Best of 2019

Looking over my analytics for the past year, these are the top 5 as being most popular:

#1 - Sewing-time-measured-in-vinyl
This post highlighted a much-labored over quilt that extended as a project from one year into another. Matchstick quilting in varying thread colors make it unique. 

#2- Gypsy-wife-meets-jelly-roll
The first post in a series of 3, this link is the flimsy and the process I used to create it. In January/February, I will post the completion of this quilt and reveal the backing. 

#3- Qwilt-qwazy-queens-and-doodle-quilt
This poor orphan quilt is the last of my unfinished projects. Still unquilted and what is quilted needs to be ripped out. 

I had been a part of quilt-qwazy-queens-blog-hop for a number of years but now it has moved to another hosting blogger with a theme of "Making Us Laugh." Cute theme, I look forward to seeing what the others create.

#4- Fitting-in-feedsack-and-taking-home-a-topsy-turvy
I love this small quilt so much, I have a bed-sized one to make on my 2020 challenge list at No. 9, feedsack mint border quilt.

#5- Actually comes in as my No. 1 for views, but since this is a quilting linkup, I am putting this one last. It is a personal favorite for this year. How-to-become-hoarder - a tongue in cheek confessional.

I will be listing more fabric and quilt projects for sale. They are the best sellers AND I can feel good about moving fabric out the door instead of marinating in my studio. Be on the lookout for the Buy No Fabric Challenge on 1/1/20.

Course, I had to buy fabric before I began my own challenge. *grins* While I was in the sewing shop, I purchased a fabric I thought might mesh for No. 11, the blue retro material quilt.

This fun tattoo print fabric came home with me, $1.99 at Goodwill. It is a definite keeper as part of my black/white quilt project bag.

Linking up with meadowmistdesigns.blogspot.com


Reselling update:
I fell short of my reselling goal of reaching $500 in profit by year's end, it was closer to $200. It is almost more trouble than what it is worth. On the flip side, I did get rid of some extra stuff. I have found as more and more people enter the world of resell, there are less and less quality items. I found an article from NPR that makes that same observation. She notes, "What we see in the United States in particular is that the quality of the stuff the people are acquiring - because we're acquiring more every year - is declining." 
Best-thing-you-can-do-is-not-buy-more-stuff-says-secondhand

BOLO vintage cookbooks. If you have one of these cookbooks, keep them! The BHG cookbook is from 1989 and the Art of French Cooking is from 1961. I found another of the latter published in 1972 so that one will go up for resell. I will have to purchase Vol. 2 to complete my set. 

Leaving you with the best of the trail cam for November and December:

The bobcat made another appearance

I hope to have a fiber art entry in the California State Fair. With project images ready, I just need to turn my concept into reality. 

What will be your focus in this milestone year of 2020? 

Music Collections Are Dropping

Not only do I shop thrift frequently and often, I range far and wide. The fact that tons of CDs and vinyl records pass through secondhand shops isn't a surprise to anyone. As a music collector, I think it is a mistake to discard the older formats. It is what it is, if the music isn't valued it is donated. All to my betterment as I am able to discover music I have never heard before or collect artists that are sought after. 

Here is the holy grail of vinyl and Prince collectors. I scored, not one but two, Prince and the Revolution records at $1.29 each. I was in awe of such a year end gift from the thrift shop gods. 

The funny thing is I have always liked him but I never bought his music. I guess I just took it for granted. Now, I will be able to hear his other recordings that may not have heard radio play. 

Dropping by a Goodwill, I saw the record pricer was savvy with some marked as high as $25. I would have to drop out of the collecting game then. 

From that same hospice thrift, I grabbed 17 CDs, some xmas. Here are some of the titles I may know the artist but have never heard that certain recording:

Little Feat, Ain't Had Enough Fun
Jonny Lang, Wander This World
Spyro Gyra, dreams beyond control

Some fun ones:

Disco Fever, the Pure Gold Collection
Moulin Rouge soundtrack
100% Funk, Vol. 2
Johnny Cash, Columbia Records 1958-1986

Earlier in the month, I stumbled onto a 1960s through late 1970s treasure trove in vinyl at a Goodwill boutique. I rip the CDs to my laptop and then pass them on to another music lover in the family. 

For those moving to online services, keep those collections coming!

Quilter's Confessional

I had a quilt in sandwich form for nearly a year now, 
plaid-hexagon-quilt-in-low-volume-way 
At first, I committed to hand quilting it. Part of the reason was because I couldn't figure out how it should be quilted. 

My previous quilting machine was only straight stitch. My new machine a Babylok Jazz II, has a few decorative stitches. This past summer, I took an introductory course on my machine and that opened my eyes to new possibilities. 

I finally decided to do a fagoting stitch. It hid the loosely pieced hexagons. I started quilting and nearly finished it. I pushed the machine too hard because I wanted to finish it before year's end. I did have a hexi quilt on my 2019 APQ Challenge list (listed below). After my machine is back from the shop, this one is queued up first to finish the quilting and binding.  


On to the 2020 American Patchwork & Quilting Challenge. The top 6 are what I may be able to complete, the bottom 6 are just dreaming. For my No. 1 Retro Quilt I am squaring up the blocks and want it to be traveling to the longarmer before the end of January.

I will be most likely working out of order on my list. I have got to take another hard look at my projects to determine which ones I will keep, which ones I will sell and which ones I will give away. 

Merry Christmas and Have a Happy New Year!

Wish I still had that game!

Santa brother

The cutest of the holiday projects I found this past year were these button Santas by Linda Barton posted on the FB group Up-Cycled Cloth Collective. I have more than enough buttons to create these cuties. 

Have the very best of holidays. I am listening to Cristy Lane Christmas.

Christmas Piecaken and Cotton Candy Hair

We are almost there! If your holiday season didn't include Christmas Piecaken or Cotton Candy hair, then you just weren't with the "In" crowd. 

What I am listening to, along with many other rescued CDs.

Here is the link to a video by a Charlotte church, focusing on family ForestHillSouthPark.

Ending with some random images that didn't make it into my posts Countdown posts. 

Sleep tight, may Santa drop lots and lots of goodies on your doorstep tonight!

Pre Christmas Finds

Welcome to Day 23 to the Countdown to Christmas. I am unsure whether this one is a watercolor or pen and ink. It intrigued me because it was so angular and masculine. Framed and matted under glass, a steal at $16.50. It has joined my permanent collection.

Near year's end is when I find the best pieces of original art. It never ceases to amaze me. 

If you want Christmas linens and such, it is a virtual bonanza. Half day off on a red background/white snowflake tablecloth already priced at $2.50, meant $1.25 for this delightful beauty.  

For $2 I am now the proud owner of this thread organizer, complete with more hand quilting thread. I have it nearby on a bookcase shelf where I do most of my couch potatoing. 

I've got my 20+ rescued CDs for next year's countdown. Woohoo!

I so look forward to the next few days, catching up on some quilting. I'm not entertaining any guests this year so the pressure is off. 

Thrift Shop Rescues

Welcome to Day 22 to the Countdown to Christmas. Found early this year, Muffy of the North ($2, with org. box) was my best find.

I have an affinity for the boxed Hallmark and Precious Moments ornaments. Those thrift shop rescues have found their forever homes.

The additions to my Christmas collection this year included the Lennox trees.

The Lennox salt and pepper
Jewels of Christmas were a couple of dollars

A 2018 thrift shop find
Love her, cropped hair and all

Usually I find ceramic smalls such as these Enesco horses, but no luck this year.

I have made an effort to buy less holiday decorations, even though they are secondhand and affordable. I am also swimming in Christmas sweaters, no one should have more than a few. I am at the few+ level. 

What I am listening to:

Saw the Star Wars movie - what a blast!

Christmas Weird and Wacky

Welcome to Day 21 to the Countdown to Christmas

Posting images of the weird and wacky for the holiday season.

Robert Goulet Joseph

Christmas stocking fail

What I am listening to this week - 

This one wins the prize as the weirdest
Stan and Doug Yust go nuts at Christmas
I also found out this one resells for $$$
but I'm keeping it

This one is a keeper