Finished Quilts 2023

 Well, can you say overextended?  That is exactly what I did this year.  I got involved in so many block of the weeks/months that I barely could get anything else done.  As a result, I wound up sending 11 quilts in to be quilted so that I could actually get something done and off the plate.  So . . . with that in mind - here is the 2023 finish parade:

January - Quilt More Worry Less Wall Hanging by MSQC.  This came in the Jenny box in December and I focused on these projects this month while in Montana visiting Mom.  

This table topper and the mug rugs were also in the box.  I switched out some fabric so that I could keep with red/white, but dang cute still.  Pattern is Cozy Cups Mini Quilt and Rugs by MSQC.

I also finished up a December table runner of my own.  I bought this in a quit shop awhile back and decided to do it in red.  Love it.

February - I bought the Cupid Box from Fat Quarter Shop and this pattern was in it.  It is called Heartstrings.  It's now a wall hanging for Valentines Day.  Pretty simple, but fun.  

Played around with the label a bit as I made a mistake in the backing.  Used one from book we were gifted in December's Advent Box.

On the wall!!

The Secret Lives of Color - I did this all through 2022 while studying different colors each month.  Last stitch went in 2/25/23

A little embroidery to fill in the area I don't really like.

Simple aqua backing.

Finished up this table runner and placemats as a gift for Rhiana.  I kept the original runner for myself.

March - UFO time.  The APQ Challenge is keeping me moving a bit.  This one was an exchange started by Samantha Dixon in the Facebook group.  Last stitch went in 3/21/23.  Yes, it's bizarre - but read the story that goes along with it. I have never made a "statement" quilt. Not sure I did this time either, but it came close, just bit by bit as I put it together. It all started 3 years ago at retreat, as a toilet paper crisis hit the nation and we sat and laughed like crazy. Little did we know just what we were going home to. Through the hysteria and outright insanity that ensued, Samantha Els Dixon thought it would be fun to do a "2020 Sucks Block Exchange." Seemed like a great way to take our minds off of the world around us. I even went on Spoonflower's site and found some fabric I could play with as part of this. One weekend, at retreat in October of 2020 I found a ton of cute fabric on the swap table and thought it would be good for a backing - keeping the fact that the quilt sisters had sustained me throughout the year and how thankful I was for that. I then drew a layout for blocks I didn't have back yet and made the back in November 2020. Then it sat and sat and sat - well with a few brief moments of light. Until now. At retreat in March, I started putting the center together. I have to build it out to the size of the backing - odd right? But isn't everything about 2020 a little odd? Somewhere along the way I had fussy cut the cornerstone squares and the sashings. I got the center put together in March and packed it back up to take home. This IS my APQ Challenge UFO for this month so I can't just ignore it, but I do a fine job until March 27th. I add two more columns of blocks and some white border, followed by toilet paper and 2020 borders. Now what? I decide to add words - BIG words. Why? Well, because during 2020 all I heard was shouting - everywhere. However, the insanity around us was mounting, so no more fussy cutting -- just haphazard 2020's everywhere. I ran out of toilet paper after SUCKS. Fitting, right? Then I started running out of the 2020 pieces - well that makes sense too as product was running out all over the place and shelves were empty. I threw in some black to fill in and show the depths of despair all around us. As I was finishing up, I located two little toilet paper HST's - it was a miracle to find toilet paper and not little piece could be wasted. You'll find them in the W. I still had a bit to go to reach my size and went with a calming fabric, remembering that by the end of the year we were all a little more sane - well at least Mister and I were. Now, all that was left was the quilting. Well, I scribbled for three hours to show the chaos of the time. Thus, my statement piece. Thank you Samantha Els Dixon, for getting this all started.

Back all taken from the swap table at retreat during various months.

 

Illusions - This is a Block of the Month by Scott Flanagan. It was made with Banyan Batiks. I did really good at keeping up with it each month and went straight to finishing. Yay me! Finished size is 88" x 112"

ALLLLLL the leftover bits and then some black to finish.

April - I decided to sign up for the Sew Sampler box this year and this is the first one.  I got right to it and Al Fresco is on the wall.  This is using Corey Yoder's Sunwashed line.  Nice.

Ruby Slippers - Working on the UFO Challenge has me quilting this one.  I love how it turned out.  This pattern is actually Emerald City by Bonnie Hunter and was begun back in 2019.  When I cut it, I was cutting another pattern at the same time and miscut a TON of pieces that would work for this pattern.  They were red and white so this became Ruby Slippers.

May - Suzanne Montgomery ran a block exchange for a Puzzler quilt starting in February of 2022.  It's now done and gifted to my grandson for college.

Trailing Squares by MSQC  - Two year-old birthday time again.  This one is for Torsten.  Super easy and fun.

June - Trailing Squares again for another grandchild.  This one is for Mariel.  I finished it while in Montana and dropped it off early for a fall birthday.  No shipping.

August

Xing - Started this in Denton while taking a class from Bonnie Hunter 2/26/2019 .  It even went all the way to Virginia in the hopes of finishing it, but that didn't work, so finally here she is.  Last stitch on 8/28/2023

Connected Hearts table runner by MSQC.  This was one of our class projects in July.

October

Sewcialites II by Fat Quarter Shop.  Each month beginning October 2022, we were given a block to made.  I used a jelly roll by Tula Pink and the background fabrics are from her lines as well.  Love how it turned out.  Each block is 3" finished.  Approx. 33" square.

December

I spent some time at the longarm in August and these next three have been patiently waiting for me to bind them.  First up is the Quarantine Challenge from 2020.  Meslissa Litzman ran this through the Texas Quilters Group and I used up whatever I had on hand.  Knowing I was low on "male" type quilts, I went with orange and brown.  Started April 15, 2020 - last stitch went in 12/7/23.

Next up is Pfeffernusse by Bonnie Hunter.  THIS is the one I was talking about that brought about the Ruby Slippers event.  It felt like all I did was cut red/white fabric for awhile.  This was started 4/23/19 at a class in Mineola, TX, and finished 12/10/23.  Finish is 84 1/2" square

Last of the three I had quilted and waiting is Straits of Mackinac by Bonnie Hunter.  This was started March 1, 2019 at a class in Denton, TX.  Finished on 12/11/2023.   Size is 94" square

This is Thistleberry and I bought it in 2014, blocks in 2015, set it in 2016 and finally got it finished.  This was a BOM and I worked on it and two others all through 2015-16.  Size is 74 x 90 and last stitch on 12/18/23.

The second of the BOM's that I bought in 2014 and sewed in 2015/2016.  This is Indigo Square.  Size is 75" square and final stitch on 12/19/23.

Last of the BOM's from 2014 and sewn in 2015/2016.  This is French Cottage.  Size is 81" square and last stitch 12/20/23.  

Witch's Night Out.  This was done as a sew-a-long in Our Quilt World in 2020.  I LOVE how the quilting shows up in the cauldron.  It's perfect.  I put a hanging sleeve on this one and it'll be up next October.  Last stitch 12/21/23   Finish is 57.5" x 64.5"

Winter Wonderland was started in February of 2018 and finished in March of 2020.  I couldn't bring myself to quilt it, fearing ruin.  It went to Missouri Star and I'm thrilled with the finish.  Final stitch 12/21/23  Size is 64" x 71"

Farm Girl - First started sewing December 17, 2020 in preparation for a group sew-a-long in 2021. It is almost all Lori Holt fabric, with a few specials thrown in - for example, my grandmothers old apron has bits in here.  Again, I wanted something fun for quilting and let it intimidate regarding custom work, so I took it with me to MSQC this past year and finished making the backing.  Then I left it there for quilting.  I love the tractors.  Last stitch 12/23/23   Psst - this is a beast - so big.

FQS Hallo-Ween Mystery  - This was a short little mystery that FQS held and I did it all (a bit behind) at retreat in July.  Then it went along with the pile of quilts to MSQC for quilting.  Last stitch 12/23/23  Approx. 32" square

Bountiful - this was the Fat Quarter Shop Charity Sew-a-long that began in February of this year using Corey Yoder's Sunwashed line.  Finished setting it at July's retreat so it went into the "to be take" pile for MSQC.  Last stitch taken 12/24/23  64 1/2" square.

Dawn's Early Light - This was started at a class in Mineola, April of 2019.  It was on my frame to be quilted at least three times and then removed because I wanted stars and didn't think I could do good ones.  It went to MSQC and is now covered in beautiful stars.  Last stitch - 12/25/23  Quilt is 88" square.

Block Star - This was one of our projects at the Doan Girl's retreat in July.  I spent a few very late nights working on Farm Girl and this in order to have it done before I left.  It also just went straight to the quilt shop for quilting.  This was a Jenny Doan class and uses Lori Holt fabrics from her Calico line.  Last stitch 12/26.23.  82" square

Spooky Season - Jen and I bought this kit together in August of 2022 when we went to our first Doan Girl's Retreat.  We decided to work on it starting in January this year and do it on a monthly basis.  She got excited and zoomed ahead, but I plodded along each month.  I finished setting it at the July retreat and it joined the others to be dropped off at MSQC for quilting.  Last stitch taken - 12/26/23  Size is 67" x 71"

Well, that's it for 2023.  I'm excited to have some old ones off my plate, but there are so many more to do.  Onto the next year and we'll see how many project boxes I can empty.  I'm shooting for about 20.  We shall see.