2014 A QUILTY YEAR IN REVIEW

I started the year by proclaiming my quilting hit list for 2014 and then pretty quickly forgot what I was going to do as I got distracted by all the bright shiny things that everyone was doing. My year of quilting and sewing was really heavily influenced by two things: Instagram and trying to get paid quilting work.

In January I committed to finishing my Calamine Lotion Swoon. I did finish the quilt top in 2014 (despite not blogging about it) but it’s just sat on the shelf waiting for some quilting love from a long armer as I’ve been busy finishing off other projects. I’m hoping that in 2015 I’ll finally manage to get it finished and on our bed.

February was supposed to be a Blankets of Love Quilt for the Canberra Quilters. I didn’t manage to get this one crossed off my list and I think this is the only non-finish this year that I’m most disappointed about.

I was supposed to make my Canberra Quilters Exhibition Challenge Quilt in March, but instead I didn’t make a challenge quilt and I opted to make a quilt for the “Tiny Treasures” category and “Fat Bottom Girls” was born.  I actually made the quilt in July and it’s the first time I’ve entered a quilt into the Exhibition that was 100% made and quilted by me. I was so stoked that it got a Highly Commended (and made the Judge chuckle). I learned so much from making and entering this quilt, not to mention it’s all pieced (not paper pieced) and so all those curves were sewn by me. The undies are only 3″ wide, which is barely bigger than the undies that Barbie should wear!

April was left open for me to choose what I’d like to do, which was handy because by the time April rolled round I’d completely left the reservation. In May I was supposed to finish my Shimmering Saltwater and I haven’t even looked at this quilt this year. In fact, I’ve started cutting into the fabric I’ve had put aside for finishing it. I’m no longer sure that this quilt will ever get made and it now holds the title of my oldest UFO (unfinished object).

I did however partner with Oakshott and made the “Oakshott Lipari” quilt. This was the first quilt that I ever designed. The quilting was done by Raylee (of Sunflower Quilting) and she knocked it out of the park. This quilt is now hanging on a wall in my parents place and I’m so proud that they loved it so much they wanted to hang it in their home. This design is so simple but I love it so much. I really should write it up and share the pattern with everyone. I’d love to see it made to other people’s visions.

I had planned to hold my first every quilt-a-long in June and finally get around to making my own Single Girl by Densye Schdmit quilt. It didn’t happen. In fact, I ended up hosting the Sea Breeze Mini QAL in July and it was heaps of fun (I just need to hurry up and pick a binding so I can finish my own version of the Sea Breeze.).  It was such a success that in September I hosted the Dilly Bag-a-Long through The Fussy Cutters Club. It was heaps of fun and there were some amazing bags made. I learned so much through hosting these Quilt-a-Longs that I’m already thinking of a few that I can do in 2015.

July was supposed to be the month I finished my Midnight at the Oasis but alas it’s still sitting half done, but I am determined that it will be done in 2015 – it’s too nice to leave in a box.  I did however complete my first ever all solids quilt around this time, I just didn’t tell anyone as it was my entry for  Canberra Quilters Exhibition.

I had planned to do an all solids quilt in November, but when I went looking for something to do for the Exhibition I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with an all solids palette. “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” was born and I adore it. It’s just like me; not perfect. The quilting on it was done by Raylee (of Sunflower Quilting) and she created something totally new and unexpected and it’s one of my most favourite things she’s ever done for me. I’m planning on getting our bedroom painted and styled in 2015 so I can take Lucy out of storage and hang her in pride of place on our bedroom wall.

In July the craziest thing happened and I applied for inclusion in Sewvivor. For the first time ever I made a video and posted it to YouTube. It was so much fun to make it with Hubby (and the Little Man in the background). I made it into Sewvivor and the crazy roller coaster started. I’ve never worked so hard and pushed myself so far. It was one of the best things to happen to me in 2014. I owe so much to that one experience and I would do it again in a heart beat.

I’d planned to make a Hawaiin Quilt in August but that got replaced with my Naughty-cal Weekender and Granny-Mac-Dadddy Bag. I’m so proud of the work that I did for Sewvivor and it taught me so much about myself and gave me so much more confidence in my own abilities. It also taught me some great lessons about what I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted to mould this space. It just kicked everything up a notch.

September was another month that allowed me to do what I wanted, which was good because that’s exactly what I was doing. I started my Patchwork Sunshine mini quilt and I also started working on few other things behind that scenes that I’m yet to full reveal. September really saw things start to solidify and my desire to make this more than a hobby became somewhat all consuming. I was lucky enough to be featured in Love Patchwork & Quilting which was a huge and flattering surprise.

I had plans for October to take the first quilt pattern that I’d ever designed and turn it in to a quilt. Somewhat ironically that quilt is still in the book, but I’ve made a couple of quilts since October that I’ve designed and will now be published in 2 Australian magazines in 2015. Totally amazing and exciting.

While all that was going on behind the scenes I was lucky enough to partner with Gemma (of Pretty Bobbins) and bring to life our version of Alyce’s (of Blossom Heart Quilts) Bight Sky quilt pattern. I love this quilt so much, and not just because it has some of my all time favourite fabric in the centre. Our quilt, Bright Sky Rose Garden, just reminds me of some of the best times of 2014.

November came in a blur and it saw me partner with Brother Australia to design and make “The Joy of Christmas” wall quilt to help raise awareness for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The quilt, from design to shipping, took me a week to conceive of, make and ship. It was it’s own Christmas miracle and I can’t wait to share some proper images of it when it’s finished hanging out with Brother Australia. While all that was happening I was lucky enough to partner with Handmade Magazine to bring you a new quilt in 2015.

December has been a crazy time for making and sending things out to people. I made my first ever Sweet Pouch Swap and it was so much fun and one of the best things I participated in in 2014.  I’m so excited about the things that I’ve been working on in the background and slowly finishing and will be sharing in 2015.

I’ve grown so much this year. I’ve become more confident and I’m willing to take more risks. I’ve learned some techniques that I never thought I would master (I adore piping and now add it to all sorts of things!). I’ve written and shared my first tutorials (the best one so far has to be “How to Make a Patchwork Key Fob”) and I plan on doing more in 2015.

There’s been heaps of other projects that I’ve started, finished and continue to work on as the year comes to a close (if you follow me on Instagram I’m sure you’ve seen a lot of sneak peeks over the year). I’m so excited for 2015 and I have no clue where it will take me but I’m happy and blessed to be able to continue on the journey.