2016

2016 was a very sewful year.  I only worked 9 Fridays the whole year.  The rest of the Fridays I was on quilt retreats of sewing at home.  I think I went on 15 retreats during the year.  One month I was on one every week.  It was great.  You’d think I’d have more to show but I did a lot of beginning and not a lot of finishing.  But eventually they’ll all get done.  My first quilt of the year was Elizabeth Hartman’s Forest Friends.  It was my New Year’s Eve/Day sew along.  It came out great.  I loved it and I know it went to a good home.  My son’s friend Kristin had her first baby and it became their quilt.  I went to a Metro Rings workshop -- it’s kind of like a double wedding ring design but using the Quick Curve Ruler.  I lost the box for a while but found it recently and really need to get back to work on it so I can finish it.  It's not in my normal color pallet, but I think I’ll like it once it’s done. I made a farewell quilt for our departing commander; it was a cross made with Army fabric. Came out pretty good.  Since he used to be a Chaplain’s assistant, I thought he’d appreciate it.  I taught a paper piecing workshop/retreat where I taught the participants to make a cross wall hanging or an envelope baby quilt or a wreath wall hangings.  I created the cross pattern by modifying a Carol Doak pattern.  I made one on commission, but they didn’t like it, so I gave it away as a retreat door prize.  I designed the envelope quilt as a paper pieced pattern after I saw so many of the quilts that were traditionally pieced.  One of those went to Kristin’s baby too.  I’ve made a wreath wall hanging for almost every month of the year.  I redrew this in a pattern size that I liked and allowed me to quilt the whole quilt in one pass on my longarm.  They are so easy to make and look so good on my wall, I love them.  At some point I took a workshop from Shannon Brinkley called Scrappy Bits applique.  I made this really cool cat quilt.  It’s my favorite.  I made my hubby three quilts this year.  One was a large wall hanging using a quilt picture panel with bass on it, one was a Texas panel and pattern he liked and found in Waco  and the other was a lap quilt for his chair with bee fabric.  I think he liked them both.  I made myself a wall hanging using the Moroccan Vibe pattern from one of the Sew Kind of Wonderful books and the quick curve ruler.  I love that pattern.  Need to make another one.  I taught a workshop on it at Cotton Boll Quilting.  Had fun sharing the love with others.  I finally got a chance to use my Scrap Crazy template and made a quilt out of Rhoda Ruth (Elizabeth Hartman fabric).  I finished the Violet Kraft paper pieced lion pattern although I haven’t removed the paper or quilted it yet.  I also started working on her elephant but haven’t finished it yet.  I started working on a hedgehog quilt using fabric I got when visiting my daughter in Hawaii.  Before I went to Hawaii I made a quilt for each of the grandkids.  The littlest one wanted the biggest quilt.  So he got a Urban Abacus Mickey Mouse Quilt.  The other two just got lap quilts.  They were fun to make and hopefully they use them.  I still haven’t finished my hedgehogs, but it’s been real fun working on it.  I also made a quilt for my Aunt Si using the quick curve ruler.  She wanted purple and it is REALLY purple.  Unfortunately she passed away in 2017, but I’m glad I got the quilt to her.  The pattern is Modern Molly from one of the Sew Kind of Wonderful Books.