After dealing with December’s quilting progress, I thought I would work on a creativity plan for 2015.
Last year, I worked on a little challenge called #simplyretrochallenge that I set up for myself. It involved making the 11 quilts in ‘Simply Retro’ by Camille Roskelley. Other quilters who wandered along and expressed an interest were invited to join me, and together we posted over 100 ‘simply retro’ photos on Instagram at #simplyretrochallenge …
After I had finished my eighth quilt towards the end of October, I decided that I was done … I was happy with the quilts and mini quilts I had made and was happy to call the challenge finished. I really enjoyed the fun of choosing and making up a quilt each month … eight months, eight quilts. Here are the finished quilts and quilt tops …
I’ve been thinking for a few days now about the quilting opportunities that are spread out in front of me at the beginning of this new year. Already (are you surprised?) I have some quilty ideas quietly bubbling around in the back of my mind.
So for 2015, in quilting terms, here’s the plan …
I’d like to make one quilt each month, and a little something else, for example, a mini quilt, a mug rug, a zippered pouch, or a cushion. I’d like to make some specific quilts/patterns (more on that later!). AND I’d like to work through my list of ‘to do’ projects and either finish them or take them off the list! And, as always, while this is underway, I am quietly working on my handsewn hexagon quilts … there is always one of these in progress!
Where the major projects are concerned, I have the first four months organized!
So for January, I’m going to sew up (it is already cut out and ready to go!!!) the girl’s grey/white/red chevron quilt, and I’d like to make a zippered pouch for the girl’s Playstation/PC controller, and a little padded case for my iPhone.
February is lined up as follows … a king-sized quilt for the boy’s bed, something to throw on his bed during summer, when a doona and cover is not needed. It will be grey/yellow/low volume. Mind you, this is entirely for me, as he wouldn’t give a fig if his bed is EVER made. I like to see the room looking presentable as I walk past!
We may squeeze a mini quilt in there too during February, though a king-sized quilt will take some time to make up!!!
In March, I’d like to make up two scrap 50 x 50 inch quilts that will be donated to a local charity. I’ll use 5” squares from my scrap collection. I always am amazed at what beautiful quilts result from scraps. At Christmas time, a good friend chose a scrappy quilt as a gift, that just happened to have her favourite colours in it, rather than have me make another one for her, unseen.
She chose the quilt below …
You can never make/have too many scrap quilts, I say, and I’m looking forward to organizing my scraps ahead of time so when I get to March, it’s just a matter of sewing them up.
April … well, in April I’d like to use a Drunkard’s Path pattern, perhaps this one …
[Drunkards Path quilt, by Red Pepper Quilts]
Or this one …
[quilt by m_soto]
It will be hard choosing between the two …
To help my creativity along, I purchased (via Book Depository) this quilt book today, called Quiltopedia, by Laura Jane Taylor. I happened to come across it while browsing along the shelves in my local bookshop (where it was twice the price of the BD copy!), and was entranced by the fresh, modern and whimsical quilting projects I found between the pages.
The first half of the book is a ‘how to’ introduction to quilting, and the second half of the book is divided into three sections, one for beginners, one for ‘not-so beginner’ quilters, and one for quilters that fall into the ‘advanced’ category. Can’t wait to get my hands on this book!!!
So there we have the first third of 2015 sorted out … I’m off to inspect my collection of needles, cotton and cutting blades to make sure that I have everything I need!!!
Happy sewing/quilting, folks!
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