Happy end of the year, !

We're getting down to the wire of this year and this will be the last newsletter for 2013! It's been a wonderful year full of learning, trying new things, making mistakes, and figuring out how to fix them.

When I look back at the past year, the one thing I'm most thankful for is learning how to overcome my drive for perfection. So often I feel pressure to create perfect quilts, with perfect quilting, simply because there is always at least ONE person that likes to point out and highlight my mistakes.

What I've realized this year is I don't quilt for that one person. I quilt for myself, and learning how to accept my ability, wherever it is on any given day, and within the time limits I have, has been both a joy and relief. I'm tired of being nit picky, I'm really sick of ripping out every tiny mistake, and I definitely like getting projects done faster with less worry about what everyone will think of it.

I read something right before Thanksgiving this year that also contributed to my new happily imperfect mentality. It was an article written by Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, and how she plans out big meals like a Thanksgiving dinner. After planning everything out, she always stops and asks herself:

This caused a revolution in my brain because I don't think I have ever, EVER asked myself that question.

My usual habit is to pick the most complicated, fiddly, annoyingly time consuming way of doing something, and then end up feeling frustrated and angry with myself after getting neck deep in a method that is ultimately no fun.

But that simple question - How can I make this simple? How can I make this easy? - is helping me change this habit and stop and reconsider decisions, particularly quilting construction decisions, and make easier, simpler choices before the fabric is even cut.

Without this new mentality, I don't think I would have been able to finish the Building Blocks Quilt Pattern in time for 2014.

There were two blocks I originally designed that ended up being too complicated for the finished quilt. In years past, I would have become locked into the decision of using these blocks and added loads of stress and complication to completing the pattern.

This year I asked myself that magical question and the solution came easily - design another block! Don't fight the pattern, don't fight complication! Just simplify!

All of this might sound extraordinarily obvious. Duh...simplicity is key! To someone like me, however, this is a cause for celebration to know that I'm allowed to make a quilt and not spend three weeks agonizing over every fabric color in my stash. It's okay to pick just two colors!

Ultimately when I boil down this search for simplicity, I find the root issues are love and self-acceptance.

The drive for perfection is a drive for something else, not for what I can do with the time and energy I have today, but I what I should be able to do if I was only good enough. Perfection always focuses on what is lacking, even the tiniest mistake that no one else will notice.

To choose to let go of this perfection drive is to choose love over lacking. It's to say to yourself:

"I am enough and what I make, no matter if it wins a ribbon in a quilt show, or it gets worn out on my son's bed for the next 10 years, it has made me happy and content to make it."

That happiness and contentment starts, I believe, with simplicity.

Since I was a little girl, I've loved the Shaker song Tis a Gift to be Simple. Only now I realize that the song is not talking about a real gift, like a rustic carved wooden toy, but the gift of a simple life. It can set you free.

Speaking of free...let's check in on the Free Motion Quilting Project and see what's been posted this week:

Quilting IS Funny - Megan Dougherty, the author of The Bitchy Stitcher blog has just self published her first book of hilarious quilting stories titled Quilting Isn't Funny. Check out my review to see if you'll find this book of irreverent humor funny or not!

Josh's Non-Quilting Tip #1 - Josh hasn't been quilting because we've both been neck deep in a bathroom remodel disaster. If you're thinking about remodeling, or planning to hire anyone to do any work for you in the future, make sure to read this post and not make the same mistakes we did. And, fair warning: this is a Holiday horror story.

79. Free Motion Quilt Space Feather #420 - Here's a pretty feather design perfect for borders, sashing, or filling massive areas of your next quilt. The best part: minimal travel stitching so it will be simple to quilt as well!

Find all of these articles plus hundreds more right here on the Free Motion Quilting Project.

Yep, we are going on vacation after Christmas and during this time, the Quilt Shop at LeahDay.com will only feature our digital, download products.

So if you are wanting to order a quilting kit, physical book, or some tools to free motion quilt up a storm with after the holidays, make sure to place your order before December 25th.

The store will return to normal on January 2nd. Click here to place your order now.

So that's it for this last newsletter for 2013! It's been a terrific year, full of love, joy of learning new things, and excitement of changing mentalities. And on that note...

Let's go quilt,

Leah Day