The End and the Beginning

Hello, and welcome!  I hope everyone who celebrates had a very happy Christmas.  We certainly did, with my favorite things--family, food, and fun.  Oh, and quilts!
Our celebration was on the Saturday before Christmas, due to work schedules and celebrations with in-laws.  On Christmas Day, I walked the dog in 50 degree weather, did some sewing, and in the evening watched the always-wonderful Call the Midwife Christmas special.  A lovely day.

Extra time off during the holidays was perfect for finishing one more donation quilt.

This little quilt uses lots of scraps recently donated to me by a friend in Pennsylvania.
The pattern seems a lot like magic.

Here's how it started--72 squares, cut 5 in. and sewn in 12 rows of 6.  I used a few "real" charm squares, but most of them were just cut from my scraps.
Now the scary part.

My cat Biddy is helping calm my nerves as I follow the directions.

The rectangle is cut into 3 big triangles...

and then rearranged into a square, like this.  There are post-it notes on each section, which helped me orient them correctly.

It just takes two more seams to get this little square top.

I added blue borders.
It's an easy and fun technique, but not as precise as just sewing the squares on point would be.  The seam allowance on the edge is lost, so the points aren't perfect.
I don't think the recipient will notice or care.
The pattern was given out by a local quilt shop, with copyright notices on it, so  I can't share it with you, sorry.  The name of it is Baby Charms.

Pattern Update:  The name of the pattern has been changed to Chock Full O' Charms, and is available in 5 sizes for $10.  Click HERE to view/order it on Quiltwoman.com.  Click HERE to see the sizes, fabric requirements, etc.

A butterfly print backing, some simple quilting 1 in. inside each seam, and a light blue binding finish it off.

Ready to donate!  It's 45 in. square, so it's too big for Jack's Basket.  I had thought about donating it to Wrap A Smile, but I inadvertently included holiday fabric (Easter eggs and shamrocks) which is a no-no, so it will probably go to Quilts for Kids.

In other news, handwork.

My spiky stars Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt is getting finished, a little at a time.  Some people dislike quilt as you go because there often is handwork, but I find it kind of peaceful.

I also did something yesterday that I've been wanting to do for a long time.
I cleaned out the pantry!
My pantry is a closet in the laundry room.  Here are the before pictures (cringe).

Right side.

Left side.
In other years, these empty jars would be full of canned tomatoes, apples, pears, and maybe peaches.  Last year was not a good canning year for me, and next year will definitely be the same, since I will be busy babysitting a new grandson.  So lots of these jars were relocated to the garage.
It's amazing how many things migrate into storage spaces.
It took 3 hours, but here's what it looked like afterwards.

Left side after.  The vintage bread box holds plastic bags.  I can't believe how many we had, even though I always take my cloth bags to the grocery store.

Right side after.  Now I can tell how much we have of anything, so I can buy more before we run out.  (What a concept!)

Did you notice this pink bag in the last photo?  It's a stiff cloth bag that once held 10 pounds of basmati rice.  Now it's my clothespin bag.  When I bought it, it was stitched shut (see the line of holes below the zipper?), but the zipper was already (badly) sewn in it.  After we ate all the rice, I fixed the zipper, and it makes a nice sturdy holder for the clothespins.  What an interesting way to sell rice.

A new year starts next week.  As always, it feels like a new beginning, a chance to renew our commitments and change things for the better.  In the year ahead, I wish happiness and peace for you, and for all of us.
Happy New Year!
from Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:
Angela at Soscrappy
Alycia at Finished or Not Finished Friday
Sarah at Can I Get A Whoop Whoop
Cynthia at Oh Scrap