Sunday, December 26, 2021

Best of 2021

It's the end of another year, and once again it's time to join the Best of linky party that Cheryl Brickey at Meadow Mist Designs hosts every year. I admit that I look forward to writing this post every year!

This year I really focused on finishing quilts over piecing quilt tops, and not only that, but finishing quilt tops that I particularly love. It's hard for me to finish my favorites, because it means the infinite potential is gone, but I also know there's really no use for a shelf full of quilt tops I can't use. So, I made it a point to finish quite a few of my favorites, and I will hopefully continue that trend for 2022 as well.

Most Challenging: Bohemian Spark

Bohemian Spark was a real challenge both to piece and to quilt! It was entirely paper-pieced, but the pieces are huge and the edges are biased, and assembly was a pain. Quilting this was also very challenging due to the long lines and figuring out an efficient quilt path. I love the finished product though!

Most Fun: Glass Candies

Glass Candies was such a fun quilt to make due to the fact that the entire quilt is made up of half-square triangles (which are my favorite thing), the fabric (Ombre Confetti) was so bright and colorful, and the quilting was very fun and easy.

Most Surprising: City Tiles

I went into the quilting design of City Tiles with the idea of making it look very different from what I usually do. I decided to experiment with large unquilted areas adjacent to dense matchstick quilting, and the effect turned out much better than I expected.

Most Inspired: Winterfresh

Most of the time when I make a quilt, I either use a kit or a fat quarter bundle. Winterfresh was an exception because I picked yardage from my stash that were all from different collections, and I'm in love with the vibe of this quilt, which has a minty, fresh, snowy feel.

Favorite Quilt: Spectrum

Finally, my favorite quilt of the year is still Spectrum which I made at the beginning of the year. The piecing was very easy and the quilting was much simpler than what I usually do, but I just love how the fabric glows. It's perhaps no coincidence that Observatory by Alison Glass, the fabric collection here, is one of my favorite fabric collections ever.

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I spent less time quilting this year and more time on my other pursuits, and I expect that to continue next year also. However, I feel much less stressed or pressured when I'm quilting now, and that allows me to enjoy it much more.

Be sure to head over to the linky party to check out everybody else's posts. Have a great New Year and I'll see you all next year!

14 comments:

  1. Those quilt tops definitely deserved to see the finish line. Well done.

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  2. Really beautiful quilts with strong graphic appeal. I am especially drawn to City Tiles. Your quilting is amazing!

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  3. I love your Bohemian Spark - absolutely worth all the agony while piecing it.

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  4. It's always such a treat to get to see your beautiful work, Liz. I'm so glad that you feel less stressed and pressured when you are quilting and I hope you have a wonderful 2022!

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  5. Beautiful quilts, I love your graphic style! And your quilting in each one is the icing on the cake!

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  6. Each of your 5 fav quilts are so interesting to examine as a quilter, Liz!!! The different fabrics and quilting, as well as the designs. And so beautiful. Great that you've found a good balance between quilting and the rest of life!

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  7. I adore your work, and it's a joy to see a collection of your beautiful finishes here! Really admire how your quilting adds so much to each quilt.

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  8. They are all gorgeous. And the quilting is phenomenal! Definitely happy you prioritized finishing them. Such beauties. xo Melanie

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  9. They are all spectacular and the quilting is over the top. You did a great job on all of them and making them sparkle with added design. Thank you for sharing.

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  10. I'm so glad you decided to quilt some of those quilt tops. They are just stunning. I look forward to seeing a few more in 2022!

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  11. These are such spectacular quilts and I love seeing the different quilting motifs you use in each area to highlight and create additional texture and interest. Congrats on such wonderful finishes for 2021! Thanks for linking up and Happy New Year!

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  12. Each of your quilts are beautiful. The quilting is spectacular and takes my breath away. Looking forward to your 2022 finishes!

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  13. Such a great goal for 2021...and absolutely spectacular quilted textures!! Wow!!

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