Best of 2021

It's hart to believe that the end of 2021 is almost here. It was a rough year in many ways but it did help me enjoy more slow stitching and try a couple of new things. It's only by looking back (I'm so grateful for my blog) that I realised what I accomplished.

Slow stitching finishes

My favourite is by far my "After the Storm" piece. I really impressed myself 😊! It was made from a workshop with Jette Clover. The links to all of the posts are in Related links below.

After the Storm

I am still receiving workshops from TextileArtists.org but have been doing less of them this year than last year. I just can't keep starting new projects, or I'll never get anything finished. I have a few UFOs from the workshops, but not as much as you might think. I'm sure that I'll be going back to these new, interesting workshops when I'm ready (now less than 10 months!) 😊 

I did re-do the eco printing workshop with Caroline Nixon. I didn't want to get hooked...as if I don't have enough to do! but I did and I love it and want to get good enough to add colour to my eco prints! I am taking Caroline Nixon's online introductory workshop, which has some additional content than the course on TextileArtists.org. I will be doing the course this winter so that I'm ready to take her second, advanced course in the Spring.

The first eco-printed fabric that I stitched

I did have to add a category for the wildest thing that I did this year....couching on a Hosta leaf! 😁 I also discovered so many threads....wow, another collection!

Bengal thread from Maiwa

Stitching on a Hosta leaf

Doing the #100dayschallenge on Instagram has really helped me do more stitching. I didn't stitch or post every day, but did a lot more than I ever have. I'm looking forward to finishing up my 100 days (I'm at Day 75) and continuing to stitch and post one way or another.

This is a UFO that I finished through the #100dayschallenge. I'm actually more thrilled about the video that I posted on YouTube showing this finished Concertina Book made through Mandy Pattullo's workshop. The link to the YouTube video is below as well as on my blog's sidebar.

Best and Worst of Time

The project the closest to my mending heart is All for One (both versions).

All for One embroidery

I know that the list is long, but I can't leave without mentioning my Traveller's Blanket. This UFO will be finished in 2022!

Traveller's Blanket - coming together

Free Motion Stitching 

My all time favourite FMQ project was finished this year. It's going to it's new home soon (I hope).

An Out of this World Finish 

I also took a virtual workshop with Amanda McCavour. It was a lot of fun working with water soluble products. This one is my favourite flower - an Allium. Now it's part of a larger project that will one day get finished! 😊

Allium made by FMQ on water soluble products

Rose, my Garden Fairy was created for the Fairy Tales Blog Hop.

Meet Rose, my Garden Fairy

Another fun piece also related to the garden is my Garden Fence Art piece.

Made an art piece for my Garden Fence - it's water resistant

I have to mentioning my son's quilt....it's slowly coming along. It will also be finished in 2022!

My son's quilt - it's going to get done in 2022!

Finally I have two holiday projects that are some of my favourites. The first is the Christmas Tree Wall Hanging made using a version of pojagi.

Christmas Tree Window Hanging

In my post, Surviving the Holidays, I mentioned that you can give quilty IOUs to lower the stress of the holidays. Well, this is the second of two placements. It's now finished and was given to my son's girlfriend yesterday. 

On Instagram, I mentioned that I learned to FMQ ivy leaves from a great tutorial by Happy Quilting. I've included the link below. 

The second placemat - ready to be given!

Learning to FMQ ivy leaves & berries

What I learned

• It's so gratifying to be able to look back and see what I accomplished last year. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all!
• I'm finding it difficult to keep track of what I posted on Instagram vs what's on my blog. I'll have to figure that out if I want to continue using both media.
• I am grateful to all of you for taking the time to read or even glance at my blog. It's so nice to be connected to such a group of amazing quilters, artists and all-round wonderful people 😊

Related links

• After the Storm, May 13, 2021
• Eco Printing - Take 2, September 25, 2021
• Updates on Slow Stitching projects, included the eco printed piece and the Hosta, October 11, 2021
• Improv piecing and FMQ, August 05, 2021
• #100dayschallenge started, August 09, 2021
• Best and Worst of Times, November 23, 2021
• Best and Worst of Times video on YouTube
• All for One, November 03, 2021
• Traveller's Blanket Update, December 06, 2021
• An Out of this World Finish on Free Motion Mavericks, April 29, 2021
• More Embroidered Mixed-media Botany at Free Motion Mavericks, July 22, 2021
• Fairy Tales Blog Hop, June 22, 2021
• Fence Art Finish and Free Motion Mavericks, September 16, 2021
• Christmas Tree Window Hanging, December 29, 2021
• 
  Surviving the Holidays, included my first finished placemat, December 20, 2021
• FMQ tutorial - Holly and Ivy with Melissa Corry

Linking parties
Thank you so much to Cheryl at Meadow Mist for hosting this great tradition! Best of 2021

Put your Foot Down, Finished or Not Finished Friday, Peacock Party, 

TGIFF with Kathleen McMusing, Table/Topper Scraps Challenge at Joyful Quilter, Patchwork & Appliqué,