2022 Goals

After almost a year of Covid isolation, and then another year of being hesitant to get back out into the world, I think I'm just going to keep hanging out at home and get some serious sewing done.  I'm already used to being inside, I might as well get something done.  I must have been in a good mood and feeling energetic the other day when I wrote down my goals for 2022, because it ended up being quite a list!  In addition to my "regular" goals, I have twelve quilty goals.  Everything from "sewing every day" to "stash-busting" with a lot of other quilt projects for good measure.  

No peeking though!

 

In addition to my goals I plan to participate in several sew-alongs.  The monthly "Whoop Whoop!" link-up at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, the Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy, and the "One Monthly Goal" link-up at Elm Street Quilts are things I want to participate in this year.  That's a lot, right?  I'm feeling good about it, though.

My "One Monthly Goal" for January is to assemble my Jen Kingwell "Long Time Gone" quilt top.  I haven't even told you about that one!  All the blocks are made, but there are a lot of them.  Now that I look at it I already see a block I want to make some changes to first.  Here's a preview -

Looking back at what I just shared with you I think I need to quit typing and get into my sewing room for a while.  As far as those goals are concerned, I'll keep you posted!

Linking up with "One Monthly Goal"

Shirley A's Quilt - "Just Breathe"

At some point during the pandemic isolation (it's all kind of a blur to be honest) my online group of quilty friends decided to have an "Orphan Block" Challenge.  The challenge was to take all those blocks left over from other projects, unused sample blocks, or maybe blocks made to learn a new technique, basically sad and lonely blocks in need of a home, and put them all into one project.  And believe me, it really was a challenge.

First, every single one of my orphan blocks went up on the design wall.  

Then, play time!  Making something out of this was a lot more of a challenge than I thought it would be.  I took some of the blocks, cut and stitched them to combine them with others to make new blocks, and some of the blocks I cut into smaller pieces.  It took a while to go from the above to this .....

..... and after deciding to fill in empty spots with checkerboard sashings, to this.....

And then it went to this.

I didn't want to end up with any "orphaned" orphan blocks, so I put most of what was left on the back.

I free-motion quilted this, and not without excitement.  I have a habit (a bad one) of getting my fingers a little too close to the needle while I'm sewing, but at least this time it was just my free-motion quilting glove that got caught and not my finger!  Whew!

Just a closeup.

One really special block went onto the back.  My grandson, Gavin, made this block when he was just a little guy and had decided, for about five minutes, that he wanted to learn how to sew.  I blogged about that here.

I am very pleased with how this turned out.

I named this quilt "Just Breathe" and gifted it to my precious friend, Shirley A, who was going through a very hard time.  She loves it.

I ended up with only these teal orphan blocks left .....

..... but I already had a plan for those!

Linking up with Can I Get A Whoop Whoop!

Getting Back on Track

When I left you almost 2 years ago (can you believe it?) I never dreamed the Covid crisis would keep me away this long.  I certainly didn't think being in isolation would keep me out of my sewing room for over six months.  It should have been the opposite, right?  I should have been sewing up a storm (as my mother used to say).  Alas, motivation is an interesting thing.  Its appearance has been pretty random around here.  

Right before I took my blogging break I had been doing "A Little Housekeeping" in my sewing room.  I recovered my ironing board and design wall and sorted through and organized all my scraps.

The next part of my housekeeping was just the simple basics.  First, cleaning and oiling my machine, and wow, did it ever need it! 

Next, cleaning up threads.  I have a great thread catcher right at my elbow .....

..... but it seems that when you throw threads at it instead of putting them into it, they end up on the floor instead. Huh.  Imagine!

Do you know what happens if the floor is covered in threads and you don't sweep often enough?  The wheels on your chair stop rolling because they're bound up in thread and snippets of fabric!

I'm not even going to tell you how hard it was to clean up that mess.  Let's just say it involved scissors, tweezers, and a lot of time.         

It wreaks havoc with your socks, too!

Once my sewing room was cleaned and organized I felt more like sewing.  Next time I'll show you everything I accomplished afterwards.

Oh!  One more thing!  When you clean your sewing room I would advise you to sort through your trashcan before emptying it.  You never know what might have ended up in there after it fell off the cutting table.  Yikes!

Now that I'm back (AND motivated) I'll see you soon.  I promise!