that I have fallen behind in many things. Ah well. This too shall pass eventually. I need to get myself back on track and seeing this blog post this morning is a positive move for me. I also recognized Wendy’s bag, and that made me smile! Her comment of ‘little consistency’ is helpful to me, too. Different strokes for different folks. Some of us are super go getters, like Zippy, and some of us are slow stitchers. Either way is a good way to be so long as we are finding fulfillment in what we choose to do. 😁
And I am soooo tardy with this response, Laura! We’ve been outoftown & offline for several weeks this month.
Thank you for that personal glimpse into your here&now and letting me know Wendy’s bag made you smile. 🙂 Please be patient with yourself…remember that our name means: victorious spirit.
Hugs
Your quilt in progress is stunning! I hope you will share more pictures of its transformation as well as the finished product. Btw, your comment area looks different so I am crossing my fingers that my comment will actually go through.
Interesting about the comment section looking different…WP never ceases to amaze me (and not in a good way). But your comment did come through – yay! Thank you for always checking up on my blog, friend.
Oh my, I love the colors you’ve chosen! How smart to structure a reward system that will help you refocus when you hit a slow spot.
Like I mentioned to Deborah in my reply to her comment – the best part of any system is that it works! And this one works(ed) for me. Thanks for stopping by, Laura.
Stunning colors on that quilt! It will be gorgeous. Is it for you or someone else? I hate to ask, but what the heck is Ankara fabric?? I’ve never heard that term, although I’m not a quilter so maybe that’s why.
I like your “reward” system to keep your projects going. I had to create a system to keep on track with my writing too. I keep a logbook (yep, borrowed from my sailing days). I have a TO DO list for the week at the top, and it includes 30 hours of book-writing related projects, along with other stuff. Then each day I log my hours spent on it, and also list other to-do’s I’ve accomplished. If I goof off one day i have to make it up the next, if I want to get my 30 in. It’s really helped me to stack up the hours and get things done, and hold myself accountable.
Thanks for the thumbs up, Deborah. Your system sounds like it works for you – that’s the best part of any system: that it works! HA!
Ankara fabrics are steeped in colonial history mixed with native design & Indonesian influences. Think: Dutch Wax Fabrics (but many more types). Mostly traditional in West Africa – which is where my daughter concentrated her ‘work’ (Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, etc) with nods to Uganda, South Africa and DRC all places she’s walked the markets to pick up some authentic African (not always Ankara) fabrics for me! 🙂
I made ‘Bright Delight’ for her in celebration of her PhD with Ankara as another example. The lime green chintz was ‘given’ to her by the fabric seller because that’s a tradition – for use as a lining in the dresses/garments made with the Ankara. https://laurabrunolilly.com/todotuesdaynine/
Thanks for asking!
Your quilt looks great! I avoided any potential problems by just not following the pattern much… Glad you’re getting a break in August!
Thanks, Zip! I personally challenged myself to try to stick to the pattern as her use of negative space was seemingly more methodical than what I’ve experimented with…yet it ended up way more complicated than I think is truly necessary. 😉 That said, I’m pleased with the emerging result.
Thank you!
The quilt will be gorgeous! Please make sure you post photos when it’s finished. Reward yourself, take a break, and relax in August.
Will do, teacher!
Looks awesome!
Thank you, LA. Welcome back!
Your Ankara Reward project is stunning, Laura. ✨👌🏾It’s lovely to see your process too.
Wishing you a restful and wonderful August, doing things you enjoy!
Khaya, thank you! ❤️
Oh, that is going to be one gorgeous quilt when it’s completed! I too am a slow stitcher so I’m glad to know I’m in good company 🙂 I like your reward system. I should try it since I really have to push myself to get anything done these days.
Slow stitchers are **mindful** stitchers, eh?! Thank you kindly, Marie.
I like how you think 🙂
Well, that fabric is just stunning. I’d be itching to play with it, too, although that first cut sometimes requires a deep breath, right? You have a nice system going. I occasionally do the same, but with little consistency. (I spy a familiar tote, too, which makes me smile!)
I wondered if you’d notice! It is such a perfect ‘project’ bag and it makes me smile, too. 😍
Oooh, please don’t ‘stop off’ for too long. It is a beautiful design and will be a stunning quilt. Very clever of you to use the Ankara fabric rather than sugar treats for your reward system! It’s good to see that you are sewing (and so beautifully documented) and balancing the ToDos to boot.
Meanwhile, keep Giving Voice.
I had to chuckle about the sugar treats vs Ankara fabric as reward comment. Looked at in another way: one’s not as messy as the other – leave out the zero calorie aspect of it all. HA!
Thank you so much for your hearty cheers of approval for this project’s progress. I’m stoked!
As for your admonition to keep Giving Voice: my (he)art may bleed, but it will never be silenced. ❤️
I like the idea of rewarding oneself, Laura. Even we adults need our incentives to stay motivated. I have done the same at various points in my life. My mind immediately went to one of my mind games, balancing my love of food with taking care of myself so that I can be around to enjoy watching our grandson. On days when I don’t feel like exercising, that is often the carrot that gets me off my duff. I reward myself every couple of weeks with an enjoyable no-guilt meal. 😊
That fabric is lovely. I want to see the completed project, even if that is a long time from now.
Yeah, we all need a few carrots to help us through the ‘ughs’ of life! HA! Not to worry, there will be a photo of the completed project – even if it is a long time from now! Thanks, teacher! 🙂
Oh you know I enjoyed this post to the max – it had lovely fabric, quilt project and self rewards/care 🙂
That Ankara fabric looks fabulous set in that Grunge fabric (I love that fabric line by Moda!). Congrats on your musical goals too!
Thanks for the kudos, Tierney!
I **am** pleasantly pleased/surprised with how well the Grunge fabric works with the Ankara…(see comment to L.Marie).
Laura, I love your reward system! And what beautiful fabric! You motivate me to come up with my own reward system. I need to think about this. But for now, I’d love to know how you come up with your design for each section. I see in the photo how you laid out the first section. So fascinating.
Thanks, L.Marie. The lecture Mary & I took together on-line offered a related free pattern download. It isn’t offered anymore because the quilter/designer has since passed away 🙁
But it wasn’t an easy pattern to follow and I needed to do alterations as instructions, dimensions, etc weren’t clear…so it’s not a true reproduction of her pattern. The basic premise is use of different sizes of half-square triangles arranged with plenty of background fabric (the Moda Grunge Gold) to ‘float’ the blocks.
The hardest part with this project (and in using any Ankara fabric IMHO) is in the **cutting into** the gorgeous patterned fabric! Part of the goal of the lecture was to offer ways in which to do just that!
I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how my quilt has maintained a certain ‘punch’ in the emerging final product – cut up and all!
That explains the background color. You achieved the floating blocks beautifully.
I sent another comment, because I wasn’t sure if the other one went through, so please ignore it. 😄
Thanks for taking such notice of the process and result. You have a good eye, L.Marie! And as for the comment fiasco – we’ve both learned to try & cover all bases with WP – ya know?
Laura, what a lovely quilting project! I hope to see the Ankara quilt when you have finished it.
My sister and niece have been piecing a stunning quilt with a sea turtle theme that reflects my niece’s suba diving experiences. The colors are similar to yours.
Your time management and the goals you are accomplishing are inspiring.
A project, on which I have collaborated with “professionals” for two years, is a huge disappointment… and an expensive lesson. I have realized that doing it myself is the only viable option.
I am still trying to figure out the logistics, but I have found encouragement in reading about your journey. Thank you for sharing.💕
You’re so welcome. A two year investment of time and money with nothing to show for it is a hard set-back, for sure. Yes, lessons learned, but darn! Sounds like you’re turning your disappointment into fuel in figuring out next steps & logistics for project completion. I know you’ll get there, Cheryl. I’m happy to have been a bit of encouragement for you, thanks for letting me know.
Perhaps when the family Sea Turtle Quilt is finished, you might feature it on your blog? Would love to see it!