Out with the old, in with the new...year!

A lot of my bloggy, crafty friends are posting huge mosaics of what they've accomplished this year. Not that they're bragging--in many cases, they're as shocked as their readers! But it's left me feeling a little bit out of sorts, like I should somehow be managing to be more productive.

Then I decided that some accomplishments were better than none, and what the hell, I'm celebrating my little triumphs, too!

I've made a pillow cover, a mug rug (my first!), a table runner, tea towels, coasters and a drawstring bag for 3 rounds of swaps in flickr groups...


1. PillowTake 4, take 1, 2. Saavy Seasons Swap gifts!, 3. Urban Home Swap, sneak peek


I've finished 2 baby quilts, 1 small throw (for another swap), and one large throw...




1. Baby quilt, finished!, 2. 398.2 baby quilt, finished!, 3. Urban Home Swap 2, 4. jay's quilt, finished


And I've made lots and LOTS of blocks for my two bees this past year!




1. Flying Geese, for Jo, Dec. Beehive , 2. 9.5" block for Belinda, 3. 18.5" block for Belinda, 4. Beehive blocks for Mel, 5. 2 Blocks for Feb Coast to Coast bee, 6. Beehive blocks for Bec, February, 7. Beehive block for Bec, February, 8. Jennifer's block for March, 9. March Beehive block, for Kat, 10. May CtC Block Party block 2, 11. May CtC Block Party block 1, 12. Beehive May block for Julie, #3, 13. Beehive May block for Julie, #2, 14. Beehive May block for Julie, 15. CtC Block Party April block for Tracy, 16. String blocks 1-4, Andi's July Beehive blocks, 17. string block 5, Andi's July Beehive Block, 18. Amy's June Beehive block, 19. Susan's blocks, July Coast to Coast Block Party Bee, 20. Bibi's Block, C2C bee, August, 21. CtC Block Party block, September, for Wendy, 22. Beehive block, September, for Angela, 23. Oct Beehive block #2, for Karlyn, 24. Oct Beehive block #1, for Karlyn, 25. Sheridan's block #1, 26. Sheridan's block #2, 27. Sheridan's block #3, 28. Sheridan's block #4, 29. April Beehive block 1, for Tanya, 30. April Beehive block 2, for Tanya


So, while not a lot of finishes, still plenty of sewing. Since I figured out that quilting at the dining room table is so much easier than trying to do so at my little sewing table in my office, I hope that I'll be able (and willing) do quilt and finish a number of my works in progress before it gets too warm to think about quilting for awhile! Here's to more finishes for 2011! Have a safe and happy New Year!

My naked design wall

It seems as though I've had some project or other on my design wall nonstop for month now. And with the madman's quilt only requiring binding (this evening's chore), there is nothing on my design wall.

Blank. Zilch. Nada.

It's disconcerting for me to walk into my sewing room and see nothing on that wall--it's the first thing I see when I walk in. I have a wee baby quilt to finish by mid-January for a friend's shower, so I'll have to pull those blocks out (I have 7 completed, just need to make another 5) and put them up on the wall this week.

Anyone else have that sense of momentary panic when they've completed a project? And be honest--how many of you wind up starting something new instead of picking up a UFO?

How I spent the last weekend before Christmas...

Finally finished my Grandmother's Christmas present. Because really, what do you get for the 87 year old woman who has everything? This matches the colors in her living room quite well. I hope she likes it--I find giving handmade gifts rather nerve-wracking!!



This weekend, my sewing machine has taken a bit of an excursion. Out of the sewing room/office and out to...


The dining room table! Complete with Christmas wrapping paper detritus, centerpiece left over from Thanksgiving, platters set out for hosting Christmas Eve, as well as extra chairs for said holiday hostessing event. Nine people for cocktails and hors d'ouevres? No sweat!

What was I saying?

Right!

What you see here is my new vantage point. It means that not only do I have all the table space I could ask for as I quilt miles...




And miles...


Of my husband's Christmas present (doing organic shattered line quilting), but I also have the TV across the room to keep me company. The finished quilt will be about 50" x 60", a decent sized throw for the Madman's Man Cave--plenty big to cuddle under when he's watching movies on the wide-screen, seated in his recliner. He helped me baste it, so it's not a huge surprise, but it will be done on time (barring any and all catastrophes), and that's what counts. He's out tomorrow night with the guys to see Tron *yawn*, so I'll spend tomorrow evening watching something, anything else, while hand-tacking the binding.

The wrench in the works...

Isn't it always the way? Grand plans, detailed schedules, all's going according to plan and then...

Disaster.

In the post-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas rush of things, I had a great schedule for working on my husband's quilt, finishing my Pillow Talk Swap pillow, a few odd crafts for friends and family, and it seemed for a minute like I might even make it.

And then I came down with the icky stomach bug that's been going around. And thought I was better! And then it came back. YUCK. Four days, gone. And now my poor madman has it. He is not a good patient.

So we're struggling along here. And I'm sorry there's nothing to see. And I'm sorry I keep starting sentences with "and".

Here's to hoping for a HEALTHY end to this year, and beginning to the new one. Because being sick is seriously cramping my Christmas spirit.