Well it’s been some time since I last posted. That has been mainly due to flare ups of a few of my medical issues all at once and consequently I am fighting post flare-up fatigue and residual dizziness. However, I’ve not been totally idle.

I have joined the 2015 Bag of the Month club and have half finished January’s bag. I am just waiting on handles to arrive to finish it. You can find details of the 2015 Bag Of the Month Clubhere: http://sewsweetness.com/2014/12/bag-month-club-2015.html

I have also made a Bionic Gear Bag, a stupendously clever and practical concoction of Craftsy’s RipStitcher. Her versatile Bionic Gear Bag Notions Tote that can be used for just about anything can be found here: http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/accessory/winner-bionic-gear-bag-notions-tote/93596

Before that I made a Sew Together bag for a Christmas present and another quilt, this time for Hubby for Christmas. Hubby’s quilt was a labour of love (as all my quilts are really!) He chose the Scripture verse even though he didn’t know what for, and as he is uber-conservative I searched high and low for a fabric range he would consider “masculine enough.” I found some Moda “Piecemakers” by Kathy Schmitz. All ecru, blues and browns and not a flower in sight! He was delighted.The block I settled on was “Rail Fence.” I used 100% wool batting and Gutermann thread for the FMQ on the blocks and Aurifil thread for the border. Out of the two threads, I much preferred the Aurifil. My machine did too.

Through this process I learned about Top Stitch needles – fantastic little things that they are! I needed a needle with a bigger eye for the Gutermann thread because it would keep snapping from my needle every inch or so – it was so frustrating and demoralising!! (By the way, I can totally recommend being in a facebook quilting group. I joined the “Quilt along with Pat Sloan” facebook group and the people there are fantastic and always willing to pitch in with good advice when you send out an SOS like I did in this situation.)

I’m behind on my Sew Sweet Simplicity BOM but will be able continue on with that at my own pace. Right now I’m gearing up for the onslaught of birthday sewing….. I really should have spaced my children’s birthdays a little wider apart – we have 3 within 5 1/2 weeks (and 2 of those 3 days apart!) Major planning fail there!……….. as if I could really do anything about that! LOL!

Here’s hoping everything is just dandy in your world today and that you can get some sewing, writing, painting, pottery, or whatever it is you like to do done.