Final Post for 2020!

 It seems appropriate to have a weird ending to a weird year. I couldn't sleep last night. Had to turn the light back on to record all the ideas I suddenly had for the various projects and potential projects on my books. That's happened on occasion before but it's still an unusual event in my life. 😊

I'm not one for specific goals or resolutions, New Year's or otherwise. However, with the influx of more size 12 perle cotton threads for hand embroidery I've been forced to consider some reorganization of my studio space. Last year - or was it even earlier than that?! - I bought two little plastic units with three drawers each in which to store the hand dyed flosses I'd been buying at the time. I stopped delivery of the floss when the drawers became too full to close easily and have just lived with the situation since. 

Now that I'm using the perle cottons more frequently (almost exclusively in fact) they are the threads I want to have closer to hand. As much as I'd love to browse the local home improvement and craft stores to see what's available that's out of the question. I looked around online but ended up at Amazon.com again. I bought a pair of plastic boxes that stack and click together, thinking I would use them for the perle cottons. As it turns out, the boxes are a better size for the skeins of floss and the drawers almost perfect for the balls of perle cotton! 

But only two boxes aren't enough for all the floss I have. So now I'm waiting for another delivery, slowed down by the holiday of course. 

One of the other ideas that came to me late last night had to do with my collection of 6" scrappy Barn Door blocks. I worked out a very basic layout for the sole purpose of decreasing their numbers.

I haven't taken the time to actually count them. I seem to remember there were over 200 the last time I did that but I could easily be wrong. (I just counted them. 264, plus or minus two!) That bin they're in is six inches deep. If I can use many of them up I might be able to repurpose that bin for something else! It's going to be musical storage containers around here for a while.

My very simple plan is to sash the blocks for a straightforward grid layout. I did some math last night to determine how much yardage I might need to float the blocks on a single background fabric. I have rummaged through my biggest pieces of fabric and come up with a paisley that was given to me specifically to be used in donation quilts.

The sashes will only be 1.5" finished so I think this tight print will work. It feels good to be enthusiastic about a quilt project again. Progress may be slow in the beginning but at least I've got something in the works. Needlework has been the focus of my efforts of late with the little 12 Pages book and gifts for the grands. I have no intention of setting needlework aside but I'd like to be able to get back to quilt making too. 😏

And while I have your attention, let me wish you and yours a 2021 that is much happier and healthier than the year we've just concluded!  🎉🎊