Sometimes...

.... when you are close to the finish line it pays to stop and take a deep breath and make sure you know where you are going...

Heart rug

Now I'm not crouching in a corner wallowing in self pity, if the last post made that impression - I'm just yearning for spring or a warmer climate, LOL!
A few cheerful projects might come in handy along the way, though, and this idea from Jodi at Pleasant Home was just the ticket for Valentine's. I had an overly optimistic idea of making two of these by hand in time for the 14th, and decided to forego the patchwork and make mine "wholecloth quilts", but even though they are small, I didn't make it in time. While watching "Must love dogs" on DVD yesterday (OK, but NOT the best romcom since "When Harry met Sally" as the cover claimed, IMHO) I put the final stitches in. I'm off to my mum's for dinner today and these will be a little hostess gift for her.

February is the shortest month, or is it?

I don't know what it is about February that hits me like a ton of bricks almost every year. I think it has something to do with the euphoria from Christmas having faded, everyday life picking up speed again and then suddenly realizing that we still have months of winter left. And I'm sooo not a winter person!
Well, I'm fighting my way through it and trying to beat the winter blues by surrounding myself with bright and cheerful fabrics and a bit of hand stitching, while watching so many Gilmore Girls-DVDs that I feel high on caffeine and sugar just from watching. Also reading my way through stacks of books and magazines and only getting some machine quilting in during weekends when my bedroom is warm enough to work in during the daylight hours.
Now, this sounds a lot like I'm moaning and feeling sorry for myself, but it isn't all bad. I quite enjoy this hibernation period, really, and maybe this is something I need at this time of year, gathering my strength for spring when it is "all systems go" again. I know that come March I will begin feeling energized again and start planning, working and playing. I have never understood the concept of New Year's resolutions - to me that's absolutely the wrong time of year to start being strict with yourself. In March, however, I know I will get the urge to spend more time outdoors, becoming more energized by the increasing daylight and craving lighter food. So why fight those natural urges, I'll just lean back and enjoy the quiet life for a couple of weeks more. And maybe I'll do a bit of stitching... 

Figgy Pudding log cabin

Finished! I spent most of my weekend quilting this baby, and miles of binding later, it's finally finished. Well, miles is probably an exaggeration, but sometimes it just feels that way - I haven't been in a hand stitching mood lately, but a little bit every day goes a long way.

To emphasize the difference between the light and dark areas, I used white thread in the light areas and a dark red in the dark areas, and I tried out several different quilting patterns radiating out from the off-centre dark diamond shape. The fabrics are so busy, that this was a nice practise quilt.

Not all the quilting was sucsessful from a perfectionist's point of view, but it was a good learning excercise anyway, and at a distance it all looks rather good, if I may say so myself ;-)

I've come to enjoy making pieced backings lately - this is a great way of making inroads in my ever growing stash instead of buying yards and yards of designated backing fabric. Two leftover blocks also found their way into this one. So there you go. One finished Christmas quilt to be tucked in among the Christmas linen, making a nice surprise for myself when I pull it all out again in December :-D