My husband and I are practicing retirement this year. We are really enjoying it. Since I’m an exercise physiologist we do a lot of exercise, play tennis, kayak, walk, teach aerobics and yoga. I find I’m better able to sew after I exercise.
I do have a good stash. Now when I add to it I usually add solids or tone on tones as that’s what I’m missing. I love to have a stash but find I need to buy the solids. Most of the applique quilts I do lend themselves to using a stash. I love being able to sew and not have to shop. I never buy kits as my favorite part of quilting is the design aspect.
I pick up my sewing room periodically. I have a friend Sara who sews with me every week or so and I clean up before she comes. I also tend to clean up between steps of the project. After cutting, after piecing etc. my room is generally controlled chaos.
I dont do too many classes except for online Craftsy technique classes. I’m helping Sara go through a BOM class. I really like sewing with Sara each week. I did do a six hour sweet sixteen class at Road to Ca show. I then bought a sweet sixteen sit down machine. I dont sew sew every day. I usuallly go in spurts but I do sew often.
I have one shelf full of books and magazines that I do enjoy looking at. I bought a Dresden book that I’ve enjoyed using recently.
One thing I started doing this year is joining the quilting board booms. You send in 19 fat eighths of one fabric. You get 19 different fat eighths. Then you make 19 12 1/2 inch squares to send back. I love having the challenge of designing all the different squares. Each one is a bite sized project I can do in a day. Then when your 19 squares (from various quilters in the US) come back you make a quilt. I have a harder time with that. I have gotten to know quilters from around the US through the boom. Since this plays to my love of design, this has been the most enjoyable quilting I’ve done in my semi retirement.