Best of 2017

Since I haven't really been finishing much this month, I may as well start reflecting on the year that is almost finished. Wow, hard to believe that 2017 is almost history!

Doesn't Cheryl have the best button ever? I love it!!

Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs is hosting the Best of 2017 Linky Party. This event is about writing a post based on your "best" 5 posts - however you want to define this.

Highlights of 2017

Celebrate - Fêtons 150!

Inspired by Cheryl's blog, I created a 2017 Finishes page using the InLinkz linkup tool. Since I'm paying for the service, I think that this is a great way to create an interesting page. And while I was creating this page, I got to go through all of the posts from the past year.

No wonder I'm tired! I was really productive this year. Not only with quilting but also with hosting 2 linking parties. It would seem that I can't start small!

Beaver Block designed by
Sew Fresh Quilts

A few of my Celebrate - Fêtons 150 posts were in the top 10 of my most popular posts while the launch of the Learning Quilt-A-Long was the second most popular post (as measured by the number of people who viewed the pages).

Celebrate - Fêtons 150 in March

This post would probably qualify as the most successful in the Celebrate - Fêtons 150 series because of the number of viewers, comments, and its 12 posts that linked up.

This post highlighted the Canada's Big Quilt Bee and the Sew Fresh Quilt Bee. These are 3 of the blocks that I created for the Canada's Big Quilt Bee. The Beaver block above is one of her designs.

12" slab blocks made with
Stonehenge Oh Canada fabric by Northcott

This is one of Lorna's Canada 150 quilts. She is a Canadian pattern designer of Sew Fresh Quilts. She very generously sponsored one of my link-up prizes.

Sew Fresh's Canada 150 lap quilt

Announcing the Learning QAL

My second most popular post this year was the launch of the Learning Quilt-A-Long in July.

The series has been popular as far as readership, but it hasn't attracted many link-up posts. I suspect that many people don't see learning as I do - in practically everything. It's also a lot to ask, to have a learning goal every month and a post to share the learning at the end of the month. I've had 2 wonderful, loyal quilters who linked up and won a few treats. Thanks :-)

I haven't decided on the future of this Quilt-A-Long. I'm finding it hard and stressful to keep up with my learning for the month - at least I've learned something about myself in the process.

Hexies Table Topper

Finally, my most popular post ever was my finished Hexies Table Topper post. It was a lot of work to finish it this way, but it really was worth it. It is lovely.

The finished back with the hexagon facing attached

Finished Hexie Flowers Table Topper

I also suspect that some of the post's popularity came from my friend's foundation paper pieced bunny. Isn't he adorable? It was so nice to play with a friend since most of my quilting is done alone at home :-)

Lyne's first foundation paper pieced block

Growing Up Quilt-A-Long

One thread that has been woven in many of my posts this year is Alida's Growing Up QAL
I learned many interesting techniques and made some very pretty blocks for another UFO!

Thank you so much Alida! Next year will bring a new quilt along that should be just as much fun.

7 Ways to Survive the Holidays

My fifth choice for a post is sort of cheating. Last December, I wrote one of my favourite posts about 7 Ways to Survive the Holidays. I really loved writing it and wanted to do another one this year. However, after I re-read it, I'm not sure that I have anything to add or change - so I'm featuring it here. So if you didn't read it last year, or if you don't remember it, feel free to check it out.

What I learned

• It was really fun going back to see what I had made in the last year. I participated in two Art with Fabric Blog Hop and had a great time. These are the two textile art pieces that I'm most proud of: 
• My interpretation of Joyce Wieland's Reason Over Passion 
• Gaïa, Mother Earth.
• I also created pieces and exhibited in two shows with the Out of the Box (OOTB) Fibre Art Group. I'm really happy that I have a chance to show my pieces in a live venue. Blog land is great, but it's just not the same.
• Lone Tree 2 - Tired or Overachiever for the Colour Unboxed Exhibition
• Some of my older pieces at the Fibre Fling 6 exhibition.
• I also created quite a few pieces for Celebrate - Fêtons 150, that you can see on the Celebrate - Fêtons 150 page. That really kept me producing! I have great news - my Sergeant Sesquicentennial made a splash at our Workplace Charity Auction this month. Obviously my colleagues prefer more traditional quilts than my art quilts. Good to know for next year! 
• I participated in a few quilt-alongs, some more successfully than others. 
• For the World Quilting Travel Adventure, I made almost all of the projects, sometimes incorporating them into other pieces. Thanks so much JoJo!
• I got a little ahead on my Postcard from Sweden quilt by participating in the Busy Hands Quilts' Quilt Along.
• Same thing for my Shattered Angle Quilt that I worked on while participating in the Splash with Colour Quilt Along. Both were UFOs that I had already started when I participated in these quilt-alongs. Thanks to these events, they are now closer to being finished!
• I've also been doing more hand work, from English Paper Piecing (EPP) to embroidery. I find it very relaxing and hope to do more next year.

Since this post is so full of links, I've just included these in the text of the post, instead of adding a Related Links section.

Linking Parties: I will be linking to Cheryl's Best of 2017 Linky Party on December 26. Make sure to check out other blogger's Best of 2017 posts! I will also be linking up to many other parties. Check them out! Finished or Not Friday, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?, Linky Tuesday, Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers,