Charm Pack Table Runner

My last Christmas 2021 gift.  Unless I've forgotten someone.

The table runner is made from charm packs, which are 42 5" x 5" squares from the same fabric collection.  I enjoy using charm packs because I get to use all those pretty fabrics without spending a whole lot, plus they always look nice together without necessarily being too match-y.

This charm pack is called Starflower Christmas.  It's holiday themed without screaming Christmas, which makes it nice for this late gift.

I'm sure everyone has heard by now that the Cincinnati Bengals are - somehow - going to the Super Bowl.  It's been a very long time since that happened.  1989 was a whole different lifetime ago for me.

Lots of fireworks and horns honking after the game.  It will be two weeks of celebrating here.

My Snowy Hill

 

My snowy hill.

We weren't supposed to get much snow yesterday, but snow it did.  The evening commute, for those who had it, wasn't pretty.  Sorry, Steph.

The snow was fluffy and I went out several times to sweep it off the steps and walk.  The old lady way of doing things - don't let it pile up and get heavy.

Sarah had planned once again to come for the weekend but she turned around before going into the gorge on I-40.  I was relieved that she did - my central Kentucky friends reported icy roads just about when she would have been passing through.

And so, today stretches out ahead of me.  I had planned a very early morning trip to Fresh Thyme for some specialty things but it's just too cold.  Six degrees with a breeze.

I have three ongoing projects - it would be nice to finish at least one.

Plaids

 

Plaids from a couple of round tablecloths that needed to be shortened.  It takes a long time to sew around a circle.  For now, though, I've caught up with sewing jobs and I can get back to my own quilting.

I am feeling blessed today as I use machines that I don't use every day.  I know I am lucky, I know I am spoiled, and I enjoy all my machines for different reasons.  When I first started working at the sewing machine store I didn't even know there was such a thing as a serger, which I use for almost all my alterations.

This is Bengals playoff day.  It's seems as if the entire city has been waiting all week for this day.  It also seems a little odd to be waiting for the Bengals game on a Saturday instead of Sunday.

I had an early morning errand and it was so cold.  Nine degrees when I woke up, although the sun warmed things up to fifteen when I went out the door.

Swedish Snow Lanterns

 

These are daughter Sarah's Swedish snow lanterns, one in memory of each little brown dog. 

Sometimes these lanterns have more of a pyramid shape, covered on top, but Sarah's snow wasn't the nicely packing kind.  If you want to make some, and if you get more snow, and you probably will, you can find instructions at various internet sites.

Sarah had postponed last weekend's visit because of weather, but it may snow again so her trip is now postponed to next weekend.  Which will be the end of January.  We're getting there.  Tomorrow will be a month past the winter solstice.

We haven't seen much gain in daylight yet, especially in the morning, but sunsets are starting to get later.  Last year one of my goals was to pay closer attention to things around me, and tracking those sunrises and sunsets was part of the plan.  I recommend it.  

Watchbands

 

These are watchbands for an Apple watch.  My daughters and I have small wrists, and one daughter loved these pretty watchbands but they were a little too large.  My first thought was to open the seam and cut the elastic to shorten it.  I ended up just making a pleat, no opening seams, and sewing through the numerous layers.  With all the ruffling, the pleat doesn't show.  I love my new sewing machine.  It didn't even need to go into "jackhammer mode."

When doing a new kind of alteration, I often set it aside for a day or two.  I know I'm a procrastinator, but this isn't that.  I often find that after thinking things through I come up with a better way of doing things.  It might be a simpler way or it might be a prettier way.

I hope that the puzzling helps keep my aging brain flexible.  That, and the spatial aspects of quilting.

My North Carolina daughter planned to come last weekend, but she got so much snow.  Plans for this weekend have been postponed too because of snow possibility for her.  Winter got off to a late start, but it is January, after all.

Grandkids are now on virtual school for the rest of the week.  School in pajama pants for them.

  

Making Time

 

Just a tiny quilt for a sewer friend.  Made from charm packs, Make Time by Moda.  Some of the little blocks have pins or scissors or cross stitch.  Strictly mindless improv, sewing the blocks as they came off the pack, no planning.

I'm missing a friend who died last week and whose service will be this afternoon.  A sad death, but not a Covid death.

Covid is everywhere, I know many people who are sick or recovering.  I'm once again laying low, staying inside.  I'm trying to keep up my spirits by remembering that this isolation is so much better than two years ago, when my wrist was in a cast and when my much-needed cataract surgery was postponed indefinitely  And I hope I have gained some coping skills since then.

As is my usual during stressful times, I'm procrastinating, and I'm not happy about it.  I'm working on that, though, trying to take little bites of the things I need to work on.  

Bengals Game

 

It's Aaron and dad Mike at yesterday's Bengals game.  First playoff game for both of them.

Aaron really wanted to go to the game and paid for his own ticket with his lawn mowing money.  I haven't talked to him but I feel sure he thinks it was worth it.  The Bengals win was the stuff of dreams come true.

It was so cold, and it was dark when the game was finished.

Sending condolences to Joanne on the Patriots game.  You called that one.