2018 Review--and what will 2019 bring?

Happy New Year to All!

The sunset in Southern California was very pretty on New Year's Eve, 2018.  We had a simple dinner at home, then I dropped Grant off to celebrate a friend's retirement with a couple of drinks, and settled in back at home in front of the TV.   After picking up Grant a little before midnight, we rang in the New Year watching the ball drop in NYC and listening to fireworks go off in the neighborhood.

Stitching in the year 2018 started with a lot of charity sewing, making quilts for the Thomas Fire victims, followed by the Montecito Flood victims.  Despite devoting many hours to that endeavor I still managed to finish a number of quilted projects of my own this year, listed here somewhat chronologically: 

Cheddar & Cinnamon quilt--binding finally finished.  Thimbleberries pattern
Moda Love Quilt, for Emma
Big Bag made of all my dotted fabrics from stash
Humble Quilts Doll Quilt swap, Houses mini, APQ calendar pattern
Baby Quilt for Lars, Meet Cute pattern.
Tea Time Placemats, Pineapple Quilts company, four for me, four for my nephew and bride.
Narragansett Browns quilt for Uncle Fred, Bonnie Hunter pattern
Broken Dishes pillow from a Frolic turnover
Metro Twist baby/wall quilt, Sew Kind of Wonderful pattern/ruler
Tablerunners: Yarnover by Anka's Treasures, and (2) Cross My Heart from Kim Brackett,
Sue Goes to the Orient wallhanging, pattern Quick Quilts
Rick Rack Nines king-size quilt--binding finally finished, Bonnie Hunter pattern
Michael Miller Challenge fabrics wall quilt.
Medallion Star Rescue quilt--donated to Thomas Fire Relief
Happy Tiers quilts for my cousin's granddaughters.  
Last was a Charm Square Baby quilt for Dacien, tutorial Calamity Jane's Cottage--December's finish I didn't show previously:

Not a bad showing in the finishes arena, with the caveat that distracting squirrel projects and Start-itis flares added to the works in progress!  I also made blocks and items for guild, a snap bag, Christmas stocking, pants for my grandsons, and other small items I'm surely forgetting.  My most successful month was the Three for September self-challenge, wherein I spent three days on one project and then switched to another for three days, all month.  It was very good in moving along projects and I'm thinking March will see another round.  

2019 Sewing Room plans are not too firm at this point. Plenty of UFOs and WIPs to choose from.   I would really love to empty some of the well-aged project boxes the first quarter of the year.  Also a number of finished tops need a trip through my sister's longarm--some have been waiting years to be quilted.  If I can do two quilts a month, what a lovely pile there would be by the end of the year. 

There was also a lot of cross-stitching/embroidery in 2018.   Having handwork for needle and thread time is so pleasant.  Getting the stitcheries framed or otherwise ready to display is what needs work.  Since my sewing room was painted in November, the walls are bare and waiting for color and life. 

Since they say whatever you do on New Year's day you'll do all year, I studiously avoided any cleaning and spent time with my sewing machine.  I used the squares of a squirrel project as leader-enders for the Rise Up quilt rows. 

The small top of 2" finished squares I will expand with borders for a baby quilt, no recipient in mind now.  I'm still battling shingles on day 12 of the antiviral medication; the blisters are drying up but the nerve pain is jarring and moving around makes it worse.  Hoping to be much better in a few days.  

Another goal is to return to more regular blogging.  Blogger problems dragged down my desire to post as commenting has been so difficult to deal with.  Here's hoping all the changes really will make Blogger better.  I appreciate all the readers who take a peek at my little corner of  Blogland, and enjoy their words!  If you can't comment, going to my profile page leads to my email address for non-public feedback.  I'll be celebrating 10 years of blogging this year, a mind-boggling event!