Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Welcome 2023

Happy New Year!


Pickle Bird


The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a wonderful time to reflect on goals accomplished and to set new ones for the upcoming year.   I recently shared my Best of 2023 post and now I'll be liking up to Yvonne's #2024QuiltingPlanningParty.   I've filled this post with some eye candy of favorite finishes for the year because it is always fun to share them one more time. 


Loves Me, Loves Me Not.

My goals for 2023 were set in the Reflecting on 2022 and Welcoming 2023 post. I did reasonably well.
  • Make at least one quilt to submit to QuiltCon 2024 which will be in RALEIGH! - I made three quilts - Echo, The Twist and Pickle Bird - with QuiltCon submission in mind. Both Echo and The Twist were selected for the show!  
  • Donate one quilt to our guild charity using only fabric from stash - I donated 2 quilts this year and one came completely from stash! (See the Scrappy quilt.) I will carry this goal this new year and have already started on some HSTs from stash.
  • Adopt the 'container' concept in my sewing room and donate or sell fabric I no longer want - I've progressed on this goal quite a bit and had luck selling stash. My new fabric purchases are focused on solids (when they go on sale) and project specific backings.
  • Run a quilt-along with a quilting friend - I designed the Loves Me, Loves Me Not quilt for my friend Frances's Quilt Fiction site and ran the QAL as well. It was fun to see what everyone created.
  • Continue to challenge my fabric color choices to explore new color combinations - I can never call this goal as done. My Pickle Bird quilt was a bit out there color wise for me although I have been leaning into the chartreuse colorway a bit in the last few years.
  • Blog 1-2 times weekly and continue to host OMG (but without sponsors.) - Done and done! OMG was also transferred to Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room in October after we co-hosted for much of the year.


I spend 1-2 hours in the afternoon in my studio and I'd like to continue this practice.  I've already got a lot on my "want to make" quilting plate - 2 wedding gift quilts, 2 QALs, plus this years Pantone challenge. 

My quilting goals for 2024 look a bit similar to 2023: 
  • Make at least one quilt to submit to QuiltCon 2025 
  • Donate at least one quilt to our guild charity using only fabric from stash 
  • Play! Lots of ideas for this - explore new color combinations, start two color improv, experiment with large curves, make more mini quilts, and give garment sewing a try.
  • Adopt the 'container' concept in my sewing room and donate or sell fabric I no longer want
  • Blog 1-2 times weekly plus I want to revamp my monthly newsletter. 
In addition to these quilting goals, I intend to continue to make reading a part of my day. I hope to add weekly strength training to my daily walking or swimming exercise.

One of my takeaways from the Seaglass QAL this summer was to seek joy every day. I hope to make this a focus on my year.

Let me end this post with a wish for a happy and healthy new year for you and your families. Welcome 2024!

Have a wonderful day! Patty

4 comments:

  1. I love getting to check in and see how everyone did on their yearly goals, and it looks like you did exceptionally well on yours in 2023, Patty! I wish you a lot of joy in 2024, and I love that the Seaglass QAL from last summer is making that a focus for you as well. I look forward to seeing what you make this year!

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  2. I love the quilts you show in your reflection on 2023 and looking ahead to 2024. The seaglass joy qal was a fun one and fun that adding more joy in the year is a goal. Good luck with 2024!

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  3. Patty, it sounds like a very succesful year and I wish you and your family all the best for 2024. Enjoy your "play". xo

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  4. Isn't it refreshing to review past goals and recognize your accomplishments? You did a fine job of meeting your goals - in several cases, surpassing them - and acknowledging their value in your creative process. Your 2024 expectations seem doable, and I hope that mindfully seeking joy every day comes easily to you. Seeing your Seaglass quilt reminds me that I'd like to make another one! That's what I bought lots of fusible for, and haven't touched it. We have many exciting projects in our futures, don't we?

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