Slow Stitching Into the New Year

Every single bit of the sewing I have done so far in 2025 has been in my lap with a needle and thread. I am not sad about this. The time will come when I set up the machine and busy myself with piecing, but for now I am entirely content making yo-yos and hexies.

 Having everything I need tucked into this handy, portable tin bucket suits my current needs and keeps the clutter contained.

You saw all the red yo-yos I made on our trip south. Under these I stacked the smaller circles discovered during my summer of purging.

I now have all circles stitched into yo-yos, and all - big and small - are ready to be stitched end-to-end. They will become garlands on next year's Christmas trees. I like the look of a primitive-style tree; these will be perfect. The red ones measure 1.75"; the multi-color ones measure 1.25".

Before making garlands, though, I was in the mood to make some hexies for my plan (as yet to be shared here) to complete a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.

In the bottom of my little tin are about 'leventy-hundred' hexies cut from shirting remnants. These and a baggie full of hexi templates will give me ample 'paths' for my flower garden. Stay tuned to see a more complete explanation of this plan.

I have a solid start on these, as you see in the photo above. I stitched the ones them throughout the November and December.

Below, see the ones I've made since being in Florida. Not many as yet, but lots more cut and waiting.

 Hey, did y'all hear that the OSU Buckeyes are going to the National Championship game? We have been cheering our team on to victory! Hopefully, they have one more WIN in them! It's been so fun to watch them as they charge through these post-season games.

 I will link up with Kathy's weekly Slow Sunday Stitching party. It's always inspiring to see the pretty creations these quilters and sewists are making. Kathys talking about quilting goals for '25, and as I alluded to in a post a couple of days ago, I have not made a goals list. However, ideas have been niggling their way into my brain. I suspect that before the week is out, I will have jotted down some semblance of a goals list; I gotta' have some way to keep me focused! Stay tuned.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Making Yo-Yos!

They're fun! They're fast! They're whimsical! They're happy! They're easy!

Did I say they're fast?

The little pile of yo-yos you see above were all made while we were on the road to Florida. And I didn't even begin on them until we were well into Virginia. I cut the circles for these yo-yos out of a remnant. I'd made a tablecloth for our screened porch table, and with the leftovers I cut circles. My plan is to stitch these together into a garland for next year's Christmas tree.

They are so easily transportable in a cute little tin. 

Yo-yos were on my mind because, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, I discovered so many long-forgotten projects in the midst of my summer's purge. One of those discoveries was a supply of already-cut circles, shown below, for yo-yos. These circles will make smaller yo-yos than my red ones.

I really hadn't planned to work on these, but why not?? I can create a garland out of these, as well. Working on these is far more productive than scrolling mindlessly on the phone.

I'm going to try to be both more productive and waste less time on the phone in this new year. These yo-yos are a good start! And I already have a lot more done since taking this last picture!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

from At Home With Thimbleberries Quilts

 I showed just one of my Thimbleberries books in the last post - I am making Meadow Lily; look back here to see the quilt. 

I sat down yesterday to look at the rest of this book and discovered that counting Meadow Lily, I will have made five quilts from this book, a good indication that it was a good buy. I'm sure I've had the book for 20-25 years; I should check to see if I can figure out something more precise.

 

In the meantime, I thought I would do a bit of reminiscing about the other quilts from this book. 

First, I will share Harvest Mix, a lap quilt that has 'fall' written all over it. I still love the look of this quilt now as much as I did when I made it.

One of the pics in the book has Harvest Mix folded over the back of a sofa and it looks so amazing - I tried to select fabrics that were very close to those Jensen used in hers, in the hopes that I could achieve that perfect cozy feel. 

 

Another quilt featured in this book is Nine Patch Criss Cross; I have actually made this pattern twice. Here's one made with four fabrics, as the pattern is designed.

And below, the same pattern made years earlier in three fabrics. This one has been used and laundered quite a lot. This quilt is special because my late grandma hand-quilted it for me.

And finally, take a look at Yo-Yo Table Topper, a fun little quilt I bring out at Christmas time. 

 

This quilt, too, has been used extensively and has the dripped candle wax to prove it. I don't dare launder it or I will be restitching those yo-yos. 

When a single book can result in 5 quilts there's a good purchase. I wish I could say that about all the books I've purchased. (Are you nodding in agreement??)

When Meadow Lily is finally a flimsy, I will be sure to bring you a finish pic.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Mid-December Panic

Perhaps "panic" is too strong a word, but I do have something of a quandary on my hands. It occurs to me this early morning 13 days into the month that I ought to decide if I am going to continue blogging or not. My last post was on the first, and I really have not even had additional blog posts planned. Perhaps this is because I have really not been sewing very much. Instead, I have been focusing on finishing the fall semester at OUC, and getting ready for the holidays.

Some of the "getting ready for the holidays" has involved stitching. I pulled out all my little trees this year. These didn't make the cut last Christmas, but since we are hosting several "events" this month, I thought I'd go all out with the Christmas decorating. On one of the little trees, I planned to use my garland of homespun yoyos for a primitive look. I discovered that my 15-year-old garland was much shorter that I remembered, so I made more to add onto it. This is the extent of the sewing I have done this month - 40 more yoyos.

I cut out the circles and carried them (along with snippers, needle and thread) on a quick overnight to my brother-in-law's house last weekend. I am happy to report that I stitched them all, and attached them, too. Satisfying way to keep my hands busy during drive time and such.

The tree looks a bit lopsided in this photo, but I have not noticed that in person. Strange. Oh well, my little tree makes me happy with its twinkly lights, tiny bulbs and garland of yoyos. A simple tree, to be sure.

Here's a larger view of the corner in which it sits. The piano is from my mother's; we got it about 25 years ago when she moved into town. The Noel cross stitch on the wall is from over 35 years ago; I stitched it from a stamped pattern. The tree came from my Frienzie Kay when she and her husband moved (downsized) just a few years ago.

Tomorrow I have the first of my "events" - the Frankfort girls are coming for brunch and a Christmas gift exchange. If we happen to get around to stitching, well then, all the better! It will be a fun morning, for sure.

So, about this blogging thing. The long and the short of it is this: I am going to make a decision by the first of the year about whether or not to continue. I have not missed blogging this month. Is it time to move on? Do I just stop or take a break? (As if I haven't already taken a break!)

In previous stretches of time when I would fail to blog regularly, I always had a nagging guilty conscience that pushed me to post. That hasn't happened this time. I just haven't even thought about it.

Blogging has never seemed a chore to me. Lately, though, the time and the effort of keeping a blog  going has been more work than pleasure. That's not how it should be, to my way of thinking.

I definitely have some decisions to make. If I am going to continue, I want to do it right, give it the effort it deserves.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Christmas Is In the Air

Are you all feeling Christmas in the air? We are making our season festive and fun. On Friday night, the entire family - our immediate family, that is - met at daughter Erin's apartment in Columbus and later went to dinner at a fine German Village establishment known as Lindey's. We all went last year, and it was so enjoyable that we - DH and I - wanted to repeat it this year.

A night-time photo taken under a brightly lit entrance makes picture quality suffer, but the important things are the people. Kevin and I are on the left with our children - son Adam, daughters Emma and Erin along with son-in-law Jeff and Emma's long-time boyfriend Geoffrey.

Also becoming festive are the decorations here around the house. I can't recall if I have shared this yo-yo table topper or not. The pattern is from Thimbleberries, and I made it about 25 years ago. It has held up pretty well, even with an occasional spill of candle wax. I like bringing it out each December. This year, I have it spread across the top of an old trunk and topped it with a trifle dish full of bows and bells.

Hope it's festive where you live!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Blue Frothy and Yo-Yo Topper

First up, the old business:

Last Friday, I sewed with the Frankfort girls at JoAnn's house (click to read about it), but I forgot to take a picture of the project I worked on. So let me remedy that by offering up this nearly finished table topper made with my yo-yos.

In a nutshell, I will explain the story behind this project. I began making yo-yos back in 2003 on a student trip to Europe. This was what I worked on while on the plane and bus. Mindless activity. I precut a gazillion circles of scrap blues and tans, took a needle and thread. That's it. I used my nail clippers to snip threads. I repeated this on trips in 2006, 2008 and 2010. I also have taken yo-yos on a number of car trips througout this time, as well. At no time did I have any idea of what I would make with all these yo-yos.

Finally, I decided my tub was full enough, and I began stitching them together. I will finish this table topper and still have a tub full of yo-yos for yet another unplanned project.

Okay, now moving on to new business:

 Sharon came over yesterday for an abbreviated sewing day. She has a new puppy. Need I say more?

She is continuing to work on Blue Frothy. Last week's picture will look a lot like this week's picture, but be assured that she has made progress. She decided that the quilt was just going to be too small, so she made more blocks to add another row.

I am loving this quilt. It seems neither she nor I can get enough of Kaffe Fassett's blue fabrics!

Sharon also cut out the border blocks before rushing off to check on Rose, the new puppy. (I will definitely have a pic of said puppy next week after sewing at her house!)

These squares will be cut into HST to make a most clever border. Trust me on this. It is strikingly cool.

I have no new pics to share of my Breath of Avignon quilt. I decided that I needed 11 more blocks, so I spent yesterday working on those. I'm slacking, I know, on the picture-taking.

Can you tell I'm distracted and rushing to get to the end of this post? I am not explaining anything nearly fully enough. I will fill in the blanks, promise.

Well, I've been quite busy with a project I've been working on for the Greenfield Historical Society. I've not mentioned it here on the blog, but we are almost finished and I will probably soon be devoting a post or two to it.

Filler Work

When life gets really busy, and there's no time to work on the project I want to be devoted to, it's time to bring out the yo-yos. Over the last 8 or 9 years (guesstimate), I have been making blue and beige yo-yos for an as-yet-to-be-determined project.

I've made so many that it's time I decided what I will do with them! My container can't hold them anymore! Above is the overflow from the tub (below) I'd been using for storage.

I began these yo-yos just prior to one of our European trips - I'm thinking it was 2003. With the circles cut ahead of time, a pair of nail clippers for snipping thread, needle and thread, all tucked inside a large zip-lock bag, they travel well, and make great use of time spent in airports and on planes (reading usually works for me, but it's good to have a back-up plan!).

I have taken them now on several European trips, plus many quilt getaways, weekends at in-laws, Friday morning quiltalongs, etc. These are also nice to grab when you just need something to keep your hands busy without having to think too much!

I have seen many blogs recently about the little hexies that many quilters are making. Their projects are wonderful! Grandmother's Flower Garden and Garden Paths are just a couple that caught my fancy. Seeing the hexies made me think of my little yo-yos, and what I will end up doing with them. I'm thinking a table-topper, but there could be enough to make a coverlet for a single bed.

Oh well, the end game was never the focus. I've always just been interested in keeping the needle busy!

Happy quilting, Friends!

Leaving on a Jet Plane!

Tomorrow DD Emma, DH Kevin and I will load up the suitcases and hit the road early for Port Columbus International Airport, take a short jaunt to Cincinnati, and then a l o o o o o n n n g g flight to Paris!! We have been planning this trip for over a year. Emma's friend Olivia is along, as well, and we are traveling with 2 adults and 2 students from my former place of employment, Chillicothe HS. One of those adults is my dear friend Sharon, a fellow English teacher and avid quilter! We have been friends for almost 30 years, and have traveled together many times.

It goes without saying that I won't be quilting in the next 12 days. I do, however, travel with some stitching. This the perfect traveling project, so very compact, easily stashed into a carry-on bag ... yo-yos!!

I will cut a ga-zillion circles (using the butter-tub lid for a template) and just take the circles, thread, needle and nail-clippers to cut thread. (I've had too many pairs of small scissors taken in airports as security threats!!!)

We stay in Paris for 3 days/2 nights, and will see the main attractions: Place de l'Opera, Champs-Elysees, Eiffel Tower, and the Notre Dame Cathedral. One really cool extra that we signed on for was an evening boat ride on the River Seine, ending with a trip up the Eiffel Tower to see the city by night! Won't that be incredible?

 I'm scheduling several posts to appear while we are gone. We get home on the 20th, but I expect I'll be jet-lagged, so real-time posting might not happen too soon.

Au revoir!

PS: By the time I'm back I believe I will have surpassed the 100th post on my blog! Whoo-hoo! I will be thinking of a little giveaway to offer as a way of celebrating. Sound good?