Out with the old...

And in with the new.

2015 brought many life changes for me - some good, some bad - and had me re-evaluating the load I placed on myself with work, family, hobbies and other commitments. As much as I wanted sewing to be a priority because I enjoy it... over the summer I was so overwhelmed that sewing became an obligation and no longer very enjoyable. I dropped some sewing commitments that I enjoyed and wanted to be a part of, but just couldn't handle at the time and took a general hiatus from all things sewing related for about 6 months.

In the new year I'd like to keep up with the blog in order to keep track of my progress and not have to track down pictures of my makes, but I'm not sure if it will be realistic or not to make that resolution. Regardless I wanted to do a re-cap because even though I had a really turbulent year I still got a lot of sewing done.

I finished 1 baby quilt for a co-worker, and completed 3 tops from my long suffering WIP pile (not pictured are my first gemstone quilt blocks assembled into a baby quilt - I will use it to practice some FMQ).

1. Baby Quilter's Mixology medallion (blogged here)  2. Heather Ross Saw Tooth Stars (twin size)  3. starting to quilt my massive queen sized X-Plus quilt at the Nov. DCMQG retreat

I had the good fortune to attend 3 quilting retreats this year - Sew South, Mid Atlantic Mod, and the November DCMQG retreat. Sew South and Mod were back-to-back in April so I was a little burnt out sewing wise by MOD time but it was still a great couple of weeks. I participated in Secret Sister/Sewist at both retreats, and a private swap with my friend Jess at MOD.

1. Sew Together Bag made for Laurel, my Sew South secret sister (pic by @singallyouwant)  2. items made for my Mid Atlantic Mod Secret Sewist, Cathy from the Philly MQG (pic by Cathy)  3. Mug rug for Laurel (pic by @singallyouwant)  4. Jess with the Aeroplane Bag I made her, and me with my amazing mini she made me at Mid Atlantic Mod

I also participated in 5 mini quilt swaps (4 hosted through Instagram and 1 at Mid Atlantic Mod), and a guild hoop art swap.

1. Schnitzel and Boo mini for @fernsfrocks  2. Rainbow mini for @blotchandthrum  3. Selvedge mini quilt for Mid Atlantic MOD  4. Cotton +Steel mini for @eloquentmime  5. Anna Maria Horner mini for @emileemason  6. Winter Solstace hoop art for @smartash (DCMQG swap)

I also participated in my first craft show. I didn't sell much at the show, but I sold several items to co-workers who saw my pictures on Facebook. All-in-all it was a good experience and something that I hope to do again in 2016.

I wasn't going to set any year-long goals for myself but I did think of two that are pretty non-specific: 1. make things for me and my family/friends  2. use fabric in my stash! I did treat myself to a new sewing machine last month... so here's to getting stuff done in 2016!

Since I'm generally terrible at blogging, you can follow along on my Instagram where I'm much more active. Happy New Year :)

2015 Sewing Goals and To-do

I'm putting this in writing so I hold myself accountable, and it will be nice to cross things off the list!  I'm sure this list will grow and change as the year progresses :)

my WIP box

Gifts + Swaps

basting my first quilt of 2015!

• Baby quilt for Tobin and Amy (Due Jan. 5) -- currently: Finished!
• Schnitzel & Boo mini swap (Due Jan. 23) -- currently: Finished
• Birthday present for Christine (Due Feb. 10) -- currently: cutting/piecing
• Birthday present for Shannon (Due March 14) -- currently: piecing
• Rainbow mini swap (Due Apr. 6) -- currently: quilting
• Sew South secret sister (Due Apr. 16) -- currently: planning
• Sew South fabric basket swap (Due Apr. 16) -- currently: planning
• Swap with Jess (Due Apr. 23) -- currently: planning and cutting
• Mid Atlantic Mod Secret Sewist (Due Apr. 23) -- currently: awaiting assignment
• Mid Atlantic Mod Mini Quilt swap (Due Apr. 23) -- currently: planning
• Briar Rose Quilt for Autumn (Due July) -- currently piecing

Monthly and yet to be assignment commitments

• Grace Circle blocks (monthly)
• Sisterhood of the Traveling (bi-monthly)

Quilt WIPs

• x-plus quilt (ALYOF January 2015 goal) -- currently: piecing

Pile of x-plus blocks

• DS disappearing 9 patch (Due June 7 so I can have it signed!) -- currently: piecing 
• Starbright Quilt -- currently: piecing

Starbright Quilt mock-up

• Penny Sampler (in time-out) -- currently: piecing 

Penny Sampler Blocks so far

New Projects

• Quilts for nephews (5) and nieces (1)
• C+S Single Girl quilt
• Stitched-in-Color "handstitched" class

Goals

• Sew 15 minutes every day
• #SewMyStash2015
• Blog at least bi-weekly
• Learn garment sewing
• FMQ!
• Try selling at a craft show

WIP Wednesday

It's been a while since I've done a WIP Wednesday post... sadly there hasn't really been much in-progress until this month.  My main project goal for Mid-Atlantic Mod was to work on my Briar Rose Sawtooth Stars quilt for my niece.  She will be 3 in June so I want to have it finished for her birthday.

--apologies I always seem to start off with crappy IG pics!--

I tried to get the majority of my fabrics cut so that I would be able to sew, sew, sew at the retreat, but at 2am on Wednesday before I left for lancaster I realized that wasn't going to happen.  As I was cutting I realized I was going to need more solids as well.

Since I knew I needed 4 flying geese per star, I sewed up a few test blocks using the no-waste-flying-geese method.  The about.com article even had cutting instructions for common block sizes, so I didn't even have to do quilt math for a 6 inch finished geese!

pretty stacks of solids :)

Between more cutting, and socializing, I only managed to get a few blocks done on the first day of the retreat.  I got down to business and sewed more Friday and Saturday and ended up with 18 blocks by the end of the retreat.... not too shabby considering all the other things I got up to :)

I've been sewing them piecemeal here and there as I have time.  I need 35 blocks total and plan to do a skinny border of Essex Linen in Flax to bring it up to twin size.  I'm not sure how I want to quilt it, but maybe I can get up the guts to try a loopy FMQ meander...

Linking up with WIP Wednesday over at Freshly Pieced.  What is on your sewing table?