Preparation, Celebration and Gifts
December is synonymous with preparation and celebration. Those celebrations may culminate in Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the New Year. Regardless of your culture or beliefs, it is a time when we deal with a change in significant change in seasons, hotter or colder, and planting or harvesting, depending upon your hemisphere. It has been a pivotal time in our calendars for centuries, or even longer.
These times of preparation and celebration are times for sharing and maybe even gift giving. Many of us equate gift giving with packages and bright colored wrappings. Like many, I enjoy seeing the smiles on faces of people when they receive their gifts. To me that is the greatest gift, bringing joy to others. As many of my former neighbors can attest, that often led me to baking and distributing extravagant cookie packages. I used to make all of my own Christmas cards and send them to an impressive list. I spent weeks shopping for just the right gift or hours preparing the right meal. That time energized rather than drained me.
But as with many things, this special time of year started to wane. Some of it was due to demands of my job, my family situation and my own health. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It allowed me time to evaluate, prioritize and adjust. Those adjustments have led me to a more balanced, enjoyable and sustainable lifestyle. I have also realized that gifts do not always need to be things with bows but can be experiences we share with others. It has also helped me to realize that I can extend my giving throughout the year and this blog is just one aspect.
If you are still reading, thank you. I am dedicating this month as a gift to my readers to help them embrace their quilting and crafting. Each day, I plan to post a something to inspire you to create or finish that project. It may be a technique or a tip, which I have found useful in my own projects. I hope that you stay tuned this month or pin this for later to read after you have celebrated with your family and friends.
- Introduction
- Making time
- Make space
- Gearing up
- Picking the project
- Do your homework
- Printing and adjusting
- Quick math – quilt math
- Making templates
- Threading the needle
- Trying something new
- Don’t panic
- Oops there goes another one
- Auditioning and costume changes
- To wash or not to wash?
- Marking and measuring
- Cutting right
- Keeping it straight
- Speeding it up
- Stitch and flip
- Pressing matters
- Fuse it or lose it
- Take it easy on the curves
- The order of things
- Putting it all together
- Get inspired
- Spice it up
- Make it yours
- Batting, binding and backing – oh my
- Quilt care
- Be graceful
I would like to thank Cheryl Sleboda at Muppin for inspiring me to be more dedicated to my blog, with her 30-day Blog Challenge. I would also like to thank Bethanne Nemesh of White Arbor Quilting, for her daily inspirations and sharing her knowledge and style in so many ways.
Happy Quilting!
Laureen