Wrapping Up 2021

It’s time to wave goodbye to 2021. It seems this year flew by, but we always think that at year-end, don’t we? The deep winter here in the northern hemisphere allows us time to reflect during the year-end holidays. All in all, it’s been a pretty good year at the Kizerian Cottage. There are always ups (good health, family and friends, quilting and traveling) and downs (basement leaks/floods, the pandemic and politics). I’m so very grateful that we have another year to look forward to together. There are so many good things ahead! And did I mention cats? CATS! Our dear fur kids Alfie and Darla always liven up the time we spend at home. Yeah, cats are near the top of the Good Things category. 

This year I sewed a total of 68 quilts. That’s a lot, to be sure, but remember that most of them were kid-sized quilts for my favorite local charity, Quilts for Kids, Salt Lake Chapter. Those kid quilts usually measure 40-42” wide and under 50” long. I had my machine “Bernadette” (a Bernina 550QE) serviced this week, and the technician noted on the service notes that I had put on 2.8 million stitches this year! 

Looking back at the year, I can divide my quilts into those I made as donation quilts for Quilts for Kids, those I made for person use or gifting, and those I made for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (which may have ended up as a personal or donation quilt). 

**** Donation Quilts ****

Here are five of my favorite (or your favorites, judging by comments) QFK quilts from this year

“Creamsicle”, Orange and Cream String Quilt, September

This was just a fun make and used up so many string scraps. I got into a groove and when I came to, the blocks were done, LOL!

Riverdance , July

Riverdance came about when I was gifted some navy and orange scraps. I already had some four-patches in those colors set aside and they all blended well. To set the blocks apart, I used white strips to make them “dance”, hence the name.

Stringing the Blues, July

It’s no secret that I love string blocks. But when I had more than enough in blue to make an entire quilt, I figured “why not?”

Bright Blocks, June

This was a fun challenge I set for myself. I had some multi-colored patches aging in my scrap stash (the middle patches), so I pulled limited-quantity scraps and strips that matched it in reds, blues and greens. Eventually, this is how it came together. It was a blast! Sorry it’s pinned up wonkily on the design board!

Seahorse With No Name, March 

This was inspired by the border fabric, picked up at an estate sale. I used a Kaffe Fasset fabric for the sea floor and a solid light green for the water. The seahorse is my interpretation of one similar that I saw online. For added interest I pieced a color-gradient reef and appliquéd some “coral”. The water was given wavy line quilting.

**** Personal Quilts ****

My personal favorite quilts I made this year were:

Pinwheels (for Lauren)

Beachcomber (for Graham)

Zipperumpazoo (for Megan)

Stay at Home (for Kelly)

Ring Around the Roses (for me)

Ring Around the Roses was finished just a couple days ago. I made the blocks in January and February as I sewed along with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The rose fabric is one that’s been in my stash probably 8-10 years, and I absolutely adore it. It’s been something I’ve been looking forward to finishing, and the wait was worth it.

Ring Around the Roses was quilted with a small vine-y loop. In the four corners I stitched a large rose motif, one of which you can see in the above picture. The quilt finished at 60x72” and I am enjoying it already!!

**Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) Finishes**

Top Row: Spring Stars, Waffles, Cats

Middle Row: Windmills I and II

Bottom Row: Beachcomber, Sampler

I still have two RSC quilts to finish from 2021’s blocks: Chips and Split Nines.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Our Christmas was spent at the home of my son Ryan and daughter-in-law Kim. The grandkids Lauren (and boyfriend Graham) and Easton were there, too, of course. Easton was home from the Navy in South Carolina for Christmas.

L-R: Bruce, Lauren, Cathy, Graham, Kim, Easton, Ryan

All of Kim’s family was there (except one brother and his son), but there were 23 of us all together. Everyone was vaccinated, and we took a Covid test upon arriving before joining the festivities. We had a great meal (everyone contributed), great conversation, lots of laughter, gift opening and lots of catching up.  (Bruce and I aren’t in this picture. I was photographer *cough*).

So, this week we’ve been having snowstorm after snowstorm (at least the snowblower is fixed!) and are staying home for New Year’s Eve. 

Thanks for joining me this year! Your support and comments and friendship have meant the world to me! I hope you’ll continue to drop by in 2022. I’ll be continuing with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Quilts for Kids among other things. 

May your New Year 2022 be healthy and happy!  (Oh! Dang it! Can you believe that our beloved Betty White died on December 30?!? Say it ain’t so!).