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This year has been quite particular as I've hardly done any sewing since we moved house in the summer. I'm not really set up yet and I've not had much energy to sew either. Despite that in the first part of the year, I've managed a few projects/finishes and it is nice to take a look back for the Best of 2021 linky party with Cheryl.

1. The most made pattern - my collection of bags for teacher's gifts

2. The finished mini quilt

3. The finished UFO that became a parting gift for a ...

Not much sewing to report again this month... it's been busy for sure with planned and unplanned events throwing things up a little... I made a quick trip to London for work, came home to be declared contact case because someone in the office had covid. It was so weird to travel... but it was good to finally meet my colleagues, over a year after starting my new job!

That lead to cancellation of the weekend away we had planned for our birthdays... we still had a cake, I suppose that's a consolation...

Then my youngest caught covid ...

 Another very busy month here and quite a lot of unpacking done, finally moving to crafting/ sewing boxes. Not all set up but at least all recovered... my machines have also come out of their boxes so they are almost ready to get going! My fabric has been stashed again in the house rather than in boxes in the basement. That, in itself, is great progress! For now the shelves are in my bedroom, maybe I'll dream about sewing soon. 

And finally I've stitched the rest of the binding on my Snowflake quilt so it's no longer ...

School has started for all 3 children and we've had to get into a new routine. They seem to have taken to the new rhythm and have made new friends, which is great news really. It wasn't an easy transition for them, having studied in an English system and moving to a French one. Beyond the language it's very different.

With that I didn't do anything remotely creative. I found my snowflake quilt ...

 What can I say? For sure it has been a VERY BUSY month! Changing country after 21 years and in time of Covid is not a small feast but we made it.... 

We arrived just over a month ago and time has been busy. Sadly not with any sewing or anything remotely crafty... all my sewing supplies are in boxes... 

and they will probably be for a while to come, at least until the dust has settled and we have more or less made our house a home. 

I do have some little projects I could work on but I ...

 July has been of course very busy with the end of the school year and all the preparation for the big move across the Channel... I did sneak in some sewing, just to keep sane really! And of course, I had all the leaving presents to complete.

I made lots of bags, some pencil cases and some open wide pouches

I also managed to finish piecing my Impromptu Quilt top, which nearly got quilted but instead want on a little trip with Parcel Force....

 That's it, half of the year is already gone... I feel I have made progress, as well as letting go of unfinished, and probably never to be finished projects so all in all my UFO list has gone a little shorter. Not much dressmaking this quarter because I just hadn't had the time...

Quilts:
1. Modern HST triangles -  I have 23 blocks completed and not enough background fabric to make the 24th block from the pattern. I should decide what to do with these. Either finish the quilt or get rid of it... It is 5 years since ...

It is now officially summer, but really only on the calendar... we have had about a week of warm and sunny weather mid-month and now we are back to cold/rainy/grey/horrible... This month has certainly been busy, on more than one account really, but let's leave out the roller-coaster and concentrate on all craft-related, that's more fun really!

It has been a month of destashing of lots of fabric, I listed just over 100 (!) FQ on marketplace, lots are still available there. 

Part of my destash has also been for long-abandoned projects. In total, I ...

 It must have been the colder month of May ever, it has felt like February for most of it and I have been in my winter clothes almost every day. Let's hope June brings some sun!

Of course I had a long list and plenty to do this month, and of course I barely scratch the surface once more! 

I finally got my HST blocks from 5 years ago out and made 2 more to have a square quilt top. It only needs quilting now!

 Another month has come and gone, how is that possible really? I am not sure how much I have to report really, it feels like another month has gone in a flash.

Let's see...

I finally made some bags for my quilting frame parts

one is now completely finished!

I also cut out fabric for a new QAL (I know, I know...)

And I worked on 3 other projects that I haven't manage to finsh: a Persephone purse, a raincoat and a swimming costume.

Linking to April ...

 So a quarter of the year is over already and so far, it hasn't been very different from 2020. We have been in lockdown for most of it, with the kids home schooled until 8 March. We were all happy when they finally returned to school, and the increase daylight was much welcomed too... Of course I haven't crossed as many projects as I was dreaming I would but I have made some progress on a few and finished some too... Quite a lot will be on the next quarter list, unless they finally get dropped by getting ...

 It didn't start too bad really and I managed to sew at the beginning of the month but somehow I completely lost my motivation/time/energy to sew for a large part of the month. Life has just been too busy, my head has been too full and although I had some (free) time, I didn't sew much for most of the month. It has been quite a roller-coaster of a month actually and that has made me rather tired. Let's hope April is better month, hopefully the dust will have settled on a few other things ...

 I don't know if it was the cold or the never-ending lockdown or just everything in my life but February has not been the most productive month really. More than once I had time to sew but no energy and no motivation to do anything. So I wasted a lot of time that could have been spent crafting, time I always craved for before when our lives were so crammed. That sounds so silly actually but this is the reality I guess.

Anyway, I finally made the Lahja dress, pattern and fabric were bought probably 2-3 years ago... My ...

 January has been a busy month and I can't believe the first month of the year is over. I picked up the 365 Challenge blocks project that I had abandoned a long time ago. I managed to make 21 more blocks, not quite a block a day but at least that's more than I have made for this project in a very long time.

I also made a handbag for my Auntie that is on its way to her.

And I finished a quilt that was ...

 Another month over, and another year as well. And what a year! With so much time at home, I think I have been more productive than I am normally and I am pleased that December has been a particularly good month for my sewing. I finished most of the gifts I wanted to give on time, which is always a bonus!

Both the hexie bear rug and the Tinsel Tree quilt are finished and gifted

The Christmas PJ were delivered on Christmas Eve and my Moneta is also finished, just!

Just a quick look back on the Fettle Those Finishes list I wrote with Archie the Wonder Dog in October. I had a shorter list than usual and some that I was planning to finish for Christmas, so let's have a look at how much I have completed.

Quilts:

Bags, accessories:

 Surely 2020 is not all gloom! I am joining Cheryl to look back on this so peculiar year and find some sparks of joy in my creative world.

So what are my best from this year? In no particular order:

1. The most unexpected project:

sewing scrubs for our local hospital

2. The long forgotten project:

2 quilts from blocks that were in a draw for over 15 years

3. The most satisfying dressmaking project:

Hubby's quadra jeans

4. The tiny-teeny mini piecing:

Mini series quilt-along with Alison Glass and Giucy Giuce

Hexie bear rug ...

The month started very productively but then Covid struck... so I spent a week sleeping a lot and not doing much more than that, which of course, stopped me in my tracks. Thankfully I am feeling a lot better now but I am still tired at times. Anyway, I have managed to advance quite a few projects, including some I am hoping to finish in time to gift for Christmas.

I finished some quilt tops, including the Tinsel Tree, the Bear Rug and the Retro Tetro

October has certainly been busy workwise. I am happy that I have started my new job, even though I have so much to learn! All very interesting so that's good. At week-ends, we have tried to make the most of dry days to enjoy the lovely colour of nature. But I am happy that I have also managed some sewing time here and there. Not many finishes this month, but lots of blocks - all together I counted 27.

Blocks for the Retro Tetro Quilt Along

I also made 5 tiny ...