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Monday, December 30, 2024

Best of Life In Pieces for 2024

This was my second full year of being retired.  I learned some lessons last year and made some different choices for this year. Not sure I've got it all figured out, but I'm in a better place this year than I was last year.  I think that showed in my blog posts. With the new year less than two days away, I'm linking up with Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs for her Best of 2024 Linky Party to remember the best things that happened on the blog this year.  


This is Cheryl's 10th year to host the linky party. I've written a post for all of them.  Cheryl leaves it up to us to define the "best of" for the year.  Here's what I consider the best of what was on my blog for 2024:

5.  To Do Lists: I've been playing along with To Do Tuesday since late 2019 (most recently hosted by the Quilt Schmilt). Some weeks the lists are short, some weeks they are long.  For some reason my May 7th to do list had the most views of all my posts this year.  There wasn't anything special in this post, no near finishes. It was the post with my first to do item for Grandmother's Choice, the Barbara Brackman quilt along from 2012. 



I finished all the blocks in August. Now I just need to quilt them. Having a to do list each week really helps keep me on track with my projects.  So that's definitely one of the "best" things for my quilting.  

4. 15 Minutes to Stitch (Stitching Stuff): I've been challenging myself to stitch for 15 minutes a day since 2011. I've hosted a linky party off and on over that time period. When you are a working women, wife and mother, it's so easy to decide oh I'll sew later. But then later never comes because there is always something to do, someplace to be and the ever present, I'm too tired.  Even being retired you can fall into, oh I can do that later thinking, but then later never comes.  So I've stayed intentional about getting in my 15 minutes each day. My last stitching stuff report says I've stitched every day this year as of 12/28.  




Making an effort to get in the sewing room each day pays off in lots of progress on projects. It's amazing what you can do with just 15 minutes every day. Posting my progress on the blog is motivating, so it's one of my "best" reasons for blogging.  

3.  Finishing one of my older UFOs, Scrappy Butterflies (A Flutter)



    
A Flutter was my first finish for 2024.  Started in 2013 as my Rainbow Scrap Project for the year, it sat until last year when I finally figured out a setting for the blocks.  This is my current couch quilt. When I sent it out for quilting it was the 4th oldest UFO on my list.  So it felt nice to get this oldie, but goodie off my UFO list and into use. 

2. The most fun quilt to make this year was Shadow Demon, my Stay at Home Round Robin project for 2024.  



  
This quilt was for Grad Girl and her very own shadow demon, Queenie.  She helped me pick out the fabrics and she had a say so on what went into each border. It was fun collaboration.  Even better, she loved the finished quilt, so does Queenie.

1. Our Girls weekend when Grad Girl got her first sewing machine lessons is my "best" post for 2024.  


 
I tried for many years when she was growing up to interest her in learning to sew, video games were more her thing then.  But as she's gotten more and more into embroidery, she'd like to make some of her projects into other gifts, like bags and pillows.  She brought her sewing machine home for the holiday. We are signed up for a retreat next weekend. No telling what we'll get up to in the meantime.  

That's my "Best of 2024".  Thankfully, I had lots of posts to choose from this year. It was hard to pick just 5.  I liked all my finished quilts this year, it was hard to pick just 2 to highlight on this post.  Hopefully you'll go by Cheryl's blog and check out a few other "best of" to get a good vibe for what needs to be on your to do list for 2025. That's my plan.  

15 comments:

  1. What fun to look back at your beauties! The retreat with Grad Girl sounds like fun. Happy New Year!

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  2. Hi Kate, what a great post! It sounds like you've learned a lot in the last year. I may try some of them myself. It's so easy for me to just squirrel away with new projects but a little planning would be a good idea - it's just that I'm not so good at following them!

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  3. I've been enjoying reading everyone's "Best of" posts! You had some beautiful finishes this year, plus fun with Grad Girl learning to sew, too. Prioritizing 15 minutes to sew when I was teaching helped save my sanity during the tough years, plus got things done. I'm thankful to be retired now with lots more time to sew! Hoping you're feeling good about how retirement is going, Kate!

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  4. I'm enjoying the Best Of posts as I mentally compose mine (coming soon). Still love your SAHRR black cat the best!

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  5. I love that you and Grad Girl are signed up for a retreat next weekend; have fun! This is a lovely recap of a productive year. It's been a joy to see your projects progress and finish, and I look forward to seeing what you create in 2025.

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  6. You rocked 2024, Kate! Lots of pretties came out of the quilt room and congratulations on keeping up with your 15 minute a day goal. I wish you a fabulous and productive 2025. Happy New Year. Hugs

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  7. You have indeed had a very good year in 2024, Kate. Very impressive that you managed your daily 15 minutes of sewing despite surgery, family illnesses and travel. Can't wait to see what projects you finish in 2025 and also, whatever you start.
    Pat

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  8. The retreat sounds like a lot of fun. Your work is beautiful.

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  9. You had a very productive year. It took me a while to settle into retirement too. I’m glad you’re finding some peace with it. And how much fun will that be to go to a retreat with Grad Girl!

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  10. Love those butterflies! Great year of projects. Happy new year!

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  11. Super great recap!! and YAY for grad girl !!!

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  12. Beautiful butterflies but Shadow Demon is wicked. I hope Grad Girl had fun with the Sewing Machine.Wishing you a sew joyful new year!

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  13. I've been retired about the same amount of time as you, and I am loving it! Your Shadow Demon SAHRR is absolutely awesome!

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  14. Great summary of some of your “bests” from the year. How fun that you and your daughter are going on a retreat. It’s neat to see how the crafty gene travels from one generation to the next, isn’t it?

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  15. I really like Shadow Demon. What a great quilt.

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