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Monday 30 December 2019

Planning for 2020

It's that time of year again, I didn't plan anything last year and due to circumstances I didn't complete anything of what I planned for 2018 either, but the thing about planning is, you can always make new plans, and start again.  There is no time like the present so here goes:

First, here are a couple of the quilts I did manage to finish this year.


Oh I so love this one I made for my grandsons first Christmas, I found it in my stash and I think I bought it in Walmart Florida in 2000. I am particularly happy with the quilting which, while far from perfect, I so enjoyed doing and I played with new quilting designs.


Ok well, yes, it's another panel I found in my stash, but my baby grandson didn't mind and it's a floor quilt.

1 Blogging
Monthly Blog Post
Since my health problems about eighteen months ago I have been pretty absent from the blogging world, both posting and reading. It's funny but the more I stayed away the harder it has been to return. You wouldn't believe the number of posts I wrote in my head, but only a very few ever made it here, and even then some I deleted rather than posted. So, why do I want to return? When I blog my quilting flow improves and this year, although I started sewing again, I haven't actually done much, and what I have was more basic stuff. I feel cut off, I miss everyone, it seems I'm out of the habit of reading blogs like I used to, and after I read them I rarely leave a comment, sorry. This year I aim to read and comment more and post at least once a month, if I can't get back into the flow by next New Year I will probably give up the pretence........sad

2 Quilting
This is to be the year of the UFO
It was meant to be 2018, then 2019, I got one done in 2018 and one in 2019, which I started in 2018 so it actually didn't make a hole in the pile.  So, what will I finish? The first thing has to be a wedding quilt, before their second anniversary. The back, the autograph panel, is finished and after a recent conversation with the bride I know exactly what they want for the front so this week I am planning out exactly what fabrics I need. I have lots of leftover HST's from the back too and I will make a lap quilt for them to use them all up. After that it's take your pick. I have a gypsy wife top to layer and quilt, and a Postcards From Sweden with half the top done, they will be first I think. OH, I haven't finished the Coming Home quilt I started this year, I really want to finish this too, I certainly don't want that to become another UFO.


This is the back of the wedding quilt, I'm thinking about using the silver grey background for a narrow border, then maybe a scrappy narrow border, then another grey, then piano keys again in the centre colours, please feel free to give any opinions.


Gypsy wife, I haven't even trimmed the bottom yet, and I'm sure I bought the backing fabric........

3 Personal
Improving my health and wellbeing, I want my life back.
I am so much better now. I started 2018 in reasonable health, then halfway through the year I developed a severe form of sciatica, at the worst I couldn't weight bear or walk, I have never experienced such pain before, and hope I never do again, from one who has had three children and had two major surgeries, one planned, one emergency. I had a respiratory arrest due to medication and suffered severe side effects including dementia symptoms to another pain killing medication. On top of all this they didn't work. It was when all the medication was withdrawn the pain started to improve. In the second part of 2018 I lived in a nightmare world which kept coming back to haunt me for such a long time afterwards and it's only now I feel that it's probably over.
I have lost so much of my confidence, even this blog post is a big deal for me, this year I will work to get it back.
In 2020 I plan to start walking my dogs again, I can't continue to live with the fear of falling and injuring my back. I used to walk three miles a day and I want to build up to that again.
I did start pilates last year, I loved it, but it was too soon and I had to stop, so I want to start again and develop a routine.
In all the happenings I did loose weight and dropped two dress sizes, so my goal is to continue maintaining.

And that's it, well, apart from I am planning a visit to Bruni at some point, my daughter is there for three years and although I'm so nervous of travelling all that way on my own I'm going for it.

That's it, I feel that I have barred my soul. I'm going a step further and linking up to Yvonne's Planning Party, my first link up since I don't know when, I only hope I remember how to do it!

With smiles from
Kate x

15 comments:

  1. Kate, I am so glad you wrote this post and shared it with us. Whether you write about progress or not, know that I look forward to hearing from you and about how you are doing. I am so happy to hear you are feeling better and were able to complete a few quilts this year and I will be here cheering you on as you start taking more walks and finding your confidence again. I know you can do it! Big hugs and best wishes for a joyful 2020.

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  2. I was just thinking of you the other day, Kate, and thinking I needed to check in with you. So fun to see this post from you. I hope you continue to stay in touch and I hope you have a wonderful 2020 with much improvement to your health and confidence. I still love your Gypsy Wife -- I may never get mine done! Maybe in 2020!

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  3. Welcome back! Love your Gypsy Wife quilt, the colors are so fun and bright.

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  4. Writing this post is a great big step toward a new beginning! And that’s just what each new year is about! Here’s wishing that 2020 is your comeback year! You’ve been missed! I also derive a lot of motivation, inspiration, and encouragement from blogging, and after a six month hiatus last winter, realized it had become too much a part of me to stop. Your projects are all delightful, but I have to say that your gypsy wife stops me dead in my tracks! Just wow!! Happy New Year to you and Gary!

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  5. Welcome back. Glad to hear you are feeling better. Baby steps. Good luck with walking, more sewing, and getting back into blogging.

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  6. Hi Kate! So glad to see you blogging again!! It was so fun seeing all the creations you have in the hopper. I remember every one and they are all gorgeous! I look forward to seeing what you accomplish this year and hope you will be the inspiration for me to get to blogging again too! I pray your health continues to hold up and improve. Keep on smiling!!❤❤

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  7. Morning Kate, it is so good to hear from you again and to know you are a lot better than you were. I have missed you,yours is one of the few blogs I follow. I hope 2020 is kind to you. Gwenyth

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  8. Sorry Kate I forgot yo say your Christmas quilt for your grandson is superb, so different to the norm. I just love the colours of your Gypsy wife they really zing.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words of support Gwenyth, I so appreciate it. Happy New Year to you too, I have a feeling it’s going to be a great one. You came up as a no reply blogger so I hope you read this. Xx

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  9. It's so wonderful to see a post from you Kate, no matter how often you write! Please know that the quilt blogging community completely accepts whatever you want to share. I know there are some who visit blogs, but don't write their own. Some who leave comments, some who don't, some who do sometimes but not others! That's me in the last category. There are some days where I just want to quietly read without having to think of something to comment.

    Meanwhile, what a treat to see your lovely pieces again! Your GW is brilliant and I hope you are motivated to happily work on it soon. Love those baby quilts, too! So fun. I hope that 2020 brings you increasing good health and strength. You've been through so, so much. We're all cheering you on!! :)

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  10. I'm so happy to hear from you, Kate, and it doesn't matter how frequently or what the content! I'm so sorry to hear of your continued health struggles and I hope that you are successful in regaining some control in 2020.

    Your projects are so beautiful and vibrant!!! I know they will be loved by their recipients.

    Happy New Year, Kate, and best wishes for 2020!!!!

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  11. Hi Kate: I have missed you so much and it is good to hear from you. You will do what you can or want to but know that we will always be here when you come back. I love seeing your quilts again. You have a wonderful way with colour and like you I am enjoying time with grandsons. I wish you good health and lots of dog walks (short one to start with) in 2020.

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  12. Glad to hear from you and good to hear you are getting better. Take your time to recover.

    So many beautiful projects to work on! I can’t wait to see them completed.
    Happy New Year!

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  13. So good you are back to posting on your Blog - with all your pains and strife you've managed to achieve quite a lot. Your Gypsy Wife quilt is so lovely and colourful, just what I like to see. I hope 2020 is the turning point in getting back to good health - Happy New Year to you Kate :)

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  14. It's good to have you back in blogland. What a miserable couple of years, it's good to hear you are doing so much better. Very fun finishes for the grandson and you've got some beauties picked out to finish this year. My word for this year is "finish", so I'm right there with you on that goal. Good luck. Happy New Year and welcome back!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave a comment, it helps me grow as a quilter and as a blogger. It also makes me very happy :)
I try to respond to all comments by email, but if I don't reply within a few days it may be because you are a no reply blogger

With smiles from,
Kate