I am very excited for the upcoming year.  2014 is taking me on quilting adventures that I have never been on before.

I have to begin with what I am most excited about and that is the #NGAQB.  What’s that you say!  Well, for background you should know about the antics I have had on Instragram.  I blame it on Rio.  No, actually I have to blame it on molli_sparkles (http://www.mollisparkles.com/).  It was a few months back where several us on IG were going back and forth on some posts and he was kind enough to suggest that we do a quilt bee with just the guys.  It became known as the No Girls Allowed Quilt Bee and we are all looking forward to the 2014 adventures we are going to have.

I have to admit to a bit of an intimidation factor going on!  Some of the guys in the group have quite impressive credentials and I am hoping that my work is up to the challenge!  Hopefully they won’t kick me out when I forget to clip a thread!

But I really have in a short period of time developed a feeling of quilt community and camaraderie with all the guys who are involved in this adventure.  I will be honest – quilting has for me been a rather solo endeavor.  I tried to get involved in quilt groups before with limited success (being the only guy was just wretched).  And while these days I have evolved into someone who can walk into a quilt shop and just have fun, there was a time where the ‘oh, did your wife send you here for something’ or ‘you look a little lost’ sometimes irritated me enough that I left!  I have not had that happen lately, especially here where I am known in both my LQS and the local Joann’s (yes, I know the store layout better than some of the folks who work there which is a little scary).  So this bee adventure is a big step for me in terms of growing as a quilter and becoming more engaged with those who share my passion for fabric and quilting.

Look for massive doses of postings here and on IG in the month of May!  I have asked for blocks that will be used to complete something I started a while back when this was posted to IG.  This so caught my attention that I started cutting squares of fabric at 4:00 a.m. and had the layout on my design wall by 7!  He is just waiting for the blocks I have requested and then I plan on doing a better banner across the top.  We will see!

I’ve completed my January blocks which have gone off to the UK and am mailing my February blocks off as well.  Overachiever?  Probably a little bit but also really, really nervous since this is the first time I have done something like this and I am really obsessing about time commitments (work is looking to be a real zoo in January and February).  The excellent pattern and tutorial was from http://thepeonyteacup.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/lone-starburst-paper-pieced-block.html.

I also mailed off my February blocks (shhhhh, he doesn’t know it yet).

The other 2014 adventure I will definitely be taking is the a quilt along using the Feathers pattern by Nydia Kehnle and Alison Glass.  Love Alison Glass’ fabric, love the pattern and am looking forward to doing this.  Not sure if I will finish in time (but I hope to!).

And then of course I confess to a few leftovers from 2013 which need to be quilted.  I need to get back to a lovely project using V Christenson Simply Style fabrics.  And I can adventure back  into Tula Pink blocks or 500 Blocks or…well, all the things I’d like to do just is very long, so we shall see as the year progresses.  The most important part for me is that I will be undertaking all kinds of new quilting adventures in 2014 and hope you will be too.  Happy and healthy new year to all!