Showing posts with label Year End Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Year End Review. Show all posts

Sunday, December 28, 2025

End of the Year - Best of Sew & Tell


It's the final Sew & Tell of 2025!  Each and every party has been filled with inspiration and creativity.  I've enjoyed seeing the progress of quilts, some from start to finish and I've enjoyed seeing how each quilter approaches a project differently.  I'm so glad that we can all celebrate the finishes (some for years old UFOs) and the completion of a particular step.  We celebrate the big finishes as well as the small ones.  We are a community of supporters!  And I am grateful for the support that you offer me.  THANK YOU!


This week's feature is one of those years-old UFOs... Astrid from Red Needle Quilts proudly (and by all rights) showed off her Over the River and Through the Woods quilt. A UFO that is finally finished after 16 years.  It includes embroidered winter scenes and words, many flying geese and some lovely stars.  Head over to Astrid's blog to celebrate her finish and see more details and photos.

Her pieced backing is a treat as well!

Since this is the final party of the year, I thought I would take a look back at some of the favorites that have been shared throughout the year - 1 for each quarter or season of the year. 

Melisa at Pinker 'n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching always has an assortment of projects that she shares... her little winter scene is just one example. Her seasonal decor is delightful, and she often has small embroidery and cross-stitch patterns that she offers.  If this is something you enjoy, you'll certainly want to stop by her blog.  You'll leave feeling lighter and happier.


Sharon at Dragon's Heart Quilting shared her progress of a lovely quilt that represents my spring choice - Jade Garden. the use of pastel pinks and purples with the green remind me of a garden waking up with the warmth of spring sunshine as the earth thaws and springs to life!  I can almost smell the sweet scent of flowers blooming.

Sharon documented her progress, and you can find all the details by visiting her blog by following the highlighted link above.


My summer feature is brought to you by Gwyned Trefethen - Pond Life which was the product of a Project Quilting challenge.  The challenge given was to use the color of your birthstone.  Gwyned's birthstone is an emerald.

The muted tones and gentle pastels appeal to me and I can almost hear the frogs croaking and the feeling of a warm humid day.

It was just a few years ago that I learned of the Project Quilting challenges.  I've not ever participated but I have followed along to learn of the prompts and allow some loose ideas to roll around in my head.  Mostly, I just admire the many projects that I have seen and enjoy the stories of the making of them and the logic used to produce such projects.  Be sure to visit Gwyned's blog to read about her Pond Life quilt and how she finished it.


The fall feature comes from LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color.  She creates a lot of smaller "art" pieces and this patchwork pumpkin came from a small collection of fall scraps.  

This photo shows an earlier stage of the project, but the finished piece is stunning!  Follow the link above to see the finish!  

LeeAnna struggles with chronic pain but doesn't allow the physical limitations she encounters along the way to stop her creativity.  My visits to her blog always leave a smile on my face!

I've been reviewing 2025 and writing all about it... and planning for 2026.  The full story will be published in a few days, and I'll be sharing in the Planning & Dreaming linky-party at AndrĂ©e's Quilting & Learning, opening on December 30th.

I've not had much quilting going on... I finished my Color Wash quilt!  I finished it on Christmas Eve.  I have to figure out a hanging sleeve system that will keep the outermost points hanging out.  I have a couple ideas and will see what works.  For now... here's one of her glamor shots.


I'll take two more days to finish scrapping our 2020 travel photos and then start in with a new project.

What sort of plans or dreams do you have for 2026?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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Thursday, December 26, 2024

Best of 2024


Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs has been hosting the "Best of" linky party since 2015.  I have participated in the party each year and it is always interesting to take a look at what some of the stats reveal... and what my personal feelings are in regard to those stats.  I am sometimes usually at little surprised at what posts/stories appear (by the numbers) to be the most popular (and this year is no surprise)... And then there's my personal favorites.

By the numbers:

Several older posts (I mean years old) made the list.  I'm not quite sure why but when I pull them out of the mix the announcement of the Pieces of My Life Sew Along tops the list.  I am not surprised at this.

The Maintenance & Self-Care story was nothing exciting (I wanted to say it was nothing to write home about, hahaha) but obviously it was a topic that resonated with my readers.  Perhaps we need more frequent reminders that we need to take care of our machines AND ourselves... to be reminded that not every project needs to be completed at a record pace.  Slow and easy can be just as enjoyable... possibly even more so.


The Sticks & Stones (II) quilt (pattern from Missouri Star Quilt) was popular... both when the top was finished and when it was fully finished with quilting and binding.  Dave called this quilt "Christmas Morning" because it reminded him of the excitement of children unwrapping gifts, bits of wrapping paper, bows and gifts. It has been purchased by a customer and will certainly bring some bright joy to their family on Christmas Morning.


The November 4th Sew & Tell featured a table topper featuring a vintage piece on linen that I hand-quilted.  


Just behind that was a story telling of my repurposed full-length mink fur.  There seems to be a great interest in the fur since the furry poms were viewed more than the mink bed runner(Or maybe it was just that they were with the Sticks & Stones quilt...)


And finally, the 50th Anniversary Quilt that had been sewn in (semi)secret. 

My personal favorite list is a touch different.  If I stick to strictly quilted projects of the year - 17 in all- (and cheat just a little by grouping a few projects) I have four categories... And let's face it... choosing a favorite quilt is like admitting you have a favorite child ;)


#4 encompasses the custom memory quilts I made: two quilts using baby clothes and three that included shirts from a father/grandfather for his daughters and grandson.  


#3 includes the four items I created from vintage linen pieces.  The small elephant runner was a silk scarf, the teal table runner was made with a dresser scarf that was made by my Grandma T, the tablecloth found its way to me from a friend who was selling her mother's items after her passing and the coffee cup table topper with a vintage center that had been gifted to me several years ago.


#2 includes the two storytelling quilts from the Pieces of My Life Sew Along.  When I started the sew along, I was only going to offer one non-traditional layout that incorporated the twelve 12" blocks as well as the eight 6" blocks using a Quilt as you go method.  I was concerned that not everyone would want to have a non-traditional layout... and being the (recovering) people pleaser that I am, I decided that I would include the fabric requirements and directions for a more traditional quilt.


After deciding this I realized it would be best (and easiest) to make an actual quilt so that I could verify and confirm the information I was offering.  I chose purple as the colorway... and about 4 blocks in I learned that the full range of purples was a challenge to get to work together and keep the red-violets and blue-violets from fighting clashing with each other.  In the end, it all worked out well with the help of the sashing fabric that I used.

#1 is the Camping Journal Quilt that has been a labor of love for years.  Oh, ok... this is not a "group" of quilts... but since it is my most recent finish, I can claim that it just might be my favorite finish of 2024.  (That's ok, right???)  Quilting is still in process as I write this post, but it is my hope that it will be completely finished, binding and all by December 31. 

The number of quilts I made this year was a little lower that past years but given all that life included with a major move for my Mom, I feel okay with that.  I trust God to send customers my way and if there is a lack of custom work... He inspires ideas for quilts to make and the time to do so.

Do you have a favorite quilt that you made this year?

Leave a comment telling me all about it.  I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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m