Review of 2013 Quilting

2013 has flown by but left behind many fond quilting memories and accomplishments:

Home Sweet Home

• Quilt Studio Makeover which involved a major purge of ugly fabrics, duplicate tools, IKEA shopping trip and a coat of bright teal paint.  I love my new space!!!
• The new studio layout and purging some ugly fabrics freed up some space for some fun new fabric and thread purchases.  Fabric and thread therapy shopping is always provides great stress relief and leaves me with an enhanced stash of beautiful and magical fabrics.  
• Through continued quilt education, I added some fun and new techniques and tricks:    3-D quilting from Susan Else; Free Form Circles thanks to a Quilting 101 demo; Fusing Fun with Frieda Anderson and Marjan Kluepfel; English Paper Piecing thanks to my favorite LQS, Art Quilting, Yarn Couching and Bobbin Work thanks to Wendy Butler Berns, Feathered Fun with Kathy McNeil; and Free Motion Quilting!!!   
• I am now addicted to Craftsy classes!  I was skeptical at first about online learning, but I just love the Craftsy platform complete with top-notch instructors, great demonstrations and projects and the interactive Craftsy community.  And with my crazy work schedule, I can log on at my convenience.  I completed a total of 12 Craftsy classes this year and have many more queued up for 2014! 
• Unfortunately my work schedule has limited my involvement with BAMQG and CQFA, but I  was able to increase my involvement with SCVQA:  Quilt Show Layout/Set Up/Take Down, Historian, Membership Committee, Nominations Committee, Q101 Demos/Sew Days and other guild projects.  I especially love my front row-center seat at meetings where I can soak up all the beauty and detail from our members' quilts and those from our visiting artists!!

I Love Art Quilting and Working Small!

• I dabbled in Art Quilting and thanks to Wendy Butler Berns, my new mantra is to work small!  Working on smaller projects allows me to add more intricate details/embellishments while keeping up my momentum before they can turn into a UFO!  I also enjoyed working on series which afforded me the opportunity to experiment with various aspects of design:  fabric, layout, quilting and embellishments!     
• Two awesome quilt shows:  SCVQA and PIQF.  So many gorgeous quilts to view and provide inspiration, workshops/demos and of course shopping!
• Finding lots of great inspiration and ideas via Pinterest, and losing hours as I went from board to board looking at so many beautiful quilts.

It's hard to believe but 2013 marked my 10 year anniversary since starting quilting.  There's been so much growth, progression and evolution in my quilting skills and aesthetic!  In just one decade, so many quilts have been created, gifted and brought warmth and joy to loved ones.  

Wishing you all a very Quilty New Year!!