Ten Years Ago...

 I came across an interesting post earlier this week while scrolling through Instagram. Someone - a quilter - randomly wondered what she was working 10 years ago. This lead to others wondering the same thing. 

Of course, I wondered, too. And because I keep a pretty accurate record of what I'm doing since beginning this blog, I could easily discover the answer. 

I was happy to see that in January of 2016, I already had a finish under my belt! I can sort of even remember going upstairs to the sewing room to finish this quilt. I'd been scrolling Pinterest, and after awhile of seeing so many quilts I wanted to make, I disgustedly closed the app and went upstairs to get busy.

I say disgustedly because I can dream all day long with gorgeous internet pictures similar to this, but they won't become realities unless I actually work on them! Take action, woman!Inaction gets me nowhere!

So, ten years ago this month, I quilted this little quilt. I still love it, and would make another in a heartbeat. Since that time, I have found that this is a Kathleen Tracy quilt. I've made other quilts by her, and have at least one of her books. Her appeal is that she leans toward traditional blocks and reproduction fabrics. I like this look, too. Here's the post from when I actually stitched it. 

I share this today, because I have very little accomplished thus far in 2026. I have made a few blocks on the layer cake quilt I am making.  

Here's what I've worked on instead of stitching - my yearly jigsaw puzzle. Gahh! That bottom left corner took me for-ev-errrr! Finally last night I finished it, then I went to the sewing machine to stitch up a few more blocks.

 

I have about 12 more blocks to sew, then I can begin stitching the top together! I may yet have a finish by the end of the month!

 Looking forward to accomplishing a lot more! 

And one final note, since we are looking back 10 years - I was 10 years younger! It's my birthday, and while 69 sounds frightfully close to 70, I prefer to dwell on all the great quilts I've made in the last 10 years, rather than the aging. Another trip around the sun means more time and even more quilts!

Happy Quilting, Friends! 

Jayne

A Look Back At 2019

On Tuesday, the last day of 2019, I spent a good bit of time looking back through pictures on my phone - particularly those taken in '19. It is gratifying to see that the year was good in terms of my sewing and quilting, as well as in terms of our projects around the house.

In an effort to "sum up" in the briefest way, I made three collages: one of big quilts completed; one of smaller projects completed; and one of home projects completed.

In the big quilt category, I selected these 9 photos, although that 8th picture contains two quilts. Two of the quilts in this collage were made start to finish - including quilting and binding! - in this calendar year. Now that is a big deal for this old gal, let me tell you. Moda Love, in the middle of the top row, and Blue Lagoon, the first quilt in the middle row, were the two done entirely this year. I gave Moda Love to my mom for Christmas, and Blue Lagoon was a wedding gift to my nephew and his new bride back in September.

The middle pictures of both the middle row and the bottom row represent UFOs that I finished. Having completed a whopping 12 UFOs in 2018, I began '19 completely burnt out on them. Getting these three done in '19 leaves me energized enough to consider doing two in this new year.

Not all smaller projects were quilts, as you can see from the collage above. I included the Harry Potter robes that I made for my nieces, as well as pillows and pillow cases.

In the home projects collage, I run the gamut - curtains for our porch, a bedspread made of ticking, painting the faux windows on the garage door, reupholstering an old chair, power washing a weather-worn porch swing, painting a kitchen table and six chairs, and turning an extra bedroom into a long-arm quilting room. Two pics in the collage - the applique work for the Lake Effect quilt and the cross body bag - are not certainly not home projects, but I needed a place to include them in my '19 summing up.

I would love to do a collage for the entire last decade, but gosh, pulling together all those photos would be a job and a half! I don't know whether it would be worth the time or not. I could just scroll through all the finishes in the year-by-year "Pages" list. A whole decade and a bit extra are archived there.

New Year's Day was a pleasant one for DH and I. We partied pretty late to ring in the New Year, so we were slow to get moving, but by early afternoon we found the energy to get out on the bike trail for a 2.5 mile walk/jog. It was a gorgeous day, in the mid-40s, sunny with a light breeze. Perfect for blowing out the cobwebs of a late-night celebration. *grin*

Today, I am spending quality time with the Frankfort Girls - from 9-11:30, quilting at Terry's; then we are being treated to a surprise! Terry has something planned for the afternoon. I will report back with full details. *wink*

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Looking Back

Since I am not making huge, blog-worthy progress on anything at the moment, I have spent a bit of time looking back through my blog to see what I was working on at the end of July in previous years. Here are the highlights:

Just last year I finished the UFO known as Wishes, a pretty quilt made with early Fig Tree fabrics of Joanna Figueroa. I have since purchased backing for this quilt and nearly gave it away as a wedding present last fall. However, I found I could not part with this quilt, gave the newlyweds a different quilt, and have this one still waiting to be quilted.

In 2014, I finished this sweet table runner. I use it all the time on a table in our front room. I made it at Mary's Barn, a sweet quilting friend whose cancer took her from us far too soon.

In 2012, we were about to enjoy the Opening Exercises of the London Summer Olympics. I had the quilt shown below set up in the quilting frame for easy access while watching the games. It is now finished and being used.

In 2011, I was attaching the borders to this lusciousness, Economy Blue by Kaffe Fassett. Gosh, what a beauty! Like most of my creations, it still hangs in the closet awaiting quilting.

This has been sorta' like a Throwback Thursday, except that this is Friday. I might do this every so often, when I lack any good current material to use.

Happy Quilting, Friends!