Welcome 2024 and first completed Quilt of the New Year!

Here we are at the start of another journey around the sun.  This past year was not what I expected.  I had thought, "No new projects", going into the start of 2023.  I guess we need to consider that goal a fail, given I added 5, no 6 new projects this year - but is that really a "fail", or just a commitment to the joy of quilting?  I've updated my UFO tracker, if you are curious.  You can find it here:  UFO tracker

Even though we are only 4 days into the new year, I already have my first quilt completion.  I tried on New Year's Eve to make this a completion for 2023, but at 11:59 I put the quilt and my needle down and conceded that I was not going to get the binding completed.  Last night, I finished the binding and the labelling of "Summer Swag".  This quilt was based on a workshop our guild held with Krista Moser.  One of the great things from the COVID pandemic was the chance for guilds to engage virtual speakers and teachers from far away for their meetings and workshops.  We had Krista come and do both - speak and lead a workshop.  I can't say how much I enjoyed her energy and positivity.

My husband came with me to select the fabrics for this quilt and it was my first time using a paper pantograph with my longarm.  I don't know if it was the pantograph pattern that was selected, or my inexperience with the longarm, but it was not my favourite way to quilt.  The next one will be a custom quilt job, to be sure!

Here is the end result, and I'm quite proud of it.

So, here's to 2024, and striving for a low cost, high completion, fewer UFOs year.  I've also set myself a target to get more engaged with this blog and hope to capture my quilting journey as I progress forward.