New year, new possibilities

 

I enjoy very much to work on these Trentham Quilt blocks. I started them late in 2025.
I have decided to make this quilt to donate. There is no demand for anything girlie in my family, and I do not want to keep everything girlie I make for myself. 
So far I have made 17 blocks - I need 31 more. 
I have not deadline other than some time during 2026.
The design is from Jen Kingwell's last book Gathered.

I have been pulling out strips from my boxes. I need some weeding out in my fabric collection. 
I want to make more room for me in my sewing room. 

I hope 2026 will be a good year for all of us 💗

Hanne

Counting down to New Year

 

In less than 12 hours we write 2026..... 🎉

2025 has been a strange year sewing wise. I did not feel like following my list for finishing. For months I did not feel like sewing much at all, and that is an unfamiliar feeling indeed. 

During / after summer I gave myself a push, and and I have actually finished some project, but hardly any on my original list.

For 2026 I think I will skip making written plans and see where that will take me.

My spastic CP body has used a lot of my energy, and I will try to fight the fatigue from another angle.
I have experienced that some foods do not agree with me (or my muscles) , and that I can do something about that with my daily choices. Intermitten fasting also makes a positive difference. I have been very lazy with my IF lately and am paying the price.... Sometimes it is stupid hard to make good choices!

I can not count all the times I have thought about blogging, and ended up thinking, tomorrow or later. 

The best time for action is now, and procrastination takes me nowhere.

High on my (not written) priority list is using from my fabric collection / stash and make more charity quilts. Same goes for my yarn - use it, so I can fit something else in that drawer.

The coffee mats in the photo are made from strips of my precious red fabrics. In the photo they are not finished, but you get the idea.  I foundation paper pieced them on round coffee filters, with a helping line down the middle. I gave 2 away for Christmas and kept 2 for myself. The stitcheries was in my UFO box, from an Advent project by Helen Stubbings some years back. I did only make 4 in red. The year after I made all 24 in Advent purple. I had plans for making them into something this year, but run out of time and energy.

I will let you know how everything works out. Writing this down makes it easier.
I am usually quite private about my health, but I found it was right to put words to what have been going on. Sometimes I meet myself in the swing door .....

Wishing you and yours a good 2026 💕

Hanne

January Tally

The drawn number in January for the Chockshed Challenge 2025 was 6. 

My project no. 6 is these 1" hexagons called Tiny Treasures, by Kathy Schmitz.
It is a year long project, so if I am done by the end of the year, I am more than happy. I have started joining hexies in January. I found the perfect fabric on my own shelf - a light blue chambray. 

4. January my husband and I travelled to Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, for a 3 week stay for playing and learning more Bridge. We had a great time with friends and new friends, and will absolutely go back again.

I did not bring any sewing, and even my knitting was ignored most of the time. It was busy days indeed.

Coming home to snow and ice was hard, but it was nice to have spent most of January in Spain. We came home late 25. January, 2 weeks ago today.

I came home with an inner ear condition that gave me dizziness and pain, so not much have been done since that either. I hoped for the longest time it would go away by itself, but it did not.
This week I seeked medical help. The dizziness is as good as gone now. Some pain and pressure is still present, 
I am happy to say I have got my want for sewing back 😍
I have planned for a busy sewing year!

Hanne

Chookshed Challenge 2025 list from my Quilt Corner

 1. Best Friend Forever Quilt  
     I have 16 of 32 stitchery blocks done. I am making this my daily thread project for 2025.

2.  More red fabric scraps hearts. I need around a dozen more over the next 10 weeks 

3. Anni Downs mini stitcheries - I lack at least 1 stitchery block to make a small quilt.

4. Dream Catcher Quilt. I need some progress on this quilt through the year. 

5. Anni Downs Christmas draw string bag. It did not make it this Christmas. 2025 is the year! 

6. Tiny Treasures from Kathy Schmitz. All but 1 stitchery done.
     I want a finished miniature quilt in 2025.

7. Raspberry Tea Quilt - It did not make it to the finished line in 2024.
    I want is machine quilted in sections and done 

8.  Care quilt top needs to be finished 

9   I will make placemats for us here. The old ones are worn out. I need 8.

10. Finishing a sashiko cushion for Dear Daughter E. 


More photos will follow 😀

December tally

 

I made only 1 Christmas gift for sending out this year. A very special person received this card game pouch, complete with notepad and pencil. We are already looking forward to play Phase 10 with you next time we meet 💖

 

I can't say I used a lot of fabrics making these hearts, but it was great fun and I gifted one away. Will make more in the upcoming year.  The hearts are approximately 5,5" tall. Ornament or pincushion? Your choice 😊

We ran out of gift tags this Christmas, and I needed some right away. I had some cardboard tags without decoration or text, and some fabric hearts already with fusible web on the back.  I think they turned out very cute. I will absolutely make more of these next year, before shopping for anything.

I just had to try to knit these potholders, Bakers Twine. I have seen them online and bought the pattern the other day. They are knitted with double cotton yarn and in a double sided fashion. They look the same on both sides. I ripped out a crochet project that did not turn out like I wanted to have enough yarn. I am happy I did!

Tested and approved 😍

Wishing you a lovely day where you are 💗

 It is only 6 hours to midnight and the beginning of a new year here.
Happy New Year to you and yours! 

Hanne

November tally

 

One finish in November - a little candle mat, with a very Norwegian stitchery.
The designer is Kristin Langebraaten. I do not know if she is in business still. Her designs are very good.
Christmas gift? Check ✅
Note to self: I like the ric rac edge finishing I usually do the best. Next time!

Yesterday, my oldest grandson Sander visited to learn how to use a sewing machine, and to have a grandparent all to himself day. 

Little brother, 3 years old, was not invited, and had other plans with mum.

Being very interested in everything with machines, and moving parts,

I think all the moving parts on the machine was more fascinating than sewing itself. 

According to plan, we made a Christmas gift for mum. Sander picked fabrics, thread, we gathered all the tools we needed and we took the small Janome to the dinner table, so we had enough elbow space. 

I am impressed that Sander kept up the interest to the very end, and we helped each other through the project. Stuffing the heart with a hemostat was very interesting too. 

After, we did some colouring, making Christmas cards, and then we decorated some store bought gingerbread hearts with icing, chocolate buttons and mini marshmallows, for eating right away.

After coming home, Sander opened the Christmas present for mum, to keep it for himself, carrying it around, and hanging it over his bed. As proud as can be. He is so sweet 💜💜💜
I guess we have to make something for mum next year!

             

Heart back side

 💜 A very good day were had by all 💜

Hanne

Progress and plans

 

Some stitching has been going on this week. The snowman stitchery is done, and I am making it in to a candle mat. I planned to give it away for Christmas, but I am not sure now, as I like it so much 🎄
On the other hand, when I like something I make very much, it will also be a good gift for someone on my gift list.
The drawstring bag will be finished during the upcoming week, so I can write it down as my November finish.

3 knittings ......
The socks, for dear daughter #1, will be finished before Christmas, as will the ice blue and short sleeved summer jacket. 
The offwhite knitting in the basket - hopefully I will move it forward, but I do not expect it to be done this year.

To work, oh bold quilter and knitter 😍

                                       💗Wishing you a good day where you are 💗

                                                  Hanne

To much of a good thing?

 

I have not been holding back on starting new projects this week, and suddenly I feel overwhelmed.....

This little Norwegian stitchery I intend for a Christmas gift. Maybe it will not be - time will tell. 

Another knittting???
I do actually have a personal limit of max 2 knittings at a time. 
I have no excuse for starting a third knitting..... 

I just so wanted to make myself something with this ice blue cotton yarn, for a travel we are going on in January - less than 7 weeks away. Hopefully I can finish this one + one of the others before that?

Last night we had this season's first serving of Lutefisk. 
It was very very good 💗

Blogger is still a mess when it comes to the comments. I will continue to answer in the comment section. No mails are coming through.

      💗Wishing you a wonderful day where you are 💗

Hanne

November focus project

 

It is sort of empty and strange since the Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge is done after 10 months. 

I am happy to learn that it will be a new challenge in 2025. 
I am already thinking about what to put on my list.

Another Christmas project will be done before this Christmas. 
It is just 41 days to Christmas Eve 🎄

This project was started last year (or was it the year before?)
It is designed by Anni Downs. 
Now all the applique and stitchery are done, and I am half done with the machine quilting.

Strange things are going on with Blogger.
I got no mails that comments has been left on my previous post. I therefore chose to answer the comments directly under my blog post.
Anyone else experiencing the same?

 💗Wishing you a lovely day where you are 💗

Hanne

October tally

 

October was a good month in my sewing room.
The foot stool is finished and I love how it looks.

The cushion from The Red Rooster, Dublin, Ohio,  is done too

 - and ready for Christmas decoration in my home.
I love the printed snowmen - original art from the shop.

The Kaffe Fassett cushion embroidery was a long time project. I am so happy to call it done!

26244 stitches, wool thread on canvas.

This was the last month of the Chookshed Stitchers 2024 challenge. 
It has been fun! 
From the list I made by the beginning of the year, I only changed out one for something else.

I have been told that there will be a 2025 challenge! 
I am looking forward to participate.

💖 Thank you Deana, for organizing this challenge,

 and for being our fearless leader through the year 💖

😍

Wishing you are lovely day where you are

Hanne