Best of 2017 and Plans for 2018

Thank you so much for following along and taking part in the fun times we share here at Sew Fresh Quilts. As I reflect back on all the changes that have happened during the last 5 years, I am also mindful of all of the things that I am so thankful for.

Today I am celebrating my 5 year Blogiversary! Yes, it was 5 years ago today that I started this blog as a way to document my progress and to make connections with fellow quilters, like you! Thank you for all your kind comments left on my blog posts, in emails and on facebook and instagram. And for all the encouragement you give me. I couldn't have made it this far without your friendship and all of your support!

Now we are coming to the end of another year.

Time to take a look back on 2017 and see what has been accomplished. And to take a look ahead to 2018 and to make plans for the coming new year.

These are my Top 5 makes of 2017! It's hard to choose which quilts to put on this list at the end of the year. But I am excited to share this post and will be linking up to the party over at my good friend Cheryl's Meadow Mist Designs blog. This is her third year hosting this fun filled event and anyone can participate. Just write up a blog post sharing your 5 favourite makes from this year and join us at the party!

The Have a Jolly Little Christmas was a fun filled quilt along hosted at the beginning of this year. I made multiple quilts and table runners using the 12" blocks that were included. And I am especially happy with my sampler quilt shown above right. But also with those multi coloured deer on the top left! You know how I feel about animal quilt blocks?

The Forest Friends 2 was a pattern design idea shared the previous year. It was a lot of work figuring out the process of putting these blocks into pattern form. But once that was accomplished, I was inspired to make a table runner for my mom's birthday using the Cardinal and Blue Jay blocks and adding a few more birds. The table runner and wall hanging were incorporated into their own pattern called Birds of a Feather.

The Giraffes in a {Rainbow} Row was the highlight of a fantastic year! This design has become my logo and I love these bright and colourful cutie pies. This has been my all time most popular pattern. And this quilt came with me on my epic journey to Quilt Market in Houston this year and was featured in my booth. You can also see my four giraffe version shared in this post.

The Fox among the Birches was so much fun! So much fun that I had to make it twice! These wee foxes have made their way into a few quilts. Maybe again in the new year?

The Horse and Unicorn was a delight to make. I wanted to make every version offered in the pattern, which comes with instructions to make either the unicorn or the horse - and each comes in two sizes! For this year I managed to make the Unicorn in full size and the Horse in half size.

If you would like see all my other makes from this year please click here to visit my Gallery.







The following are my plans for 2018. My very first blog post was actually very much like a new year's resolution. For the past three years I have been participating in the planning party hosted with Yvonne of Quilting Jet Girl. And you can join us in this party too. Write your own post for your Plans for 2018 and come join us!

Reflecting Back and Looking Forward.....

2017 has been a pivotal year for me. A year of finishes and a year of firsts.

But also a year of refining my FOCUS.

In the first couple of years, I concentrated on learning new techniques, sharing tutorials and quilting tips, and developing my own artistic style. 2015 was the year I discovered that my true passion lies in designing modern minimalist pictorial quilts using the STOP (Stitch.Trim.Openseams.Press) method. That discovery has become my focus. This is my niche. My happy place!

My pattern business has blossomed and bloomed over the past two years. This past year has seen a lot more wholesale interest and some of my paper patterns are now also being picked up by Keepsake Quilting and Nancy's Notions. And late in 2017 my patterns become available through Petersen-Arne distributors.

The year 2018 will be.... The YEAR OF CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON DESIGN!

2017 has been a pivotal year for me. A year of finishes and a year of firsts.

But also a year of branching out into the REAL WORLD.

In the first couple of years, I read about quilters who banded together. Those who enjoyed the company of others. Those who met with quilty friends or were members of real life groups and guilds. Although I have developed a lot of close friends through the internet and enjoyed meeting other like minded quilty peeps through the Let's Bee Social - I remained alone in real life - shut up in my own little sewing room.

During the past two years I have branched out of my safe zone and ventured out into the real world. I had begun to reach out to groups and guilds in my area and my events page quickly filled up with a list workshops and trunk shows that took me all over Ontario!!! I thought 2017 would have been a year of spending more time at home than away for Trunk Shows and Workshops, but my Events page filled up again and I made my way all over Ontario visiting guilds and meeting many wonderful people.What another exciting year of travelling and meeting so many new people and places.

I am thankful for the friendships that have been formed through my interactions with followers of this blog and the participants of the Let's Bee Social. Your support and your kind comments left on my post each week are appreciated more than you know. And I want to thank you all for providing me with the courage to reach out beyond the borders of the internet and for inspiring me to connect with people in my area who I otherwise would never have met.

This past year I also made my first trip to Houston, Texas for Quilt Market. It was way outside of my comfort zone. And a long way to travel. But I had my sister with me and had a wonderful time sharing my quilting adventure with her.

The year 2018 will be.... The YEAR OF CONTINUING TO ENJOY THE ADVENTURES!





2017 has been a pivotal year for me. A year of finishes and a year of firsts.

But also a year of hosting fun QUILT ALONGS.

Hosting the Elephant Parade and then the Dog Gone Cute quilt along in 2015 had been so much fun that I decided to host a few more quilt alongs. In 2016 we quilted along to the Ugly Christmas Sweaters and the MOD Bear Paw. This past year I shared all the instructions for the HaveAJollyLittleChristmas quilt along which was so much FUN!!! All of these quilt alongs can be found by clicking on the Quilt Alongs page tab at the top of my blog, just below the header. And these quilt alongs will always be there, so you can join in at any time.

New to Sew Fresh Quilts in 2017 was a virtual quilting bee - the Sew Fresh Quilt Bee. In commemoration of Canada's 150th anniversary, Sew Fresh Quilts hosted a quilt bee which was our way of taking part in "Canada's Big Quilt Bee". Our quilt blocks were made into quilts for donation to the Ronald McDonald House charity.

I have had a few people inquiring about a quilt along for 2018. I don't have anything definite planned yet, but the past quilt alongs have been so much fun, I'm sure I will come out with something in the new year!

The year 2018 will be.... The YEAR OF CONTINUING TO QUILT ALONG!

Making my first quilt was the first step in this journey. It was made with love for my daughter.

Starting this quilting blog was the second step in this journey. You have shown me your love and friendship. And your emotional support has helped to keep me from feeling alone.

Starting a small business through this quilting blog was the third step in this journey. Your support and encouragement has helped me to regain my financial and emotional independence.

In the new year I am preparing to take the next step in my personal journey. I am making plans to leave my husband. It's been 19 years of hoping for things that I know are never going to be. And it's come to the place where all that hope is gone. My children deserve to know what it is like to live in a place that is peaceful and safe. And that is what I am striving to provide for them in this new year.

If you are a praying person.... Please keep us in your prayers as you celebrate this wondrous Christmas season. And thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Linking up with Yvonne of Quilting Jet Girl for her 2018 Planning Party. It's not to late to join in the FUN! Write your own post for your Plans for 2018 and come join the party!

Also Linking up with Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs. It's not to late to join in the FUN! Write your own post for your Best of 2017 and come join the party!

Thank your to each and every one of you for all your support throughout the year!!!

This sale is almost over!
Get 30% off any purchase of $30 USD or more for the remainder of 2017.

Click here to go to my shop!

What are your plans for the coming year?

Looking forward to quilting along with you in 2018!!!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas...
a Happy New Year!

And....

Keep On Quilting On!

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