Anticipating The New Year

My favorite holiday of the year is New Year's Day. I know I'm a little ahead but I'm already in that mode. Really, every day is a new day and a fresh start and I wake up excited about that each morning. We never know what will happen and the surprise of it all, good and bad, is what keeps me going. Welcoming the new year is just a great big version of how I try to approach each day. It's fun and exciting and full of hope.

With that in mind, the sewing has slowed down a bit while the planning is taking over. Here is a sampling of projects I have ready to start up very soon.

Machine quilting practice. There are lot of blocks left from a Block of the Month class I took at Craftsy a few years ago. They make the perfect practice pieces for machine quilting. You may even see these before the year is done. I was browsing quilting motifs for these just this morning.

Several years ago, I published a few patterns. I intend to re-release some of them next year, but before I do, they need some serious updating. The layout, the instructions, the pictures... everything needs freshening up.

I've been wanting to make a hexie mini quilt for a while now. These cut out templates are as far as I have gotten. This project is near the top of the list.

I'm hoping to share a series of quilts with you in the new year that are inspired by other art forms. It may be a short series, as it hasn't been easy to get explicit permission from many artists, but I'll go with what I have to start with and we'll see if more come through as the year goes on.

Have you heard about the Moda Sampler Block Shuffle? Many quilt shops are offering these. A few are published each week and are only available for a short time. They are free and the series continues through January. I am getting mine from Intown Quilters. This Charley Harper cardinal print may become the focus fabric for this project.

This will become a machine quilted text quilt. Only I will not use those letters. I will print some bigger ones before beginning this project. I learned that lesson after my first attempt with this technique.

There are other projects in the works, too. I can't reveal all of my secrets! It's going to be a great quilt making year.