Here we are again! 'tis the time to look back at the past year in a retrospective fashion. What was worked on, what people were most interested in, what I learned. I always find it interesting and somewhat amazing to look back at all that was done.
Some years I'm surprised at how much was accomplished - one day/stitch/project at a time. Other years - like last year - I'm surprised (but shouldn't be) that sewing takes a back seat compared to all of the real life stuff. Such are the ebbs and flows of life! Please don't make any comparisons to what it looks like I've accomplished below. Remember, this is the internet and things aren't always idyllic as they seem - there are some smoke and mirrors happening too. More on that below...
First here's a look back the new content from 2023 that was most popular with readers. I think it's fascinating to look at the data and see what readers looked at most. Some things I could have predicted, but others are a surprise.
10 Most Popular New Posts of 2023:
- The Most Popular Tutorial: Fast Four Patch Quilt. No surprise there, I guess. It's a fast, simple and beginner-friendly quilting project.
2. A Very Old Quilt in a Very, Very Old House - visit to an Elizabethan House (aka the one that played Trenwith on Poldark) - with a very old quilt inside!
3. How to Repurpose and Reuse as a Quilter: Tips For Sustainable Sewing
4. A new Craftsman Quilt version. Fun fact: did you know Craftsman is my most popular year after year for the past 10 years?
5. Stars and Stripes Pillow/Table Runner Tutorial - free pattern + video tutorial.
6. Quilts on Kauai - discovering a quilt show while on vacation.
7. Sewing Machine Tips: Perfect Binding Using a Quilt-Binding Foot.
8. Remake of the Land That I Love Quilt
9. My 2023 Fabric Collection with Riley Blake Designs Portsmouth
Thank you SO much for your kind words and enthusiasm for Portsmouth. It has tickled me to no end to see your creations with this collection. I think the words that have meant the most are the comments from true New-Englanders who felt like the collection captured the spirit of the NE seacoast region. Best compliments ever. ❤
10. A kit + quilt pattern with Liberty Florals. This quilt is an exclusive collaboration with My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe.
Here's a more introspective posts this year that seemed to resonate:
When Quilts (and Life) Don't Go According to Plan
Other Quilts Finished in 2023
Here are a few more quilts that I made or finished in 2023:
I made a bunch of new quilts made this year using my Portsmouth fabric collection:
Portsmouth Quilts left to right:
- a new version of the Fly the Flag quilt
- Sugarhouse Star quilts in Crib and Throw Sizes
- New Castle Beach quilt
Also made with Portsmouth fabric, my 2023 RBD Quilt Block Sampler quilt:
Other quilts this year include remakes of previous patterns in a new color palette: a Christmas Liberty Quilt made with my Fraulein Quilt Pattern, an update of my Brickyard Quilt pattern, and a new version of the Double Crossed crib quilt:
I think this quilt was my favorite to make: a warm, scrappy, just-for-fun update of my Churn Dash Quilt. This was such a fun one for playing with colors and prints pulled mostly from my stash.
Tied for favorite may be the Liberty: London Parks version of my Union Jack Quilt. That one was a sentimental favorite as well.
And a few fun mini quilts including:
- Valentine free mini-quilt pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop
- Valentine pillow project with Perfectly Pieced
- Scrappy gingham pin-wheel Half Square Triangle quilt
Most Popular Guest Post of 2023
There were a lot of great guest posts again this year on the blog- so many creative quilters out there!
The most popular tutorial was from Holly Lesue of Maker Valley sharing her shortcut tutorial for fast-piecing patchwork squares.
Other guest posts included:
- An Introduction to Quilt Facing (another way to finish the edge of a quilt)
- Cutting and Matching Perfect Diamond Points
- 10 Tips for Find More Time for Quilting
- How to make Quilt-themed apparel using an orphan quilt block
- A modern improv "Gift Wrap" quilted table runner
Please don't be fooled by all of those completions
It's kind of amazing to look back at what was accomplished last year, but please don't compare yourself to what I seem to get finished. If it looks like a lot for one person to finish, you're right.
First of all, for me, quilting is more than just a hobby- this is also my full-time job. At the same time, even though I'm still mostly a one-woman show when it comes to running my business, I have started outsourcing projects as much as I can including: the long-arm machine quilting on every quilt and some of the piecing on my quilts as well. Not to mention graphic design for my website and patterns.
In all honesty, I don't have as much time to sew and create as I would like - my work behind a computer screen takes up a lot more of my time than my time at the sewing machine. That's part of the less-glamourous side of business happening behind the scenes that also includes: shipping, accounting, replying to emails, pattern-writing and editing, blog and tutorial writing, taking and editing photographs, etc.
I'm trying to outsource as much of the computer stuff where I can as well - hiring occasional guest-post-writers, website and tech maintenance, not to mention pattern-packaging to my teenager etc. but the majority still comes down to me. 😅
One thing that I will not outsource is writing my ow blog posts, social media content, and weekly newsletters. It's really important to me to be authentically "me" with those things. So, yes! It's really me behind the keyboard!
As with all solo-preneur-ship, it's an on-going juggling act. Sometimes it feels like A LOT, but the vast majority of the time, I feel so lucky that this is my job. And I know that it's also my responsibility to prioritize and simplify where I can, so that I keep the work manageable and enjoyable.
Goals + Looking ahead to 2024
Coming in March: My next fabric collection with Riley Blake Designs, Albion, will arrive in stores. I can't wait to play with it more and see what you all do with it!
And weirdly enough, that means my 2025 collection is already on the drawing board. It's kind of a strange thing to work on things behind the scenes that I won't really share until 9-10 months from now. Such is this business!
With all of the above said, one of my biggest goals this year is to continue to find ways to simplify and stream-line; to be more disciplined and efficient with my business so that there is more time available for creative play.
The next few are goals I've had for the last decade, but I'm keeping them on the list:
- continue to clean-out and better organize my sewing supplies.
- consume less - use what I have on hand already.
- Work on finishing UFO's (UnFinished Objects)
I'm excited for this year ahead - it's going to be a busy one with family milestones - including our youngest graduating from high school this spring. (I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we will officially be done with the public school system that has been part of the majority of our lives for the past 20+ years.) We'll also have big kids coming and going, moving, starting college, etc.
At the same time, there's a very real possibility that I'll be an "empty-nester" by the end of 2024. I'm not entirely sure what the next few years will bring, but I'm curious to find out.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR 2023?
So, what about you? What are your goals? What would you like to learn more about this year? Or see more of in this space? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments!
Thank you again for stopping by to visit this space or reading my newsletter. I’m so glad we’re all in this journey of life (and loving quilts at the same time) together. What a great group of friends!
If you want the best access to the latest happenings, subscribe to my email newsletter. (You’ll also get a free quilt pattern!) I share a new newsletter every Saturday evening with my latest projects, tips and finds from around the web, plus special content just for subscribers. ❤
Happy New Year! Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement. Best wishes to all of you for 2024!
Brenda
Happy Holidays and Prosperous New Year!
Karen
Thank you for the "RoundUp of 2023" -- it's always a good idea to take time to look back at all that has been accomplished! I really enjoy your Newsletter -- you have many excellent ideas and your tutorials are clear and easy to follow. Best Wishes for 2024!
Tamara George
Thank you for all your wonderful work, Amy! I am a new quilter and it is because of your blog that I took the dive into quilting (I was a garment/bag leaning sewist before). I appreciate how accessible and approachable you make the quilting process. I never feel lost with the way you have described processes and supplies - I have learned so much! My first quilt was the big lone star baby quilt which I made for my third baby who was born in September. I can’t wait to make more. Your work has been an inspiration! Happy New Year to you!
Gloria B.
Happy New Year Amy! I hope all your 2024 dreams come. My 2024 list includes making your Regent Street quilt for a good friend for her birthday. She is half English, loves all things British and just received her dual citizenship. I know she’ll love it. Thanks for helping me with a special gift.
Audrey
You are authentic, fun to follow and I love learning from you. Thank you for your ongoing goal of using what you have. It’s always fun to buy, but to challenge oneself to use what you have is a whole new level of creativity. Excited to see what’s happening “out west” in 2024. Happy New Year!
Cheryl Collins
Thank you for your always encouraging and enjoyable newsletter. I love your look back at 2023. I can barely remember what I worked on this year. I did finish your Supersized Regent Street for my daughter who loves all things British.
Happy Happy 2024!!!!
Angela M Myers
Dear Amy,
I look forward to opening your email every Sunday morning with my coffee and just taking a moment for myself to read and enjoy your weekly newsletter. I don't get to sew very often; I do get to go to quilt retreats a couple times a year and get a lot sewn during those times away from home. So, I do understand it's difficult to find time to sew! I also work full time at a hospital and an empty nester. I wasn't too sure about being an empty nester when my daughter left for college out of state in 2015, but you get used to it. Now, she's getting married in October 2024, so I have a quilt to make for her bridal shower! Happy 2024 to you and your family!
Amy
Thank you, Angela - for the kind words and good advice. xo
Ann
Nice recap of the year, Amy. One important addition to your write up about fabric donations is that you can donate fabric scraps to Goodwill. I save all my trimmings from quilt sandwiches, as well as all unusable scraps from all my projects, bag ‘em up and drop them off at Goodwill. I accumulate a garbage bag full every couple of months. They recycle textiles that aren’t sellable.
Michele
Thanks for the tip Ann. I didn't know Goodwill was doing that. I'll start recycling tiny scraps right away. I always hate throwing them away.
Amy
That is a great reminder and a great option!
Marianne
I put my scraps into a plastic bag, with a twist tie, and label it "Quilting Cotton Scraps" with a Sharpie. This way I'm giving a heads up to the Incoming people at Goodwill not to throw it away!
Barbara
I love so many of your quilts and patterns! You continue to be a constant source of creativity and practicality in my sewing space. I been completely smitten with the Gingham Pots and Pinwheel small quilt you featured for Babylock this year. Any chance you will release that as a stand alone pattern? Why do we always want the one we can’t find…sigh.
Amy
Hi Barbara!
Thanks so much for your kind words. That Pots and Pinwheels pattern is so cute - but I can't take credit for it. It's a pattern by Lori Holt. But goodnews - Baby Lock is now selling the kit directly here: https://babylock.com/accessories/others/baby-lock-exclusive-riley-blake-project-lori-holt-bee-gingham-mini-quilt-project-kit.
Or reach out to Lori to see if she's ever planning to release as a stand alone pattern.
Thanks again!
Barbara
Thanks so much for taking the time to write back and for all the tips on that snowball block. I found out that it’s not as easy as it looks!