Wrapping Up 2016 and Looking Forward to 2017!!!

I have to say, this is one of my favorite posts to write each year.  I just love being able to take a step back and look over everything that the past year has brought. And then stop and think about what I am hoping to do in the next year.     So as I close up 2016 here at Happy Quilting let's take a quick look of what's been going on around here this past year.

45 Quilts 

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

4 Mini's

10 Projects

And Countless Blocks including:
 Bee Blocks, Splendid Sampler Blocks, and Sew Sampler Blocks

And there's  Happy Quilting 2016, all rounded up in 4 little pictures :)  Wow, this year sure has been packed with a whole lot of quilting fun!!!   And I have to say, it is just so fun to see it all together in once place ;)   You can see more details about all of the quilts in my Quilt Archive Tab at the top of the page including links to any tutorials ;)

As I look back on this year, I am just so incredible grateful for this little space to share my passion.  I was asked by a dear friend earlier in this year if I still love this all or if it was starting to feel to much like work.   And It made me stop and pause, and realize how incredibly lucky I was to be able to say I do indeed still love it all!!!   Sure, there are some crazy days in there, but all in all, I am just so grateful each day that I found such an amazing industry to be a part of and that I get to share it each and every day with all of you ;)

And now, It's time to look forward to 2017!!!

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 ;)

The print off for 2017 will read the same as 2016:)  I found these goals to be super helpful in 2016 and still have some room to work on them so they are sticking around for another year.

1 -  Pass It On
2 -  Watch The Time
3 -  Plan With Purpose
4 -  Mommy First

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 2017 Creative Journey!!

And One Last Thought Before I Wrap This Up . . . I just can't say it enough . . . Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!  There are just not words to say how grateful I am for your daily comments and emails and simple words of encouragement.  They mean the world to me.   Truly, it would not be Happy to be be Quilting without all of you.  The personal interaction is what adds that Happy factor so Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!

So so long 2016 and here is Looking Forward to 2017!!!!!  May it be another year filled with lots, and lots, and lots of  Happy Quilting!!!!!!

Plume Quilt

Well after all the quilting of this week,  I managed to put on one binding yesterday and am so excited because now I can share my finished Plume Quilt!!!  And here it is!!!!

The Plume Quilt  is from the  Fat Quarter Style book by It's Sew Emma  and has been on my list to make ever since I got the book.   It was so much fun to piece and I don't know why I waited to make it for so long because it went together super fast!!!

I used a  Fat Quarter Bundle of Volume II by Sweetwater and love the alternating of red and blacks and the white arrows.   It is just the right amount of contrast to show off the pattern while it still all blends together ;)

I made the quilt a little larger from the pattern so it is just perfect for snuggling up in on a cold day.   And yes, we have had some cold days with no sun (making pictures a little trickier :)

I quilted it with favorite all over swirls.  I played with the scale of the swirls slightly to give it a little more movement and love the overall effect.   And I quilted with a nice deep red which looks awesome on the back as I showed yesterday ;)

And I just love how the red blends in so well, even on the whites and blacks.  So fun and such yummy texture.  I always love me some all over swirls!!

And that is my Plume Quilt.   And if you have been around before, you will notice that this is another red/white/and black quilt which means it is another quilt destined to get an SUU logo and be donated to my Alma Mater.  I love being able to share this passion and have it give back at the same time ;)   So fantastic!!!

I'm off to put on a few more bindings and maybe even quilt one more quilt in an attempt to squeeze in a few more finishes in 2016 :)  It's gonna be fun!!!

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

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

Just Quilting Away

Don't you just love that time between Christmas and New Years . . . you know, where you not quite sure what day it is and what your supposed to be doing ;)  Well, this year, I am filling this week with quilting, quilting, and then some more quilting!!!   (and of course, there is some playing with the kids thrown in there too, I mean, I can't completely ignore them when they are out of school ;)   But truly, I had a pile of 7 tops and I just couldn't go into the New Year with that many "to be quilted" projects.

So I started with the small ones first ;)  I knocked out my two improv table runners in no time at all.  I just love matchstick quilting but had always done it on my home machine.   Well, I decided it was time to try the long arm and I was so happy I did.  It was so, so, so fast!!!  I did it free hand and not all the liens are perfectly straight and a few cross over the line next to it, but I was totally okay with it as it just adds to the fun improv feel of them ;)

.

Next up, was my Crossroads Quilt Along quilt.  I really wanted to get this quilt done this year as it was this years quilt along and if I don't get them done in the same year they tend to sit awhile (ie, my Star Surround is still not quilted)  But I have been procrastinating it as I was a little stumped on how to quilt this.  I have been thinking custom quilting but when I got it loaded on the frames I realized what I really wanted to stand out was all of the tiny piecing that I did in the blocks and I was worried if I quilted them all super custom, that you would see the quilting more than the piecing.  So I decided to just do an all over curly q design to let the piecing shine. (and it helped that I wanted to get it done before the end of the year, all overs are super speedy :)   But I am so glad I did because I just love how it kept the quilt looking so soft.   

And finally, I put my Plume quilt on the frame yesterday . . .  And you know how I love swirls ;)   I quilted a variety of sizes, trying to play with the scale of my swirls and had to show a picture of the back because I just love how this red thread pops on the black and white background.  Isn't that just so fun!!!

And now I can't decide if I want to keep quilting today or put on some bindings ;)  Either way, it is going to be fun for sure ;)

So what are you up to this week??  I hope you are finding lots of quilting time as well ;)


Oh, and  before I sign off . . .

Happy 16th Anniversary Jacob!!!! 

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!   Let's have some fun!!!

First,  we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!   The winner of Colette Fat Quarter Bundle from The Intrepid Thread is . . . Number #258. . . Congrats AmyScrapSpot!!! I have emailed you :)    

  

    

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop.   Fat Quarter Shop is amazing and they never cease to amaze me with everything they have going on at their shop!!!     And did you know they have a 24 Hour Flash Sale every day with 2 Flash Sales on Tuesdays!!  You will find some amazing deals there ;)

And for today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Fat Quarter Shop is giving away this totally adorable Complete Cute Sewing Tin Set by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet to one lucky winner!!!  And they even come with adorable matching cards and envelopes.   How perfect are these for sorting all of your notions in your sewing space!!!

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 one Sewing Goal you have planned for 2017.

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Fat Quarter Shop love.   You can follow them on   Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, You Tube or at their Blog.  You can Sign up for their Newsletter which will ensure you catch all of their amazing sales, or you can visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Fat Quarter Shop Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, Jan 3rd , when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

December Sew Sampler!!!

So remember when I said, "Next month's Sew Sampler Box should be arriving right before Christmas.  I am telling myself that I am going to put it under the tree as a special surprise" in my November Sew Sampler post . . . Well, I didn't quite make it to Christmas to open my box, (I know, I just had to open it ;) . . .  but I did wait to share it, just in case you were putting it under your tree ;)  And I have to say, December's  Sew Sampler box was an awesome early Christmas Present!!!!

I mean, how cute is this Half Roll Up by Darlene Zimmerman and the perfect new Aurifil 80 wt threads to go with it.  I am so looking forward to trying out that new thread, it is so fine and I can't wait to just see it disappear on my applique ;)
 

And I am so super excited for these new Impressions Quilting Templates.  I love orange peel applique and how fun is the Round Robin pattern using the templates.   When I saw these arrive I immediately thought of this quilt I made a while back and how helpful these templates would have been.  Now I am wanting to make it again!!!

And last but not least . . .  the monthly sampler block.   I am just so loving these sampler blocks and I am just freaking out seeing them all come together!!!

I am so looking forward to see what 2017  Sew Sampler Box will bring.  These are just so much fun in their amazing quilting goodness!!!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and maybe getting to sneak in some Happy Quilting today!!!