First finish of the year. Good friendship love and support/hard week

I finished D's scripture bag. He loves John Deer tractors. I finished it last night about midnight then drove it over to my daughter's. I just put it in her car knowing she was asleep.  She will deliver it to the baptism.  I am staying home and resting. I need it. I am trying to get over bronchitis and a little pneumonia so I can go see my dad after his heart attack.

I  found the bright yellow zipper in my stash and loved it with the green accents, but couldn't find the right color of yellow for the binding in my stash. I was lucky enough to find a yellow with green specks at our very small quilt store. I am pleased with how it turned out.

I have had two quilts laying on the floor and couch in my living room all week awaiting me to sew a backing for them: Canadian Chris and Autumn Afternoon.

Once I have them all pressed nice and ready for the quilter, I don't like to fold them up again for fear of having to press again. I usually deliver them straight from my floor to a hanger, and then straight to my quilter.

I am choosing backings from my stash. I found this wonderful 108 wide backing about words of friendship. Chris gifted me these blocks and her friendship matters to me, so it is perfect. It is too long for my quilt but not wide enough. There needs to be some simple cutting off the long end and piecing the extra back together to accommodate the sides.

Next step will be piecing a back for Autumn Afternoon.

2025 recap

 2025, you were good to me.

I think I focused a little more on personal relationships and a little less on sewing. I also definitely focused way too much on work.

Here is the run down:

Five finished quilts

• Wonky Houses
• Me Without You 
• Quilted Witch 
• Nutmeg
• Duck Duck Goose
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Two Tops done

• Canadian Chris 
• Autumn Afternoon 

Made a reversible quilt coat

Took a Featherweight Maintenance class

I organized a row quilt round robin with ladies in my state and one in Arizona

2 scripture bags made

Taught 2 wonky house classes

Quilt Retreats

• Snowgoose
• Pajama Party
• Quilting Friends
• Dakota's Retreat
• Quilt Walk
• Heritage Festival

Trips with friends and family

• Temple trip with Cari to Idaho
• New Mexico trip with Cari
• Shop Hop/Temple trip with Lori, Phyllis, and Brenna
• Halloween motorcycle trip
• St George trip with Jackie
• St  George trip with Lori 
• Two Via Feratta trips with dd and dh
• Three school training retreats
• Tulip Festival with Lori
• Lava Hot Springs trip with dd
• Spring motorcycle trip
• Birthday trips with grands and my kids 
• Colorado Amish friend trip with my parents
• Balloon Festival with grands
• Went to 3 different escape rooms

We got 3 baby colts born on the place.

Meet Cheyenne

By fall she turned into a roan paint.

Zirc turned into a blue roan

Heidi turned into a strawberry roan

I joined several readathons throughout the year and read way more books than ever before.  

157 books read

Saturday's Progress

 

I got a little sewing in Saturday. The pockets and sides of the scripture bag are complete.

The inside has mesh pockets.

I am ready to attach the zipper and assemble the bag. I do need to find some yellow for the binding.

I also sat and pinned Halo.

You can see there are many many more that need pinning. I need to sew up what I have first to free up some pins.

Over Christmas, my husband gave a special family heirloom to my grandson. It was my Grandfather's pack saddle used for pack horses. My grandson bears the same first name as my grandfather and is very into horses just like grandpa was. He was so excited.

New Year's Eve our family went and cut firewood. It was a positive experience for all. I pondered on being a part of 5 generations of hauling wood to heat the house. I did it with my grand parents, my parents, my kids, and now my grand kids. There is always a job for even the littles, and they love it.

Hauling off dead trees from the forest also prevents forest fires as well as cleans up the wooded areas.

Linking up with Patchwork and Quilts.

Sewing Room rehaul and what I am focusing on today.

 I am home alone today since sweetheart went over the Mountain to yet another funeral. I don't do snowy Mountain pass trips because they make me too anxious.

Today I hope to move along on a little 8 year old boy's scripture bag. He saw my grands bags and wanted one. He chose John Deer. He gets baptized next Saturday, so I need to move right along. I would like to gift it to him then.

For Christmas this year I asked for new, white storage spaces in my sewing room. Out with the tall brown cabinets and in with white, under the table storage.  I found I was constantly moving everything due to limited counter tops. Problem solved. I love just sitting in here. My space is super small, yet cute and functional. 

There is still room to sit and machine quilt at my sit down longarm Juki.

I can enjoy my design wall view while sewing. I use my cute Scrub Stitchin' Bag for threads.

Behind the door storage and ironing board storage.

A new storage cabinet that extends my cutting space perfectly. It reminds me of Australia and Jo being topped with a tea towel she sent me for Christmas. 

My ironing board extra sizer pressing board duos as more design displays.  I simple set up the ironing board with it on top when pressing quilt tops and backs.

A floor basket duos as a cute display and my project bag storage.  These bags have precut quilts in them.

My daughter designed this decorative wall that also showcases blocks I am currently working on. It was made from things I already had.

View from the hall looking into the room. I like to sew in an "L" shape with a pressing table to my side. I covered the dark table legs with a fabric.

Design wall and Crazy Sewing Ladies Quilt.

The closet space is used for lots of storage and a little decorating. 

January Chookshed number is 3.

 

The random number generator picked 3.

For me that means to start a new quilt I have been excited to try and put my Country Rose top together.  

Halo is cut and ready for curved piecing.

Country Rose blocks are done and ready to become a top.

Here is the linky.  Show us what your number 3 is.

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