2017 was a strange year for me with lots of highs and lows.
Some of my plans got completely derailed (and that’s putting
it mildly – bed rest and restricted activity for months on end will do that!)
while others weren’t even on my radar. But when opportunity comes knocking you
gotta answer the door, right?!
it mildly – bed rest and restricted activity for months on end will do that!)
while others weren’t even on my radar. But when opportunity comes knocking you
gotta answer the door, right?!
It’s great to have an action plan, but life sometimes
has other plans for you and you have to be willing to go with the flow. That
was certainly a theme for me this past year.
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KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2017
The unanticipated included being asked by Tamara Kate to
participate in her Frolic fabric collection blog hop. I am always honoured to
be asked to create with a fellow designer’s collection and I was particularly touched
that Tamara thought of me. I ended up designing and releasing my first quilt pattern
of the year Spring is in the Air because of that project!
participate in her Frolic fabric collection blog hop. I am always honoured to
be asked to create with a fellow designer’s collection and I was particularly touched
that Tamara thought of me. I ended up designing and releasing my first quilt pattern
of the year Spring is in the Air because of that project!
I was also invited by RJR Fabrics to participate in their
What Shade Are You series, which just blew my mind! I was beyond excited and
felt like I was really starting to make a name for myself in our awesome
industry. This project also led to me releasing my second and third patterns
the Plus Infinity and Plus Infinity Mini quilts 😊
What Shade Are You series, which just blew my mind! I was beyond excited and
felt like I was really starting to make a name for myself in our awesome
industry. This project also led to me releasing my second and third patterns
the Plus Infinity and Plus Infinity Mini quilts 😊
Given the fact that I love our community so much, I’m always
thrilled to be able to participate in and support community activities. It’s
unfortunate that several of them were sparked by truly horrific incidents, but
I’m still amazed by the love, kindness and ability to rally together to show
support to others that our community demonstrates during hard times. The call to
action put out by my local Montreal Modern Quilt Guild in response to the Québec
mosque attack was the first and prompted me to design a free quilt block.
The Manchester Quilting Bee was another quilt drive that I was happy to
be able to contribute to.
thrilled to be able to participate in and support community activities. It’s
unfortunate that several of them were sparked by truly horrific incidents, but
I’m still amazed by the love, kindness and ability to rally together to show
support to others that our community demonstrates during hard times. The call to
action put out by my local Montreal Modern Quilt Guild in response to the Québec
mosque attack was the first and prompted me to design a free quilt block.
The Manchester Quilting Bee was another quilt drive that I was happy to
be able to contribute to.
While I haven’t finished the quilt, I’m super close with just
a few blocks to go, the Sewcial Bee Sampler was one of the first quilt alongs
that I participated in and it was such a good one! Sharon and Maureen did a
great job of hosting and the community I met throughout the journey was beyond
priceless. You can see Row 1,
Row 2,
Row 3 and Row 4 which have been completed!
a few blocks to go, the Sewcial Bee Sampler was one of the first quilt alongs
that I participated in and it was such a good one! Sharon and Maureen did a
great job of hosting and the community I met throughout the journey was beyond
priceless. You can see Row 1,
Row 2,
Row 3 and Row 4 which have been completed!
Another impromptu project was the 100-day project.
It was a creative challenge that I had absolutely zero plans to tackle in 2017,
but turned out to be exactly what I needed. You can read more about the First 50-days here and the Last 50-days here.
It was a creative challenge that I had absolutely zero plans to tackle in 2017,
but turned out to be exactly what I needed. You can read more about the First 50-days here and the Last 50-days here.
My Pink Lemonade quilt is a personal project I designed awhile
back, picked my colourway in September 2016 and spent the better part of 2017
working on slowly hand quilting her. She was a beacon of hope and comfort
during my time of grief and she reminded me that quilting can bring you solace
and joy even during dark times. The pattern has been drafted and tested by my
awesome pattern testers and will be released in 2018.
I had a goal of getting published and managed to get two
projects featured in Make Modern Magazine’s monthly features section in Issue18 and Issue 19!
projects featured in Make Modern Magazine’s monthly features section in Issue18 and Issue 19!
My publishing features didn’t stop there! I was invited by
the lovely Stephanie from the Modern Sewciety Podcast for a chat on her show. I loved that talk! We had such an amazing time chatting for the
first time and I could have gone on chatting with her for the entire day. My
goal is now to find a way of meeting up in person so we can just hang out and
talk about ALL things quilty 😉
the lovely Stephanie from the Modern Sewciety Podcast for a chat on her show. I loved that talk! We had such an amazing time chatting for the
first time and I could have gone on chatting with her for the entire day. My
goal is now to find a way of meeting up in person so we can just hang out and
talk about ALL things quilty 😉
I was also featured in Michelle Bartholomew’s monthly newsletter series,
which was amazing, as I’ve loved her newsletter for such a long time. In fact,
it’s one of the first quilty newsletters I ever signed up for and it’s still
one that I look forward to every month.
which was amazing, as I’ve loved her newsletter for such a long time. In fact,
it’s one of the first quilty newsletters I ever signed up for and it’s still
one that I look forward to every month.
Another amazing feat was being picked to participate in Stash
Fabrics 2017 Design Star Challenge!! It was my first year participating and I was
shocked and beyond thrilled to make the first cut. Then the second cut!
And the third!
And actually had my fabric bundle offered as a limited edition fat quarter bundle for sale – super awesome and a dream come true ! This challenge resumes in the New Year
and I can’t wait to see what the next theme will be 😉
Fabrics 2017 Design Star Challenge!! It was my first year participating and I was
shocked and beyond thrilled to make the first cut. Then the second cut!
And the third!
And actually had my fabric bundle offered as a limited edition fat quarter bundle for sale – super awesome and a dream come true ! This challenge resumes in the New Year
and I can’t wait to see what the next theme will be 😉
Camelot Fabrics is a local fabric company that I just love
working with and was thrilled to be able to help them get ready for Spring
Quilt Market by making this Cats in Boxes quilt featuring their soon to be release Meow Collection. Beyond cute for any fellow cat
lover!
working with and was thrilled to be able to help them get ready for Spring
Quilt Market by making this Cats in Boxes quilt featuring their soon to be release Meow Collection. Beyond cute for any fellow cat
lover!
Those are some of the biggest highlights of the year and
most of them weren’t planned!
most of them weren’t planned!
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2018 GOALS
So, what are my goals for 2018?!
Family – First and foremost is to focus a little more on family. Running
a business takes a lot of time and energy (which I love investing in), but life is flying by and I don’t
want to miss out on special moments with my loved ones. So, a better balance
between work and life is a key goal.
a business takes a lot of time and energy (which I love investing in), but life is flying by and I don’t
want to miss out on special moments with my loved ones. So, a better balance
between work and life is a key goal.
Design Quilt Patterns – Focus more on designing quilt patterns. This is another area
where a lot of time is required. It’s amazing how long it takes to draft a good
quilt pattern. I’m hoping to release at least 4 patterns in 2018, maybe more,
but 4 is my current goal.
where a lot of time is required. It’s amazing how long it takes to draft a good
quilt pattern. I’m hoping to release at least 4 patterns in 2018, maybe more,
but 4 is my current goal.
Get Published – Get a quilt project published. I’m still a little shy about submitting
new ideas to magazines, but based on the great success I had in 2017, I have no
reason not to try!
new ideas to magazines, but based on the great success I had in 2017, I have no
reason not to try!
Clear my WIP Pile – It would be really nice
to clear the decks of projects that have been kicking around, some for a couple
of years. I’m not sure if my Dresden plate quilt will get finished, it’s a beast
of a quilt and I’m hand quilting the entire quilt. So, that may be a little bit
ambitious. But I’ve got my Libs Elliott Weight of Love quilt,
my Sewcial Bee Sampler, my 52 Weeks with the Quilters Planner and a few others
that would feel really awesome to see come to completion.
to clear the decks of projects that have been kicking around, some for a couple
of years. I’m not sure if my Dresden plate quilt will get finished, it’s a beast
of a quilt and I’m hand quilting the entire quilt. So, that may be a little bit
ambitious. But I’ve got my Libs Elliott Weight of Love quilt,
my Sewcial Bee Sampler, my 52 Weeks with the Quilters Planner and a few others
that would feel really awesome to see come to completion.
Explore my Quilt Design Style – On the quilting front, I would like to spend a little more
time just exploring and playing. This may take the form of mini art quilts that
I’m toying with the idea of selling. I don’t often sell my completed quilts,
unless it’s a commission, but 2018 may see that change.
time just exploring and playing. This may take the form of mini art quilts that
I’m toying with the idea of selling. I don’t often sell my completed quilts,
unless it’s a commission, but 2018 may see that change.
Make Some Quilts – Ha! This is probably an obvious one, but one that still warrants jotting down so I don’t feel guilty when I create! I also have at least 2 key quilts that need to be made to
mark some major milestones. I look forward to sharing those with you!
mark some major milestones. I look forward to sharing those with you!
Free Motion Quilting – I would also like to explore more free motion quilting. My first
try was on my Hexie Stripe quilt and I absolutely adored the outcome. So, why not push the boundaries and try some
new techniques?!
try was on my Hexie Stripe quilt and I absolutely adored the outcome. So, why not push the boundaries and try some
new techniques?!
Create a How to Quilt Series – I’ve been wanting to launch a How to Quilt series and already
have some posts ready to go. Hopefully 2018 will be the year to see that come
to fruition.
have some posts ready to go. Hopefully 2018 will be the year to see that come
to fruition.
More Organized – Being more organized with my social media would be ideal too!
I generally have a plan, but often post in an organic way based on what’s
happening here and now. This can lead to a little inconsistency, which I would
like to avoid. We shall see how that one goes 😉
I generally have a plan, but often post in an organic way based on what’s
happening here and now. This can lead to a little inconsistency, which I would
like to avoid. We shall see how that one goes 😉
Open to the Unexpected – Continue to be open to going with the flow and accepting new
opportunities that unexpectedly arise.
opportunities that unexpectedly arise.
Be More Intentional with my Time – Coming back to my first objective, I would like to more focused with my time in general. Whether it be social media, business planning or creating, I want there to be a focused goal with what I’m doing, not just doing for the sake of doing. As it relates to social media, I don’t want to go MIA, but I want to be sure I’m truly connecting rather than just scrolling! Anyone else feel like they
lose hours every week to just scrolling?! I love all the
connections I’ve made, I just want to be sure I’m being intentional with my social media time so that I’m making the most of my
time every day.
lose hours every week to just scrolling?! I love all the
connections I’ve made, I just want to be sure I’m being intentional with my social media time so that I’m making the most of my
time every day.
Whew, that’s a long list
and it doesn’t even include all my business goals, which may be a little boring
for you to listen to me ramble on about!!!
and it doesn’t even include all my business goals, which may be a little boring
for you to listen to me ramble on about!!!
I’ll leave it at that! And look forward to seeing what 2018
turns out to be and what unexpected goodies it has in store for me 😉
turns out to be and what unexpected goodies it has in store for me 😉
And, as always, I look forward to sharing all the new
projects and updates with you along the way!
projects and updates with you along the way!
Here’s to an amazing 2018!!
xo
Shannon
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Thank you so much for sharing and linking up, Shannon. What a beautiful recap and I just love those moments of connection and organic growth. I am excited to see what you create in 2018, and I hope you can navigate the family/work/social media balance more mindfully having set that as your #1 priority. Happy New Year!
Quite the year you had – it was exciting and fun for me to follow all your quilty adventures and I look forward to following along in 2018! Best of luck with your goals and I wish you a happy, healthy and productive year! I also wish to see you in person a little more this coming year! 😘