Here we are again! The beginning of a new year and time to look back and do a year in review about what we’ve learned from 2019 and how to apply that to the year ahead.
Some of the highlights included: visiting Missouri Star, teaching at Garden of Quilts, releasing my 4th fabric collection, Sugarhouse Park. Other non-sewing-related highlights included a getaway with my husband, and a daughter coming home after being away 18-months serving an LDS mission.
- Row 1: Heart mini quilt, Crossweave baby quilt pattern, Manx quilt block, piecing log cabin blocks
- Row 2: Vintage-inspired Log Cabin, Round We Go EPP, Lone Star crib quilt tutorial, Bushel & a Peck precuts quilt
- Row 3: Sugarhouse Park Collection, Pine Hollow quilt pattern, Orange Peel blocks, Prep School Picnic quilt pattern
- Row 4: Sugarhouse Star quilt pattern, Maple Leaf quilt block tutorial, visiting Missouri Star Quilt Company, Pine Hollow quilt along
Lowlights: a kitchen flood resulting in 4.5 months of kitchen renovation and cutting off the tip of my finger
With hindsight I can say that the highlights outweighed the lowlights, but those lowlights seriously disrupted my life flow, not to mention my quilting sewjo. I feel like I’m still trying to put my house back together and a hand injury definitely slowed down that process. Fingers crossed, I can work on getting things put back together in the new year. My goal is to do a serious Marie Kondo purge in the process. Wish me luck!
A Year in Review
10 Things I’ve Learned in 10 Years
Since it’s also the end of a decade, it was timely to look back not just at this year, but what I’ve learned in the past 10. This coincided perfectly with the hitting the milestone of blogging for 10 years. A few things have changed along the way 😉 but I’ve learned SO much in the process.
Rather than restating it all again, you can read my 10 lessons in 10 years post here.
My Most Popular Posts of 2019
It’s also fascinating to look back at the posts from the past year and see what resonated with you readers.
1. How to Make a Manx Quilt block – this still tickles me that it was such a big hit. It was such a serendipitous experience to discover Manx quilting and writing about it was almost an afterthought. I have a special place in my heart for the Isle of Man, and I’m glad you all felt the love too.
2. Patchwork on Point tutorial – can’t go wrong with simple patchwork, especially when you put those blocks on point. This post was a crowd pleaser.
3. Vintage-inspired Log cabin quilt blocks – this was probably my favorite make of the year. I’ve wanted to make a retro-inspired scrappy log cabin quilt for years and this year I finally pulled out all of my vintage pastel stash and went for it. And I love it so much!
4. Bricks Baby Quilt tutorial – there can never be too many simple baby quilt ideas, right?
5. The Pine Hollow Patchwork Forest Quilt Along and block video tutorial. I LOVED seeing so many of you sewing your own Patchwork Pine Trees. The variations of color and fabric combinations are endless and all inspiring.
This was also one of my first video attempts at demonstrating a quilt block. I definitely need to upgrade my quality level (and frankly, frustrated that YouTube took away the tools that were so useful), but I learned from that experience and I’m hoping to make more simple videos in the future. (You can my other videos here.)
This Quilted Leaf tutorial by Sedef Imer was the most popular guest post of the year. I’ve been so grateful for my guest contributors this year – they have shared some really inspiring projects and ideas. (You can see more of the guest post contributions under Tutorials.)
Looking ahead
Here’s what I wrote at the beginning of last year about what I’d like to work on:
- Simplify even more – declutter my space and my time
- More creating for the joy and satisfaction of creativity, rather than a deadline or a job.
- Use what I have – shop my stash or pass it along to someone else.
- Work toward finishing one old UFO (unfinished object) each month.
- Focus on my home – focusing on the house I live in as well as the people who live in it.
So, how do I feel like I did with those goals? For the most part I’d say pretty good. I feel like I was on track to do many of those things. I made my vintage-inspired log cabin quilt purely for fun and thoroughly enjoyed it. I need to make time for more of those projects. Others I feel like I was trying- or at least off to a good start, particularly decluttering and finishing UFO’s – and then some major unexpected roadblocks threw a wrench into that plan.
As far as focusing on my home – welp, that happened in a very unexpected way with a whole kitchen renovation. It definitely could have been done a heck of a lot more efficiently if we could have planned ahead, instead of unexpected disaster, but it has motivated me to continue to update and purge.
I’m still trying to get my sewing room put back together after our kitchen flood. Fortunately by now the furniture is back in place, but I need to get mini quilts rehung, trying to better organize and streamline my space, etc. Hopefully once we’re back in our routines after the holidays I’ll make that a priority. And then I can share the updates.
And speaking of purge – I definitely need to keep going through my stash and paring down. This is definitely a continued goal for 2020.
If you’re looking for some of your own Sewing Room organization ideas, check out this super practical post.
So for now, I’m going to stick with those same goals with one more addition. Make more time to Be Still. I’m trying to feel less frantic in my life, more present with my family, my faith, and my health. This will probably mean less sewing (and probably blogging) this year – and I’m perfectly okay with that.
Welp, thanks for getting through this long post. I’ve finally started doing some sewing again (hooray) and I’ll have more to share of the new project I’m working on next week!
It’s always fun to start a new project in January.
And in case you’re feeling the same way, I thought I’d do a spur-of-the-moment Pattern sale this weekend. Take 25% off any pattern with code GO2020 at checkout! Good through ⅛.
Have you done a year in review for yourself yet? What was they highlight of your year and/or lessons you learned? Let me know in a comment below!
Carla B.
Happy New Year Amy. Have to admit that I always eagerly look forward to your blog posts…… they are terrific. I love the content, pictures, and your creativity. So happy to hear that you are balancing all the things that we as mothers, wives, homemakers. career persons, church members etcetera are always balancing. And for me grandmother and great grandmother.
I have always counseled for years the following. “Look at it this way.” You have a check book. And a savings account. Now, for me I make regular deposits into each of the accounts. What happens if I don’t make any deposits? I don’t have anything to draw out!
Well, you are the same way. If you don’t make a ‘Deposit’ to (into) yourself, then there will soon come a day when there isn’t anything left to give out. The ‘bank account’ is empty….. work picture for you yourself have nothing or very little to give those you love.
It makes me so very, very happy to read that you are making deposits back into yourself as this is the One most important thing we as women can do not only for ourselves but for others. May God bless one of my most favorite bloggers, quilters, designers, and teachers. Yes, I have listened to your Craftsy class for great tips on faster quilting as I learned waaay before rotary cutters.
I have set a reminder for myself to return later today to order a few patterns. Have planned to make your original tree pattern for one of our sons. Missed it for this fall as I tore a muscle in my upper leg with interfered with quilting for 2 months.
Hugs
Amy
Thank you so much for your kind words (and pattern order) Carla! They really mean a lot. And the bank deposits is such a good way to look at it. I definitely need to make more deposits! So sorry about your leg injury – I hope you’re back to enjoying quilting! Thank you again. xo
Adrienne
Oh, do I love your vintage log cabin quilt. It is just gorgeous!!!
Susan Stephens
Hi Amy, I missed your earlier blog about the vintage log cabin quilt. When I clicked on the link here it didn’t take me back to it. I’m interested in more specifics on how you made the block. Thank you! Susan
Amy
Doh! I hate when I attach the wrong link. Thanks so much for letting me know, Susan! I’ve updated the link! You can find it here too: https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2019/04/vintage-inspired-log-cabin-quilt.html
Pat D.
What a relief! I thought I was the only one getting too bogged down with all the details. It is good to know that even the pros suffer the same fate. It shows that we are human. We get tired, hurt, unexpected things hit us. Yes, you do inspire, you are a good teacher, but, thank you for letting us know it’s ok to take some steps back and breathe. I find I get far more out of the journey by taking it slow. So what if I don’t complete 50 projects. One or two at a relaxed pace goes a long way. I think you apreciate your work more.
Amy
I am totally with you on this. Realizing taking things slow and not feeling as frantic – even about stuff I really like doing – is what I need right now.
RaeLyn
Thanks Amy, you are always so inspiring–with quilting and living life. One of your gifts is to lift people up and make life a little happier. ❤
Amy
Thank you, RaeLyn. That is so kind of you to say. xo