Best of 2023 Linking Party

I'm so glad that Cheryl of Meadow Mist is hosting this great party again. I looked at my posts, and I've been participating since 2016. Not bad since it looks like I only missed her first year. Thanks Cheryl 😊

Overview of 2023

This is my first full year of retirement. I'm assuming that this has made a difference. However, as I re-read my 2022 post, I'm not sure that much has changed. Is it a groove or a rut? I've reviewed my projects, crunched the numbers and will let you know in the "What I learned" section below.

My 2023 projects can be broken down into five categories, and all of them include fibre, mostly fabric and some paper. Many are free motion quilted (FMQ) while others are hand-stitched. I've also included WIPs (works in process), which may have become UFOs (unfinished objects). All were started, worked on or finished in 2023.

• Bed quilts and throws,
• Small quilty projects, 
• Artsy projects and quilts, 
• Meditation stitching, and 
• Hand-made books.

Bed quilts and throws

I've changed the name of this category this year. It was previously called FMQ but that's more of a technique than a category. This section included bed quilts, baby quilts and throws, whether they be finished or flimsies 😊.

Version 2.0 finish ✔ Rainbow Neighbourhood flimsy, T-shirt quilt ✔
Daisy quilt flimsy , SAHRR flimsy and Wild Hexies baby quilt ✔ 

Small quilty projects

This category includes projects made through Project Quilting (PQ), the ABC (Table) Scraps Challenge 2023, as well a some squirrels such as FMQ journal covers.

ABC (Table) SCRAPS Challenge 2023

Green Microwave Fabric Bowls, Scrappy Improv Runner, 

Swirling Leaves 3 (WIP), Indecision, 

Scrappy Yellow Placemat, Dotty blue placemat 
Gorgeous Red Basket, Daisy Beauty, Crazy Quilt Topper

Project Quilting and FMQ Journal Covers

In 2023, I participated in 3 Project Quilting (PQ) challenges. I also started the new year with a new FMQ journal cover and made 4 more journal covers in October.

Pink Journal Covers, FMQ Agenda Cover, PQ 14.6 Conquer A Fear, 

Blue & Green Journal Covers, PQ 14.4 A Novel Project, PQ 14.1 The First One

Artsy projects and quilts

All of these projects and quilts originated through workshops presented by TextileArtist.org. I've been a founding member since June 2020. I haven't participated in all of the workshops but I've really enjoyed every workshop that I've followed😊. It's a great way to keep learning with simple projects that can be taken to the next level.   

I've done so many projects this year that I had to separate the group in two.

Stitching and watercolour, Glimpses of Antarctica 

Off the Grid Sampler, Whitework, 

Fish WIP, Stitching on eco-printed fabric, Thread Sampler

Squirrel! Ephemera 1, Perspective, 

Mixed Media Collage, Going Somewhere, 

Experimental sketchbooks large, small

Meditation Stitching

A lot of the Artsy projects would qualify as meditation stitching, but I've kept this as a separate section to highlight some of the work that I've done, particularly as mindful stitching blocks commemorating special events. I'm also including English paper pieced (EPP) hexies in this category. 

Fly, Fly Away, Rent meditation block,
Card with natural elements, Fibre Fling Meditation Block, 
Cabane à sucre Brazeau, 

Hexies

I participated in #100hexies100days 2023 again this year. Unfortunately, I only made it to Week 11 (of 15) on Instagram, and Week 4 on my blog. 😒 I did make more hexie flowers that I'll try to post on Instagram and eventually on the blog in the new year. 😁

Hexie Love and Hexie Fun
Instagram:  Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, 

Hand-made books

I made quite a few hand-made books and journals since I was a member of the Handmade Book Club for most of 2023. It really came in handy for making journals and books as gifts.

Upcycled Traveller's Journal, Fabric journal-long and link stitches, Nature printed fabric book,
3 Booklet Journals, Refillable Notepad Cases,
Butterfly Binding Journal, Glimpses of Antarctica Journal, Little Library 

Journal with Hour-glass binding, Whirlwind or Dragon Scale Journals, 
Booklet Journal, Single Sheet Coptic Binding with Map cover

What I learned

• I was not surprised that QALs (Quilt Alongs) resulted in WIPs or UFOs again this year. 
• However, I was very surprised that I worked on so many larger quilts. That is definitely a result of retirement and having more time to play during the day! 😃
• The beginning of the year was busy with finishing Version 2.0 and creating my SAHRR quilt. I managed to miss a few of the Project Quilting but did get three done. 
• The ABC (Table) Scraps Challenge 2023 was a lot of fun. I would usually remember near the end of the month but playing with scraps is always enjoyable, so I managed to participate in most of them. I have a quick one coming up for December - keep a lookout for it!
• It looks like I've been busier than ever with the TextileArtists.org's stitch club. For many of the workshops, I've done more than one project, or a bigger project. I also want to go back to a few of them and continue trying things out. 
• I haven't done that many meditative stitching blocks, but I really like the idea of making some that commemorate an event. I just find that these are best done soon after the events, and somehow that doesn't happen often. 
• Most of the Stitch Club projects involve hand stitching and are usually meditative in nature.
• I had fun doing the first half of the #100days100hexies 2023. I do have a few more hexies and hexie flowers stitched, so I'll be posting them on Instagram eventually soon since many are made with Christmas fabric. It would be nice to finish the 100, even if they are late!
• I made quite a few books, journals, sketchbooks and booklets this year. The playdate that I was organising was postponed, but I did play with different materials for booklets to get ready for it. I'm looking forward to presenting it later this winter.
• I also started a separate page on the blog for book making. I hope that have that finished in the new year.

Reflections on my plans for 2023

• As I reviewed my plans for 2023, I realised that they were mostly met.
• My intention for 2023 was to "learning by playing, with mindfulness and contentment". I feel that I did play more and I generally have to be mindful when hand-stitching. I really tried to stay away from the stress and minor chaos that I'm so good at creating, however... 
• participating in two quilt alongs (SAHRR and Rainbow Neighbourhood), especially at the beginning of the year, contributed to that minor chaos... and they did create two UFOs.   
• There was also some major stress and chaos in finishing the t-shirt quilt. I'm so happy that it's done. My niece really loves it - and I couldn't be happier!
• The courses that I took outside of the Stitch Club and the Handmade Book Club were not really worth it. I hope that I'll remember to give these a pass!
• I've also been generally disappointed in the free events that are offered on the Internet. I think that I'm not the target audience for these and hope to remember to give those a pass also!
• I have been hosting the The Free Motion Mavericks linking party alone this year. It's a lot of work but I generally enjoy it. Since it's a specialty linking party, I know that no everyone is interested in linking up or even do any FMQ. I am really grateful to all of my readers who link up when they can. I really, really appreciate it.
• Free Motion Mavericks also encourages me to do FMQ. I suspect that I will have enough projects in 2024 to keep me going for another year. 😊
• It's been a full year since I've taken my retirement and I LOVE it!!!!
• The biggest change has been that I no longer have to guard my weekends. I used to fight so hard to keep others from taking time from my weekends, and usually didn't succeed! Now, I spend my weekends gladly with my family because I know that when the week starts over, most of that time will be mine to play with in the studio 😃, or not (but at least it's my choice).

Linking parties

I'll be linking to many parties. Why not check some of them out? Best of 2023 with Meadow Mist, Design Wall Monday, Sew & Tell, Put your foot down, Finished (or Not) Friday, Beauties Pageant, TGIFF, Patchwork & Quilts,