Monday, December 25, 2017

2017: October, November, December!

One simply cannot look to a new year with multiple "messes" strewn about, as if no one will notice.  It is akin to leaving your bed unmade in the morning...it just is not a tidy beginning to a day, or a year!
Slow Stitch Sew Along with @JillWignall
Embroidery basics!
So I aim to spruce this place up a bit with a mighty recap!

I spent many hours of September, and half of October, either up a tree stand hunting for elk with my bow,
(the river bottoms a refreshing oasis of peaceful green and undergrowth, so absent from all our other daily vistas, scorched, blackened and denuded by the fires of late July), 

or else packing out elk for good friends and family who successfully filled their tags!
My son's first archery elk, first bull elk! Well done!

I have this beautiful "choker" to show for my archery efforts this year!
But I had an awesome season anyway!
That continued into October and November, gun season, as well.
his first, and long awaited Pronghorn!
Filled tags also means a lot of processing to get the meat either canned or packaged and into the freezer!

There was sewing too, of course!
Tumble Bug baby, with Sweetwater's Tree House Club, and Timeless Treasures' Color Weave
A store sample for Lewistown's Sew Pieceful, my LQS!
A Friendship Star mini, a "Thank You" for a sweet and helpful Tumble Bug pattern tester!
A birthday zipper pouch for my neighbor...
...and a few fabric "trays", one for each of her daughters!

I finished a quilt that was #3 on my "Unofficial" Q4 Finish ALong list
It is a design I plan to make into a pattern in 2018!
The working name is "Spring Break".
Ironically, the finish and photo shoot coincided with our first snow!
It is a funny, sunny, cute little thing, designed at the urging of my husband, who has always seen HSTs as little bikinis, lol!

The Sewcial Bee Sampler!
The top is assembled, but there are several in the quilting queue ahead of it!

Moda Bake Shop approved a new project idea...so glad to have another "recipe' in the works!
The quilt is about finished, I just have to write up the tutorial now!
Ombre Confetti Metallic by V. and Co.!
I started a new personal BOM in September, Simply Flying.
Flying Geese, in "verse and reverse", using my Denyse Schmidt fabrics.
I really enjoy setting myself a personal block of the month project.  The first, Simply Sawtooth, in 2015, is one of my favorite quilts!  And this one is quickly shaping up to be another! My method is easy: a simple block, that can be "reversed", made with favorite fabrics! I pick 2 fabrics a month, for as long as I like! I look forward to each months choices and completions!
December held a very big surprise for me and my little BOM....I posted a picture of my September-November geese on IG, and a gal who I have known, and followed for years, Cindy @liveacolorfullife messaged me.  She wondered, were there any DS prints I was needing, or having a hard time finding, because she had an extensive stash and was willing to share! I about flipped, literally!
When I tentatively suggested two different prints, ones that always caught my eye while on the lookout for more DS, but that I had not yet acquired, she admonished me to "Dream bigger!",
And she sent me this box,
overflowing with Denyse Schmidt goodness I had only ever seen through a computer screen!
I am still wrapping my head around Cindy's most generous and spontaneous gift!
I am so very grateful, and quite in awe of  Cindy's charity to me!

Lastly, for this extensive recap, in spite of already having begun a BOM, I dumped my selvedges one day and began making Selvedge Color Blocks.
They are pieced on fabric foundations, and I have had this particular block in mind for my selvedges since I very first saw them on Krista/Poppyprint's blog!

I have likely left something(s) out, but I feel like we are all up to speed, for now anyway!
Thank you so much for joining me here!
I will see you here again real soon, likely before the new year, as I have at least one more finish to squeeze in!
xo!
SarahZ

Linking up with Lorna! Let's Bee Social

3 comments:

Bernie Kringel said...

Sarah, what a fun read. I love hearing about my quilter friend's lives outside of the sewing room. My favorite photo has to be the one of you up in the tree. While we both live in rural areas, Sarah - our lives are soooo different. It is a lot of fun for me to learn more about you.

OK - that box of Denyse Schmidt is so amazing. What a kind person to share with you like that. And, if I am remembering correctly, you won a pretty cool giveaway recently too. Right? 2017 has been a lucky year for you as far as fabric goes.

I really enjoy our interactions and look forward to more in the new year!

Christine S said...

I had to laugh at the unmade bed. My day is never right if my bed isn’t made straight away. It’s a must! :)

Christine S said...

Also, if I can find it, I have a piece of DS print I bought a long time ago that I’ll probably never use. Let me look and if I have it, I’ll send it your way!