2018 Recap

It is the last day of 2018 - time to take a look back and see what I was able to finish this year. 

I loved making these pretty blossom blocks from Joann at Canuckquilter. It was a RSC Challenge block for me making a few each month in the rainbow scrap color selected. So fun and this one I get to see every day as it lives on the back of the couch - ready for anyone to pull down to snuggle under when needed. 

This one was a graduation gift for my niece Sarah who graduated high school last June. I have 2 left to make - Sally for June and her brother Charlie in a few years. I have made one for each niece/nephew as they graduate from high school. 7 so far and 2 to go. Thanks so much to Pat for sending me the pattern. 

Extra hearts..... There were the cut out backs from the baby heart quilt I made for my great niece this year. I think they turned out great - what a way to use scraps! I did an applique challenge of a heart a day in the month of May.... I may have done 2 a day - one for the mail quilt and this extra one cut from the back of the previous days heart.

Scrappy houses.... pattern from Bonnie Hunter in the free pattern section. I started this with the RSC a few years ago... got stuck on those hill parts and then finished them up this year. A simple wavy line quilting and a nice red binding to finish this one off. As you can see.... it is cat approved!

The last finishes of 2018 will happen today.

The baby hearts quilt for Ari is nearly done. One little corner of binding to stitch down. Emily wants to add some stitches so she will tack down the triangle on the back I added as a label tomorrow when she gets home. 

I also plan to get the binding for the 16 patch quilt hand stitched today. I'll leave Emily's for the new year!

The kids are dropped to Grandma's for the night. (Greg dropped off while I was logged into work this morning). We just got back from a late lunch out at Chili's... and I got an extra chips and salsa to come home for later.

Some things I have learned this year... if I don't have a plan and 'deadlines', then things don't make progress. I am going to use that knowledge in 2019 and make some changes. 

I really like having set things to post about on certain days. It keeps me organized and motivates me to do the project so I have something to show! I am going to bring back my Tiny Tuesdays..... and will even attempt  a linky party if you would like to join in! No rules- cause rules are made to be broken! -  just if you want to do a block for each Tuesday, I'll have a link up.  

For me..... I had marked down an applique umbrella block a few years ago after making one for my midget applique blocks and I believe 2019 is the year to make them! I'll do one a week for 52 weeks... following along with the RSC color challenge through October. I'll fill in November and December with whatever the quilt decides it needs more of! Who know's... maybe some clouds will appear as well!

For the RSC Challenge (Saturday) - I really fell off the wagon the last couple of years. I seem to do much better if I have one block type per week  to post about.  I'm thinking the umbrella (ok this will be each week but maybe I'll do an end of month post of them), 16 patch blocks cause they are so versatile and fun, pulling out my hand pieced hexagons I made a few years ago and this year I'll applique them to a black background (completely changing my thought process on this one but it was not moving and I saw one I liked in the Sylvia Bridal Block book so I'm going with it!) , scrappy 6.5 inch crumb blocks... cause those scrap buckets are overflowing and really need to get worked down. I'm leaving one open... for either the 2019 challenge or whatever fun block someone else decides to do that I 'must' make as well! Come on, you know you all add stuff after the first week or two's link ups! 

I love the Sunday Slow Stitching link up as well. Kathy is wonderful at encouraging us to slow down and relax with some slow stitching. I don't always listen but do try occasionally! I hope to show progress on hand quilting (baskets and trip quilt on the frame) and my new to me - embroidery/redwork (ok, blue work... cause I LOVE blue!).

For other things.... I need to finish off Aidan's quilt.... now that Emily's is nearly done.

Finish making scrappy green and cream log cabin blocks - these will become a donation quilt and I hope to have it done by mid march so I can bring it up to VT with me.

Sally's graduation quilt - blue and yellow chevron pattern.  Due in June.

Some hand quilting - little baskets will get pinned today and I'd love to get back to working on the 90x90 trip quilt on the frame...... once I see how much damage the cats did to the batting when they were still little kittens earlier this year.

Lots of lofty goals for the new year.... we shall see how I do! If I do even part of this I will be happy. I'm not even mentioning all the block collections and tops waiting in drawers. If they come out to play, great. If not... they will keep for another year. That is the great thing about fabric - it is extremely patient.