Friday, October 18, 2019

Choosing Sanity This Christmas / Beauties Pageant 53

About this time every year, I make the same resolution: Christmas prep is going to be a sane event for me. I vow to limit the number of handmade gifts I will give to family and friends. I decide to buy presents for my kids’ teachers instead of sewing something. I remember that some of my best holiday sewing happens in January, when I’m still riding the Christmas-spirit high without the pressure of a December 25th deadline.

Then sometime, usually by mid-November, all that wisdom flies out the door and I’m making 13 drawstring pouches or 27 quilted tissue holders!

But not this year. I have a three-pronged resolution for 2019. Will you help keep me accountable?

1. I am not going to touch the Christmas fabric I bought at last year’s post-holiday sales. It can wait until 2020.

Return to Winter’s Lane by Kate and Birdie

Vintage Holiday by Bonnie and Camille

Juniper Berry by Basic Grey

2. I will make a wall hanging or two (but definitely not 13!) using Sterling Sewn’s new Log Cabin Home for the Holidays pattern. I am thinking one will be for me and any others for those who deserve special recognition come Christmastime.

I got to pattern-test the new holiday-themed blocks from Sterling Sewn. They’re crazy cute!

3. I will make some lovely presents for friends, but Ill use the gift-giving opportunities called Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day to distribute them. A February or May deadline is much more doable.

This block just needs 29 friends to make a quilt top!

If you have fallen victim to the allure of holiday sewing in the past, the From Bolt to Beauty readers can keep you on track! Share your own resolutions in the comments below.

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5 comments:

  1. I have no big Christmas-time quilt to give this year. My bed needs a quilt. I'm limit myself to a stocking that's needed to help a new family member be part of the group stockings, a pair of those crazy fast pillow cases to go with a quilt previously given and some reusable gift bags. Then? It's all me and my quilt at whatever pace I want. The real trick is for me to not over plan on the baking and cooking.

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  2. Hi Michelle! I take that challenge, my friend. Even though those Christmas fabrics are oh-so-worthy of being used right this moment. Do you have your rules written down someplace where you can read them? Like near your sewing machine? Because when you want to break one of these rules - and you will - here's the plan. Take a deep breath, re-read the rules, take another deep breath and step away from the sewing machine. Slowly - step away. No excuses, no whining, nada. Go take Rosie for a walk, or bake some cookies with your son. Then, in half an hour you will have returned to your sensible self and you may return to the sewing room. Got it? And if that doesn't work, you'll have to deal with the guilt and email me. And I'll ease your guilt by regaling you with my sewing sins or lack thereof. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  3. Love your Christmas resolutions. I think I will do the same. I hate to say this, but I purchased Juniper by Basic Grey, also, and I have yet to sew anything with it. I must have the entire stack of FQs folded away neatly in a plastic box under the bed. I really want to get it out and sew something, but it never happens. Other projects are always in the way. Good luck with keeping your vows!

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  4. Good luck! It's so easy to make plans early in the year, but for some reason, I don't think about it again until the last hour. LOL

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  5. I have no resolutions. I've got grand kids now and they are just old enough to appreciate some of the goodies. We'll see what I manage to finish though...maybe I'll be making resolutions next year.

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