It is New Year’s Eve today. Lots of people are looking back at their year and thinking forward to the new year. When I think of last year it makes me tired. We worked so hard to get our house ready for sale, listed and then sold. Planning the move was done by my husband but yikes, it was a lot of work! Then settling into the new house, getting things set up and figuring out life up here. It certainly wasn’t a year for loads of sewing, at least not in the first half of the year. I made up for that in the second half of the year though!

The above collage shows the nine quilts I made. Some of them had been started before our move but most were started and finished since I got up to Washington. My two favorites are the snowflake quilt shown in the center and the bold patchwork shows on the lower right. But they were all fun! Three of these quilts were sent off to Mercy Hospital for their use with terminal patients. (By the way, if you aren’t aware of Mercyful Quilts, click on the tab at the top of the page. I love helping to organize lap quilt donations for them). After I made the collage, I realized I forgot to show one other quilt I finished so to be accurate, there is actually a tenth quilt!

This collage shows a variety of projects I made in the second half of the year. From aprons to tote bags and placemats to teddy bears, I really had fun with these. I love having my sewing room organized and ready. When the mood strikes, I can shop the shelves and find something fun to work on. These sorts of projects keep me motivated. The variety is important to me in order to avoid feeling stagnant. Also, these smaller projects provide the satisfaction of a finish much sooner than quilting. My favorites here are the very spooky ghost costume and the two matching sundresses show in the center row. There are other items I didn’t photograph for whatever reason but those include another apron, a market bag for Julia, a nightgown, and a fabric toddler book.

I did take a look at the top post for 2022 as far as the number of views and it was my post on the Meadow Quilt. This quilt is a beauty and I loved making it because it was so unusual. It is one I would make again because I can see it down in so many ways – a fall themed quilt with leaves, a winter themed quilt with dark night sky blues and silvers on the back ground and snowflakes for the collage. It is the perfect blank slate for creative collage. It also is fantastic for using up scraps.

OK – let’s look forward. Goals for sewing? Just to sew. Make things, enjoy what I am making, and try, try, try not to let the comparison demons rob me of that pleasure. (Instagram – I am talking about you!) Otherwise, no real goals. I have enough fabric in the sewing room to make hundreds of quilt tops. The roll of batting still has quite a bit left on it. I think the only purchases I (might) need to make are backings. But you know I will keep my eye out for thrifty ways to obtain backings – guild sales, thrifting, etc.

Goals for 2023? Hmmm…. I will lose 20 pounds, eat whole foods, exercise twice daily, live a totally minimalist life, read all of the classics, meditate daily, and keep my house clean 100% of the time. Bah ha ha ha ha! I have one goal. This is to find a way to volunteer in my new community. I had a few services in California that I enjoyed helping out with. Now that I am here and settled, it is time to find something to give some time to. I have a couple of ideas to look into – this is my only goal.

Finally, I have to say I am enjoying getting back into a blogging routine. When I closed my shop, a number of people asked me if I would stop blogging. While I certainly wasn’t nearly as active on my blog this year (only 36 posts), I do enjoy the relationships within this community and plan to keep it going. I like the writing, the journal that is kept here, and the conversations with readers and friends. Let’s keep the discussions and sharing going this year!

Wishing all of you the best in 2023 – here’s to good health, creativity, happiness, and connection!

Linking up with Meadow Mist Designs Best of 2022.