Christmas Honor

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Grown Up E and her husband hosted us in Savannah.  His family and their friends joined us for the afternoon and a good time was had by all.  Lots of food and fun.  But no photos!

I was very strategic and sewed before we left on Wednesday, took some unsewing to do on Thursday if there was a lull, and then sewed a bit when we got back on Friday.  There was a lull on Christmas Day, so I did my unsewing and helped Little S graph out the letters for her cross-stitch.

Finished before she was 24 hours old!

Baby Honor is E & C's god daughter, and Little S is also friends with the family.  Honor was due in January, but arrived in the first minutes of Christmas morning.  Instead of joining us for the festivities as originally planned, food was taken to them in the hospital.  When we learned her middle name we were not surprised she arrived early - Honor Noel - a beautiful Christmas gift!

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 7/7

15 minute days/Dec = 23/27

15 minute days/2025 = 313/361

Success Rate = 87%

 

Stitching and unstitching took place, but nothing that made the stash numbers move.

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 136.22 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 94.22 more yards used

My dream goal was 100 net yards out for the year.  I didn't quite get there and I don't think I will in the next few days, but I am very pleased with my progress this year.

Linking up to:

Kate  

Donna  

Frederique at quiltingpatch

 

My Dear Jane Journey is Over

The last stitches went into Dear Jane's binding tonight.  It is too late and dark to take photos of the full quilt.  That will come later to give it the attention it deserves.

Last scallop pinned and ready to machine sew the binding on. 

I did not get much time to sew this week due to the end of the quarter & holiday deadlines at school, but once the weekend arrived I made up for it.

Keeping the overlap overlapped1

It was probably a good thing that hand stitching took so long - nearly a month.  The whole time I was thinking of how on earth I was going to join the binding ends on a scalloped edge. 

Clipped up to the overlap, ready for hand stitching.

I went with a 45 degree fold on one end and tucked in the other end - with lots of pins.  It ended up being a bit thicker where the tails overlapped, but I think that will give it more stability.  I hand-stitched the overlap to ensure that it stays in place.  It seems very sturdy.

Last two scallops.

Now that it is done my feelings are muddled.  I am definitely not happy or excited.  Maybe more relieved that I did actually finish, but once I finished the last of the blocks this time last year, I knew I would.  Dare I say a sadness that this journey is over.  

Last four clips!

I've known for years that this was my last BIG quilting project.  I have made what I consider a "masterpiece" given my skills at the time for each of my girls.  Dear Jane is the third and final and will go to Little S eventually.  

After 11 years, putting in the last stitch.

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 3/7

15 minute days/Dec = 16/20

15 minute days/2025 = 306/354

Success Rate = 86%

 

Now I can report the fabric out for the Dear Jane top.  I used estimates found online for the blocks since they were so hard to calculate.  Sashing, border, and binding was more straight-forward.  

Backing was a sheet from Goodwill purchased specifically for this, since I did not want a seam in the back.  I never counted it in, so I won't count it out either. 

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 25.12 yards for Dear Jane entire top

Used year to date: 136.22 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 94.22 more yards used

Hmmm.... what can I do in the next 10 days to use up 6 yards and meet my dream goal of 100 net yards out for the year?!?

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

 

The End is in Sight

Definitely slower progress this week, but I expected that.  I finished hand-stitching the third side.  It took three tries of sewing and unsewing to get the third corner done.  That really slowed things down, but I knew I would always notice if I didn't make it better.

Third corner is finally done!

  

I have the equivalent of one complete side left and that includes the last corner.  I never counted how many scallops there actually are and I think that was a good thing!  Probably still on track to finish by Christmas.  Little S comes home today and she won't have school work on this visit, so she can help me with my school work!!  And I can stitch while we chat.

A variety of snow"can" scarves!

I spend one evening cutting felt pieces for an upcoming craft activity at school.  Then another bit of time cutting flannel scarves for "Frosty the Snow Can", which is going to be condensation in a can.  This is why I can't throw anything away - I do actually eventually use it - even the small bits!!

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 7/7

15 minute days/Dec = 13/13

15 minute days/2025 = 303/347

Success Rate = 87%

 

Still can't report fabric out for Dear Jane, but I did get a bit out with the snow"can" scarves.  

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0.56 yards

Used year to date: 111.1 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 69.1 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

and ... soscrappy

Bound (Almost) and Determined!

I stuck with my plan to work at the binding in spurts - mark, machine sew the binding in a scallop shape, trim the excess quilt, clip in place, hand sew, repeat.  On Sunday I got enough machine sewn to start hand stitching down the first side.  Yes, it works.  

Sides 1 (top) and 2 (right side)

Then after getting more of the scallops hand-stitched down, I realized I was going to have to redo the corner shape, so that was some unsewing and reconfiguring.  But I think is better now - and reproducible.  

First finished corner.

Since I changed that corner I also had to unsew the next corner.  Fortunately I had only machine sewn a few scallops that were after it, so I just unsewed it all to make it easier to reshape.  This is a good lesson in patience.  If I am patient, I will be happier in the end.

Hand stitching for the next few days is ready.

So after seven days, I have the equivalent of 2 sides and 2 corners complete!!! The third side has been sewn - part of it twice since the tension was not quite right! - and is half clipped and ready for hand stitching. 

Scallops patiently waiting!

If I focus and don't eat or grade papers, I can hand-stitch 4 scallops during a 45 minute TV show.  Trimming and clipping replace a scallop or two when necessary. Knowing that helps me pace myself.  Four is good, less is fine. 

15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days last weeks = 7/7

15 minute days/Nov = 27/30

15 minute days/Dec = 6/6

15 minute days/2025 = 296/340

Success Rate = 87%

 

Definitely getting in 15 minutes these days.  I calculate that if I stick with it, I can be done by Christmas.  End of the semester and extra grading might throw me off a bit, but I still think it's doable.

No stash movement this week.  But I did look back and nothing was ever reported for Dear Jane as it was under construction, so that will be a big number when it's done.

2025 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards 

Used year to date: 110.5 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 42 yards

Net used in 2025: 68.5 more yards used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

and ... soscrappy