Reset...it's 2019

Every year, we reset our lives. We make promises, resolutions, and wishes for the year ahead. This year is no different. Last year wasn't so bad. I did have to look through trees to see the forest, but it's there. I try to find gratitude whenever possible. If it was not for the hard times, how would we recognize the good times. We need that basis to compare and to appreciate. I have to remind myself of that often. This year, I have a few plans, but no real resolutions. I do have wishes, but most of those are for friends and family who could use some extra love and happiness this year. I am doing okay.
So I thought I would do a look back on this past year and see what I accomplished in my crafty, sewing world.

January's biggest finish was my Penny Sampler quilt which I spent all of 2016 working on. One section per month and it was quilted and bound in January of 2017.

 February was the month I finished my QAYG clam bake quilt that I started in 2015 while I was not working and doing my cancer battle.

It was also the month I fell in love with the Ombre Confetti Dot fabric from V and Co. This might just be my all time favorite fabric.

March was the month I made this sweet bird quilt, which now lives in my daughter's house.

April was the month I made two quilts for Hands 2 Help for a children's charity.

May was the month I made this quilt for my niece who lost her father rather suddenly. It is remarkable how interesting is the simple Churn Dash block.

 June was the month of the Kingfisher Quilt Along. I fell in love with hexies after thinking for years there was no way I would ever do that.

And I signed up for the 100 Blocks 100 Days quilt challenge. I finished them all, and have since added a border to the flimsy. This year it will be quilted.

July was the month I started the Firefly quilt. The flimsy is done and will also be quilted this year.

August was the continuation of many of the above projects and the addition of this small wall hanging for my sister. She has a teacup collection. This was a Christmas gift.

September saw more Christmas projects get started, including some of these tiny houses for a wall hanging for my daughter.

October was busy. I was gone the first week and had still lots of Christmas sewing to do, but it also saw the start of this quilt for a friend in great need.

November was full of Christmas sewing. There were ornaments to be made and gifts to finish and wrap.

 December saw the finish of this beauty, which was happily received and is being loved and enjoyed on a daily basis.

And the finish of this dress for Miss N for Christmas. We traveled to NC for Christmas this year and came home with a lovely pair of colds, so nothing is happening here until I feel better.

I also decided to join up with Bonnie Hunter for the Good Fortune Mystery quilt and now I am two weeks behind due to traveling. I hope to feel better in the next couple of days so I can work on catching up. But if not, it will just be a mystery a bit longer here.
I hope you had happy holidays and that you have an abundance of good in the new year.

A Whole New Year

I find that I am having some trouble getting myself to blog, even when I have something I'd like to say or document. I think a part of the problem is that my computer is getting old and it makes every task on it painful and long and drawn out. But I am pushing through today, because what better way to start the new year, than to blog. I would love to get into a regular routine with my blog again. Maybe this will be that year. Looking back on this year...well it was very busy for sure.

 There were a bunch of dresses for my sweet granddaughter. This was one of my favorites from that group. Almost all were made with the Geranium pattern from Made by Rae.

 I made a bunch of pin cushions too. Some to try some tiny accurate piecing techniques and some to just use some scraps I couln't bear to toss out.

 There were a couple of baby quilts this year. Some that were made for fun, and then ended up being gifted.

 There were quilts made for friends in need. My favorite kind of special quilty hugs for those in need.

 A few small wall hanging quilts for a daughter who wanted some quilted wall art for her home. I do like these small ones as it's a good opportunity to try quilting methods on a smaller scale.

 A pillow cover or two because...well who can't use a fresh pillow cover sometimes?

 I began sewing with knits and found that it wasn't as scary as I thought it might be. Knits are actually quite nice to sew with.

 A bit of patchwork for a picnic blanket backed in canvas. This is a lovely project and so useful.

 Using up some of the many many scraps I have in my stash. A great way to flex your creativity.

 Using up some long held fabrics that I always said I would make a dress out of someday.

So all in all a pretty great year for sewing here in my new west coast place. I hope that this coming year brings lots of opportunities to sew and create. And perhaps I will find myself here a bit more often. That would be nice also. Happy New Year to all.

A Clean Slate

Happy New Year to all. This is the time of year when we all get a clean slate. We vow to be stronger, healthier, learn more, eat better...well you get the idea. Like many of you, I also have those goals for the new year. I prefer goals, to resolutions. Goals are achievable. Resolutions are often broken. Goals can be reset if you slip. One of my goals is to sew as much as I can from my stash this year. I have said it before, but this time, I am really going to work hard to make it happen. I am putting it out in the universe so I have some accountability.  The only exception to this will be fabrics for backings. I do not have many large chunks of fabrics for this. I will piece backs when I can, though.

 I have these wonderful fabrics to make a larger, bed size quilt for B. He will eventually be in a big boy bed and need one and I love these Sasparilla prints. I had trouble deciding on the colorway. I bought these on sale, though, so a good purchase in December.

 This is a fat quarter bundle of Dimple Dots. I got this on sale too, knowing they would be great blenders with other fabrics in my stash. These were one of my last purchases of the year.

 Sew now the sewing room is clean and tidy. It took me 3-4 days working after I got home from work. Christmas sewing had totally trashed it so I really couldn't create in there. I know you understand that, right? And there is my new orange chair. Got it at the PTA Thrift store for $10.

I have already started two new projects that aren't even on the official 2014 list I made. I received some great quilting books from Mr. GQ for Christmas, and yes, I asked for them so not too much of a surprise. I found a couple of projects that I really wanted to start and I went shopping in my stash quite successfully. So my goals are off to a good start.  I hope you have a great new year filled with successfully met goals also. Talk to you soon.