Saying Good Bye to 2022

It seems rather funny to write that this is my last post for the year being that the last time I posted was on November 3rd which I explained my lack of productivity in October which now has extended almost through the end of December. The main reason is that my beloved and partner in quilt fun, Juki Junebug, was at the Spa or inoperable until mid December. Sadly, upon her return she still is not 100% since the thread cutter does not work even though it did before, she continues to sew a few stitches after the foot pedal is released or when the needle down and up is pressed and also was not a problem before but at least the needle threader was replaced. The sad thing about owning a Juki is not having a reliable service center by me so I already decided to purchase a new machine next year. I’m eyeing the Janome HD-9 which is a straight stitch machine and the local dealer is thirty minutes away from my house, is one of my favorite quilt shops and I know the owner. I am hoping that Juki Junebug will be able to machine quilt some of my flimsies which have accumulated this year and I still plan on keeping/using her.

Upon Junebug’s return, my plan was to finally finish the Heading North flimsy which I detailed the happy making of it on my last post. There were several reasons why I wanted to finish it; this was my fourth MMM Quilt project I did this year with Sandra being the mmmajor immmpetus and the other three quilts were finished so I wanted my Heading North to be part of the quadruple finishes and thus earning points for my Get Bella card. Also, knowing that I like to have twenty-four finishes a year (two for each month) and so far I only had twenty-three, I really needed to quilt it and I knew it wouldn’t take more than a few days, well before the end of the year. I wanted to keep the quilting simple so I only quilted in the ditch with CT Essential Thread in Latte. Junebug performed magnificently although I managed to swerve in some open places which usually happens to me when I stitch in the ditch. 

I didn’t mention in my post that while I was sewing my Heading North quilt I kept thinking that the colors looked so familiar, that I knew these colors, especially the blue but couldn’t place where I’ve seen these colors.  I even looked at my quilt album to see  if I had made a quilt with these colors but saw nothing. It was really bugging me. After the flimsy was a finish and posted,  while I was at the GP House sitting in the living room where I can look into the dining room, what did my wondrous eyes see, the area rug laying under the dining room table and there was my answer.

I decided that my Heading North Quilt was perfect for the dining room, also known as ESP (Eating, Sewing,Play) room hanging from the blinds on the large windows in the back where I have my small sewing studio. I think it looks quite nice there with the area rug.

I was hoping to have another finally finish to end the year but unfortunately I was only able to sew a flimsy made with mostly Katarina Roccella’s Wonderland fabrics which was one of the projects listed for December in my Country Threads Dirty Dozen UFO Challenge. I feel I am so behind because I did not even do a project for November since I wanted to machine quilt but Junebug was unavailable. I will write more about this quilt once it is finished which I plan to soon since this will be a patchwork throw for the darling Granddaughter. I was really hoping to finish it today but due to my latest cold which she gave to me before Christmas I was just not feeling up to it. I now have eleven flimsies for 2022 which I think some of them will make my 2023/24 UFO Challenge list.

I’m calling it a year now and closing with a photo of the darling Granddaughter in one of her Christmas dresses which may have inspired my latest flimsy-love that color I call Aquamint. I’m hoping to feel a whole lot better for 2023 because I have quilts I need to machine quilt. And yes, plans are already in my head as what I plan to hopefully sew next year. I should mention that although there wasn’t a whole lot of finished during the past three months, I did indulge in some lovely fabric purchases, big wink here.

Wishing you a healthy and prosperous New Year. Stay warm and safe!