Reflection

The last day of 2016 has to be a recap of a few highlights, and a brief look into 2017.

With Christmas in the recent past, it's appropriate to share a picture of our two Kansas City grandsons sporting the new pjs I sent.

Aesa and Tay

Though the thermal tops are store-bought, I made the bottoms. Of course I was pleased to see that they fit. PJs are an Oliver and S pattern so when they've grown taller, mom can make them longer by unstitch the thread tacks that hold up the cuffs.

As for Celina's PJs... they were too big. So, it was a trip to Joann Fabrics for more hedgehog print flannel. This photo of Dan is expressly for the sake of letting my dear cousin Barb see that he is around, and we do live together 😊.

I've re-made Celina's pj's in a smaller size and they're in the mail.






Looking back on my makes during 2016 I count 21 finished quilts. If you're so-inclined, you can see them by clicking the tab above "2016 Quilts." Of those 20 quilts, nine were smaller-sized wallhangings. Some of them were gifted and donated.

I also participated in making two charity quilts, donated a pillow to Quilting Guild of The Villages, for a silent auction, and sewed two little girl pillowcase dresses for Dress A Girl Around the World. I made six pj bottoms; several bags and travel cases; a wristlet; a skirt, a dress; and a tuffet.

According to Iconosquare, an Instagram activity-reporting program, these were my top nine most-liked Instagram photos in 2016.

In order of popularity, from the top left to right, Row 1:
1) The "Rebel" quilt gifted to my cardio-vascular doctor.
2) Our guest bedroom with the new laminate flooring.
3) My Bay Area Modern block-of-the-month quilt.

Row 2:
4) The skirt I made with Abacus fabric I colored using washable fabric markers.
5) My "Florida" quilt.
6) My Cross-cut Quilt made during AQuiltersTable quilt-along.

Row 3:
7) The Swirly Twirly Dresden pillow donated to Quilting Guild of The Villages for a silent auction.
8) My freshly-organized fabric stash.
9) String-pieced blocks made and arranged in a rainbow gradation.

Looking back...
In February friend Lora and I were thrilled to receive third place for our "Ad Libbing" quilt in the AQS (American Quilter's Society) show in Daytona Beach. The same quilt was in the October AQS show in Des Moines where it didn't receive anything.

In June I had a quilting machine muck-up - actually, the quilting foot was the problem - and ended up with a new Janome 1600P.

In September I presented my first live webinar to the Modern Quilt Guild; I'll be doing another next spring.

In December two quilt entries to QuiltCon were rejected; one was accepted and will also appear in a 2018 Modern Quilt Guild book.

On the home front, during the year we saw some improvements: new Lazy-Boy living room furniture and brightly colored wool area rug; tile on the sides of the kitchen bar; house exterior painted; living room wall painted orange; all the carpeting replaced with wood laminate in the three bedrooms (one of which is my sewing room), and the master closet replaced with ceramic tile; and a new doorbell installed when the old one burnt out.

ding-DONG is the new sound! 😀

"Lighten" was my word for 2016, and I think it was well-lived.

I'm no longer teaching quilting through the Lifelong Learning College, presenting my last workshop (Free Motion Quilting with a Quilting Foot) on November 11. Though the decision to teach at the College was my choice, on December 2 we learned that due to litigation by 32 hearing-impaired plaintiffs, the Lifelong Learning College closed, effective December 30. The controversy around the lawsuit continues while refunds were given to 18,000 people who had registered and paid for January through June 2017 classes!

Healthwise, the burden of severe PAD (peripheral artery disease) in my legs has lifted. Having had two catheterization procedures, one in February on my left leg and the other in March on my right leg, to reopen stenosis in my femoral arteries, those arteries have now remained clear and opened for the longest duration - nine months! - since my disease was diagnosed in October 2013. During my November visit to Dr. Q, he said, "You're as near to normal as you have been since starting to see me." I can confirm he's right, as I continue to line dance three times a week, and walk for 50 minutes or more at a time with no calf ache or burn whatsoever. Hoorah!

Darn, but a new condition has arisen since a dentist visit - some bone loss that's possibility a side effect of taking my breast cancer drug, Arimidex, for the past three years and 10 months. My new dental hygiene regimen now includes daily use of a WaterPik. I quickly remind myself that my health could be far worse, and then count my blessings.

Looking ahead...
While I've never been a "list person" (I end up feeling too terrible and guilty when everything isn't crossed from a list), and shy from writing down all that I intend to create in 2017, I am very much looking forward to several things during the first few months of 2017.

Quilting Guild of The Villages' Showcase of Quilts (an every other year event) comes up at the end of January. I have two quilts in the show, "Prism" and "Florida," and will be working in friend Lora's Dragonfly Quiltworks vendor booth during the two day duration of the show.

Then, the big event is the February 10 arrival of DarlingDi - my Sydney, Australia friend, Di - who's coming to the US for the first time! Go here to see us at our first meeting in 2009, at her home in Sydney.

Such a beautiful picture of Di, taken near Luna Park, with the Harbour Bridge and CBD in the background. Oh how I miss Sydney!

Di will be here for a month, and I hope to show her some of the wonders of the US. We're making travel plans around the two quilt shows we'll attend: 1) four days at QuiltCon in Savannah where we're both taking workshops and attending lectures (I have a quilt in that show), and later 2) the AQS show in Daytona Beach where Di has a quilt in the show!

As well, we'll spend time with local quilters and go to: Asheville, North Carolina and Biltmore Estate; Charleston, South Carolina; St. Augustine, Florida and the Fountain of Youth; Epcot; Universal Studios and the Blue Man Group; Cape Canaveral; Homosassa Springs; Silver Springs; and Winter Garden where we'll visit the Morse Museum of Louis Comfort Tiffany glass.

What a grand adventure we're going on!

Dan and I are spending New Year's Eve day quietly, and after church on New Year's Day, it will be more of the same. I'm quilting our Central Florida MQG QuiltCon charity quilt and will share a few pictures next year!

Wishing all my blog readers a wonderful 2017! Linda