Happy New Year One and All

I trust everyone had a pleasant Holiday Season and welcomed in 2023 with joy and hope.  Not one to go out on New Year’s Eve, I properly ushered in the new year with a new start.  This has been part of ‘my plan’ since the September class so I didn’t get overwhelmed during the crazy busy fall/pre-holiday crush.  This is  Eternal Flame Huswif from a Jackie DuPlessis class.  The silks are so sumptuous!     

  

Aren’t I just so nice to not put pressure or over extended myself…..it’s a new concept that I am trying out as I am my own worst enemy.

Christmas was a good one at our house.  We had the usual with my son, his family and one of his two sisters spending the night and the little ones tumbled down the stairs at 5 a.m.!   Eldest daughter and husband joined us by 9 a.m. and we had all the family, fun and laughter.   This year we did a Pollyanna exchange.  We all agreed none of us need anything; we are all in a position to buy what we want when we want  and aren’t we are all trying to declutter and downsize anyway?  It was different to not have to buy and wrap a ton of presents.  We all still  bought for the babies.  And, of course, I did stockings for everyone.  I had tried to stop a few years ago but ONLY for one year as there were protests and much moaning about no stockings.  

I had fun with five, yes FIVE, different advent exchanges.  Four with friends and one that I signed up for.  It really is 6 if I count the one I failed at.   It was fun each day squeezing and feeling the bags to try to guess the contents.   Some brought laughter and some tugged at the heart but all were wonderful.  The sixth one was the iStitch Advent SAL but I floundered.  First I couldn’t see to stitch on the fabric I chose.  It’s was the fabric, not the eyes. I did a stash dive and found other banding to use.   I had started stitching it horizontally not vertically.  Stitcher's prerogative I thought but the more I saw, the more I was liking the vertical placement I was seeing others do.   I keep saying I was going to turn the banding to the other end to restart and just didn’t get to it.  I was two days behind, then five and then…..  Again to eliminate any unnecessary stress, I  put the piece aside and with the intent to relaunch my efforts December 1, 2023.  But you know what, after seeing the completed SAL, I am not ‘in love’ with the piece.      It did feel good to not have to fret about starting over, catching it up, getting it done, etc.  And it feels good to grant myself permission NOT to have to stitch the piece.  I downloaded all the files in case I change my mind.  We should stitch what we love right?   

The SAL I did complete was from Moonfeathers. It was fun and I did keep up with it.   There was a day or two that I fell behind but it was quick to catch up.   It was a bit fussy to assemble and my first attempt was just not on target.  I decided to frog and try again.    The day-to-day directions were great and the 2021 SAL videos were still on Instagram to view and follow.   It has really put me in the mood to do some embroidery work.

I had some end of December finishes and one FFO completed before Christmas.   I put the last stitches in the Civil War Huswif from Linda Vinson.   Now on the to-do list is fully finishing this.

I stitched up this tree, an EGA project from our December meeting.    I don’t know if I will finish this as a flat fold or as an ornament.   

Lastly, I am super happy with how Christmas Rules turned out.   Better yet, it was FFO’d and on display for this holiday season.

I have joined WIPGO 2023 on FB.  I put more finishing on my chart than stitching but when I thought about it, it is finishing I want to accomplish. Also every year I have so many things I want to get accomplished but never seem to get to them.   I am thinking this monthly assignment from WIPGO will give me permission to stray and work on say the Christmas Ornaments I always say I am going to do each year or to start a wool appliqué piece I put on my list each year; or to  fully finish some of my stitched pieces.  

These are my two.  January WIPGO projects.   First, to chart the initials and do work on the BBD Our Lasting Friendship.       

My second WIPGO for January is a Shaker Sampler from the Shaker Retreat I attended in November.  Another piece with fabulous fibers.  

I am such a Labrador when it comes to what I am stitching on/working on …..you know, Squirrel, and I am off as soon as I see something else and of course I jump in with both feet with absolutely no regard to what I am leaving behind undone!  True story.    I want to do ALL THE THINGS so hopefully this will help me work on ALL the things and at the same time get things done.   We did something similar in EGA a few years ago and I able to get a lot stitched and finished.   My Delaware Guild is also doing a monthly number pull on one of five different projects.   Somehow I hope to be able to dovetail the two WIPGO’s.  I just hope it doesn’t increase my WIP’s/UFOs from 10 to 20!

I plan to return to my Block a Day Quilt in the next couple of weeks.  I put it aside because, again, I was lessening the ‘stress’ of too many projects/too little time.  You know, Jack of All/Master of None type behavior I have that leads to be going off in too many directions and NOTHING getting the attention it deserves, but I digress.  At any rate, I am close to the finish and I am anxious to get this quilted.   Just a dozen more blocks to cut, stitch and add to the mix.  I have the backing fabric and batting already; just need to finish the quilt top.

Coming up in January I have Camp WannaStitch in Ocean City, MD. In February I will be Ocean City for Super Bowl and will get to see the new Salty Yarns location.   At the end of February I will be in Tennessee for a week visiting a stitching friend.  A couple of pending guild retreats pending.  I am driving with a friend to Rhode Island in June while she attends a class.  A Prim Retreat at Hobby House in October and attending the Shaker Retreat again in Enfield NH in November. Since it is only January  WHO knows what else will fill my calendar.  Lots of laughter at each and probably not as much stitching as I think at any I am sure.  

Wishing you all a healthy and happy new year.  May your needles stay sharp, stitches be many, your floss stay untangled and your frogging be at a minimum.  Thanks for stopping by, stay safe and keep on stitching.