A new start

Well, Christmas is back in the boxes again, ready to go in the attic.  We didn't take as long putting it away this year as we have in the past, choosing to leave it all out until the new year started.  That meant we had to take it all down in two days and it was a LOT of work. 

I'm still thinking about what I'd like the new year to bring.  More blogging for one.  I think of all these great posts, but I don't write down the topic, and by the next morning, it's gone.  And, I'm very far behind reading blogs, but I hope to get caught up soon. 

I want to finish quilts.  I don't have any ambitions to start anything.  That seems wrong.  But, I do have ambition to finish things.  UFO's, kits, projects, you name it, it just might get finished this year.  If it's ever going to get finished.

I want to make more clothes.  I enjoy making clothes, even the ones that don't work out.  In fact, I just finished a shirt.  And, I want to make more.  I'd like to make a jacket this year.  Just because. 

I want to enjoy cooking more.  I cook.  A lot.  But, I'd like to enjoy it more.  Be a little more adventurous.  Maybe make more vegetarian dishes.  We'll see how long that one lasts. 

And, I want to continue being kinder and gentler.  A little less abrasive when I'm frustrated.  Learn to deal with my mistakes better. 

I did have a couple of finishes over the new year's weekend; things I wanted to finish before the new year started. 

I made shirt 2 using the new method.  Of course, I forgot to take a picture until it had spent the night wadded up in the dirty clothes hamper after I wore it yesterday (why didn't I take a picture while I was wearing it, right?).  But, you get the picture.  It's the nicest shirt I've made, with the best finishing details.  I have one more adjustment to the pattern.  I'd like the collar to be narrower.  Small detail, but the collar is wider than the collar stand, which makes the points of the collar lay weird on my shoulders.  But other than that, I'm very happy.  I finally have a pattern that fits me perfectly, after a year or more of trying to figure that part out.  And, I can use that pattern to adjust other patterns. 

And, I finished this pair of socks. 

These were made from two balls of yarn that were each too small to make a pair, so I put them together.  I finished the first sock and got halfway across the foot of the second one and ran out of yarn.  So, I pulled another ball of the same weight and content and started using it.  But, I hated how the half of a foot didn't match the other sock.  Rob even picked at me about it.  So, I took it out, took the toe apart in the first sock and used it to extend the second sock, then made both toes out of the other yarn, so the pair of socks would match.   Just call me Sheldon Cooper.

And, on the quilting front, I continue to make diamonds for the broken star quilt. 

 They go pretty fast, but they don't want to go together into the center star very well.  Not sure what I'll do about that.  But, I have 20 finished and the last 12 are started, so I will likely choose the very best of them for the center star and iron them until they fit together. 

Anyway, that's it for us.  We did a whole lot of family time over the last couple of weeks.  Now, I think we're all looking forward to a nice slow January.  Wish us luck!

Everybody have a great Wednesday.  Yesterday was first day back at work.  But, it wasn't too bad.  Sure was glad I worked a few days last week tho.

Lane