I had a nice time away from home, now I am back and recharged. I have lists of things I want to accomplish and lists of things I need to finish and lists of things I want to start. Then there is two weeks of laundry, vacuuming and dusting, yard work and such to do too. Guess what gets priority?

While I was away, I ordered a light bar set up for my long arm machine. Currently the machine is in the lower level of my home, because it fits there and it is more accessible. The space is nice because it is cool in the summer and warm in the winter. There is a slider door and a large window, but they face east. The ceiling lights are old style can lights with HID lights in them. Due to the ever safety consciousness of CA, I cannot get bright enough lightbulbs to use in them. I checked with an Electrician about changing them to LED spots, but the cans are not the right type. Changing those fixtures (redoing ceiling) would be more expensive than the light bar set up. Being a rational person, I got the light bar. It was relatively easy to set up, I just needed an extra hand to get the bar attached to the legs. I turned it on and wow! my first though was daylight is here, my second was, look at all the dust and thread scraps. Before the next LA project there will be a thorough vacuuming and dusting of the room.

Off site, I got a chance to work on the Tilda appliqué quilt top. Before I left, I basted about 20 pieces to it, that way I could stitch a few on at a sitting. Plus I only had to bring the top, thread needles and scissors. I had some time for a little shopping, I got a few more patterns and a commission project. I have made a bunny from Julie Williams Little Cotton Rabbits patterns a while back, probably close to 10 years (yikes) ago. I really enjoyed making the piebald one and a little sweater for it. I got the fox/deer pattern and the horse pattern. These patterns are well written and many-stepped, but the resulting stuffies are worth the effort. The commission project is for four bench pillows, a few days sewing. I did a little fabric shopping too, I want to make a bed sized Sparrow quilt. The throw size one I made a few years ago, sold quickly, I had briefly wanted keep it for myself. Although it’s a relatively easy block to make, I hadn’t felt the need to make another until I saw the cutting sheet for the bigger one. The pattern is from Pen and Paper Patterns and lucky me, there was a sale on Bella solids at 123stitch.com. I generally used to buy only thread and cross stitch supplies from them, but they have a relatively large fabric selection and notions too.

Before I left, I was also trying to participate in the 21 day decluttering challenge by Just Get it Done by Karen Brown. I made it through the first 12 days, left off on the notions clear out. I have a small dresser that I use for my notions. I think I’ll go through it drawer by drawer, the top drawer is bag hardware and zippers. That should take about an hour, as I want to inventory and organize it. The challenge is to declutter only, but I want to organize it while decluttering. This need to organize is what is stopping me from going through the fabrics. Karen has the fabric decluttering on days 19 and 20. My fabrics are in three systems of wire drawers and shelves. This doesn’t include the large bins of scraps. Eww, I’m getting an overwhelming feeling of chaos just writing about it. It’s not that bad, really. I have a sort-of-plan to do it drawer by drawer. I just need to empty one drawer and then fill it with a category/type. In my mind I have a mass dump and sort scenario, ha! that way lies madness for sure.

Be Kind.

These past four days have been a whirlwind of activity for two reasons, my Dh is away and I am going away in a few days. I am itching to start something new, but instead, I am prepping for when I get back. I have been loosely following the 2025 Declutter Challenge at Just Get It Done Quilts , I say loosely because I haven’t really done any purging of stuff other than trash and recycling. Yesterday I cleaned off a surface and vacuumed a bit more. Where does all the dust come from? I thought the dog hair was bad, but lint from fabric may be a close second.

Meanwhile in Etsy shop land, I packed up and sent the last of the custom quilts. That was a major To-Do item off my white board. Six quilts and a table runner in about three months. I forgot to take a picture of the table runner, I made it from a free video tutorial from Shabby Fabrics.

Next on to the finish side were the last two blocks of Simple Days. I am so happy to get these finished, but I am debating on whether or not to sew them together yet. I am toying with the idea of combining the current Elefantz BOM, Sewing room, with it for a larger quilt. Sewing room has 9 embroidered blocks and 27 patch blocks (finished size 6″x 8″). I did want to use a different fabric line for it other than the thirties scraps. I was thinking of making it into a sashing for the Simple days quilt. But do I really want to extend this UFO another nine months while I wait for the stitchery blocks to be released? I guess I could just put in the blank blocks and then embroider them as they are released. Right now the Simple days quilt top finishes at about 46″ square, so adding four rows of sashing that is 8 inches wide, would make it 78″ inches wide and 90″ inches tall. Will ruminate on that a bit.

I made a bunny yesterday too, from a Funky Friends Factory pattern by Pauline McArthur. It was fairly easy to do, the hardest parts were turning the arms and legs right side out and stitching the face. I used a plush wool fabric that has been in my sewing stash for many years and a remnant of silk velvet for the inner ears. It was originally destined to be a teddy bear, but that got waylaid some time ago. My son had a bunny plush toy given to him by his grandma, so I will continue the tradition.

I am trying to decide on a project to bring on my trip. I am knitting a scarf, but it is about half way done, and a good plane knitting project. Plus the lucky recipient will be seen in a week, so that needs to be finished. But I want to work on something else, maybe a Wallaby sweater, mindless knitting in the round. I should bring the cable sweater that has been languishing for a year or so, but that’s too much thinking/knitting/counting. I haven’t even packed my clothing yet, and here I am worrying about projects to do.

Be Kind.

I have been working all week to try to finish up the last commission quilt, Improv Christmas tree by Amy Smart. I added two borders to make it a bit bigger and use up most of the fabrics left from the other five quilts. This one will finish at 84″ x 102″. Good queen size with a pillow tuck, or not. I had wanted to make the Merry Christmas Darling quilt, but the client didn’t want it, they wanted the Improv one. I had originally planned on doing it, but after making the first block, I disliked the technique as it was a little too improv for me. The blocks were a not uniform, and I wasn’t feeling like I could make a 100 of them with out trying my patience. I made the Plaid trees quilt instead, my fault I didn’t contact the client, but I figured it was similar and with the tree theme. They do like it, just wanted the Improv tree one too. I came up with an assembly line way of making the blocks and the unfinished size was 7 1/4″ by 9 1/4 inch. I made thirty or so a day for three days and then spent another day making the 2 ½ inch scrappy squares outer borders. The quilting was going to be an all over panto, but when I got it on the frame, it was calling out for a bit of custom work. I am doing cross hatching in the outer border and circles in the red inner one. The snow flake panto fills the center nicely, I like that it is relatively quick to stitch (45mins a row) and no back tracking. My goal today is to finish the quilting and get the binding on. Tomorrow is picture day for all three quilts and I am hoping to get them shipped by Wednesday. Ready to be finished with that project, started in late October 2024.

This week I am sort of participating in the DeClutter Challenge 2025 by Just Get It Done Quilts If you want to join up, there is still time to catch up. I like her approach to de-cluttering, 15 minute increments and breaks in between. Plus some rational talk and help with “letting go” and not getting side tracked or overwhelmed. Yesterday I tackled days one and two, today I may get to three (subscriptions), four (books) and five (patterns). I would like to get the subscription mags whittled down, the two I have left are Knits and Quilt Maker. I did some culling a few years ago, ripping out patterns and ideas and putting them in a binder, but it’s time consuming. These two magazines are on-line now, so if I ever want to revisit them I can. I may just keep the current years and recycle the others, hard decisions, but I would like the shelf space back. I did my books last year, and got rid of a lot of them in a donation. Patterns too, but I would like to sell some of the bigger ones. I was pleased with my work after yesterday, just getting the garbage and “out of place things” out of the room was almost “cathartic”. I think with the finishing of the customer quilts, it’ll be like a new year/leaf turning for me. I am looking forward to starting new things after I get back from my vacation.

I did decide to do another BOM, I have no business starting another Elefantz one, but I am. The new one is The Sewing Room and it is simple embroideries and patchwork. It did make me pull out the Simple Days blocks, and while the long arm was doing its thing, I finished block 8 and started block 9. Last summer I had sewn them together and had them all ready to finish, but didn’t. It’d be good to check this of the UFO white board. I am going to take the Tilda quilt with me on vacation, so that leaves the Message in a Bottle quilt to languish.

My Fabulous Houses cross stitch is still waiting for more stitches too. I started the Haunted house on New Years Eve day, while I was on the phone with family. A little start, but it’ll be back in the rotation for February too. Cottage garden Samplings has a new BOM starting in June, Forest Animals themed. I really like the first collection they did, A year in the Woods, in 2022. I can’t start/do any more giant projects until I finish my Consider the Lillies piece. I really need to look through my cross stitch patterns and kitted up things. Spark some interest in doing the ones that I have, not the shiny new ones on the screen and Floss Tube.

Be Kind.

Last year at this time, I was contemplating whether or not to continue blogging here. I was able to complete another year of captivating posts. I made 53 posts with 29.3K words, have 950 views from 508 visitors, 31 “likes” and 12 comments. I have 61 subscribers, which may include a few family members. Not really an influencer in today’s realm, but you know, it is more than I had ever thought I would do. My goal for 2025, is to reach out more to the Quilty blogger community.

This years accomplishments include:

• 27 quilts sold
• Knitted 4 hats
• Quilted 4 quilts for other people
• Finished 43 quilts
• Knitted 2 baby sweaters and a blanket
• 1 Diaper bag, two dog bed covers
• Made 13 tack sponge bags for gifts

I am amazed that I finished 43 quilts, not all were large, most were throw sized, but finished is good. I had my best year (so far) on Etsy, selling 27 quilts. This fall was a profitable one, with five autumn/halloween themed quilts sold.

On the UFO list are

• Message in a bottle
• Simple Days – blocks done embroidery needed
• Swordfish – Needs quilting (NQ)
• 2 Peacock quilts NQ
• Ice Quilt NQ
• Clamshell quilt
• Tilda birthday applique + NQ
• Reunion Quilt NQ
• Asilomar Star NQ
• Fabulous Houses – 2 more
• Consider the Lillies – 40% done

I didn’t add some of the UFOs from last year, because I want to finish the above listed first. They are these three, maybe this summer I’ll make a concentrated effort to finish them.

• Love Entwined
• 365 batik block quilt
• Holiday Snow Village

I also need to list the new BOMs and kits here, so I don’t forget.

• Starry Signs BOM
• Seasons Study Kit
• Blooming Beauty BOM
• Old Town – Bonnie Hunter Mystery
• 3 Craftsy kits
• Batik bundles for Log Cabin quilt

Four lists, three are to-do, I have to add them to my white board. The white board has been helpful this year, I like erasing things better than adding things. Between the board and my work notebook, and my LA quilting journal I am getting pretty organized. I want to add one more thing to my to-do list for this year cleaning and re-organizing sewing room. It is sort of like a “loose weight” “don’t buy any more fabric” kind of resolution thing.

Be Kind.

As a child I couldn’t understand what was meant by Boxing Day, I thought it was about the sport. Being of the non-sporting type, I dismissed it and looked at it as the day of after Christmas sales. Fast forward and I have a British neighbor who explained it to me, and I still don’t really get it. I think it’s like Guy Fawkes day, or Cinco de Mayo, you have to be there to appreciate it. Meadow Mist Designs is hosting a Linky Party for the Best of 2024 to share your top posts and accomplishments of 2024. I think it is a nice idea, but I’ll be looking and not linking. I used to do a bunch of Linky parties, weekly but most of the hostesses have stopped or moved to Instagram. I do attend a few when I remember, like Small Quilts and Doll Quilts “Design Wall Monday”.

I had a major victory/break through yesterday. All week I have been frustrated by the quilting of a quilt, the 5th of my custom order. The pattern is Plaid Trees by Lori Holt and the fabric is the Winterly collection from Moda by Robin Pickens. The troubles began with the very first row, big areas of skipped stitches. I chose a relatively simple Snowflake panto with no back tracking, I wanted to use a thicker thread, 40wt, on top so it would show up a bit. I ended up frogging the second row about 3/4s of the way through as it was skipping more than stitching. I went through the check list of remedies, and still skipping occurred. The machine stitched fine on test areas off the quilt, so timing wasn’t a factor. I then changed the top thread to a fifty weight, still skipping. I did notice that all the skipping was occurring when the sewing went through the white on white fabrics. I thought that I could try a non-stitch needle and that would help. Of course I didn’t have a 100/16 size so I took a ride to the LQS to get some. All they had was 90/14s, I also asked for help, but they didn’t have any ideas or methods for me to try. I had already spent many hours on this, and actually thought about taking the quilt off the frame and replacing the WOW fabric – Crazy desperate talk! I searched through all the LA chats and lists I belong to, and finally saw a video by Mark Henderson on FB about how the needle works to make a stitch on the Bernina Q24. AH HA! moment when he spoke about fabric friction and how the thread makes a loop for the hook to pick up. I quickly went to my LA journal and looked up the threads I had used for the other Winterly quilts. I had used Isacord poly, not cotton – like the King Tut, Sew fine, and Aurifil I was trying to use. I switched to the Isacord and was able to finish up the quilt yesterday. Take away from this “experience” use poly thread with WOW fabrics for best results.

I have one more quilt to make for this order, to hopefully use up more of the fabrics. I want to do a pattern called Merry Christmas Darling, by Cotton Way. Simple piecing and cutting, they used folded corners, but I am employing the folded corners ruler and saving a bunch of fabric. I need to be efficient as I am making 100 – 8″ blocks for a 80 inch square quilt.

I haven’t started the annual Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt “Old Town” yet. I am thinking maybe in February, as the custom order will be finished in the next two weeks and then I am away for two weeks. So February is wide open for projects. I signed up for another monthly BOM with Whole Circle Studio called Starry Signs. I have a bolt of black fabric and plenty of solid scraps to complete this paper pieced quilt. I also have the BOM Blooming Beauty starting in February. Being as I am behind in the last two BOMs, ( Message in a Bottle – 2023 and Simple Days – 2022) why not add two more? I didn’t start any new ones last year and I did work on MiaB and SD a bit.

Now that the day has begun, I’m off to sew a few more MCD blocks and get the baby quilt started.

Be Kind.