Creative Expressions 2014: My Crafting Year in Review

2014 has come to an end, and I decided it would be a great opportunity to review all of the craft projects I completed this year. As I perused my blog for the past year, I was pleased by what I was able to accomplish in my hobbies in spite of working full time. 

Way back in January, I finished the Dreamweaver quilt for my daughter:

Dreamweaver Quilt

Following that, I completed Scrappy Shine:

Scrappy Shine

This one hasn't found a home yet, but I have a new great niece or nephew due in February. If it's a niece, this will be hers.

Bearly Hockey was finished in February and just recently I sent it to my great nephew, Leo.

Bearly Hockey

I had actually finished the quilt top in 2013, but didn't get it into the longarm studio right away.

In May I finished Florence Nightingale in time for Nursing Week:

Florence Nightingale Quilt

and used her as the backdrop for the nursing display:

Nursing Week 2014

In August, the Go Wild! quilt was completed:

Go Wild!

In September, I started my acrylic painting class and did this painting on my own:

Painted Trillium

Most of the class paintings are not worth sharing again, but there are a couple that I haven't completed yet that might be worth sharing eventually. 

In October I finished Wild Mustangs of the Painted Desert and gave it to friends who were moving away:

Wild Mustangs of the Painted Desert

I also finished the Law School quilt for the granddaughter of friends:

Law School

a perspective painting that I'm not ashamed to share:

Perspective Painting

and the Lace Enchantment Afghan:

Lace Enchantment Afghan

In November, my machine quilting classes gave me the courage to finish "So You Think You Can Quilt" on my domestic machine:

So You Think You Can Quilt

And a machine quilting sampler I started months before in an online class:

Machine Quilting Sampler

In December I completed Far Above Rubies for the daughter of friends:

Far Above Rubies

and shared my first Tunisian crochet project:

Tunisian Crochet Tote Bag

In the months when I didn't actually complete any projects, I was still busy: working on projects that I haven't finished yet, cooking and reviewing cookbooks, reading and reviewing other books as well, and adding to my stash of fabric and thread, of course. Throughout the year, I have been working on the Bluenose II Pixel quilt for my youngest sister, Cindy. Hopefully I will be able to share the finished project with you soon. I've got numerous other quilting, crocheting and painting projects either in progress or "on the drawing board." Unbroken is ready for the long arm and the Australian Tailor's Quilt just needs another border before it too is ready for quilting. There are at least two more bed size quilts to be produced: a Swoon quilt for my sister Judy and probably a mosaic quilt for my sister Nancy. And there are some new books from Net Galley that will need to be reviewed. It looks like 2015 will be another productive year.
Wishing everyone the best of the New Year.

Laura