Needles and a Pen » Knitting, Sewing, and Nursing School

Since I have two portrait sessions and one wedding on New Years Eve I decided to write this a couple of days early.  I’ve seen a couple of ‘reign in the new year’ posts this week and remembered that I’d done a similar wrap-up last year.  It was fun to go back and revisit it.

I speculated that we’d see more pink, 70s throw backs, and hand stitching details.  I’m not sure if any of that really happened, but maybe.  😛  I wanted the sewing world to get over the obsession with big names, and I think to a certain extent this has actually happened a bit in terms of bloggers revisiting why they blog, why they do certain projects, and many stepping back a bit.  For me that’s been true, too.  The Psych class I took this fall prompted me to make a big change that really cut into my sewing time.  After reading that the factors in women’s happiness are not marital status or children or money, but sleep and feeling that you have the tools/time you need at work to do your job, I decided to make a change.  Women who get more sleep are happier, so I began going to bed much earlier.  It’s rare to see me up past 10:30 now (when I used to regularly see midnight) and once or twice a week will find me going to bed after I put the kids down at 7:30.  Cutting caffeine out of my diet and going to bed early have made me a happier person…but they’re also responsible for this blog being a bit of a ghost town these last few months!

For my own projects, I was nervous to look at my list.  I hadn’t checked it this year so I thought I’d have a bunch of non-completes, but I was wrong!  I wanted to:

–finish Sherbet pips quilt

–make a solids only quilt

-make a plus sign quilt and cross quilt (the top for this was started at least!)

–buy a vintage sewing machine

–more apparel sewing (lots of dresses for Ellie, some pajamas for Will, and skirts and even several tops for me!)

I decided to answer the same survey questions for this year!

Looking back on the sewing scene of 2011, what trends stand out in your mind?

After the big ‘dumbing down’ debate it was interesting to see a quiet shift toward more complicated patterns from modern quilters.  I feel like even though everyone staunchly stood by the simple quick quilt patterns, there was something of a “challenge accepted” mentality about it all.  I’ve loved seeing older and more difficult blocks tackled by the many talented quilters in the blogosphere.

PINTEREST.  I doubt any of us crafters will ever be the same.  So many pins, so little time.

What were some of your favorite things? (Trends, fabric collections, patterns, blogs? Whatever you really loved.)

Sarah Jane’s Children at Play collection stands out to me as a big fave from this year.  I also loved the Summer Sampler Series.  Buying a serger was one of the best things I did in 2011.  A steal on Craigslist, the serger gets used a TON and really opened up apparel sewing for me.

What was your very favorite fabric collection or print? (If not listed above.)

Children at Play takes the cake for me.  I loved the DS Quilts collection at Joanns but the big quality issues in the second two lines were a major disappointment.

What was the best thing you made in 2010? (Be sure to share a photo!)

My Sherbet Pips quilt.  I’m so sad I didn’t make it in a queen size.

The project I’m most proud to have completed, though, is my UFO finish for the year.

What is one of the best things you saw that was made by someone else?

Looking at the mosaic I made last year was fun, so here’s another one!

 

What do you think 2012 has in store? (Again, trends, fabric, patterns, etc.)

I’m going to take a guess and say that the interest in traditional and more complex blocks might transition into more hand applique in modern quilts.  I’m also guessing that paper piecing is going to be big in 2012.

Anything you’re ready for the sewing world to get over?

Navel gazing.  It’s just fabric that we cut apart and sew back together and take pictures of and post online.

What’s on your sewing agenda for 2012? What are you excited about? What would you like to learn more about?

I want 2012 to be about finishing projects I’ve planned and have the supplies for versus planning for MORE projects.  I’m committed to making a sizable dent in my stash.  Here are a few projects that I’m looking forward to:

– a lone star quilt

– a kaleidoscope quilt

– finishing Ellie’s quiet book in time for her Jan 28th birthday

– finishing Will’s Children at Play wonky log cabin quillow in time for his Feb 20th birthday

– finishing the Ruby patchwork quilt (needs to be quilted and bound) before spring

– more Wiksten Tova tops for me

– at least two vintage pattern clothing items for Ellie

– a dress for me

– growing my hand pieced star quilt by 20 stars

– finishing one UFO

-a bow tie quilt

Here’s a mosaic of many of my 2011 projects, which includes 13 completed quilts!