The end of the Year

 As the title states, it's the end of the year with 2 more days left before New years Eve.  Many things have happened and many realizations as well.  So here's the realizations, because to me they're big:

• I'm a workaholic.  No seriously, I am.  I'm semi-retired and subbing every once in a while, but the subbing has turned into 10 - 15 days a month, that's almost half time.  So where is the retirement?  I still love teaching but the hubby is saying, how about spending time with me?  So we agreed to only requests, but the requests have turned into 10 - 15 times a month.  So what to do?  Take more trips....
• I love to paint.  yes, I knew that before, but this Christmas I did all my Christmas cards  in watercolor.  Some of you have received some cards.  Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of them, because I couldn't post them.  As a gift to myself I joined a painting group.  Watercolor Mastery with Emily Olson.  At present I'm doing 30 days of Watercolor to learn the basics which I know but some of the vocabulary is good to know so I'm on day 27.  It's about 15 - 20 minutes a day and it's not bad.  Notice all the categories, as well as daily challenges that are lessons to learn something.  You also join Facebook to be a part of the encouraging group there.   But I must tell you, these people are absolutely talented and make me feel a little inadequate, so for now I'm lurking and going slow.  But I am enjoying it and it's great for when you only have about an hour or less to do something, so you paint.
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  I did do one watercolor and gave it to my aunt for Christmas.  This course helped a bit.  
  

Her grandchild looks perfect, but her face is a little off.  it's the wrinkles, she didn't like them in the picture.  most people don't like their portrait, but it's very close.  And I really liked it.  Maybe next time in acrylic.

• But this is not my first online course that I joined.  I saw something on Facebook, with Ali Kay.  She's got a style of her own, using broad lose strokes in arylic.  It's called Fresh Paint and there's also a Facebook group that's so encouraging, helpful, and motivating.  There are tons of projects to complete, a number of first time projects, and here's a few:
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• I have found a number of things to remember:   smaller is better for less wall space used, it's faster because you follow along with Ali live or you can look at the video that appears later on and stop and start it when you need it.  That's what I do.  The pictures above are start at the bottom to more recent practices on top.  I've already gifted 4 of these pictures for Christmas so it worked out really great.  Here's another one that I gifted to my uncle in Utah.  This one took 3 hours to complete on a 8 x 8 board.  I framed it and sent it to the states.

  
• Here's where you really see the growth for me.  It's this month's and next month's weekly challenges.    They're 16" by 20"
  
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  See the style????  The board loose strokes?  Yeah, I know, really painting up a storm.

On to what this blog is about.  The quilting I've done this past two months.  It includes a pillow for this quilt:

Yes the Christmas quilt paper piece was completed just in time.  It's two years old so it's best that I completed it.  Used Wandering quilting for finishing it and the borders are with the same material so the stars float, which I really like.  There was suppose to be another 4 blocks to add but I wanted it square so I could hang it up on my wall.  I already have 4 other Christmas quilts to hang, and drape, and use around the house so I think that's it for Christmas  lol.  I used an extra piece piece block to make the pillow cover.  Did that today, cleaning out my sewing room.

While cleaning out my sewing room I also discovered some flannel material that's over 7 years old.  It's been collecting, and I purchased some green flannel thinking I'll make this really cool quilt with the flowers and green, but in the end it was "I want another flannel quilt, it's really cold lately" and that was it.  Just a slice and stitch together quilt, mixing and sewing back together the fabric.  Very modern, easy to do.  The blocks turned out to be 15 inches big at the end, and then borders of 2 1/2 inches to put together.  But then I ran out of the green, and had some more flower flannel, then started piecing, then just playing and in the end it's the Lost Garden.  And it's warm.  65" by 65".  Big enough to cover the toes and wrap around.  I like it.

I also got out a queen quilt that I made two years ago, but never used because it's so hot.  Hopefully it will be perfect for tonight.  Here's a shot.  It's my scape quilt.  Yeah, you got it, all scraps and extra fabric.  No batting inside, just flannel on the back to keep it together.  Yeah, that's crumbing in the center.

Here's what else I completed, while cleaning that room.  I'm going to a baby shower in January.  I was invited by a good friend for her daughter's baby.  So I bought a few things, found this material for the mother from Montana and you will understand why I made this.  It's a cover up for the baby seat, when moving the child from car to house.  Horses, little cowboy hats, saddles, etc.  Perfect for a family on a farm.  It's reversable.

Front above and back below.  All flannel.

It's 32" by 38"

Finally, what I'm working on right now.  It's still the quilt for my cousin in Manitoba but I've changed patterns.  I painted her the skull you saw at the start of this blog, and this is the pattern I am now doing.

There are 21 rows.  I am trying to do at least 5 a week.  I'm on row 12, and decided to place all the pieces together.  That's when I noticed that I am short both the gray and the white.  The white material has gold dots on it.  That will cause trouble.  But that's ok because I think white in random places won't be noticed, and I need 2 more small pieces of gray, which I'll put around the nose, so that may work.  It is what it is.  It's twin size, very large, so this will be very interesting.  Looking at making it a queen, and I have the backing for it as well as for another edge around it.  Used brown and oranges for around the skull, so it looks like fall.  That girl is into Halloween in a big way so she'll love this.

Well, coming to the end of this posting.  Need to make one more comment.  Rejoined the Fraser Valley Quilt Guild and joined their UFO club.  You list some quilts you want to finish by June, and you pay $2 per quilt.  I put in t.

1. Flamingo qult for the barn door.
2. Cacti quilt that I absolutely hate making.  It's finique, hard to fit, and the instructions are hard to follow.  You'll see another time why I'm saying this.
3. Hand Stitched Farm Yard.  I'm down to two big blocks to complete.  I promised myself I'll do three threads of hand sewing every morning.  Been doing it for a week, and keeping up.  Hopefully will be done by June.  But at least I'm really making progress now.
4. A bear quilt to go with a bear painting I'm planning on making that will be 20" by 30" for the living room.  The bear quilt will hang on the wall.  I have all the bear cut out, just need to do the background now.
5. From the same designer Canadian Animals - I've had this kit for the past 5 years.  Really ne3eds to get done.
6. A Tin box club thing that was from the guild 4 years ago.  Was making one block - need at least 30 of them.  Block size is 8".  The material is really old fashion so I'm excited about this one.  But I'll probably give it to someone when done.  We'll see.

As for other plans for this coming year let me tell you.  Here's a picture of my room after a visit from the fire department and me worried about them saying get rid of my kits.  Knocked it down to the ones I want to complete this year.:

1. Canadian Animals which I have been sitting on for the past 7 years.  I have so many scraps now, I need to use them on this quilt.  Love the designs.
2. Paper piece of a woman in a hat.  It's 2 years old.  Material collected twice.
3. 2 1/2 inch squares of green to make a garden with purple flowers in it.  It's 10 years of collecting green scraps.
4. A Scottish Cow, paper pieced.
5. a jelly roll quilt - the jelly roll is 6 years old.
6. a quilted jacket from my scraps which are many
7. Cat using the SewKindofWonderful curved ruler. It's 5 years old.
8. An applique woman with blocks all around it.  All blocks done, the woman done, just need to put it together and quilt it.  (2 years old)
9. A small runner of a sofa, chairs and quilts on both.  Really cute and 3 years old
10. I found out that the Wedding Quilt I made for my nephew, I made another kit of it, not realizing it.  So I'm going to make it and gift it to someone lese.  It's in that pile.

and so much more!!!!  All ready for me now.  Just need to get going.  But those 6 at the top are my key ones and really bucking to get them done.  Priority, the Skull for February visit to my aunt in Winnipeg.

That's it.  Say goodbye to 2025, hello to 2026, and Merry Christmas to all.  Take care..