Best of 2015 Linky Party

Well, hello there! I'm technically still on my blogcation right now, but I couldn't resist doing this one post. Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Designs is hosting a Linky Party this week where we can share our five Best of 2015 posts. What and how we share is up to us. I've decided to share the five posts that were the most fun for me to write (plus a bonus post link--because I just couldn't leave it out). They aren't my most popular posts or ones with the most comments, but they please me most. They do have a theme--they're all about quilts I made for family. So here goes.

The first two are Throwback Thursday posts, where I share about quilts I made before I started blogging. I have more than thirty years worth of pre-blog quilts so I won't run out of these anytime soon. I really enjoy looking back at my old quilting projects. I've linked these up to various parties, most recently the Throwback Thursday party at A Quarter Inch from the Edge. (The button is on the right.) 

1. Throwback Thursday--Hetch Hetchy  This is about a quilt I made for my dad for his 90th birthday. It represents my love of tiny paper pieced designs of landscapes and buildings and my love of making little gift quilts of places meaningful to the recipients. We'll be celebrating Dad's 92nd birthday in a few days!

2. Throwback Thursday Quilt Edition--The 13-year Bed Quilt This is my favorite post this year about a pre-blog quilt. I made the quilt for me and my husband--and it has been around in one form (unfinished) or another (on our bed) for most of our marriage. It was so much fun remembering the process (and our long-ago life ) even though time has taken its toll on the quilt. The quilt will be replaced as soon as I get around to it. The marriage is still strong, though. No need for replacement.

The next two posts relate to the biggest events of our year--the births of our two grandsons. Two of the best reasons to make quilts!

3. Best Kind of Finish Okay, this post isn't about the quilt so much, but it WAS one of the most fun to write! The quilt was actually finished just before the end of 2014. You can read about it here (bonus link). 

4. He's here! This post is about the quilt I made for our second grandson. But it also represents the inspiration I get from other quilters in the blog community. The patterns on both the front and the back and the color idea for the quilt top are from blogs I read regularly. I truly enjoy getting to know other quilters through their blogs and their quilts.

And finally...

5. Big Quilt Flimsy Finish I had to include this one because it pretty much sums up what this year has been for me as far as quilting goes. I have finished 4 quilts as well as 18 tiny projects and have started 2 other quilts, but otherwise this is THE quilt this year. It's taken more time than I ever thought it would, and I've had to fill in with lots of posts about pre-blog quilts, vacations and flowers just to have something else to post about. I started planning this quilt near the beginning of the year, pieced it between April and June, and have been picking away at the quilting ever since. I'd like to say it's almost done, but it's not. It is over half way, though, and I'm happy to say that I'm getting faster, so I really hope to finish it this winter. It's for my son and daughter-in-law. I guess it's kind of a wedding present, except that they've been married for nearly 1 1/2 years. Sigh.

I have a few more days of blogcation, then I'll be back to show you the little things I made this past month, a sweet gift, my plans for the next project, and of course, more Throwback Thursday quilts. In the meantime, we continue with holiday celebrations here, and I'll also be sure to take a peek at all of your Best of 2015 posts. 

Have a Happy New Year! (And thanks, Cheryl, for hosting this party!)