An exciting annoucement!

Can you believe it???  I can't.

I saw the announcement come across my blog feed that applications were being accepted.  I thought, what the heck, I may as well apply!  I was so inspired by the work of a few quilters that I follow:

Laura Piland at Slice of Pi Quilts

and

Jennifer Fulton at The Inquiring Quilter.

I met these wonderful quilters during the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers event and started following.  I have quilted a long time, but my primary joy in quilting is trying new things, stretching my skills and sharing them with others. I hope that is what this opportunity holds for me.

Watch for announcements for the 2018 New Quilt Bloggers group if you are interested in expanding your horizons.  February 1 is when the new applications begin being accepted.  I have broaden my blog presence and met many new friends in the journey.

Island Batik fabrics are wonderful and I can't believe I'll be receiving a shipment soon with a mission to accomplish. For now, feel free to browse their site for fabrics coming in 2018!  Each month we are given an assignment and off we go - creating and blogging about our successes and sometimes our failures.

Wish me luck, its going to be an interesting year!

4th quarter complete

The 4th Quarter was a great one!  I accomplished a fair amount and am very pleased.

My goals were to finish the following:

1.  Free Falling Leaves - quilting, binding, labels, hanging sleeves - more here

Free Falling Leaves Top

Free Falling Leaves
Hanging at Rising Star Quilters Guild

2.  The alphabet quilt:  Hand binding, sleeve and label - more about this quilt here

Alphabet, Unfinished

Alphabet quilt, Finished

3.  2 Sew together bags - more about these here

Finished Sew Together Bags

Sew Together Bags, in project box

4.  And finally, finish organizing my space, more here

The Closet, unfinished

The closet - organized

More closet organized

This last project was not done, but I can't really complain.  Its a little harder in odd ways than it should be, so I only do an hour or two when I am working on it.

 The Loon did not get finished.  It was a little harder than I imagined and not so fast to do.  I expect it will be done in two weeks, if we get to Maine both of those weeks.  It lives there and so I only have access to it halftime.  I am making a list of what I need too, so I don't get stuck for that reason.

The Loon,unfinished 

Linking up with:  2017FAL 4th Quarter 

UFO's - #APQResolution - 2017 & 2018

All in all it was a good year.  I completed 9 of 13 projects.  A few were carry overs from last year and a few will be carried into next year.  There were a couple of projects that got done that weren't on the list, and a little later in the month I'll do a reprise of 2017 finishes.  It was a year in which we decided to put our house on the market - it had been in the back of our minds  - but it became real.  Honestly, I didn't sew much for 3 months.  Things are in a better place, so 2018 should be good!

I am pleased to keep doing this as it really helps keep me focused. I do move around projects as the year goes on so they finish when I like.  A few would not have been done, had they not been on the list.  I am making headway on the projects I have and would like to speed up to 2 a month, but much depends on a secret commitment - if it happens I don't think I will be doing 2 a month.   

I am excited to begin this year and think that I will start where I left off, finishing the Petal Play Loon...

Best wishes for a terrific 2018!

4th Project for 2017FALQ4 Finished!

They are done - my two sew together bags are finished!  I think I cut them out two years ago, but they had no specific destination so they wallowed.   This is a big way we get UFOs - we find a new fabric and make a plan but no destination, no deadline.  For this year, however, they were part of my APQResolution and my 2017FALQ4 resolution.  I think these bags are so useful for EPP, hand sewing, cords or makeup. 

As you can see they are very similar.  I just swapped the lining and inner pocket lining for a way to mix up the fabrics.  I think it is nice to have some differences between the bags, even when making multiples.

As I write this, I am thinking of a person who might need at least one of these!

I have one more project, but it won't get finished today.  I am missing a bead I need, and need to make dinner for our quiet New Year'e Eve celebration.

Happy New Year!

A hat for a boy who wears red....

My son is a rabid red sox fan, and while it is a stretch to call him a boy, he is my boy!  I started this last year and finished it last night.  He should have it - the weather here is frightful - but it will be early next week before he sees it.  The pattern is “Man Hat” by Ashley Haven, available on Ravelry.

I love the way this is so cozy and can be turned up if a little oversized or gets stretchy.  For years, he had a red sox hat, but that went missing.  I made two for his father, similar, but in blue.  Can't wait to see him in it!

Linking up to:  Friday Foto Fun and Crazy Mom Quilts

5 Best posts of 2017

Cheryl Brickey  of Meadow Mist Designs is hosting a Linky Party!  This is better than any New Years Eve Party and is a great way to look back over 2017.

I can tell you that my blogging picked up this year - I had 41 posts for 2017 - up from 16 in 2016.  My total visits were up to 11,136 visitors form all over the world - United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Russia, Portugal, Ireland, Germany and Ukraine!

I decided to highlight my most popular posts this year.  I included a picture and a link back to the posts.  I am so pleased at the push the 2017 New Bloggers Quilt Group gave me and the guidance of our wonderful leaders - it really has made a difference in my blogging presence.  Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl has led this the past few years, and I feel so fortunate to have her guidance this past year, as it was her last as a leader. 

Please feel free to visit or revisit any of the posts - the links and counts of visits are next to the picture from the blog entry.

Block 11 in the I Wish You a Merry Quilt Along
2,282 visits

Finish It Up Friday & FreeFallQAL #4                                      
423 visits

Finish It Up Friday
324 visits

2017 New Quilt Bloggers Introduction
165 visits

  A Finished Top #FreeFallQAL 
  142 visits






I learned a lot, and met quite a few folks I now call friends.  Many thanks for following along and visiting and commenting.  I love meeting my internet friends!

Linking up to:  The Best of 2017 Linky Party at Meadow Mist Designs

Looking forward and backward - Goals for 2018

It's that time of year to look at what you have accomplished in 2017 and what I'd like to accomplish in 2018.

First, what I thought I would do in 2017

Shorter Term/Actionable Goals
DONE:
√ Join the #APQResolution2017 
√ Plan one quilt a every 3 months with EQ7 - using up 4 stash fabric piles 
(baby alphabet quilt, purple nine patch, typewriter quilt and north star pattern)
ALMOST DONE
Post weekly on my blog - 40 times and a few more entries to go
Post one tutorial in even months - 2 out of 6 published
NOT QUITE DONE:
Attend on major quilt show - booked MQX in April 2018
Work with 1-2 patterns to produce or submit in the fall - North Star "I Wish You a Merry QAL"
Quilt the Antique Grandmother Flower Garden - not done

To be fair you don't see selling and moving your house on my goals.  We decided to do it and I lost quite a few months (3 almost) in doing anything remotely quilt related.  So, all in all I think I did just fine.  



Big Picture Goals
√ Adventures with the new retiree - my husband (Cali, MN, moved, Bermuda)
√ Let go of quilt/craft tools I am not using - moving helped here
√ Learn some new skills in social media/publishing
√ Get to some of the household organizing projects  - again moving helped


Now, to my goals for 2018

Short Term Goals

#APQ UFO Resolution 2018 - join
Plan a few fun quilts - TBD - maybe 3 
Make a few benefit quilts
Write one pattern with North Star Block
Write one pattern with block from Fall QAL
Learn more about EQ8

Big Picture Goals
More adventures with my husband
Move to more professional blog/hosting site including patterns, video, and tutorials along or is it al for fun?

I have a big consulting project for Jan/Feb so I will be a little slower these months (the firm I do some work for is moving and I am one of the point people).  Also, I am waiting for news on whether there will be a monthly commitment - it will help with some short term goals but be hectic in Feb/Mar on the heels of the move.   (I know - another move!!)

I'm using the Arc planner from Staples.  It is easier for me to carry what I want with me, since we split our time between two places and one requires more compact packing as we don't always bring the car.  I love the Quilter's Planner, but not being in one place all the time made it hard to have such a big planner.


So, I think I will let it go as this for now!

Linking up with the 2018 Planning Party.