2015 in review

I can't wait to share my intentions for the New Year, but before I do, it only seems proper to review the past year first.

Well, we moved!




and started to remodel.





We got a new dog.




I spent the first part of the year doing a bunch of swaps, but I also finished up a few other things.  Here are my finishes for the year:

1. Fancy Fox Mini for Schnitzel & Boo Mini Swap, 2. Feather Quilt Finished!, 3. Bionic Gear Bag for Hubby, 4. Tula Pink Mini Quilt Swap item (back), 5. Bionic Gear Bag (giveaway), 6. Tula Pink Mini Quilt Swap item - front, 7. Rainbow Mini Swap item, 8. Butterfly Mini Quilt, 9. 8 Carat Star block, 10. Spring Fling Mini Swap item, 11. Finished tote for Outlander craft swap, 12. Untitled, 13. RW&B New York Beauty Quilt, 14. Cotton and Steel Mini Swap item, 15. Untitled


I also made a LOT of blocks for others:





1. Untitled, 2. Velvet star, 3. 8 Carat Star, 4. Alpine block for Janice, 5. Tic Tac Toe block for Janet, 6. Bee block for Katie, 7. for Anneliese, 8. bee block for Katie 2, 9. We bee with it September, 10. Autumn chain block for Janice, 11. We Bee With it September, 12. Kaleidoscope blocks for Katie, 13. Mineral block for Ella, 14. We Bee With It July for Celeste, 15. Untitled, 16. Bunting Block, 17. We Bee With it July for Celeste, 18. 8 Carat Star, 19. Velvet Star, 20. Untitled, 21. Untitled, 22. Autumn Chain block for Jennifer in Bee Hive Joy, 23. Untitled, 24. Itty Bitty Houses, 25. Untitled, 26. Tic Tac Toe blocks for April, 27. 16 patch with wonky star, 28. 16 patch with wonky star (blue), 29. Wanta Fanta block in jewel tones for Joy, 30. Rainbow Star, 31. Wheel of Fortune Block, 32. Tilted Star block, 33. Itty Bitty Modern Maples, 34. Star Plus block for Erin in the Bee Hive, 35. Remixed Geese for Kathinca, 36. Rachel's block #2

Whew! that is a bunch of blocks, and that mosaic only held 36 pics!

I actually spent a good amount of time thinking I didn't get anything done all year, and I did.  I think I felt that way because there were so many other things I wanted to get done, that didn't.  I also wrapped up 2015 working on a mini quilt that is 9 months overdue, which had me feeling ashamed and defeated.  But, looking at these mosaics, I can see that I did quite a lot actually.  Which makes me think that 2016 will even be a better year if I can avoid the 5 month slump that accompanied moving this year.

So, how did I do with regard to my resolutions that I intended for 2015.  Well.......as usual, it is a mixed bag.

I wanted to: "Sew as much as possible".  Well that was stupid.  I clearly had months where I accomplished that, and at least 5 months when sewing was clearly possible and it did not happen.  

I also wanted to "Participate".  I feel I did a fair amount of that.  Although looking at the list of things I signed up for at the beginning of the year, there are several that I never even got started on: Technicolor Galaxy, Arcadia BOM.  The Sew My Stash and Scrappy Log Cabin QAL had minimal involvement.  So, I didn't participate as much as I planned, yet my participation in swaps nearly burnt me out on quilting all together.   As often as I think I have balance, there is always a tipping point that I clearly ignore.

I also wanted to try sewing a garment in 2015.  THAT never happened.

All in all, 2015 was a good year.  I am very happy in my new house.  Thanks to the dog, I am getting up and exercising.  Even if that means time out of my sewing room, I usually spend time on my hikes thinking of projects or listening to quilt podcasts.  And the exercise is clearly not killing me.

What will 2016 bring?  Stay tuned for my next post and a bit of a challenge too.


As always, thanks for reading!


Jen