Kicking Off 2014

2013 was a year of rediscovering how much I like to quilt and learning a ton more about quilting. I've been making quilts for 13 years now, but last year I learned so many new things.  At the beginning of the year I decided to spend a lot more time making quilts, and a lot less time making bags. I started off by taking an on-line Craftsy class and stuck with it long enough to learn some new sewing techniques & methods and treated myself to a ton of new tools: templates, rotary cutters, rulers, etc.  Along the way I discovered a modern quilting group on Facebook, modern quilters with blogs, and many many Flickr groups - so much inspiration!  I fell in love with the color turquoise and completed several quilts.  I joined an online quilting bee and few "quilt alongs"; and quit a couple of the quilt-alongs half-way thru! (I quit when I decided I really didn't LIKE the project we were making.)  I was sortof like a kid in a candy store going every which way and was so excited to have "met" other quilty people online.

In 2014 I hope to continue focusing on quilts, but I want to be more selective in the projects that I choose to start.  I will once again be documenting my progress and setting goals with the "Finish-a-Long" group. Below is my "TO DO" list for Q1 of 2014.

To start off this year, I've been asked to make 4 coordinating quilts to go in a bunk room in a ski cabin.  As you can see, the quilts are all designed (my own designs), all of the fabric is purchased and sitting in my sewing room, I've begun washing it all...and am trying to motivate to begin cutting. This is FOUR quilts on my Q1 list.

I took a month-long break from sewing over the holidays. To get myself back in the sewing groove, I decided to do a fun, quick project using up fabric that was sitting in my stash: I joined the Economy Block Quilt Along that started viral-y with help from Rita at Red Pepper Quilts.  I'm part of their group on Flickr and am having fun making this crib quilt. I've made 19 blocks and plan to make another 6-11 more, then it needs layering, quilting & binding. This is project #5 for Q1.

Lastly, I didn't manage to finish my Texty St Louis 16-Patch from last quarter (and maybe further back than that). It is back from being quilted by Plain Jane and just needs to be bound. I'll be using Kona "Glacier" (shown above) for the binding.

So that's 6 projects in 3 months! I doubt I get the 4 cabin quilts done, but I would like to get a good start on making the tops for them all.
Happy 2014 to Everyone!