The New Year ...

It has just occurred to me that I have yet to write a post in this year of 2019.

Since Christmas, I have recovered from my head-rock impact from that fall on the ice Chrismas Eve. I have (finally) taken my holiday decorations down, though they await being brought upstairs and stored for another year. I waited longer to take them down this year--I was getting much enjoyment from having them around. But as always, there comes a time of struggle when a part of me would like to keep them up longer but part of me wants to feel lighter again, to reclaim my spaces. I'm thinking that since I just took them down this week it might make spring feel like it's coming a little sooner. Maybe? Who knows.

My Christmas cactus blossomed for the first time, albeit slightly after the New Year. It was a gift (you know who you are, and again, thank you so much!). It has very pretty two-tone flowers. There have been 3 blossoms so far and there are at least 3 more buds.



I have decided my next project will be another quilt! I wasn't expecting to start work on another so soon after the last but I'm in the mood. I went through some of my scraps and laid these out on the sofa. They'll become "Ties That Bind" quilt.



I need to cut the fabric into hundreds of squares in 3 sizes. I have a good start on the colored fabrics, will need to repeat with the white/neutral colors.



I finished weaving the remainder of my kitchen towels. The remaining half warp is on the loom awaiting my neighbor to get hers woven. I made only 5 for now because I want to make sure there is enough warp so she can make 6 towels. If there's warp left after her towels are done, I'll make another one. I experimented with different tie ups and made one with a different weft color. They are all from the same warp and the same threading, and the same treadling sequence, just different tie ups (refers to which pedals are tied to which frames). It's amazing how many different patterns can be made simply by varying the tie up.

Here are the towels just after I removed them from the loom. Not yet cut apart, or washed, or hemmed.



And the finished towels.



On the music front, orchestra rehearsals have begun for Beethoven's 2nd Symphony and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto #4. I adore them both. I remember hearing the Brandenburg Concertos when I was a child.... heaven! They are divine.

Lastly, I'm going to share this video I stumbled upon this evening. It's really, really good, and very relevant to these times.