Welcome 2024 and Happy New Year

 My word for 2024 is Reduce.  I am thinking about all the ways we can reduce in good ways.  Reduce the amount of 'stuff' we put in trash and recycling, a lot of which is packaging so, buying less means reducing in a simple way.  In terms of quilting, reducing the amount of supplies including fabric and notions that come into my two homes.  Reducing the time I spend on the internet (which probably means less shopping? or less inspiration to add to my growing list of projects to make), reducing intake of foods that I know are processed or high in sugar and/or salt for a healthier body.  There are so many ways to reduce in our lives that will create more calm and peacefulness, less stress and anxiety.  For me, maybe this will be the year I reduce the UFO's in project bags by either getting them finished or letting them go to someone else that might be thrilled or just put the fabrics back into my stash?  I am also reducing the number of blogs I subscribe to as well as the number of shops that send me an email once, twice a week or daily, trying to get me to buy what they are offering.  Less time reading email means more time either creating or reading a good book.

I really think we can enjoy a simpler life by just reducing our consumption of goods that create clutter in each of the rooms in our house including my quilting supplies but also including my bookcase, desk, kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room.  

Well, great intentions but lets see how it goes.  I have 360 days to work towards this goal. 

I haven't accomplished much to show you since the end of December but, I have organized and tidied and the house has all signs of Christmas gone although I did leave up a few wall hangings and decor items that look like winter/snow because what else can you decorate with in January?  

Some of my organization that I have accomplished this year.  On the right in this picture are a stack of Frankenbatts... all my leftover batting pieced together and I ended up with 4 new full size batting pieces ready for the next quilting session.  The basket on the left contains all my packaged kits or blocks for quilts that are made and ready to be put together.  Sort of a grab and go idea when I head to a sew in or looking for my next projects.

I have no idea why this picture is blurry but it is my organization of a variety of projects in different stages.  Under the table on the right is all my row x row projects... ugh, true UFO's.  Other containers hold a variety of fat quarters paired up ready for either a 16 patch or Carolyn block quilt.  And, there are more quilt kits from mystery boxes from 2023.  My white board has been reorganized and I changed up the titles of my groups. 

I belong to a group called Heartstrings and each month a precut is chosen to work on .  January is fat quarters and under my table, I had a container full of pairs of fabric, ready to be worked with.  I decided to make St. Louis 16 patch blocks.  I also dug out a container of leftover blocks from previous projects so those can get added in. 

Almost finished with making the blocks.  Just a few left to stitch .

This is a variety of leftover strips put together.  Because I cut my fat quarters in 4" strips, there is an extra strip in each block set so am trying various combinations.   On the right is a special quilt that I am making for someone very dear to me who is beginning her journey to fight breast cancer.  I am playing with some ideas with that one.  The ironing board as more of the odd strips ready to be matched up for the mix and match blocks but want to wait until I have all my blocks made before I decide which ones go best with each other.

This will be the first 16 patch quilt top that I will put together and a second one will be made as well although I didn't count so I might have to pull out a couple more fat quarters to get enough for the next one.  Then I will play with all the leftovers and make a crazy 16 patch. 

At the end of December, I had started to play with these bricks.The pattern is called Blue Moon and it is a little different than a regular brick quilt with rectangles and squares.  This is now on a hanger in the pending section of my sewing studio...pending layering, quilting and binding.

In the next week I am hoping to 

1. Finish the cancer quilt

2. Quilt one or two of my blue quilts and get them bound

3. Finish up the 16 patches into quilt tops (flimsies)

4. Stitch the January Patterns by Jen

5. Decide on and make my Rainbow Scrap challenge blocks for January (bright green)

6. Get January's clues for the mystery quilt completed.