2023 Planning Party

Once again, Yvonne/Quilting JETgirl is hosting her 2023 Planning Party, a time to look back on 2022 and consider plans and goals for next year.

The Quilts

• This year felt different, and I know one big reason is that I retired on March 31. The use of my time has definitely been different since then, and I've felt like I've had waves of creativity alternating with very little. I keep telling myself that's ok.
• Again, I had a goal of at least one finished quilt project a month, and I was able to accomplish that until sickness hit the house around Thanksgiving. Looking at my collection of finished quilts, I was happy to see that the majority were improvisational or of my own design. 
• Stash-busting continued to be a priority all year, and I did my own 50 Days of Scraps and then some. For the third year, I logged every little bit of fabric I brought in and subsequently used up, gave away, or recycled. 
• Continued entering challenges with the Improv Quilt Studio, and occasionally with Curated Quilts.

Handwork

• My handstitching focus definitely expanded this last year. I stitched 8 more Dropcloth Samplers, joined in Alison Glass' new Stitch Club and made my very first Kantha quilt, learned a bunch of sashiko stitches in the 24 Days of Sashiko, and more. I even went so far as taking a workshop and subsequently making two Hand-Stitched Oven Mitts! 
• I've made slow but persistant progress on my hand-pieced bow tie quilt that I began in Jenn McMillan's 2021 100 Day Summer Sewalong. 

The Community

• Blogging continues to be consistent but not as inovative as I would have liked - mostly sharing all my projects, though I still really enjoy doing that. I obstained from the 31 Day Blog Writing Challenge this month, even though I was prepared with topics for nearly all 31 days. I think it was the right decision even though I've enjoyed it in the past.
• The Scrap Basket newsletter continued as a mostly monthly publication, and the readership continues to grow, so that's all good. 

New Directions

• One big new opportunity this last year was being selected as an Aurifil Artisan, which has been great fun. I've participated in the monthly challenges, which has giving me a lot of chances to experiment with new-to-me threads or techniques. 
• Bee Sewcial having a special exhibit at Quilt Festival in Houston was huge, and what a wonderful thing it was to be able to travel to experience and enjoy the show with my bee mates. 

So considering everything, I'd say 2022 was successful enough! So on to 2023....

The Quilts

• More stash-busting and scrap-using is definitely in order. In fact, I'm considering starting 100 Days of Scraps (or maybe I already have??), since I enjoyed my 50 so much this year. AND my scrap basket is truly overflowing. Again.
• There are just a couple of key quilt WIPs that I'm still working on finishing - our Seattle MQG block-of-the-month; and the hand-pieced bowtie quilt begun in the 100 Day Summer Sewalong. I expect the first to be a priority early in the year. Well, both actually.
• I had in mind to start in on a scrappy Christmas quilt - something that can go on our bed come next December. Impulsively, I made a few wonky sawtooth star blocks the other day to see what I thought and I like it A LOT. So that just might be my current and on-going project.
• Also on my list for next year is a quilt using the stack of Giuseppe Ribaudo's Entwine that I picked up at Quilt Festival. An impulse buy for sure, they are soft and lovely wovens, so I was thinking something I'd hand-quilt. We'll see.

• As usual, I plan to make something with 2023's Pantone color of the year, Viva Magenta. Once I get an official Pantone swatch, I'll work on figuring out fabrics. 
• The goal of at least one finished quilt project a month continues to encourage me along, so I plan to continue with that. I really think I want to continue to go with the flow, though, about what those quilts might be.... whatever brings me joy in the moment would be my preference, and discovering what that might be is a big part of the fun.
• Bee Sewcial, an improv and solid-only bee, is heading into our 9th(!) year together and I'm up again to offer a prompt come spring.
• And I plan to continue to participate in challenges with the Improv Quilt Studio, as I really enjoy the community and the challenges.

Handwork

• I definitely want to keep up with the handwork, and continue to be open to learning new techniques. I recently started in on a new sashiko project, and am stitching away on it in the evenings.
• Plus I have a new project I plan to start in January - stitching a 2023 Gingiber tea towel along with Jen @stitchalongwithjen. And I do have a nearly finished cross-stitch project to work on too.
• I expect I'll continue to stitch the occasional Dropcloth Sampler, and have one in my 'to do' pile, as well as seeing what else new comes up.
• And I hope to hand-quilt that bow tie quilt, since it's all hand-stitched so far. It goes in and out of priority, and I guess that's ok too.

The Community

• Regular, frequent posting on the blog here and on Instagram. Still wishing I could master reels, but that takes some focus I haven't yet given it. Maybe it'll happen.
• I'll take The Scrap Basket into its 8th year, and monthly editions seem to make sense for the time being. 
• Bee Sewcial has a new website, and I'm hoping to help with that this year, with updates, etc.

QuiltCon 

• I'm not going to make it to QuiltCon in Atlanta, but just shipped off threee of my quilts going in my place, which I'm grateful for.

New Directions

• Nothing specific! One day at a time is my motto of late, and I plan to stick with it. Of course, I'm open to new opportunities - I just don't know what those might be yet.

Boy that feels like a lot, though, and I'm sure I'm missing something. But it's been good to give a little thought to my creative side, and am looking forward to a fresh start in 2023.

Linking up with Quilting JETgirl's #2023PlanningParty.