Review of 2017

This will be about my makings during the year and at the end what I hope to achieve for 2018.  

At the beginning of the year I was still making blocks for the Splendid Sampler which finished in February.  The blocks remain in a bag and awaiting what I'm going to do with them.  I didn't completed all of the blocks as I just didn't have the time to do all the embroidered or foundation pieced blocks, but you can read about the processes from tab at the top of my blog.  It was fun to do but with 6.5" blocks it is difficult to get a cohesive look to make up a quilt.  I think I may have a play around an see what setting I can come up with this year to put something together.

During this time I was also knitting a clown for Isobel's birthday in March.  In 2016 I knitted a Bedtime Clown for Sophie and Isobel wanted a clown of her own.  

I had fun making him but I thought after 2 clowns I don't want to make any more for a while! 

I also made a sporting teddy for my Mum, who loves teddies and saw this on Facebook.  Little did she know I had the pattern book and was making it!

I'd also made a cushion cover for my grandson, Leo, who had to go into hospital for an operation.  He liked cats and I had a cat panel so having quilted and made a backing this became a cushion he could take into hospital for a bit of comfort. He did also receive a Project Linus quilt during his stay and thankfully the procedure he had worked well.

Another pair of cushions were made later in the year which went to my daughter Sarah as a house warming present when her and her husband moved into their house in September, just before their wedding!

This was made from fabrics and pattern from the The Bramble Patch subscription kit. I was still receiving monthly subscription boxes from, which I have now stopped as I couldn't keep up with the projects.  I did like this poppy wallhanging kit which I made up.

 On the yarn front I made a couple of crochet hearts, tea cosy and also had a go at making a sparkle sheep.

Last New Year's Day I made a start on a Frivols Quilt, which is still in progress by the time this New Year arrives.  I hope to finish this soon when I get the binding fabric.

But an ongoing quilt project has been finished, which is my Doll Dress Up quilt

And matching cushion

I made a sewing machine cover and matching pouch for my daughter-in-law, Carly, who is a whizz at making fancy dress costumes (unlike me, I always hated fancy dress!)

Also on a practical note, I had to make a new peg bag to replace the one that was falling apart

Another set of cushions for the living room

Lots of pouches made with quilt as you go method for charity stall to help Project Hope

This year I've discovered the joy of sock knitting and having tried short circular needles (which I haven't really got on with but haven't written them off yet) and then magic loop method with longer circular needles which I felt more comfortable with, I was away.  I made some blue and green WYS yarn for the first pair, then made the pinky/orange pair in Stylecraft for my sister.  Another pair has been made which will be gifted in January but I've just made my easy lace socks in orange King Cole Zigzag yarn.  Here they are below

I've belonged to the UK  Quilters United Facebook group for a few years and this year I took part in a mini quilt swap to be completed in September and made this quilt for Gillian

Then had this quilt from Helen

 So gorgeous and has real depth and detail.  I'm still amazed when I see this.

Also with this group there is another sub group that does fabric postcard swaps.  Instead of having up to half dozen to send, which is really expensive with the postage today you receive the same number as you've sent, so if you just want to swap one postcard you will receive one in return.

So this has fired my imagination. The first was a free swap where you could either make a card of any subject or use another card from a previous subject that wasn't included in a swap.  

 The one above I sent

 And this one received

 This was an experimental one (with the back below) this may be used for a future swap

 The Christmas ones sent (the one on the left was for the swap)

 And this, above, I received in return

And then I made this one to use for my Christmas header.

Lastly I've been making some items from the Stitched Sewing Organizers book so here's a few of these

I've also enjoyed exhibitions near and far, having gone to Farnham Maltings at the beginning of the year for fabric sale and group exhibitions, Malvern in May, Romsey in July, Festival of Quilts in August and Kaffe Fassett at Mottisfont.  Went to workshops at Pauline's Patchworks earlier this year and then Angela Daymond's workshop at Charminster, near Dorchester.

I've also had a personal goal of losing weight too and have lost 1.5 stone.  Although I will have gained weight over the Christmas period, I will get back to this and hope I can get to my target weight of 10 stone (which was about 10lbs away when I was last weighed, but could be a little more than that now!)

I'm sure there is something I've forgotten here, but at times I feel that I've not achieved much, but its actually quite a bit figuring that I also work 4 days a week too!

What I hope to do in 2018 is that I'd like to take a more artistic route and also do some me-makes.  I thinks there's only so many quilts that can be made and wallhangings to hang so would be good to do something a bit different.  I have joined (and hope to keep up with) 30 Day Sketchbook Challenge run by Susan of Magenta Sky starting tomorrow for this month.  I have a small square sketchbook and will sharpen up my pencils to get ready for that. Its a start.

I'd also like to gain more confidence in making my own clothes,  as its been a long time since I've done this and would be good to wear something that I've made and fits me so I hope I can book a workshop place to get me going on this.

I want to also progress beyond the smaller jumpers and socks and knit a garment, possibly cardigan(s) or jumper, and extend my crochet skills too.