The good, the bad, and the ugly....

 The year in review -- the good, the bad, and the ugly!  Some I love and a few -- not so much!

My test block for Kim McLean's Lollypop Trees.  I have decided to go with a different background and hope you'll be seeing more blocks in 2012!

Blanche Young's pattern for Trip Around the World.  Loved her precision and liked the quilt.  Was done as a challenge with friends where we all used the same core fabrics and then added to with a "big reveal" at a retreat.  Such fun!  Given to my son's friend as a wedding present.

Definitely in the "ugly" category.  This crisscross quilt was easy to make and fast.  I started out trying to use my charm squares that I had gotten in a swap years ago and had no plans for  -  as well as from my strip bin for the "crosses".  This just did not work and I plan to make it again but with a more controlled palette.  I think I gave this to charity or sent to Japan with their terrible devastation.  It will keep someone warm -- but not necessarily feed their creativity.

My birthday quilt that I've blogged about.  I love it because of what it means and the fabrics selected just for me by the people I love the most.

My first and last hexagon "I Spy" quilt for my grandson.  Learned a lot -- and one of the things I learned is that kids won't care if these are hexagons or squares!

NICU quilts with friends for a hospital in Chicago.  We've used these to practice piecing and quilting while hoping they will bring peace to the baby and family.

 Quilt for a co-worker.  Loved the mindless sewing!  Surprised by how much fabric this used however.

Wedding quilt for son's close friend in Montana.  Fun to make but the harlequin pattern is not as bold as I had hoped.

 Quilt for co-worker.

Grandmother's Choice.  Finally got this one bound.  Blogged about finding the right home for the right quilt.

Chuck's wedding quilt.  Delivered and hopefully being used.  Cover quilt from American Patchwork and Quilting.

Carolina Christmas finally finished from year before last, I think. Big queen and wonderfully comfortable.

Mahalo! as a thank you for friends' generosity during our trip to Hawaii.  From Kim Schaeffer's book.

Quilt for co-worker.  This was also a challenge among friends with our all using the same pattern and revealing at a retreat. Another quilt from Kim Schaeffer's book (although I added the sashings/cornerstones and didn't do the small pieced border blocks.  I was ready to be done!

So -- that's the quilting part of my life in 2011.  In addition, I should mention that the year also consisted of other joys and challenges (like everyones).

1. I managed an integration of the people part of an acquisition of our largest competitor in one segment of our business.  They did not necessarily come willingly.  It was tough and there were many long days, late night calls, weekend conference calls, and unexpected "surprises"!
2. We got the house ready to sell.
3. Within 90 days of listing our house, we had sold, put all our belongings in storage and moved into temporary living -- without telling anyone but close family and friends.
4. Lived in a hotel/temp living arrangement for 60+ days.
5. RETIRED with no place to go.
6. Moved to Kentucky and left wonderful friends, an incredible village and a very special church.  Moved 7 hours farther away from our son and his family in the process.  Definitely tears.  Lots of them.
7. Stayed in a hotel for short period of time before closing on a house and leaving for Hawaii the next day.
8. Lived in new house with NO furniture (other than appliances and 2 twin mattresses/box springs) for 1.5 months.

This has been a year that we will remember in all the good ways.  There was some sadness -- there were some tears -- but all in all, there has been more joy and peace and that's my hope for all of us as we think about all we want to accomplish in our quilting lives and our personal lives!  

I hope you have joy.  Jan

Signed, Sealed, Delivered!

As you can see, I'm linking to Amy's Creative Side's Bloggers Quilt Festival.  There are lots and lots of wonderful quilts featured...so be sure to check it out.  You won't be sorry but you will need an extra Diet Coke or cup of tea!  She's an incredibly creative quilter and sponsors this opportunity for additional sharing among bloggers throughout the world!

This little quilt has had a long and unwanted life.  I finished it about 2 years ago and even put the binding on -- just didn't stitch it down.  I loved it but never could decide "who" it should be gifted to.  So, it lingered in the UFO pile and I'd pull it out, do a little stitching on the binding, and put it up.  It was truly an orphan.

I had finally decided that our four poster bed needed a quilt and that one done in 30's reproduction fabrics would be perfect.  This block has lots of names, I think, but it was called "Grandmother's Choice" in the pattern book I found.  I downsized the blocks to finish at 5" because I thought smaller blocks were more appropriate for the tiny motifs in the fabrics.  I calculated I would need 72 pieced blocks for the full size bed.

I WAS WRONG!  By about half, I think.  Ultimately, I made the 72 blocks and started to lay out the quilt and all of a sudden, it was a large lap and a long way from being a full size quilt with some drape.  I was done -- I had no desire to repeat history and make more blocks.  It was time to move on and do something else.  All of that probably contributed to my apathy in getting it done and presented to someone.

But, the good news is that "all's well that ends well".  Our search for a home has been a journey with lots of twists and turns and our realtor has been a gem.  We have used her twice before and she's been wonderful when we decided to retire and return to Kentucky but couldn't find a home that met what I was looking for.  She actually "cold called" the people that ultimately sold us their home.  She had seen a "for sale by owner" sign months earlier and knew the location and size were what we were looking for so she called to see if they would like to do a private listing for some "out of town" clients.

Once our sale was final, she scheduled some much needed and fairly serious surgery.  My husband asked if we had a quilt for her as a token of thanks and I knew exactly which one to give her.  We just had to have  our furniture delivered so I could find it!  All I had to do was finish the binding to give it to her before her surgery this week.  I think this must have been who it had been waiting for as it's perfect for her.  So - it has a home, she has a snuggle quilt to use in her recovery over the next month, and I'm happy it's finally where it needs to be.

I hope you're finding lots of time to quilt (and are NOT having math issues!).  Jan

PS - don't you love the shadow of the "invisible man" behind the quilt?