This and that in January

I have finished Paulina's top, all except the borders (plain deep purple borders).  For some reason, I always tend to procrastinate anything to do with borders. 

The borders have been sitting there for a week!  

What do I do, when I'm in quilty procrastination mode?  I start, or think up, new projects, of course. 

I really have it in my head to make Christmas quilts for my kids this year.  I have a lot of scraps from the stockings I've made.  

Kaela loves this tree quilt.   I started this Tree quilt in MA in 2002, and finished it the last time we lived in Japan, in 2012,  Kaela's senior year of high school.   

One thing led to another and I went shopping at Tomato for fabric to make a Christmasy Tree quilt for Kaela. 

It's really kind of sad - normally this would be the time of the Tokyo Quilt Festival, and all the fabric shops would be chock full of tourists.  

I found some good "tree" fabrics among the fat-eighths: 

And it was fun to text Kaela back and forth a little as we chose a border fabric from within the modest Christmas fabrics section (this is a Riley Blake fabric): 

Plenty of physical distance on the train (sat across from this dapper fellow)

The pattern for this tree quilt is from an oldie but goodie 2002 book called Favorite Quilts Fast and Fun by Nancy Smith and Lynda Milligan (side note - I've always wanted to make a scrappy bear paw).  My copy is in storage in NH.   You can get your used copy on Amazon for about $8, NOT the outrageous price (about $165) pictured here: 

So I'm adding this Tree quilt to my already too-long list of projects for 2021.  But, it's just so fun to start something.  

I'm looking forward to starting Barbara Brackman's BOM Hands All Around - The Alcotts at War.  Easy piecing, and Louisa May Alcott.  I love sawtooth stars -  so excited to get started - today! 

Meanwhile in handwork, I am steadily making progress in the evenings on my Liberty EPP Hexie quilt: 

So, as 2021 begins, I realize the virus is still rampant and actually more troublesome now in Tokyo than it was back in March.   Our church building has been rebuilt (adjacent to the almost-finished newly renovated temple) and our congregation is meeting here again.  It's much more convenient to us - about a 35 minute walk, or a quick taxi ride. 

We hadn't been to church in person since last February.  So we attended 9:00 am church in person the other week.  Still, I think we will opt for Zoom church sometimes, most of the time? all of the time?  

Meanwhile the joy of our lives is FaceTiming our kids... and Charlotte.... seven months old now!

It snowed in Austin the other day!  I just love this little bunny bear! 

And so winter goes.  We are here, they are there.  Our hearts are knit together.  

Today is January 20 - the U.S. Presidential inauguration and I have a lot of hope in my heart.  It will be happening around 2:00 am on the 21st our time, so I will have to catch highlights on the news tomorrow morning.  

I hope if you are reading this, that you have high hopes for your new year.  Thanks for reading! 

x gratefully,

Cynthia