anyone else "stretching" their skills with the start of the New Year?
 

I have 3 things I'm working on (or will be) that truly are stretching my skills.
The first is a quilted vest for my DS. I took a class with Kris Viera a couple summers ago on making fancy quilted clothing and have the 'parts' on the quilting frame right now. She recommends marking the pieces on the fabric at the next larger size and then quilting before cutting out. it is suppose to be a Christmas present and they arrive tomorrow-maybe Valentine's Day??

The 2nd "stretch" is one of those pre-cut fusible wall hangings where you just place and press, right?? Ha! while I'm super relieved that I bought the pre-cut, my wall hanging is taking much longer than I expected cause there are so many TINY pieces! I'm using a tweezers to hold some on the pieces in place! You fuse the parts on a Teflon pressing sheet using the pattern and a plastic placement sheet that you make up. then you fuse it all together on the background. once I figured out the system of placing pieces it's going faster. Would I do another one--I think so--but only if pre-cut!

My last stretch is the Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt--although I'm waiting for all the instructions to get started as thinking I'll make it smaller and maybe different colors--I have absolute NO corals! BH always makes me "stretch" my piecing skills and aim for accuracy--always something I need.

What is your "stretch" for 2018??

I just did FMQ on a real quilt... that's a stretch for me

I remember seeing your post and thinking, first time??? really??? your's looked sooo much better than my first attempt!

I doubt I do anything to stretch my skills. Still working with lots of scraps.

Just started appliquing and gonna tackle a Baltimore Album quilt using trapunto method in 2018. I've watched every YouTube and read every blog article I could find...think I'm ready...Eeek!

Actually, I am going in the opposite direction. I have just started two more Boxed Squares. These are numbers 13, and 14. I do love this pattern.

About stretching...I might have my sister show me paper piecing.

I stretch my skills every year. I make it a point to learn something new every year

Oh, yes, every year I attempt to challenge myself. This past year I stretched my skills to include multiple quilting motifs and styles, QAYG, and the size (biggest yet for me, almost a twin)---all in the same quilt! (My sister's b'day quilt called Providence Lodge, which I posted recently.) It was worth the effort and now I'm not scared of FMQ at all. I'm not saying I'm good at it; I'm just saying my confidence is much stronger and I feel victorious.

For the coming year, I will try to:

-make a quilt with curved pieces
-set a quilt on point
-create a black & white quilt (and maybe one other color with it) to get out of my color norm

Curves. Did one in a "class" at a social sew. But have not continued the project. Love Drunkards Path in Batiks.

I’m doing the BH mystery which is a big stretch for me since it involves so many small pieces and lots more patience than I usually am able to muster - not to mention the whole following directions thing:D
Rob