2017 Wrap Up . . . Bring on 2018!!!!

This post truly is one of my favorite posts to write each year!!!    It is absolutely fantastic to be able to  step back and look at everything that the past year has brought :)  And then to sit and contemplate my plans for the next year, well that just gets me all the more excited!!!  So as I close up 2017, here is a quick look of what has been happening at Happy Quilting over the past year. 

40 Quilts 

 (including quite a few secret ones that I can't show yet :)

4 Mini's & Projects

 Countless Blocks including:
 Aurifil, Bee, Patchwork, Sew Sampler, & Skillbuilder 

And I would be remiss this year if I didn't add in 

a Whole lot of Teaching!!! 

 From the Caribbean, to Las Vegas, to Illinois, to all over Utah, and then back Home again at the Quilt House :) 

And there's  Happy Quilting 2017, all rounded up in 4 little pictures :)  Wow, this year sure has been packed with a whole lot of quilting fun!!!   And it is just so amazing to see it all together in one neat little summary ;)   You can see more details about all of the quilts in my Quilt Archive Tab at the top of the page including links to the quilts with tutorials and of course, the annual Quilt Along ;)

What an amazing journey this continues to be!!!!  I can not even begin to say how grateful I am for this little space in the quilting world.  This is such an incredible industry to be a part of and the reason for that is each of you :)  Quilters are just the best people out there!!!!    I can't tell you how much your comments, emails, and pictures mean and how they just make me smile, especially on some of those slightly more crazy days :)    It is such a blessing to be able to share my love of quilting with you all and I truly can't thank you enough for coming back each day and being a part of Happy Quilting!!! 

And now, It's time to look forward to 2018!!!

Wow, that is just crazy.  2018!!!  Can you believe it.  Time certainly flies when you are having fun ;)  I started Happy Quilting in the summer of 2010 so it is now 7 1/2 years old.  Amazing!!!

So what does 2018 hold in store . . . Lot's more Happy Quilting :)   I have lot's of ideas and am so very excited to see what comes of them. 

Each year, I hang a little print off in my sewing room that serves as a daily reminder of what I want to accomplish creatively in the year and to keep me balanced as well ;)  Some of these are repeats from previous years and some are new, but all are important for me on this amazing journey. 


1 -  Share The Individual Journeys
2 -  Watch Where Time Is Spent
3 -  Measure Your Own Success
4 -  Mommy Before Quilter, Always

And again, these probably only make sense to me but there are so many thoughts tied up in each of those little statements.   They will  be wonderful reminders to me each and every day and I look forward to them  guiding me in my 2018 Creative Journey!!

And One Last Thought Before I Wrap This Up . . . and really, there are not enough words to express this, but . . . Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!! Truly, each and every one of you are what make Happy Quilting a truly Happy place ;)  I can't imagine doing this without all of the wonderful friends that I have made.  Thank you so very much for all your love and support!!!!

And I guess that means it is time to say goodbye to  2017 and here's looking at you 2018!!!!!  May it be filled with  Happy Quilting!!!!!!

Hunters Star for Christmas

So you remember those 3 King quilt tops from back here, Well, I managed to finish one more before Christmas . . .which was good because this was a special Christmas present for my sweetheart ;)  We have needed a new bedspread for a little while and I am so happy to now have this on my bed and I think my sweetheart likes it just about as much as I do, bonus!!

Last year, I asked my bee mates to make a Hunter Star block using my pattern from the I Love Star Books that I shared here. It is a super easy block to make because it breaks the Hunter Star down into wonderful HST's so you don't have to fiddle with y-seams and the like.  My bee mates did a great job, and I just loved getting each of these blocks back and envisioning it coming together ;)

I used Joel Dewberry's Birch Farm line for this quilt for two reasons.  One, because it matches my bedroom and Two, and more importantly, it is the perfect combination of masculine and feminine in a fabric line ;)   My husband loves that it has owls and deer on it, and I love all of the flowers and geometric prints and the way the deer and owl blend in with all the other fabrics.  And so we are both just loving it!!!

And I choose the Hunter Star Design from the I Love Star Books , because it as well seemed to be the perfect combination for my sweetheart and I.  He loves the star designs, especially this one that is blended in with the background, and I love the way it creates a subtle chain in the secondary design.  It is such a classic design, that looks good in anything, so I knew it would be just perfect.

When it came time to quilt it, I really wanted to make the stars pop all the more, so I quilted them with 1/4" straight lines.  I just love the effect it gives them and how it really adds to that secondary design.

And then in the two backgrounds, I used two favorite fillers, again, keeping the quilting pretty dense to make those stars pop.   I quilted open centered swirls in the white background and echoed paisleys in the print backgrounds.   This quilt was big, so it took a little while to do all that quilting, but it was so worth it.  I just love all of the wonderful texture :)

And I just had to share this backing I made.  I had a few leftover strips from my Birch Fabrics stash, so I pieced them into a scrappy back.  I just love the little pop of color it brings.  So fun!!!

And that is my new Hunters Star quilt, just in time for Christmas ;)   I even managed to suprise my sweetheart by making the bed up on Christmas morning with this while he was helping the kids take some of their gifts out of the boxes (it's crazy how many little ties they need to keep an item in place in a display box)  When he came back to the room, he looked for a second, then took a double take and then realized, "Hey, a new quilt!!!"   That was pretty fun :)

If you want to make your own Hunters Star quilt using my HST design, you can find the pattern in the  I Love Star Blocks book.  It is made for a queen size bed, but you can easily scale the blocks up a few inches to make it a king size ;)

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Weekend, and a very Happy New Year as well!!!

P.S.  It is also my Sweetheart and I's Anniversary today!!!  Happy Anniversary to my very best friend in the entire world :)  

Linking up this finish to Amanda's and Sarah's, :) 

December Sew Sampler!!!

Wow, 2017 is quickly coming to a close :)  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Season and is anxiously awaiting New Years!!!    And with New Years fast approaching it also means happy mail arrived  in another wonderful :)  This month's theme is Family Tradition and I am just so excited!!!  I know I say it every month, but the  Sew Sampler box  is always such a wonderful box of quilty goodness every and every time!!!

I am in love with this beautiful Fat Eighth Bundle of Star Twist Helping Hands by Kim Diehl !!!  I have not sewn with any of Kim Diehl's fabrics before but they are so rich and beautiful, I can't wait to stitch something with these.  I love the Star Twist Quilt Pattern that came with for these fabrics, but I am also debating making my new Tuffet (which was under the Christmas Tree for me!!) with these gorgeous, rich, fabrics .  Decisions, Decisions :)

And I just love that Fat Quarter Shop is getting me organized already for 2018.  This Quilter's Planner Mini is just awesome!!!  Of course, it has awesome pages for Project Planning, but I love that it also has pages for Daily Planning as well as Meal Planning, because as much as I would love to just quilt all day, real life happens to, and getting it planned out will certainly save time for more of that Project goodness ;) 

And this new Stash N Store is so going to get me organized at the Quilt House ;)  I have marking pens and thread snippets all over the long arm table, and this little minty goodness is the perfect tool to keep it all neat and organized!!!  Yippee :)    And I just love Thread Snips for the long arm and I have to say, I was pretty excited when I opened my box and found that mine were Purple!!! You know how I love purple ;)  

And of course,  I had to whip up this month's Basket Block!!!   I can't believe this is block number 9, which means only 3 more to go until it is time to put this quilt together ;)  I can't wait, I might even be able to get it done in time for next July 4th, perfect!!!

And that is my December Sew Sampler Box  . . . and it was sure a lovely day after Christmas Present ;)  Just when I thought all of the Christmas gifting was done, another wonderful gift arrives on the doorstep.  So much fun!!!

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!!  

Red and White Quilting

So if you have been around for a while, you know that I love making quilts in a Red, White, and Black combo, for my Alma Mater.  But I also love the two color Red and White quilts just as much!!!  I made this Ruby Jubilee Braided Irish Chain Quilt, this year, and ever since I finished, I have been thinking I want to make one of these classic Red and White quilts each year.  So when I saw Linda Pumphrey's new Red & White Quilting Book, I knew it was perfect!!!

This book has so many iconic Red and White blocks!!!  They are divided by size block and whether they are applique, piecing, or a combination of both.  And you know how I just love Applique ;)

I mean, how cool is this appliqued Sunburst block!!!  You know I totally want to make this block, it just looks like so much fun with all of it's applique goodness ;)

And I just love the classic pieced blocks as well.  Does this Chimney Block look familiar ;)  So fun!!!  And I love that Linda included a fun little "tidbit of history" to go with each of the blocks.  It really is fun to see the when/where/and for what of these blocks.

But the part I really love about this book, is where Linda takes all of those fun blocks she introduced, and puts them into projects!!!   And these projects are incredible.   Here is that Sunburst block combined with a Drunkards Path Block.  Awesome!!!  And seeing this has me wanting to go back to Red and White for it ;)

And there are also more "Modern" inspired designs.  Like this Carpenter's Square quilt!!!   I just love all of those tiny little lines criss crossing.   Just Stunning!!!  This one has gone on my "to make someday" list as it would make a great Alma Mater quilt as well ;)

But the quilt that I want to make right away, is this gorgeous Wintertime Quilt!!!  It is all applique, so it would be perfect to work on cutting out on car rides and such :)   But, as it is called Wintertime quilt, I am envisioning it in gorgeous Navy's, Crystal Blues, and deep Greys.  Wouldn't that be so fun!!!  I see a new winter quilt for next year ;) 

I just love all of this Red and White inspiration and plenty more "to do someday's" added to my ever growing list.   Now to just pick out which one will be my 2018 Red & White Quilting quilt ;)  

How about you . . . Any particular quilt that you have on your To Make List for 2018???

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day so let's have some fun :)

But first, we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the Set of Quilter Coasters from  The Scarlet Thread Quilt Co.  is . . .   Number #43. . Congrats Angie&Gary Short!!!   I have emailed you :)      

  

      

  

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop .    Jamie has so many wonderful fabrics in her  in her shop and a Daily Deal that is always amazing!!!  In fact, Along with hosting the giveaway, Jamie has a super special Daily Deal with lots and lots of Discounted Christmas Fabrics!!!  Perfect for getting started on next years holiday projects :) 

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for some shopping goodness!!  Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is offering one lucky reader a $25.00 Gift Card  :)  What a way to ring in the new year with a little shopping spree!!!! 

You have two entry chances, the second being optional, and please leave a separate comment for each.  All Entries are welcome, including International Entries.   Please just be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger ;)  

ENTRY 1 - Simply leave a comment that tells me a 2018 New Years Goal or Wish :)

 ENTRY 2 - Lets show Lou Lou's Fabric Shop some Love!!!!   You can follow them on   Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.  Or you can follow their blog or  visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Lou Lou's Fabric Shop Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, January 2nd when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!