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, 

A handmade album covered with Glimpses of Antarctica

I still haven't written my posts about our Antarctica trip, but I'm one step closer - I finished my stitched piece "Glimpses of Antarctica" and used it as the cover for an album to hold a few photos, postcards, etc.  

Glimpses of Antarctica

In February, I wrote a post about a few of my ongoing hand-stitching projects. The first was a mark-making and stitching project with Gwen Hadley through TextileArtist.org (see Related links below). I made marks on two pieces of white cotton - the first was heavily marked while the second was not.

I cut up the pieces and put them back together again with lots of stitching. Sometimes it was fun, other times a little tedious and even frustrating, but I must admit that I love the finished piece.

Finished Antarctica piece mounted
at the front of a handmade album

Here are a few process pictures.

Heavily marked cloth

Lightly marked cloth   

Both pieces cut up to be re-sewn together

Stitching on the ship

While I was on vacation, I stitched quite a bit and started adding shapes and images from Antarctica. There is a penguin, whales, birds, fish, and whales blowing water (see Related links). I quickly learned that good lighting was more important than ambiance when stitching on the ship. I also had a few interesting conversations with my fellow passengers. 

A glimpse of the water

Finding a well lit bar 😊

Finishing it at home

The frustrating part came at the end of May. I didn't know if it was finished and I also wasn't in love with it. A friend gave me the perfect ribbon to add to the bottom of the piece. I added an embroidered a scene from the rocks and glaciers of the South Shetland Islands. 

Almost finished

At the very top, a scene of glaciers and rock formations
from the South Shetland Islands

The stitched scene above is a compilation of a few photos, but this is the general image.

Glaciers and rock formations in the South Shetland Islands

Making the album

In the archives of the Handmade book club, I found the perfect book - the hard cover stab bound album. The pages of the album are not folded in half, so it's easier to make a larger book. Instead, the pages are folder about an inch at the top, so that the album won't bulge after you add things to the pages.

You can see the additional fabric sewn around the piece

The album cover is made of book board covered by a book cloth. I added strips of batik fabric around the Glimpses of Antarctica piece to make it large enough to cover the board and to go over the edges by about 1". I then covered the fabric with fusible web and then ironed a very large piece of copy paper to it. This is then glued onto the book board. I did the same thing for the back, except that it was a lovely piece of batik with penguins on it.

Additional fabric is sewn around the penguins to fit the book board

There is less fabric around the back cover. The end sheet
is craft paper with vintage postcards.

Wider fabric behind the front cover with a craft paper end sheet

Photo shoot and next steps

I went into the garden yesterday and took some lovely pictures.

A very sturdy album

Album among the flowers and chicken!

The back, from a better perspective

• This is what I've done do far: 
• I went through my souvenirs and have organised them by days and regions travelled.
• All of my photos have been transferred from my phone to my computer.
• This is what's next:
• Pick a very few pictures from each day or region to print and add to the album.
• Write my posts!

I had Poppy keeping me company in the back yard today 😊

Poppy basking in the sun

What I learned

• I managed to put the front cover on backwards so that the album opens up from the wrong side. I could say that it reflects the other hemisphere....but who are we kidding - I'm just accuracy challenged.
• I have no idea why the penguins are not facing the correct way on the back cover. I only noticed after it had been glued to the board. Again...see point above!
• I mentioned that I didn't really like Glimpses of Antarctica. It was like I was seeing the trees and not the forest. Once I placed it on the cover of the album, I knew that it was good! It really does look like a map. I had lost sight of that.
• I know that it's going to take a while to get my trip posts done, but I do hope that it's sooner rather than later. 

Related links

• Embroidery and Free Motion Mavericks, March 18, 2023
• So many projects on the go!, February 14, 2023

Linking parties

I'll be linking up to many fun parties, including Slow Stitching Sunday. Off The Wall Friday, Put your foot down, Patchwork & Quilts, Peacock Party, Sew & Tell, Finished (or Not) Friday, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?, Beauties Pageant, 

Project details

Handmade album covered with Glimpses of Antarctica (hard cover stab bound album)

Size: 13¾ x 11"

Album: book board, craft paper end sheets, thick craft paper signatures (pages)

Glimpses of Antarctica: fabric paint on cotton, embroidery, appliqué, embroidery floss, Mouliné étoile embroidery thread, perle cotton, silk thread, organza, yarn, ribbon

Making Journals on Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome! I can't believe that it's already time for Free Motion Mavericks! I doesn't help that I posted a day late last week. This week I'm on time but no FMQ (free motion quilting) to share. 

Upcycled Traveller's Journal 

This week there is an exciting free event going on - Sketchbook Revival 2023. There are loads for really cool teachers presenting various things related to art, sketchbooks, colour and creativity. Before the week began, Ali Manning of Vintage Page Designs and the Handmade Book Club (of which I'm a member!) showed us how to use an old book binding to make a traveller's journal with separate journals that can be added or removed from the cover. It's so cool!

I used an rescued book cover whose book was falling apart. It's not the prettiest book cover (9¼ " x 6") but perfect for learning how to make this journal. I glued a piece of cloth over the spine area. Since the inside of the book cover wasn't pretty, I added a pretty piece of craft paper to the front and back. 

Book cover and first journal

I prepared 4 journal to fit into the cover. Each journal has craft paper as a cover. 

First and second journals

Each journal is stitched and then attached to the book cover using stretch lace elastic. 

Each journal can be removed from the book

Washi Tape Journal

The bonus course from Ali is a fun washi tape journal.

Washi tape journal

This small journal (5¾ " x 4½ ") was super simple and quick to make. It consisted of 2 signatures of 10 photocopy pages each, folded in half to make 20 pages.

Two covers are made using a legal size folder. We covered them with washi tape but they could be decorated in any way. Since the legal size folder is long, you can add pockets on the inside and middle of the journal. My pockets are attached with paper clips until I buy some narrow 2-sided tape to keep them down.

Journal with a pocket on the inside cover

The second cover ends up in the middle of the journal, where additional pockets can be added.

A smaller pocket in the middle of the journal.

A larger pocket, also in the middle of the journal.

This is one of my favourite journals - so easy and simple to make but very versatile. You can use all kinds of paper for the signatures and decorate it any way you want.

A lovely slim journal that can fit anywhere.

Update on my SAHRR baby quilt

Just a quick note to say that I've completed the first step of making the pinwheel blocks by make batches of half-square triangles. 

Next step in the SAHRR baby quilt

What I learned

• I'm happy to say that making journals is getting easier. 
• I should have cut my paper for the Upcycled Traveller's Journal by about a ¼ " shorter. This would have made it easier to put the journals in the elastics. Next time 😊!
• Old washi tape doesn't stick as well as new stuff, so I may have to glue some of it down. 
• The narrow two-sided tape will be great to keep the pockets down. I love adding pockets to my journals, so it will be a good investment.
• I'd like to make more washi tape journals but experiment with fabric. Mod Podge would affix the fabric to the cardboard and make it stiffer (and help keep it clean).
• I also have many nicer book covers that I'd like to use to make more Upcycled Traveller's Journals. 
• I also want to make larger journals (the size of a duo tang) with lots of pockets to hold my travel souvenirs, notes, etc. The cover is not a problem but getting paper that large can be.

Related links

• Ali Manning, Vintage Page Designs and Washi Tape Journal
• Sketchbook Revival 2023 - I think that you can still sign up!

Linking parties

I'll be linking up to many fun parties. Why not check them out? Put your foot down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Off The Wall Friday, Finished (Or Not) Friday, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?, Peacock Party, 

Patchwork & Quilts, 

Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to week 423 of Free Motion Mavericks. Did you have time to do any FMQ? Either way, we'd love to see what you're working on 😊.

Since we didn't have any FMQ, here's what Donnalee, Melva and Joy are working on!

Donnalee is making a second runner with some lovely Spring colours.

Spring runner by Donnalee

Melva was on her eleventh mini, but I want to show you number ten, Angel on the Shore.

Angel on the Shore, a mini by Melva

Joy linked up her Split Back Star blocks for a QOV quilt. Welcome Joy!

Split Back Star blocks for a QOV quilt by Joy

It's now your turn.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Wonky stars and a hand-made journal

Hi. I hope you are staying warm! Our cold spell is supposed to end by tomorrow - I don't remember being this cold in a very long time! 😮 This post is a little update on the Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR) and my latest home-made book.

Wonky Stars

The first thing I did when I learned that we had star blocks in our SAHRR quilt was to find my post on Wonky Stars. It gave me the link I needed and told me to be very careful because it was easy to get it wrong (which of course I managed to do!)

The baby quilt...so far

I love these wonky stars and the fabric that I used, but I'm a little concerned that it might over power the rest of the quilt. That's why I only made one border. I'll have to see what the next round brings us to figure it out.

Wonky stars with a lovely ombre background

Journal with a Butterfly Binding

It's been a while since I made a journal. I've missed it. Since I'm going to a birthday supper tonight, I thought that I would whip up a journal. It was a lot of fun 😊

Journal with a butterfly binding

I love how a slit of the binding shows between pages. 

Journal with binding showing between sections

I created a pocket with the inside of the front and back covers. I didn't want to glue it down but I'm not sure that washi tape is the answer. I'll have to work on that!

Back panel cut into a pocket

When people make a journal, they usually take a picture of the binding to show what it's like. This is a version of a butterfly binding. You may notice an embroidered "Off the Grid" sampler in the background 😁 It's finally done. I'll be writing a post about it soon!

Journal with butterfly binding showing
and a peek at the finished "Off the Grid" sampler

What I learned

• I should have considered my very colourful fabric before I made the border. I thought that the centre block was colourful but it's very subdued compared to my top border. It's all very relative isn't it?
• I may undo the border and use slightly less bright fabric around the wonky stars....I'll wait to see what the other rounds bring us.
• I enjoyed making this journal. There is not enough time to do everything that I want. I know that I can prioritize things, but really, I want to make it ALL!!!!!
• I really love how my "Off the Grid" sampler came out. For someone who didn't care what colours that I would use, they are all playing together well. I just noticed that it's upside down in the photo above. Oh well, more this piece in the eventual post!

Related links

• Stay At Home Round Robin, January 28, 2023
• Coptic Journal in Mindful stitching with natural elements, December 04, 2022
• Handmade book club

Linking parties

I'll be linking to some fun linking parties, especially the SAHRR link up for this week! Patchwork & Quilts, Oh Scrap!, Design Wall Monday,  15 Minutes to Stitch 2023, Sew & Tell, 

Project details

 Hand-made journal with butterfly binding    

 6" x 8¼"
 Materials: scrap binding paper for cover, perle cotton thread, craft paper

 Technique: journal with butterfly binding

Best of 2022

After looking back in my blog and Instagram posts of 2022, I realise that I had another very productive year! 

Overview of 2022

Although there is some overlapping, my projects seem to fall into five categories: 

• Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) Version 2.0 quilt, 
• Small quilty projects, 
• Artsy projects and quilts, 
• Meditation stitching, and 
• Hand-made books.

FMQ Version 2.0 quilt

About half of my Free Motion Mavericks posts were about the Version 2.0 quilt. It's been a very large part of my FMQ year and I'm happy to say that it's almost done! My favourite area is the centre Sun with clouds, stars and a rainbow.

The Sun section, as seen from the back of Version 2.0

Small Quilty Projects

I made many small quilty projects, most of which were FMQ. Some of these were made as part of the Table Scraps Challenge (10 months) and Project Quilting (2 projects). Of course I continued to play with my hexies and added in a few Squirrels!😊

Prayer flags for the Holiday Season

Swirling Leaves 2 

Pink Love for April's Table Scraps Challenge

Still playing with hexies!

I love the foundation paper pieced book blocks and will one day make a whole quilt with them. At this time, it's a UFO (Un-Finished Object).

Blocks for the Summer Book Club 

Artsy Projects and Quilts

A number of my art pieces were created based on workshops in the TextileArtist.org Stitch Club. I also participated in 3 art shows and events this year.

Let them flourish

Please let me Play!

Wildflower vest

This art quilt was created for the Polar Bear Plunge Blog Hop. 

A true polar bear story

Bonjour La Vie was created following a virtual Fantastic Fusion workshop with Lisa Walton from Australia. 

"Bonjour La Vie"

Journey of Many Paths
aka Traveller's Blanket

Embroidered Seascape

Meditation Stitching

This year, as well as doing a lot of mindful stitching, I taught 2 in-person courses and 1 virtual presentation. For the courses, I made a lot of sample blocks, including ways of presenting them. I also participated in several stitching events such as Zen Stitching and the Embroidery Summit. 

4-drop hanging with meditation blocks

I posted most of the images from these virtual events on Instagram. Here is a needle case made during one of the Zen Stitching events.

Zen stitched needle case

Hand-made books

Last year I made a few journals though the TextileArtist.org Stitch Club. When the Hand-made Book Club offered a very affordable 5-Day Accordion Books Challenge, I signed up right away...and of course I was hooked! 

Fabric meditation book 

Hand-made book with a woven binding

Quilty recycled pocket journal

Thank you so much Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs for hosting this great link up event. It's great to review what we've done as we plan for the next year.

To keep it simple, I've included the links to the related posts within the text. 

What I learned

• We have until January 2nd to link up to this party, but one of my blogging objectives (that I didn't share) was to increase the numbers of posts in 2022 to the same number as my 2019 and 2020. By publishing this post in 2022, I've reached my objective. I will have published 68 posts in 2022! Yeah!!!🎆
• However, writing 4 posts in a little over one week is something that I don't really want to do again. Now I really want to get to my quilting 😊  
• Thank you so much for following me on my quilting/art journey. I really appreciate your friendships and support.
• My wish for 2022 had been for calm, joy and play. I think that calm and joy are great long-term objectives but this year I'm keeping it more real and focused. My intention for 2023 is to learn by playing, with mindfulness and contentment
• I wish you all the best for 2023.

Linking parties

Best of 2022 Linking Party, Put your foot down, Needle & Thread Thursday,