The 12 Days of Christmas were traditionally for celebrating the season and, in modern times, there is also a certain amount of retail therapy thrown in. From buying or making gifts for friends to that little something for ourselves. This year my purchase whilst out Christmas shopping was a lovely pair of reindeer earrings. They are so cute and, as get-togethers are much smaller and meals out not on the cards again this year, I’ve been wearing them frequently to add a little bit of cheer.
Christmas can be a time of stress for a lot of people. Wether it’s because the family are coming around or, in my case, back home briefly before flying out to see their partners family (which I can understand as they haven’t been home in over a year.) Reduced visits to family, friends or sewing groups. It can all play a part in increasing loneliness. I’m certainly going to miss my Strictly Quilting friends.
But what can we do to cheer ourselves up? I’d like to take you through some ideas that might help get through the next few months. We may not be in full lockdown but I think things are going to be a bit quiet for a while.
Well, as quilters or crafters, we always have a project or twenty on the go. When feeling fed up we can loose our sewing ‘mojo’ but one tip is to set a little goal. Add that one piece of sashing to the quilt we are making. (I’m thinking of the Lone Star quilt that I should have finished this year but has been stuck on.) By adding this one sashing border around the central medallion I now feel that I have been a little inspired to finish it.
Whilst talking of UFOs (Un-Finished Objects), what about making a list and using this time to sort your stash? Gather those that you definitely want to finish and sort them, along with their requirements, into individual boxes or bags. It always takes me a while to get back into a project if I’ve not looked at it for a while so make a little note of where you are. What needs doing next.
If you have any UFOs that have passed their sell by date – you didn’t get the quilt finished in time or perhaps you have completed the quilt top only to decide that you’re not too keen on it. Think about selling it. UKQU Facebook group has a destash page for individuals to sell such items. Whilst you are at it, you could sell or donate fabrics that you no longer love here along with those tools you bought that have never used.
Now you are in amongst your stash, what about going through that scrap bag? (If you are anything like me you have a few scrap bags!) I sorted my scraps into colour ranges. Greens, blues and greys; batiks, oranges and reds or pinks and purples. This could provide you with sewing which you don’t have to think about – Improv! I take a square, grab another scrap and sew it on, grab another on sew on……. This can really help get your sewing back underway as you can just relax and sew without being worried by all the maths. Once your are up to a sensible size, the charity quilt I used this technique on used 12” squares, you can just trim square and sew together. A little music or Christmas film in the background and a relaxing day is sorted.
Another gentle thing to do is to go through your craft books. Are there any we could give, donate or sell? This also can help get our creative juices flowing and reminds us of projects we had planned but had forgotten about. Light the fire, put on some soothing music, perhaps a mince pie and a glass of sherry and look through your books. That’s a nice way to spend an evening.
What about checking out the UKQU website? Spend time having a good rummage around – there are lots of goodies to find. I have some free patterns to download such as the Hearts Runner which would be perfect as a spring gift for a friend. It’s also easy enough for those who are new or have someone that wants to learn our craft. A friend has used this pattern for teaching her granddaughter to sew.
What about making a list of projects that you’d like to do this year – Birthday gifts or start on next years Christmas gifts. I always leave it too late and have again missed the boat for making what I’d have liked to have done this year. I need to take my own advice and start with a list now. We can then, whilst looking through those books or looking at the website, decide which projects would make the perfect gift. As a 12 Days of Christmas treat I have reduced all my downloadable pdf patterns on the website by 50% – Strictly Quilting’s half price sale, until the 10th January.
Whatever your plans are for Christmas, ensure you take time and be kind to yourself. I’m off to get my reindeer earrings in, do a few lists of the coming year’s projects and get sorting.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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