Happy New Year

I hope everyone is starting their new year off on the right foot! We are starting ours off while buried in snow . . . we are still waiting for our alley to be plowed so that we can get our cars out of the garage. However, I thought this was the best way we could have started our 2014 off! It was rather refreshing to be forced to stay at home and take things easy for once. We had a nice brunch yesterday while we watched the snow falling out in our backyard and spent the afternoon playing outside as a family.

Speaking of family, if you are a regular follower of the blog you may have noticed I have been really slacking in my posts over the last few months. Our family will be expanding this Spring and morning sickness and a pure lack of energy have caused me to fall a bit behind not only in my sewing but also in my blogging.

But before I dive into 2014 and begin planning my quilting and sewing aspirations, I figured I should probably finish sharing the last of my projects from 2013! All of the Christmas gifts have been received so I am finally safe to show off what was made.

As mentioned in my previous post, I really love sewing the Half-Hex Christmas Tree Runner that Missouri Star Quilt Company showed in their YouTube tutorial. That being said, I had a blast making these for some of the women in our lives!

Using an easier pattern allowed me to branch out in other ways, like experimenting with metallic threads! I must say, I love the way they look on festive runners!

I also broke out of my mold for a runner that I created for my mom. I decided to give quilt-as-you-go a try, and I really liked it! I may even be making a quilt for my son using this method in 2014!

Honestly, the hardest part of this project was just letting go and having fun without having a pattern. I am so used to everything needing to be pieced a certain way that it took me a little while to get into the groove of just crazy cutting and piecing. But once I did I had a blast with it!

I also branched off from quilting for quite a few projects. For some men, I made custom bath towels using my embroidery machine. 

And for my final items, wristlets for some very special young women in our family! I used a free tutorial for a Bow Clutch.

That wraps up all the gifts I made. For the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014 I am experimenting with Glad Press n' Seal for free motion quilting. I am new to free motion but have been dying to learn so I am using my Addicted to Vintage quilt as an opportunity to try something new. Still not sure how I am feeling after only one try with the Press n' Seal but hoping to have a better analysis of it soon!

Wishing you all a new year full of quilting and sewing fun!