My 2023 New Year's Eve Party!

Let's party!

Join me in my celebration of 2023 finished projects and my gratitude for the friendships I've made through your blogs! I'll start with a couple of finishes I failed to post. First is a chair re-cover. I was reminded of it when I read Wendy's post and spotted a familiar "cat" fabric in her Japanese rice bag. The second is a scarf I posted on Instagram. Read on for more details!

Craft chair - before

When my husband cleaned out his shed, he pulled out a bar stool that I used in a previous sewing room in another house. Katy the cat had imparted claw holes to the dark brown faux leather top, so I had a vintage doll quilt on top to hide the holes. When we moved, I no longer wanted the stool, so it went to live in the garage and finally ended up in the shed. I had forgotten all about it and was delighted to reclaim it for my "new" sewing space.

Craft chair - after. Rosie's tail is included for your viewing pleasure.

I removed the seat and covered it with a couple layers batting and cat fabric, then folded and tucked it somewhat like wrapping a gift. I secured it with staples, and screwed it back into place. It is handy and comfy when I am doing craft work at my cutting table and feel the need to sit.

This light linen is one I had long loved and hoarded,

from the Andover Maker Maker collection 

The scarf was crocheted with a moss stitch using 2 skeins of I Love This Yarn in Painted Canyon, purchased back in 2016! It is soft and cozy.

For a review of all my finishes for 2023, feel free to click "2023" at the top of my blog.

It has been one year since I stopped hosting To Do Tuesday, my resignation made possible by Carol of Quilt Schmilt graciously volunteering to assume that weekly commitment. Since then I have not posted in the weekly linkup, preferring instead "To Do Whatever", and I have to say I am enjoying just posting occasionally rather than on a schedule. Also I have eased up on joining any quilt-along or stitch-along, although I'm not shutting the door on any of them.

In spite of my footloose state of mind, I still enjoy reading your blogs, and I cherish your inspiration, friendship, and kindness. You have no idea how your words and photos lift my spirits and light a fire under me, so thank you!

My wish is that your 2024 is filled with joy, peace, and good health!

Christmas Threads

Sunrise with Christmas lights twinkling in the distance

This has been the fastest holiday season ever! After everyone was here for Thanksgiving (it was a blur), my mood was "I have plenty of time before Christmas", but life intervened, as always.

I did get a little holiday decorating done. Even without a tree, I am happy with our lights and favorite decorations. Above are some daytime vs evening scenes from our living room.

And our view from the sofa every night

I made cookies from Granny Mitchell's recipe yesterday and have more dough in the freezer. This is her treasured recipe, written in her hand and signed Elzadia Mitchell. You can see from the photo that it was a much used recipe before we decided to laminate it years ago! Mom told me Granny had made this recipe since the 1880s, when she was a young girl. When Mom pressed her for the recipe, this was her best guess! Here is a post about the recipe.

I put aside my fall quilt for a little while, but I will get back to it

I've been playing with the 16 across blocks!

Last week I decided to make a small quilt for The Littles. When I moved my sewing space, I found some handmade flannel Christmas napkins I had purchased but never used, and after cutting off the hemmed edges I had 12 square-ish pieces. I placed them in a simple 3 x 4 design but got in a hurry and forgot to square up the blocks before I sewed them together!

I added a flannel border and a panel and more flannel on the back. It made a smallish, non-uniform quilt, but it is a play quilt for The Littles, and they don't care if it is square!

I also made three more rag-edged Christmas stockings for my daughter, like these I made last Christmas. Since she got married in March, she needed one for John, her husband, and for the youngest two of his four children.

My sweet daughter-in-law Susan sent me this adorable Grandma sweatshirt! You can see how long it is - perfect for my leggings.

We made two 100 mile round trips to our daughter's house in the last week and will go again on Christmas morning for brunch and to watch Everett and Delaney open gifts. Yesterday we made another 100 mile round trip to meet our grandson to give him gifts to take home to our son and family in south Texas. That is a LOT of driving for us old folks!

Wishing all of you a very happy holiday season!