Gone To The Beach: 01.06.2024

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Quilts, dreams, Musings, Plans etc 2023-2024

First blog post of the year! Time flies by. "The days are so long, but the years---they go so fast." If only we could hold on to the ''little kid' years, the holiday excitement, the wonder the joy. Mo and I are feeling lonely today.

I didn't get this post written yesterday as planned. I spent the day putting in storm windows and extra insulation of bubble wrap, in case the storm brewing is high winds and snow.

2023 was not a very productive quilting year, no new large, a few small. This was mostly deliberate, as I had taken a step back with my quilting, asking why , for what---since they are Dumpster bound. Of course the joy is in the planning and making, the final product is less important. I know that but still...

Cartwheels.

Blocks bought on eBay during Covid, finally quilted [Quilters Imagination/ Lori C] and bound this spring.

Giraffe in Egypt, a carryover from Lori/ HQ's antique block challenge. Handquilted by me.

Ladybugs and Lemonade, a utility nap quilt for a child:

Temecula Quilt Company, super micromini phone rest quilt. A challenge in hand piecing, as I recall.

Welcome ~ The Hospitality Pineapple finished. [quilted by Lori C.]

Top completed. Liberty Pumpkin by Jan Patek. [a wink and a shrug for IG and elsewhere online ''influencers and sheepy-followers'' that start Fall decor day after Fourth of July.

Parsonsfield, Lori/ Humble Quilts Fall sewalong. A challenge in ''low volume". Partially done/ In work. I stopped bec of holiday prep.

Flamingo Strings Stocking, for a little artist friend:

String pieced Flamingos drinks/ phone mat for me, next summer. I may add binding. I am thinking of doing this idea in a large summer quilt, I really love the funny tropicals and flamingoes.

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Winter 2024 Projects Plans, hopes, dreams:

I really really want this finished asap! As soon as I recuperate from Monday's IV treatment I hope to spend January and February on this.

And another winter quilt. Silent Night.

This is the pattern pic, by Jan Patek.

I was working on this to be my after Christmas wintery quilt when my vision went bad in 2020-2022. I struggled so to do the appliqués, not realizing I was unable [suddenly] to see the pieces. Upset, I set it aside, but I do love the design and am now ready to try again. [do I leave all the awful sewing, a memory nod to my panic and struggles? Esp bad are the Stars and Moons' points on the Sky area, As I recall I need 18 more blue and white Stars , borders and some piecing. Doable if I focus once Marsh is done. The Stars are too-dark indigo blue, not black, btw. Not clanging them now.

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I also want to make a Christmas quilt. I have the TQC reds and greens for a Log Cabin. This is from a blog I follow, so sorry I am not remembering whose. Tell me if it's your.

But then I treated myself to these glorious holiday inspired fabrics from Two Thimbles. The shop is on IG and very seductive. @twothimbles

The bad news is I have NO idea why I chose these [other than I do love them], because what I want to make is the improv Little Trees, inspired by Barb Vedder's Little Trees. This is my 2021 Candy Cane Lane version. I kept it out now to keep my focus. I hope to make a quilt a child might love and rescue from the black trash bag of doom someday. Tutorial HERE

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One reason I quilted less is that I painted, sketched, and journaled much more. The final journal entry each year is all my bits and pieces saved from the gift wraps and other bits. I cut out the Trader Joe's bags' Gingerbread village, thinking to make a little accordion booklet for this year. But--messy, right?

Apropos of nothing, this charmer caught my eye. How I'd love to have the energy and focus to create this crazy Beauty. It is a pattern from Sentimental Stitches.