2013 Somewhere close to the top 50

As 2013 is quickly coming to a close, I find myself reviewing the year, the accomplishments, failures, neglects, etc.  There is no doubt that this has been a pivotal year for the business and for my quilting.  I have been happy all 4 years that I have been quilting, but this year has certainly had some great rewards. A huge thank you to those of you that contributed to this accomplishment list.  The names are too many to list, but I know who you are.

1. approximately 100 client quilts
2. 2/3 of which are custom
3. 7 show quilts (and this does not count my own)
4. 4 of my own show quilts...patience they will be revealed in due time
5. OK, they will be finished in due time.
6. The count also neglects several gift quilts
7. I should have kept track of thread cones purchased.  It is greater!
8. THAT would be my perfect gift (since I am a thread junkie)
9. or a computer for the machine...
10. OK, that one requires a $10k lottery first
11. My daughter longarm quilted her first quilt this year.  
12. She's only 7
13. I sent 8 different quilts to 20 different shows this year
14. They brought home five honorable mentions, two 3rds, six 2nds, six 1sts, one best machine quilting, and four Best of Shows
15. and several other things like judge's choice and teacher's ribbons
16. Yes, there are always a number of shows that your beloved quilt just comes home from, sans ribbon.
17. But this was a tremendous year at the shows - more big wins than before
18. I had a few ribbons also on client quilts.
19. Memory is fuzzy, but there was a 1st at Jax Quiltfest, BOS at a prominent NJ guild show, best machine quilting at a prominent greater-Atlanta guild show, and a 3rd at NQA.
20. My clients that dare to enter shows do well too.
21. Handi Quilter asked me to be a part of their advertising again.
22. A crazy 3-hr photo shoot lead to a great magazine ad that is still running in quilting magazines
23. I am also on the side of a truck
24. Crazy, huh?
25. Zen Garden was chosen for the cover of MQU magazine
26. There was also a nice article on my life in quilting inside, with pictures of my quilts
27. Zen also graced the Vermont Quilt Festival class catalog cover
28. Speaking of covers, sort of...Rainbow Nouveau was used for the Georgia Quilt Show's banners, catalogs and advertising this year.  How cool?!
29. I wrote an article for MQU magazine about the design of a client's show quilt
30. It came out in November
31. I was asked to write 7 more articles for the magazine for next year.  Who could refuse?
32. My quilts were also included in at least 3 other magazines this year as well.
33. I got two quilts into AQS Paducah
34. After not being accepted last year, this was a high accomplishment.
35. After winning nice cash at the Lancaster show, I took myself to Paducah for the show.
36. Zen Garden was sporting an HM, and hanging amongst the world's best quilts.
37. Truly, this is the creme de la creme of quilts.  Yup, technically better than Houston.
38. Summer brings a screeching halt to high-production quilting (kids home), so I changed focus to my own hand work
39. One of next season's quilts is mostly hand appliqued, and nearing completion
40. It's gorgeous, if I do toot my own horn, just a little.
41. One of my new 2013 quilts, Big Bertha, was accepted into Houston this year.
42. MQU magazine asked me to come to Houston to the show, and to work in the magazine's booth
43. So, I got to experience Houston, and see my quilt in the show.
44. Not sure I will enter this one again soon though.  Many rogue thoughts for a private discussion.
45. So I leave this 2013 with quilt designs running rampant in my head.
46. What will 2014 bring?...
47. Use of more silk fabric
48. I am considering several things from teaching to a book to publishing patterns, in no particular order
49. ok, the book is a crazy pipe dream.  The others seem more tangible.
50. But I do have one of my own quilts that is being published in someone else's book, as well as one I quilted for someone in a different book.  Not too shabby.
51. I am grateful for all the wonderful client quilts you send me.  Keep making them.
52. They give me creative license to practice what I love and to create new designs.
53. I hope to actually quilt a couple of the tops that I seem to have been hoarding the last 12-18 months.
54. I hope to post to this blog more frequently
55. and waste less time staring at my friends facebook entries
56. I've met several of my FB pals in real life this year at shows, and they are great people.
57. What will you create this year?
58. What are your goals?
59. Have a great holiday