Goodbye 2023!

My plan to get back into the habit of posting regularly seems to have gone the way of most New Year’s resolutions and fizzled by the end of the first quarter.  It’s a shame, really, as it is always nice to be able to look back at my travels and the history of my projects (many of which are in progress for a very long time!).  It would take far too long to catch up on everything that has transpired since March so I will just have to settle for capturing a few travel highlights and a couple of recent finishes.

I visited  Primitive Gatherings twice again this year, once in August for an open retreat with a friend and again for the Naughty or Nice Retreat in December.  I made a quilt for their 2023 Red, White and Green quilt show and enjoyed seeing my quilt displayed hanging from the ceiling in The Gathering.

I managed to finish the pieced retreat project while there, although it proved to be a bit more challenging than it should have been.  The retreat group had fun trying to come up with a name for it (it started out as “Big Ornament”), and after ruling out a few entertaining but inappropriate options (e.g., “Well Hung”), we landed on “Ho Ho HOliday”.

I also got a start on the Wrapped in Ribbons pattern from the December American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.  It isn’t really my kind of project but I got caught up in the excitement and ordered a kit so I figured I would try to knock it out.  I was able to finish piecing the top yesterday.

 
Among my many fun travels this year was a trip to Pine Island, Minnesota for a workshop with Sally Kallin.  I started yet another large rig, her Hidden Garden. I am loving this rug and will be taking it with me to Eureka.  Below is a picture of Sally’s - mine isn’t nearly that far along. 

I did manage to completely finish one rug this year, my Antique Basket. I finished hooking another oldie but goodie but it isn’t bound yet so I will save that one for when it is completely done.  This may be my favorite rug I have ever made.

As the new year begins I’m already fighting the urge to get sucked into more new stitch-alongs.  There are just so many options these days!  I do plan to restart my temperature quilt - I decided to put it on hold this year and wait instead to use it to celebrate my retirement year.  I’m currently working on the 2023 Bonnie Hunter mystery and am making reasonable progress on the Primitive Gatherings Twilight Stars stitch-along.  Let’s see how much willpower and common sense I can muster - I’m going to need it!