I've missed you

Oh blog. I've been away for so long. It's not that I didn't think about you lots - because I did! - I just haven't made the time to sit down at my computer and say hi to you. That's not how friends treat each other and I'm sorry. I hope to make it up to you in this new year.

I've had many adventures since we spoke last. I went to New York and had lots of fun! Here's a picture of me at City Quilter -

See my cute bag? That's the Amy Butler Cosmo bag I made for the trip. I thought I'd want a really big bag so that I could shop, stow and keep on shopping. It has worked out well and I've had several offers to buy it. (Not a chance.) My only complaint is that even with such a big bag and so many pockets, I still can't ever find my keys or my phone. . .

My other big excitement on the trip was this -

I met Swatch from Mood Fabrics! I don't know how much you keep up with Project Runway, dear blog, but Swatch is the shop dog at Mood Fabrics where the contestants from Project Runway usually do their fabric shopping. He was shy at first but as soon as he realized that all I wanted was a picture with him - to document my celebrity sighting - he posed and then he gave me lots of smooches! You know how I love dogs - and probably Boston Terriers rank right after crazy Chihuahua/Terrier mixes and Dachshunds - and Swatch melted my heart. I wanted to put him in my big Cosmo bag and smuggle him south to the Lowcountry.

After that there was Thanksgiving and Christmas and the New Year and I've just been busy. I'm on a mission to clean out the clutter in my life and end 2012 with less stuff than I started with. Not fabric, dear blog. Or quilting books. Let's not get crazy. But just the stuff. You know the stuff you collect over the years that you're sure you can't live without? And then you forget that you ever bought it in the first place? That stuff. I've had two pretty productive weekends so far and am looking forward to closing out the storage space that I've had for years that I never, ever visit. That's going by the end of the month.

And speaking of that, no resolutions were made this year. I think I'm a pretty ok person and am happy with myself most mornings when I wake up. So instead, I'm making myself a to-do list for the year.
1. Clean out storage space.
2. Stop complaining about the gym and go more. (I know this one sounds more like a resolution. Don't correct me.)
3. Make Christmas stockings. Lots of Christmas stockings. Before December.
4. Make a skirt.
5. Make a top.
6. If I'm feeling really good about 4 & 5, make a dress.
7. Learn to knit socks.

Task 7 leads me back to the very first picture way up there at the top. Don't those little balls of yarn look happy? That is the start of task 7. And here's how they look 3 days later -

About 6 inches of my lower leg would be very warm right now. I'm knitting a very basic sock pattern with the help of my friend Sue. Better pictures and more details about yarn and such to follow. Maybe I'll finish this one by the end of the month.

And there is sewing, dear blog. I finally finished several Christmas presents this week. Sad, I know. And I still have one whomper present left to finish but I'm waiting for my little Bernina to be all tuned up next weekend. I don't want to start quilting before that is done. I have a feeling that this will be a crying project and I don't want to end up crying more than necessary. . .

I promise not to stay away so long next time. Until then, xoxoxoxo.