2021 in Review

Another year of no posts, but plenty of sewing.  The year was filled with teaching (our state continues to operate as normal although distance learning was an option for the previous academic year and I was a DL teacher); helping Little S get through 9th grade virtually and now 10th grade in person; College E graduating, getting a teaching job, and then getting married (6 months earlier than planned, but easier this way since we were on summer break); and making masks.   

In 2021 my sisters and I made and gave away 3,663 masks.  Up a bit from 2020, but this year we made masks all 12 months.  I still keep the mask fabric separate from my fabric stash.  Most of the fabric for the masks was from fabric donations or bought with monetary donations towards the mask project.  However, I still used 21.78 yards of my personal fabric.  I think the actual number might be higher, since I remember masks that were not in the notes but we'll go with this.

Dog masks for Grown Up R's coworkers

In 2021 I stuck with my decision to quilt by check.  Best decision I ever made.  I was able to work through my closet of flimsies very efficiently.  Each time I picked one up, I dropped another off.  Some of the backings were from mask fabric (with permission) and some were from my stash. 44.51 yards out for various sashings, backings, bindings, blocks from my stash.  I'll try to blog about each of those finishes to get myself started off in 2022.

Square Lake Curtain Quilt - quilted by check!!

After the wedding I got all the bindings completed up to that point and then then kept up through the fall.  There is currently only one binding pending for a quilt I picked up in early December.  All of the flimsies are finished and now I am working through the drawer of blocks & pieces.  That's going a little slower, but still moving forward.

There were a few random projects - paint aprons and doll blankets for "Teacher" E's new kindergarten classroom.  I also made little flannel individual white board erasers for her class and mine.  That kept a lot of flannel mask scraps from ending up in my stash.  I just sewed strips of fabric together, then cut in 4" squares for her and 6" squares for me.  Next I matched up 2 squares wrong sides together, sewed around the perimeter and then an X across the middle.  Done.  On long weekends the kids turn them in and I wash them and they are good to go for another few weeks or months.  5.4 yards out

Rail Fence Doll Quilt

The student that I tutor changed schools and I made him a pillowcase with eagles since that is his new mascot.  I have been working with him for over 5 years and occasionally make him things.  The main fabric was from the mask stash but didn't work for masks because of the size of the image.  0.32 yards out for the accent stripe and the border.

I sent fabric home with Grown Up R and Teacher E and donated other fabric that I knew I would not use to the thrift store.  29.64 yards out

The annual Carnival Auction Quilt did get made.  This was the 10th quilt I have made for the Spring Carnival.  I wasn't sure how that would go with a distance learning class and an in-person class, but I was able to get all of their signatures in one quilt.  I used a jelly roll that the thrift store gave us in exchange from masks for them to give away, some of my own yardage, and a backing from the mask yardage (with permission).  I made a rail fence design and just had the kids sign rather than design their own block that I have done in previous years.  For the DL kids, I had them drop off an index card with their signature and I traced it for them.  The quilt made about $200, so that was a success.  1.96 yards out of my stash

2021 Carnival Quilt Winner

I little bit of fabric got added that was not designated for masks, but not much.  Whites from the thrift store for the Dear Jane quilt and a border that got removed from the X Marks the Spot quilt and added back to the stash.  2.92 yards in  Spent $1.00 total.

84.75 yards out YTD

2.92 yards in YTD

81.83 yards out of the stash in 2021

So it was another good year of de-stashing.  I'll take it.

Here's hoping that 2022 will bring more fun finishes and less mask-making!