Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 in Review

I've gone back and forth on how to best summarize 65 projects - top 10 list, favorite of the month, oldest, newest - you get the picture! Looking back through my blog I noticed how often I wrote about projects being a favorite. And, when I look at these photo mosaics I still can't play favorites because each one tells a story. The collective sum of their stories is so overwhelming to me that I am finding it hard to write this post.

So I will step back to data instead of feelings. I finished 65 projects in 2013 - 57 UFOs and 8 new projects/WIPs. I set 2 ambitious goals at the start of the year: 1) to finish a UFO a week and 2) to learn to FMQ. In short, I nailed goal #1 because I learned that goal #2 wasn't the only way to finish pretty quilts! I will revisit this topic in January because I have a lot to say about it.

I decided to break down my projects into 3 categories: Donations, Keepers and Gifts. Donation Quilts were the biggest group with 36 quilts - 1 to Quilts of Valor, 1 to Heartstrings and 34 to Project Linus.

1. Primary D9P, 2. Bouncing Balls, 3. Scrappy Chevrons, 4. Cool Sparkles, 5. Batik Noodle Recipe 3, 6. Batik Noodle Recipe 2, 7. Batik Noodle Recipe 1, 8. Kitchen Sink Feed Sacks, 9. Bright Hopes, 10. Pandora's Box in Teal, 11. Scrappy Snowball, 12. Mod Art, 13. Easter Stacked Coins, 14. Charm Quilt #5, 15. Charm Quilt #4, 16. Charm Quilt #3, 17. Charm Quilt #2, 18. Charm Quilt #1, 19. Autumn String Set for Heartstrings, 20. Kitchen Sink Strings, 21. Come Sail Away, 22. Scrappy HSTs, 23. 9 Patch Novelty, 24. Bright Blue Strings, 25. Scrapped Up Animals, 26. Polka Dot Cats & Dogs, 27. "Cats in Dressy Hats", 28. "Cats on Skis", 29. Rainbow Sherbet - Hold the Lime!, 30. Boxed in Brights, 31. Purple 9 Patch on Lime, 32. Color Me Happy, 33. Ballerina Cats, 34. Animal Pairs, 35. Sports Kid, 36. Patriotic Squares

The next group are Keepers and there are 25 of them that have found their home here with me.

1. Christmas Fantasy, 2. Christmas Rail Fence, 3. "And Sew On" BoM, 4. Arkansas Crossroads, 5. Thimbleberries Jacob's Ladder, 6. Patriotic 9 Patch, 7. Pin It Blog Hop, 8. 9 Patch Swap, 9. Schnibbles "Gentle Art" in Bonnie & Camille's "Marmalade", 10. Schnibbles "Hat Trick", 11. Watercolor Spring, 12. Shabby Strings, 13. Pastel Tulips, 14. Patchwork Stockings, 15. Charming Stars, 16. Easter Egg Table Topper, 17. Garden Cats, 18. Log Cabin in the Pines, 19. Triple Zip Pouch, 20. Threadbias QAL - February Project, 21. I Heart Pink, 22. Leoni's Floral Stars, 23. Shabby Roses, 24. Shabby Heart, 25. Minnesota Ladyslipper

Last but not least - the Gifts. Choosing to focus on UFOs this year really limited my gift making. Our theme for the holidays this year was practical gifts... shall I say that I am ready for creative gifts in 2014!

1. Puppies for Rylan, 2. ABC Charm Quilt, 3. Scrappy Summertime, 4. Quilted Redwork Pillow

I also broke down the numbers by project size:

11 lap quilts
40 kids/baby quilts
9 table topper/wall quilts
5 other

As I have said often over the last 15 months... thank goodness I am not a king/queen size UFO maker!

I can't end this post without going back from data to feelings. It is truly hard to express how my Year of Finish has changed me. I have been a Serial Project Starter my entire life! To finally "crack my code" and prove to myself over and over that I CAN do this is so powerful. Looking at all of these beautiful projects that were stuffed in drawers, bins and closets for years makes me eager to dig in and finish more. Not because I feel like I SHOULD but because I WANT to - huge difference!

Maybe this is the sum of my UFO Journey - that the creative spark that begins a project can stay dormant for years but the full beauty isn't revealed until the last stitch of binding is sewed. I am finally a person who finishes quilts.

22 comments:

  1. Wow, Deb. This post was so moving. You really put forth a lot of effort, and blessed the lives of many. I also finished a lot and found that the act of finishing changed me, too. You are an inspiration. I look forward to 2014.

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  2. Congratulations. I am amazed at the dent you put in your UFOs. Happy New Year!

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  3. So excited to see them all in one spot. It's been amazing watching you create and finish this year. Here's to a productive and challenging year ahead as you learn to FMQ.

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  4. You're "finally a person who finishes quilts"......congratulations on proving to yourself that you CAN do it. Isn't the feeling of joy and accomplishment when a quilt is completed the best balm for the soul??

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  5. Love how you summarized your year. I am undecided on what to do my my Newfo (WIPs) left as of today. The best news is I have more finishes than Wips. If I can find my pictures I will be doing a summary also. I am looking forward to many more finishes in 2014.

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  6. Wow!! What an awesome amount of quilting you have accomplished for 2013. Will be fun to see what you accomplish in 2014.
    Hugs

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  7. Good work, Deb! Thanks for inspiring and encouraging.

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  8. I can imagine you are 3" taller without that load on your shoulders any more. Congratulations on so many finishes. I'm glad you are keeping some for yourself. It isn't all about giving it away as fast as you finish it, although some are slated for that purpose from the beginning. Happy New Year!

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  9. I've been very impressed with your perseverance to complete the long list of UFO's. You've been an inspiration to so many, Deb.

    Empowering yourself at the beginning of 2013 was the best thing you could have done for yourself. Way to go!!!

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  10. You my dear are the Inspiring spark...looking forward in seeing what you create in 2014.

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  11. Wow, you were productive this year!

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  12. What an amazing year! You are certainly the success story of 2013: The Year of the Finished project! I hope you'll join me in Something Old, Something New. And, I've bought the book, "First Steps in FMQ" so we can play along together. I'm just waiting for it to arrive from UK. Best wishes for 2014.

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  13. That is amazing how many projects that you finished in 2013! Happy New Year!

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  14. gorgeous! all of them! Congratulations on all your finishes.

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  15. That's a great accomplishment! Especially since the majority are quilts.

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  16. Congratulations on all the amazing finishes. You should be so proud of all that you have achieved.
    I wish you a wonderful 2014.

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  17. Deb it is so awesome to see what you have completed this year and you're right.....you had some beautiful projects tucked away!! Wow!!

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  18. Deb, I am so happy and proud of all you have accomplished in the last year +. You are amazing. What a great feeling to have some many projects out being enjoyed by many rather that in dark drawers. I as have said before you are an inspiration and give me hope that I to can just get 'er done'. Or as the company I work for says....Just do it.

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  19. Good for you! I love reading about your finishes...

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  20. You are a fantastic finisher. I wish I had your stick to it-ness : ) Happy New Year to you
    You inspire me every day my bloggy friend

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  21. Wow! I can see why it's hard to pick a favorite. Beautiful post!

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  22. You are an inspiration to me and so many others. Glad you can see how productive your year was. Yea for you!!!

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