2018 Year in Review

I didn't get as much done this year as I normally do.  Of course, I was gone to Alaska for 3 weeks, waiting for our first grandbaby to be born.  Then, the baby came to visit us for 8 days in June/July, then another 7 days in late July.  No sewing happened during those times, of course.  We were also gone for 2 weeks in November, for my mother's 80th birthday and Thanksgiving (another 7 days with the grandbaby).  Grandbaby's are MUCH more important than sewing;)

That said, I did get quite a few things made in 2018.  I started off with a 2nd Peter Pan quilt for the new grandbaby.  I used the Riley Blake fabrics for this Peter Pan quilt. 

Riley Blake Peter Pan quilt

up close of some of the fabrics

I used some of the scraps from this quilt to decorate some burp rags for the baby.

Peter Pan burp rags

Of course, you need to see the quilt being used....

Gwendolynn on her 2nd Peter Pan quilt

I also made a play mat for Gwendolynn, keeping with the Peter Pan theme.

play mat

Gwendolynn wasn't quite ready for the play mat at only 5 days old

Gwendolynn's 1st Peter Pan quilt in her nursery (2017 finish)

Before we left for Alaska, I finished the Elephant Parade quilt for my large guild's challenge.  More info about the quilt and the challenge are here.

Elephant Parade

Lots of baby quilts were made in 2018.  Here is another one that I made using fabrics I won from Henry Glass.

flannel baby quilt

Hubby wanted something to hold his chisel's, so I made him a tool roll.

tool roll for chisel's

tool roll with chisel's

I made a couple of sewing machine mats and pin cushion thread catchers.  I have a tutorial for the pin cushion thread catchers here, and a tutorial for the sewing machine mats here.

sewing machine mat and matching pin cushion thread catcher

sewing machine mat and matching pin cushion thread catcher

My daughter in law's mother loves bicycles.  I figured she needed some bicycle placemats.

bicycle placemats for Beth

Our daughter in law had picked up a high chair, but the cover was ruined.  I brought it home from Alaska, to use as a pattern, and made a new cover for the high chair.

old high chair cover

new, washable high chair cover

Gwendolynn using her new high chair cover

My best friends son and daughter in law were expecting a baby girl in August.  Here is what I mailed to them a few hours before the baby was born.

pink camouflage flannel quilt

matching baby blankets

matching burp rags

OOPS!  I got a call about 2 hours after I mailed these off.  The doctor was WRONG!  The baby was a BOY!  Back to the drawing board, and in November this baby quilt was delivered.

replacement baby quilt

Since I hadn't ever made a quilt for the baby's big sister, I decided that she also needed a quilt.  Here is Mady's quilt (she prefer's turquoise camo).

big sis's quilt

I finished 2 quilts for my little quilt guild.  We made these for Naperville 360 boys home.

Spritely

flannel circles

I also made a quilt for my Secret Sister for Christmas.  The quilt top was already made (by someone else) and found in a scrap bag in Ottawa.  I just had to back it and quilt it. 

Secret Sister wall quilt

I finished a few quilt tops in 2018, too.  These are baby quilts.  I quilted one of them a few days ago, and have done most of the quilting on the 2nd one.  I need to add some hand quilting to the 2nd one.  Both of these babies have been born.  I have an excuse for one of them, since that baby isn't supposed to be born until Jan 3rd (she was 3 weeks early).  I'm 4 months late for the other baby.  Oh well. 

2 matching baby quilt tops

I quilted covers for two chairs back in January. 

1st recovered chair

2nd recovered chair

I made some sewing machine carriers for my vintage sewing machines.  These worked great for carrying some of my machines to demo's. I made 4 of these carriers.

sewing machine carrier

sewing machine carrier

As usual, I also made several project bags in 2018.  Most of these are already gone.

one of these went into the silent auction for my quilt guild

one of these went into the silent auction for my quilt guild

only 2 of these are left

my first mini project bag

these are gone

these are gone, too

these are also gone

backs of above project bags

 These last 2 were gifts for my daughter in law. 

Hufflepuff project bags

backs of Hufflepuff project bags

I have several more of these project bags, waiting for binding.  They all will be heading out the door, shortly after they are finished. 

I did realize that I didn't do much stitching on my hand cranks or treadles this past year.  I used the hand cranks to make half square triangles, exchange blocks and paper piecing, but not much else.  I mainly used my purple Featherweight for piecing and my Janome for machine quilting this year.  Hopefully I'll have more time in 2019 (doubtful) and do more stitching on my beloved hand cranks. 

Happy New Year!