2023 in Review

I wasn't going to write a 2023 review post but realized that I needed to remind myself that I actually did accomplish some things of the quilty kind in 2023.  This post has photos only, without measurements and without links.

These first three photos are quilt tops.  The center one is still with me, awaiting layering and quilting.

I made a pattern for a bibbie and and then made one for my granddaughter.

I finished the quilt with red circles on green.  It's awaiting the next steps to becoming a quilt.

I finished quilting Flowers and added a binding, the first complete finish of 2023!

I layered, basted, and began quilting Everyday Patchwork.

I made 20 Scrappy Stars (18 shown) with a stitch-along. 

I made Parsonfields as a sew-along.  It's a top, not yet quilted.

I began Bramble Blooms, another quilt-along.

I appliqued zinnias to six little plaid baskets.

And we adopted an Airedale who we call Nona,

and found a kitten in the back yard who is still with us and sometimes with our daughter.

It wasn't the most productive year but I just needed some confirmation that I didn't fritter away most of my time or completely lose focus in 2023.   It was a year and I'm glad it's over!  I hope I will be more productive in 2024.

--Nancy.

(Post dated December 30, 2023, but written and published on January 7, 2024.)

Most-Viewed Posts of 2023

End of the year link parties usually challenge me because I often don't finish a lot of quilts (large or small) in any given year.  But for Cheryl's party, at Meadow Mist Designs, one of her suggestions for "best" was posts with the most views.  I'm going with that this year. 

I know from experience how satisfying finishes can be but I also remind myself that the creative process itself can be  satisfying.  What we put in and what we take away from creating are also important.  (Maybe I'm telling myself that now because I have so few finishes this year.  Ha!) 

These six posts had the most views in 2023 (as of December 26).
  
A Rose-Print Fabric Quilt Challenge for Me

That Basket of Scraps

Four Little Plaid Baskets

Coral and Plaid 24-Patch Quilt Top

It's Mostly (But Not All) about Bramble Blooms

Bramble Blooms and Being Out of My Comfort Zone

I'm sure you can guess that none of these has become a finished quilt this year.  All are still in progress, some with less progress than others.  But there's always 2024, right?!

I'm linking this post to Best of 2023 of Linky Party at Meadow Mist Designs.  Thanks so much for initiating this party and inviting us to participate, Cheryl.  Click through and you'll see links to lots of other quilters who have actually finished many quilts this year!

--Nancy.

From Finishes to Unfinished

It's probably a good thing to review how I spent my quilting time during the year, for both both finished and in-progress quilts.  It was a challenging year for a variety of reasons--every month or few weeks there was a home or some other big problem--and my quilting life seemed to suffer a little.  Hence so few finishes.  But here we go.

The Finishes of 2022.  All the way to the binding, in no particular order

Cheddarback was a quilt-along with Gaye Bomers.  I finished the top in 2018 or 2019, then layered, quilted, and bound it in 2022.

Dear Prudence is a small quilt, sewn as a quilt-along with Pam Buda.  Hers had an outer border of pink.  The pink fabric I had just didn't work for me so I changed it.

Little Blue Folly is another little quilt.  Looking at it now I wish I'd chosen red circles instead of the triangles.  I have no use for this quilt so it is truly a folly.

Coral and Grey is another little quilt.  (You'd think I like making little quilts....)  The coral pieces were leftovers from the churn dash quilt, below.

Buckeye Beauty is a baby/toddler-sized quilt I started more than a few years ago and never quite fell in love with.  I like it better now that it's finished.  It's still waiting for a little someone who needs it.

The Interim Finishes and In-progress Quilts of 2022.  Some of these have been in progress for a few years and received extra time in 2022.  Other than the small quilts, above, I don't think I started a single new quilt.

Churndash Top is one I started to participate in ChookyBlue's sew-along this year.  The top is finished and awaiting the "perfect" backing fabric.   Corals are one of my favorite colors of, of course, I love this top.  Maybe I will be able to quilt it in 2023.

Flowers, a Linda Brannock pattern, was a sew-along in a Facebook group.  I'm currently hand quilting it, not yet halfway finished.

Little Plaid Baskets with Zinnias.  I started the basket blocks at least 6 or 8 years ago -- empty baskets with no idea what to do with them.  I decided on zinnias and spent some time making the flowers and leaves, all of which still need appliqued (after deciding placement).  The layout of the blocks is still under consideration.  I didn't think I'd like them lined up in rows but they look so cheerful. 

Burgoyne Surrounded just happened last year.  I had lots of little 1½" squares and decided to use them for that.  It is currently awaiting a border with appliqued leaves along one side.

Quilts in Progress from Previous Years

Baskets of Plenty was Cheri Payne's last Facebook sew-along.  She give us the pattern pieces and we decided their placement.  I love these blocks which is making it really hard to choose sashing and finishing--because I don't want to ruin them.  Perhaps this is the year I will unstitch the sashing (which is so static) and create a beautiful quilt of them.

The Blue Sampler Blocks are ones I made with the idea of variations on a theme.  I will probably need to make a few more for a decent sized quilt--or make a smaller quilt.  Maybe these will get some attention this yea.

Time Flies is awaiting backing and quilting.

Everyday Patchwork has backing on a bag and may be next up for hand quilting.

It's so easy to start a quilt, and sometimes so hard to finish.  The easiest part for me is making the blocks after choosing colors and fabrics.

And just to say, I'm amazed at the speed at which some of you create and finish quilts.  It's fun to imagine getting faster but as I get older I'm getting slower, so there's not much hope for speed for me.  That's really okay because there's so much joy no matter the speed.

I wish you a Happy New Year!

--Nancy.