After Christmas, 12-27-21

I threw my tiny tree out yesterday – look at the poor little thing!

Very sad little Charlie Brown tree.

I feel like I’ve taken a crash course in wound care! Haha! I’ve been doing it for 6 days now and have to say I finally feel like I know what I’m doing .

Here are some quilt pictures I’ve taken from online – ones I like very much – I have no patterns for these but they could easily be drafted.

Nice, aren’t they?

New Years Day is coming up and I always start a new quilt while I watch the football games. Pick a quilt you’ve been wanting to make and get ready to sew along with me but not necessarily the same quilt. Anybody? I’m going to gather my fabrics this week so I’m ready. I can’t publish measurements and directions for someone else’s quilt however. You will need to choose your own pattern and directions – it will be a great sharing experience for all of us, don’t you think? The rest of this week I’m going to work on finishing things that are just hanging around here.

So now we’re all caught up! I’m heading to the barn right now to do morning chores.

37 thoughts on “After Christmas, 12-27-21

  1. susie Q

    That strip of nothing between the flying geese gives them room to breath…. I like it. ANd I wonder what is in those packages under the tree???

  2. Angie from Baltimore

    I always pick a project the start of the Olympics especially winter and try to finish it by the closing ceremony. A lot of hand piecing gets done because I watch a lot of Olympics so it is a double bonus.
    Glad wound care is going well. My mastectomy wasn’t healing in a couple of spots and they prescribed Silver Cream and within a couple days there was a major difference but I am sure Mayo will guide you. Have a wonderful new year.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Angie from Baltimore – I want to do this! When do the Olympics start? Didn’t the US bow out? I’ll watch anyway because I love the Olympics.

      1. Sherry Whalen

        Hi Mary, I think the Olympics start on February 3rd, I saw an ad on NBC today. I think many countries are sending athletes but they aren’t going to send ‘diplomats’ like vice presidents or a country’s official non athlete representative. And so far, the NHL isn’t going to let players go to the Olympics because of covid…..I wonder if more won’t be going because of covid surges.

  3. Rhonda in Iowa

    Oh, your poor little tree missing so many needles! Do your kitties bother it? Like the quilts you posted. I’ve been eying the Christmas tree pattern. It’s from Maker Valley and they have it in a large throw or wall hanging sizes. The flying geese quilt reminds me of Jawbreaker by Then Came June. Same but different. Her large triangles are strip pieced so an extra step there. Love the sashing between the rows – sure would save some time not matching all those seams! Happy New Year and prayers for Rick’s healing.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Rhonda in Iowa – we all like that strip between the flying geese! I think it’s the answer!

  4. JoAnn, Lindstrom, Mn

    I’m starting a knitted temperature blanket with about 19 different colors of yarn, should be fun. Happy New Year to all.

  5. Sue in Oregon

    I need to make some boy quilts. 3 of them. We have High School graduates in our future and I always try to make them quilts. Best I get going now because it takes me so long. That said, I will join in. First, I need to clean up my sewing room!!!
    Your little tree is why I finally purchased a fake one. Today I will put it away in its plastic bag and take it to the basement. LOL
    Happy New Year, everyone. Stay safe and healthy.

  6. Kaye Gerber

    Guess how behind, I guess, I am!! I’m just now baking and tomorrow will be decorating Cut-outcookies! Just going at my own pace. Hope Rick heals soon and Mary, please take care of yourself, too! Blessings in the New Year!

  7. Betty Klosterman

    JoAnn in Minnesota-what is a knitted temperature blanket? Sounds interesting.
    The goats are going to LOVE that poor little Christmas tree. Mary, do you have the word out for people to save them for the goats? This is true recycling!
    And Mary, you are now a pro at dressing wounds. And if you run into a problem, just wing it. Or like Yellowstone — just call the vet! Gotta love that.
    Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas. It is on to the new year. Even tho COVID is still ruling the world, things are getting better. Take care.
    Betty in Rapid City

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Betty – actually Connie brought out her wonderful fresh tree for the goats which they will love. Since there are no needles left on my little one they wont even bother with it. Fussy goats!
      I hate to think the Yellowstone finale is almost here – what will I watch on Sunday nights?

  8. Lois Ann Johnson

    I had to laugh when I saw your poor, little Christmas tree! I have a little tabletop (artificial) tree now. It even has the lights on it and I leave the decorations on, too. It goes to the basement storage when I am tired of looking at it! I was so happy to hear that the wound care is going better. Bailey does NOT like this cold weather!

  9. Diane in WI

    I have so many projects I would like to do. I’ll pick one and join in on New Year’s Day. Happy to hear being a nurse is going better. We had thunder and lightning and then snow last night. The snow is almost gone, and it is really foggy. Good day to work on sewing projects.Take care.

  10. Lynn in CA

    Love all the quilts but the Christmas Tree quilt was the one. Rhonda thanks for the info on the pattern. I downloaded the small pattern and I will be sewing on New Years Day.

  11. Fiona at Ice Bear Quilts

    Hi Mary,
    What a great suggestion: I’ll pick a project to start on January 1st too! I’ll be sewing along, but in a different time zone and without the football!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Fiona – it’s a good idea and something to look forward to – even without the football! Haha! I’ll check in the morning of 1-1-22

  12. Paula Philpot

    Our quilt group meets every New Years Day at the local extension office to sew because what you do on that day you will do all year!!!!
    I will be starting a new quilt on that day and sharing it with our Friday Girls at the Farmhouse (my quilt shop). I am also starting a Leader Ender project for my Shop Facebook group!.
    Happy New Year to you and Rick and all the animals. Paula in KY

  13. Jo in Wyoming

    I’d ask for a tv in my sewing room, but I have no where to put it! Too much fabric that needs used. So it’s books on tape or podcasts.
    That little tree did give me a smile. I’m sure the mess wasn’t anything to smile about!
    We has another 2” of snow last night. That’s 7” of pure white Christmas snow. 5” on Christmas morning..what a beautiful surprise.
    I’m binding a quilt made from “ special” fabric I’ve been saving for years. Many hand dyed, some painted, 1-2 very special batiks. I think I’ll try to use lots of “saved special “ fabrics this year.

    Get your blackeyed peas ready…we may need to eat them every day.

  14. Launa

    Mary,
    Good you are doing wound care for Rick! My very first friend here had a nasty sore on one foot that wouldn’t heal n was told it may need amputation IF…she had so many antibiotics and then got varicose veins. Not easy to be on feet @ work, but it finally healed; took months of TLC and good physician!

    Doubt I start anything too new January 1, 2022 as we are having a big dinner for friends and our usual aerial fireworks NYE! Going to be down in minus degrees as well! Plenty of snow up here! Was 6o this morning. Had more snow, too! Am waiting for Temecula’s two new line to arrive in January!

    Our fresh cut tree drinks plenty of water daily…hasn’t lost needles yet. Like to enjoy it longer! Elk n Moose would chew on your nude branches!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Launa – it’s encouraging to know that it’s possible to have a deep wound heal – in time. The dr. at Mayo warned us it could take til summer! Will I live that long????

  15. JoAnn, Lindstrom, Mn

    A temperature blanket is making a temperature gauge and assigning a color to correspond to the temperature. Each day you work a row or two to represent that days temperature for the entire year. I will knit two rows in garter stitch. Should be very colorful.

  16. Cathy

    Great idea to start a new quilt while watching football. I am going to call out Roll Tide for Alabama. I truly enjoy reading your blog. Thanks for sharing with all of us. Such inspiration for every facet of our lives. Cathy

  17. Betty Klosterman

    The Clarion paper came today. The front page pictures showed the big grain bins on 69 the tornado hit. My cousin’s son and his family live right across the road from the grain bins. They got a lot of damage to their house (had to stay in town with family), the attached garage is gone and many out buildings, but they are alright.
    The flying geese quilt is an excellent idea, especially for using up scraps and the sashing makes a nice resting place. Seems like I always like scrappy quilts which call for digging thru scraps, pressing, cutting, but I just can’t waste the fabric. I do like a bit of color control with white space. Also have a box of fabric to make the covers for the pet beds. They don’t take long to make. The dogs aren’t fussy. The ladies will fill them with scraps and off to the pet shelter they go.
    Thanks for the Temperature afghan explanation. Years ago the cat (?) and I sorted thru leftover balls of yarn organizing them by colors, like reds into pinks, oranges, greens, blues, purples, etc. Then I rolled them in reverse into 2 LARGE balls. That was really an afghan that I always wanted to do just 1 more row. I made a knitted ripple afghan and it was a hit. Everybody had their favorite colors. It did take quite awhile to weave in all the ends. As usual, I couldn’t throw the yarn scraps away!
    Betty in Rapid City

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Betty – I’ll bet that afghan was beautiful!! I’m so sorry to hear your relatives were in the path of the storm. We had no damage except trees, limbs and branches – and I keep plugging away at picking them up.

  18. Liz Schrader

    That is a great idea Mary to start a quilt I have been wanting to make for myself. I have more than a few Christmas projects I didn’t have time to make or even finish. I am so ready to put holiday decorations away. I do lots of pie & cookie orders for my son’s office and host both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for family. I am exhausted!!😨

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Liz Schroeder – STOP at once!!! Forget the Christmas projects till next fall, eat leftovers or TV dinners for a few nights and just sit and sew. No worries about others for a little while – until you regroup. It just gets to be too much without a breather. Please let me know that you read this —- from another person who takes on too much.

      1. Liz Schrader

        Thanks Mary for the good advice! I just had my 81st birthday and am feeling it right now!

  19. Tanya T in Houston

    Sunday nights on PBS here starts season two of the wonderful vet series, All Things Great and Small.

    I downloaded Temecula Quilt Company’s free pattern, Vintage Christmas, and am daydreaming about doing it. Thanks, Rhonda for info on the tree pattern. Scraps,scraps, scraps!

    Hope that your loving care is paying off for Rick’s foot!

    Fun news here is that we have friends our age who have never been married. They have been engaged several years and were married after the Christmas Eve 11 pm church services! Lots of poinsettias, trees, them and ministers. Big secret before hand so it would be sacred and just how they wanted it.

    Happy New Year to all!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Tanya T – what a sweet wedding scene! I have seen All Things but is this a new season? I will check because Yellowstone is over next week.

    2. Rhonda from Iowa

      Tanya – I too downloaded the free Vintage Christmas pattern. I think it’s just beautiful! I’m in good shape with red and cream scraps but hardly any greens. Just might have to get some of those new “Vintage Viridians” from Temecula Quilt Co. that will be available soon. I’ve made a couple of her free projects and they are so well done so looking forward to another.

  20. Kathy in western NY

    It’s raining here tonight and I am ready to see the new year. First up is cleaning my sewing room so I feel organized with hopes to get more of my projects completed. I always have to start a new book on New Year’s Day!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Kathy in NY – what a good idea! I have a couple books to finish before 1-1-22

  21. Sherrill

    That is/was a sad little tree but it did it’s job, right? LOL I love the flying geese and I’ve seen that beautiful Christmas tree quilt somewhere..so pretty. I’ll probably not sew on New Year’s Day. I just put everything away and I have bunco this month so don’t wanna make another mess I’ll hafta clean up (my quilting is mostly in the dining room/kitchen area). Can’t wait to see what you work on!

  22. Janice Hebert

    Oh dear, your poor little Charlie Brown tree! I’ve never seen one quite so bare! We decided on a fake tree last year, we put our own lights on it and it is pretty cute. It’s not tall because our ceilings are low. It’s not as special as a real tree but it’s much easier to clean up! Hmm, I was thinking of sewing pajama bottoms for my husband on New Years weekend but maybe I can find a quilt I’d like to make. Something small, I just don’t have the attention span for a large quilt. In fact I have to get back to “Best of All” or it will be a UFO next year! I’m boarding a beautiful yellow lab Mary, her name is Kyra and she’s just a wonderful dog! Weather here is really strange, not really cold but when it rains it turns to sleet and freezes on the roads. I hate driving in that so I don’t! Happy New Year everyone! Let’s pray 2022 is a better year. Jan in MA

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Janice Hebert – I love the name Kyra and labs are just the best! I do have a large artificial tree but it just felt like too much work this year so the little one was already in the red stand and everything. I’m thinking of winding tiny wire lights on the bare branches – I have some that are battery operated – I might rescue it from outside before it’s covered with ice!

  23. Kim J LeMere

    You were lucky to find a real tree this year, and it does look sad. I need to finish a king size quilt that has been hard to finish…..I promised myself no new projects till that one is off to the long armers. I will watch football on New Years Day with the rest of you. Glad the wound care is going betterl

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