Reviewing 2018 Quilty Progress

I decided to cheer myself up this afternoon (after the sadness of saying goodbye to my daughters, my four grandchildren, and my son-in-law) by looking over my progress this past year.  It wasn't really such a cheerful experience with only two finishes.  Ah, well, another year's coming.

Of the 82 posts I published in 2018, there were only two about completely finished quilts.  Most other posts were about works in progress or miscellaneous posts.  This is my quilty year in review.

Finishes

Autumn Barn Stars for Noah

Utility Stars

In Progress but Unfinished

Little Rubies triple four-patch blocks (and here).  This is a true scrap quilt.  I had leftovers of reds and browns, just trying to get rid of them.  The two sizes of four-patches and double-four-patches are sewn together but they're not yet sewn into blocks.  Looking at the photo, I see some blocks whose placement will change.

The Blue and the Gray, a Civil War quilt.  All the blocks are made for this quilt, I just need to cut the sashing, choose the layout, and stitch.





Everyday Patchwork, a Cheri Payne sampler quilt.  This is my first sampler quilt.  To finish this quilt I need to cut black sashing, arrange the blocks, and stitch.  There is some applique on the border, too.

Linda Brannock's Flowers, an applique sew-along.  I still have two blocks to make and half-triangle squares for sashing.

Sweet Land of Liberty, a sew-along I began late and couldn't keep up with.  It has many applique blocks and many pieced blocks!  The sew-along repeats again this year and I'll try to keep up.

Posts by the Numbers (least viewed first)
Victory Bowl and Liberty Fish Plus a Few Stars
Borders on Everyday Patchwork
The Lure of Online Fabric Shops
Hand Quilting Utility Stars
An Error in Judgment
Nothing to Do
Into Thin Air
Volunteer Blooms and Berries
A Finish! (most comments)
Blue Stars (most views)

One of the things I hope I've learned this year is to choose more carefully.  There are so many wonderful and enticing sew-alongs offered throughout the year.  It seems a new one pops up at least monthly on blogs or on Facebook.  Too often I think, "Yes, I can do that.  It won't take much time."  Or, "Oh, that's beautiful.  I'd love to have a quilt like that."  Then I join in without thinking through how much time it will really take or how difficult it might be.  With a limited amount of time to devote to quilting, I need to be more careful about my choices.  It's easy to keep working on others' patterns and ideas and let my ideas for quilts go by the wayside.  I want to avoid that this year.  Of course, I have enough quilts in progress that I probably shouldn't choose to start a new quilt until at least one or two are finished.

I also hope to layer several tops and quilt them this year.  With so much hand applique to do it leaves me less/little time to hand quilt.  I need a course correction in that area.

I'm linking this post to Best of 2018 Linky Party at Meadow Mist Designs.

--Nancy.