End of the year RECAP

 2023 has been quite a year for me. 

The biggest impact this year has been the traveling to visit either my mother and her husband in Canada or my daughter in law in Louisiana.  Both are miles and miles away. And both have been due to health issues. 

In Canada my "stepfather" had a breathing issue and COPD that turned into needing a pacemaker and 4 months rehabilitation. Unable to gain his independence back, he then chose to go to a nursing home this fall. It is so difficult to watch and understand the process. And then we moved Mom to be nearer to us in the US. 

Secondly, my daughter in law received a double transplant of kidney and pancreas Memorial Day weekend. And that didn't go well. Pancreas removed after week and then after months of very minimal improvement, her body began to reject the kidney this fall. I did take care of the boys for June and July. We travel to see them this weekend.

Family is everything, and their issues impact us even when we don't travel. But we love them no matter what. And I treasure each one of them and my time with them.

But I did sew this year and that is why I blog: to record the process I so enjoy. According to my own spreadsheet, I have finished 14 projects this year. 

Several small wallhangings,   3 baby quilts, and a partridge in a pear tree.

No not really, I don't think I want any birds. 

But several major quilts  or rather quilt tops completed: 

My beautiful Ocean Waves:   which is Totally finished!

    The rest of these are tops which have all been major projects: 

Over the River ( only 7 years in production and quilting left to redo)

Quilted by now border is frogged.

Sewcialites 2  a block of the week from Fat Quarter Shop started in October of 2022 in Christmas colors, also at the quilters,    This is 100 inches square made of 9 inch blocks

 Merry Merry Snowmen , at the quilters,  Wool snowmen on cotton fabrics and lots of machine applique details with embroidery embellishments. Buttons to be added upon quilting for eyes, tips of hats, hearts, etc. Bunny Hill pattern

9 patch:   needing the pieced border and outer border attached. All those little squares are 1 inch big, or should I say "little".  This was originally an  American Patchwork and Quilting pattern modified sashing placed instead for borders. The inspiration was from Gretchen"s Little Corner. 

That leaves several already on the Spreadsheet for the new year. 

Big plans ahead and a New Year ready to map out!  

ONWARD!

Mini goals

 Lots of sewing going on for small things: 

20, actually 21    Orange Peels blocks: 5 inches square:   DONE

60     Churn Dashes   3 inch :    DONE

28     Paper pieced flying geese  3 by 9 inches  3 more to go.  I hope to finish them this week.   DONE!  

And I have been frogging the quilting on my border on my Over the River quilt.  I just didn't think it matched the rest of the quilting nor the theme of the quilt.  I put so many hours of stitching into the embroidery. I love this quilt.  I really like my quilter and what she has done on previous major quilts of mine.  I just don't think this is her style.  

All frogging done in 2 nights.  Next: steaming to hopefully reduce holes in batiks.

She has had 2 other tops  of mine to be done since October.  But she just had a heart attack  a few weeks ago.   ( Merry Merry Snowmen and my Sewcialites 2 quilt)    No rush to get them done especially now that she is recovering. 

Short visit with MOM

 I took a quick 2 day trip to Indianapolis to visit my mom and sister.

Her 92nd birthday is today. 

She is doing quite well considering her hip fracture two weeks ago. She will be transferred back to the memory wing of the nursing home tomorrow where she has a community and staff for support. 

She looks so much better and is in good spirits than when she was in Canada.  I am so grateful we were able to transfer. But mostly, I am grateful for the staff and the nursing home to make her life more fulfilling.

What a treasure to see her smile!    (Purple roses were from my brother.)

I had made a banner for her door.!

On another note, here is the percussion section from Sunday's Christmas concert. My husband and daughter are in this section.  It may be her last concert if she moves to Detroit this summer😥

December, already?

 Where have I been???

Needless to say... A simple Thanksgiving for 2.   Another round in the hospital for my daughter in law rejecting her kidney transplant.   Two fractures for my Mom : hip and arm from falling out of bed.  No surgery.  But painful and now immobile.   No trips for me , but lots of prayers and conversations across the miles.

I don't know what normal is anymore. But I do know that we are going to Louisiana after Christmas to see the boys and that is wonderful. 

So this month is my 7th year blog-iversary.  I still enjoy keeping track of my sewing and projects and getting positives from other quilters/friends over the miles.  

Onto better things: I just returned from my winter quilt retreat with some needed rest and relaxation and focused time on quilting with friends.

Projects I was able to accomplish. 

This was started for a Quilt along with Corrine and Cecile in January. But I changed my mind and only included 6 of the 8 gnomes. Each is appliqued and hand embroidered. This is destined for my daughter in law. 

This is my Moda Blockheads 5 fall session of blocks.  I have the setting blocks cut out , but need to attach and then get it quilted. My daughter requested teals and having a seasonal quilt. 

My Mother's birthday is next week and this is for her door in the nursing home. 

She will be 92 years old.  

I made this masculine table runner for my daughter's new beau for Christmas.

I am just going to quilt it on the sashing with a thin brown binding.

I am hoping he will like it. 

And lastly, here are 2 stockings for the same gentleman and my daughter. 

I had purchased the knitted stockings and added the braid around the edges

 as well as hand embroidered initials on red wool mittens.