New Year to me is a time both to look back and look forward, I look back at what I’ve made, what’s worked and what hasn’t, things I’ve done and plans for things to make or do in the coming year. This time there’s a lot of change with retirement, finding a new routine and making sure I don’t fritter away this extra time. So, here’s my thoughts…

Quilts;

My biggest finish was my Owl and Hare Hollow quilt, fairly quick makes were a baby quilt for my new grandson and another for my friend’s grandson. A UFO from 2020 was finally finished with a little quilting on the Christmas runner, it looked very nice on the side in the dining room this year. I started the dormice wall hanging last January, it was my project to do whilst I did the declutter challenge, the other half of it is my project for this year’s Declutter Challenge!

Quilts I’m planning this year; first one has got to be a single bed quilt for my niece’s eldest, I’ve been promising him one for about three years now, but I now have lots of Spiderman fabric to make him a superhero quilt. I also want to make one from batiks in my stash, using a pattern I bought last year.

Embroidery

Most of my stitching last year was to go in fabric books, I made four last year. I’ve three in progress at the moment (Postcards from the Hedge, the bird alphabet and my little book of love.) I’ve lot’s of ideas for future books, a Christmas tree one, a waterfall style one, a book of trees, songs…

Other stitching included the butterfly alphabet which is now framed and hanging in my daughters bedroom, a golden coneflower for Skipton Stitchers 50th birthday and a Christmas humbug which is now hanging on my tree.

A priority this year is a birth sampler for my grandson – he’s one in March so I would like to get it done for then. I’ve two monthly SAL’s planned, one is for an embroidered book and the other is a phrenology wheel, I’ve been thinking of stitching one for a few years so I was delighted when Skipton Stitchers decided to do them as a group project.

Dress-making

I feel like I haven’t done much dress-making recently, but I have made three dresses below and I’ve actually made about three summer skirts which I made last minute for the holiday and didn’t have time to post.

I do need to start doing a lot more dress-making, firstly I need the clothes as my current wardrobe is well worn and many don’t fit since I lost weight. I also need to reduce my stash as it is getting somewhat large, my stash hub app reckons I have 248m in 114 lengths!!! I also want to start making underwear as I was remeasured last year and I’m a 30F! It’s very difficult to find pretty, affordable bras in that size, even if I go to the sister size of 32E, so I’ve bought all the fabrics, I just need to start sewing.

Last year I walked the Swale Way with my walking buddy, we’ve lots of plans for walks this year as she’s retiring too in March. We’ve also decided to do the 1000 mile challenge, aiming to walk 1000 miles over the year. I’ve a big holiday in May and June when I go interrailing round Europe with my daughter for six weeks, I’m so excited! We’ve still to finalise the route but we’re looking at visiting about ten countries!

So 2026 looks to be a busy year…how did I ever have time to work!

Happy New Year everyone.