I love January.  

Image from Country Living and Sam Trombino.

Maybe not snow - I accept that I like the idea of it more than the reality.  But when I think of January, this is the image that comes to mind, probably because this kind of winter scene evokes a sense of hope, renewal and rebirth.  

Leave it to a poet to express January beautifully...

And no, it's not just a new datebook or planner.  (Though I do love those.  More about those tomorrow.)

For today, these are a few of the things that caught my attention in recent weeks, things I liked enough to share with friends.  

Michael J. Fox.  

A few weeks ago, I read this interview - Michael J. Fox Is Ready To Tackle Whatever Comes Next - from the December 2021/January 2022 issue of AARP Magazine.  (It's also mentioned in this article on Today.)

The articles brought two of his books to mind, they're favorites that I've read/listened to more than once - No Time Like The Future and Lucky Man.  They're lovely lessons in optimism and gratitude, finding the humor in every situation, and living with grace.  

I'll share some of the other books I've been reading next time.  Reading, and listening to.  Do you like audiobooks?  I'm not much of a Netflix or television watcher while sewing, but I've been an Audible-subscriber for almost ten years.  (And yes, I get audiobooks from the library too.)  

Cooking.  You had to know I would share a recipe or two.  One of my recent favorites is this Creamy White Chicken Chili from Tieghan Gerard of Half-Baked Harvest.  (There's a new HBH cookbook coming this March - Half-Baked Harvest Every Day.

Photo by Tieghan Gerard of Half-Baked Harvest.

This goes together very quickly, and if you have leftovers, the soup is as good then as when you first made it.  Soup - yes, this is definitely more of a soup than a chili.  

While a few of us might have over-indulged over the holidays, who isn't up for a good, chocolate treat?  This is one of my favorites - Spiced Dark Chocolate Cherry Saltine Toffee. 

Photo from Garden & Gun magazine.

The recipe was first published in Virginia Willis' Secrets of the Southern Table, it was reprinted in Garden & Gun magazine, in November 2018.

Make it so you can enjoy it while stitching with us this year.  And oy... we will be busy this year!  We're excited about some of the quilt-alongs on our schedule for 2022.

 

January through October – Quilt Recipes by Jen Kingwell

• Starting date – December 31, 2021
• We’re working our way through Jen Kingwell’s Quilt Recipes book.  We’ll be sharing tips for using the templates and foundation papers, and for selecting fabrics.  
• Think of this as a Sit & Sew – bring the project you’re working on, share tips and ideas, and stitch at your own pace.  While the first quilt we’re focusing on is Daylesford, we will also be making most of the others in the book.  And we’re definitely baking Jen’s recipes!
• Hosted by Jen Kingwell, Susan Ache, Moda and Carrie Nelson.  

 

 

January through December – Branching Out Block of the Week

• Based on a 1930s log cabin tree block, the blocks finish at 8” or 6½".  Make 1 to 2 blocks each week, and you'll have enough to make a generous throw quilt. 
• Starting date – Tuesday, January 4
• Tuesday, January 4 – post on Moda’s Inspiration+Resources center with yardage suggestions, supplies and notions.
• Friday, January 7 – blog post sharing instructions and tutorials on different methods to make the block.  
• Technique used:  Flip-and-Sew corners.  Notions options include – Frixion pens (BFX72BLK), Cluck Cluck Sew Diagonal Seam Tape (CCS 192), and Antler Quilt Designs Simple Folded Corners Ruler (AQDR1 or AQDR2).
• Recommended Pre-Cut – Layer Cakes! 
• Hosted by Moda and Susan Ache - @yardgrl60 on Instagram.

Collections shown above – Midnight Magic 2 / Home Sweet Holidays / Celestial / Newport / Sincerely Yours.

January – February – Be Mine

• Starting date – Wednesday, January 12, 2022
• Chelsi Stratton is hosting a quilt-along for her Be Mine quilt - CSD125.  
• Fabric - a Fat Quarter Bundle of Sincerely Yours by Sherri & Chelsi.
• Hosted by Chelsi Stratton - @chelsistratton on IG and Chelsi Stratton Blog. 

 

 

January through December – A Quilting Life Mystery BOM

• Starting date – January 6, 2022
• Sherri McConnell is back with another Mystery Block of the Month.  New blocks are released the first Thursday of each month with a Free PDF download on her blog. A video tutorial with piecing tips for each block video is shared on her YouTube channel. While Sherri’s blocks are made with fabrics by Sherri & Chelsi, there isn’t a featured collection.  (Quilt shown is the 2021 Mystery BOM.)
• Hosted by Sherri McConnell – https://www.aquiltinglife.com.  

 

February through August – Cotton & Joy Mystery BOM

• Starting date – January 7, 2022.
• Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts is sharing Cotton & Joy, a 6-month Mystery Block of the Month featuring her Beautiful Day collection.  
• Fabric Requirements – 1 FQ Bundle of Beautiful Day.  (The Moda bundle includes the Beautiful Day Panel – that is required to complete the quilt.)  Exact fabric requirements will be shared on Friday, January 7, 2022.
• The sewing will begin in late February or early March, after the fabric and pre-cuts have arrived in shops.  
• Hosted by Corey Yoder – https://corianderquilts.com and https://corianderquilts.com/cotton-joy-mystery-bom/

 

February through December – Bella Classics

• Starting date – February 4, 2022
• Two-color quilts truly are classics.  Whether the designs are simple or intricate, they are among the most collected antique quilts.  To add these classics to our collections, we’ve created six quilts that will work in every combination of colors.  While we’re sharing a variety of color options, this is a perfect way to start your own Red & White, or Blue & White quilt collection.   
• The first pattern will be shared on the Moda Inspiration+Resources Center on Friday, February 4.  Subsequent patterns will be shared the first Friday of April, June, August, October and December.
• Hosted by Moda Fabrics.  

 

March through September – Block Heads 4

• Starting date – Wednesday, March 23, 2022
• The Moda Block Heads are back – bigger and better than ever!  We’ve invited a few new faces to join the group, so there are now more than twenty Moda Designers.
• This is a Mystery quilt, and there isn’t a featured collection.
• Blocks finish at 9”, with optional 4 ½” blocks.  Multiple setting options will be provided.
• Hosted by Moda. 

 

June through December – Meet Me In The Garden

• Starting date – June 2022 
• A six-month quilt-along with monthly video tutorials by Val Krueger on piecing this 104” x 104” medallion quilt made with Primitive Gatherings Garden Gatherings and Garden Gatherings Shirtings.
• Pattern required – Meet Me In The Garden pattern info coming soon.
• Fabric Requirements – 1 FQ bundle of Garden Gatherings + 1 FQ bundle of Garden Gatherings Shirtings + 1 Layer Cake of Garden Gatherings Shirtings 
• Hosted by Lisa Bongean and Val Krueger.  

Do any of these pique your interest?

I'm most excited about the Branching Out tree block, and the Bella Classics.  My tree blocks will be scrappy, and I think I'm going to make the six Bella Classics quilts using the same two colors.  By December, I'll have a collection of two-colors quilts.  I just need to decide which two colors!

Reading - and books.  Food.  Sewing.

What else is there?

I love Neil Gaiman's New Year's messages.  

January.  Hope.  Possibilities.

I hope 2022 brings you Peace, Hope, Happiness and Kindness.