Wednesday 25 January 2023

WOYWW #712: Hello 2023!

Although it seems ages since new year's eve, it's my first blog post this year, so happy new year, everyone. Here's what I've been up to in January so far: 

I finished my December Care Journal with some additional pages from the Ugly Art Club challenge. Here it is on my desk and a few of my favourite pages inside:







Currently I'm working on JJJ (Junk Journal January) in another journal but I'm only doing some selected prompts. This was the "barcode" prompt:


I've also finished my second quilt! This was made with the same strip piecing method as my first one, using Moda's scrap bags, just a bit bigger. I'm testing my boundaries size-wise and this is pretty much bordering the upper limits of what I can squeeze under a regular sewing machine while quilting. Maybe I can go just a little bigger!  I got into a bit of a pickle with the layers shifting during quilting, even with the walking foot, but got some good advice online about how to reduce the puckering. It turned out ok in the end! 

I've already started working on a new quilt, but it's a year-long project: it's a temperature quilt! It involves plotting the maximum and minimum temperatures for each day working with half square triangles. I assigned cool colours to the lower temps and warm colours to the higher temps. By the end of the year, I will have a very colourful quilt top! It's too early to show you the process, but I can show you the colours I'm using: 


Update (September 2023): I had to give up on this project. Although I continued logging the daily temps all the way through till the end of August, I came to the realisation that there hasn't been enough variation this year to make this project interesting, and I would have had to buy a bunch more fabric in the greens and yellows without using any of the lovely magentas. The only time I wouldn't have complained about the heat, we ended up with a cool summer! Perhaps I'll have another go next year.


I've been using lots of the coolest colours this week! It's been frosty most mornings! 


When I spotted this fox on the front lawn, I quickly checked that Oreo was in the house! Thank goodness, he was safely snoozing in the airing cupboard. He doesn't go out much in this cold. 


Happy #712!






17 comments:

  1. I love the way you’ve just launched into quilting and have absolutely smashed it!! The colours in the first pic are just gorgeous and the temperature quit is going to be an interesting project as well. I’m steaming ahead with stuff for the shop to get a good stock together then I’m going to have a go at a scrappy quilt and try to do random (I find it very hard, having a very pattern orientated brain!)
    Hugs LLJ 6 xxx

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  2. Really love your quilt and have to say that handsome fox sure stole my heart.
    Hugs,
    Annie x # 8

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  3. Hi Zsuzsa, so nice to see you - it's been a long while as I haven't blogged much but it's so good to see what you are up to. I absolutely love your journal pages - they really are stunning and I'm also amazed at how you've taken to quilting. The resulting quilt is beautiful and looks so perfectly made - not a wonky line to be seen! Beautiful!
    Hope you have a great week,
    Diana xx #15

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    1. LOL, there are a lot of wonky lines, you just can't see them! Funnily, I could see them while I was working on it, but not any more!

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  4. Well done for the quilting, I had a go some years ago . . . got in an awful mess, bought Quilting for Dummies but it was just soooo confusing I gave up and used the material for other things!
    Your junk journal is amazing.
    Christine #19

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  5. Wow you've been bust Zsuzsa ❤ I'm swooning over your gorgeous journal ... oh if only we could reach in and touch ... absolutely gorgeous it is ⭐️ toooo your amazing quilt 🥰🤩😍 just wow!! Loving the colours of the rainbow 🌈 on your temperature quilt! Such beautiful photos... isn't it magical outside when it's frosty ❄️ Wishing you joy in the week ahead. Love and hugs Tracy #21 xxx

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  6. I look forward to your posts, they are always full of beauty! the chunky journal is just to die for, I love it! good luck with the temperature quilt, I hope we get off the cold colours soon!! The quilt you've finished is also stunning. Happy WOYWW and see you next month! Helen #2

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  7. I havent done much collage journaling- and i MUST do more sewing this year- so inspired by your rainbow quilting. thanks Robyn 3

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  8. Oh Gosh! That's a worry, Oreo and the foxes. Hope he stays safe in most of the time.
    Impressive journal pages, I always enjoy seeing your work and that is a most fantastic journal - so fat and bursting with artwork.
    Love the quilt you have made, well done you and wow to the new one. Getting very adventurous and working in gorgeous fabrics by the look of things.
    Good to see you again. Happy New Year to you.
    Hugs, Neet 1 xx

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  9. As always, I am agog at the way in which you exercise your creative muscles, from quilting to journaling to photography and more. You're the ultimate inspiration, Zsuzsa! xo

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  10. Hi Szuzsa. Sorry I'm so late getting round and hope the rest of your week is full of great crafting time. Loving the new journal pages. I know you worry about Oreo but the other day one of the ladies on our street told us that there was a fox in the garden and their cat ran after it and it shot off as though it's tail was on fire. Wishing you a very happy belated woyww. Hugs Angela x10x

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  11. Even though I see your journaling on Instagram, I enjoy the monthly summary. I have decided I'll do end of month reviews too on my blog although I can't resist sharing projects I'm really excited about as well. Love your frost picture but glad I can't feel your temperatures. I am intrigued about your new quilt. Can't wait to see how that turns out - the colours are stunning. Happy creative 2023!

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  12. Your quilt from last year is lovely and I love the idea of the new temperature one. Loving your journaling as ever. Happy belated WOYWW. Take care of yourself, with love & God Bless, Caro xxx (#17)

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  13. Happy New Year, Zsuzsa! Yes, it seems a long time ago since end of December, although it is just a month... As always, your pages are beautiful, and... I *love* your quilt! The fox picture is gorgeous too, you are lucky to have such a visitor in your garden!

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  14. LOL! Funnily enough YT has been serving me lots of quilting videos lately - and I have at least 3 large quilts, each one between 75 and 90% done. DOH! Life has been crazy. Love your book (Stunning with a capital S!) and the beautiful photos always make me happy. Fell off the Insta a bit, just too much to keep up with sadly but very happy to see you here (if a bit late :))
    HAPPY late WOYWW!
    Mary Anne (5)

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  15. Just wondered what you have been up to...Love that Junk Journal. Happy 14th Anniversary of WOYWW! Susan #21

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