December is a strange month, it always has been. We spend so much time looking forward to and planning our celebrations and then suddenly, it's all over. As soon as the New Year parties are over, most of us just want everything to get back to normal, whatever that is.
Routine(s) they say, can have huge health benefits.
An effective daily routine can help with the reduction of stress and anxiety, leading to improved mental health.
Did you know that your sleep can be improved if you have regular times for retiring to bed and getting up?
If you have a regular grocery shopping routine, it can help you maintain a healthy diet. I suppose if you buy chocolate every morning, the theory may prove to be less than accurate though.
A daily exercise routine can keep you physically healthy, mobile, and help you manage your time. For me, a short walk with the dogs helps me to think through my day, plan my time and prioritise my workload.
I have thoroughly enjoyed a hiatus in my daily routine over the the last few weeks. I've enjoyed some time off work, I've had family visit, I've had food I don't usually eat, I've even watched television and I loved it all. Somehow though, I still managed to craft. Frankly, for a short time, I can manage my house being a chaotic mess (that was the family visit). I can justify eating foods I shouldn't and I can tolerate and even enjoy, some television programmes or films I wouldn't normally watch.
The one thing I can't do without, even temporarily, is my crafting habit. I have to be occupied all the time, I get bored so easily and being idle makes me more tired. When I do sit down, I need to be sewing, creating, crafting or watching someone else crafting.
So, and yes, I've managed to avoid the word until now, but here it comes: I have loved the 12 Days of Christmas live events that Lizzy has presented to us every night since December 26th on her FB page. How rapidly a routine (albeit it a temporary one - Lizzy won't be live every night this year!) can develop when we're having fun and learning, all at once!
At 7pm every evening for 12 evenings, we've enjoyed conversation, laughter, tuition, encouragement, reassurance and so much more.
Here's a list (not exhaustive) or what we've learned for the first time, or had reinforced or been reminded of:
Preparation: choosing and preparation of fabrics; having close at hand the tools we need; keeping the instructions close by, and clearing our workspace
Paying attention to detail: read through the guides; following the visual clues; listening to instructions, and checking and rechecking the measurements
Picking colours: how and what to choose; when to use what, and how to arrange them
Products which are helpful to us: ironing sprays; temporary fabric adhesive; fabric marking pens/pencils; seam pressers, and even talcum powder! If you don't know, you need to watch the video on Saturday Jan 4th ;-)
Placing the pieces in order: we've seen that laying down the block pieces on the worktop or pressing mat; replacing the bits we've already stitched to the correct spot, and pinning the seam to know where we are to stitch next, means we have less chance of muddling things up.
Patchwork techniques: Foundation Paper Piecing; use of templates; nesting of seams; quilt as you go; accurate cutting and trimming, and accurate measuring.
Putting everything together: sewing together the blocks; how to layer and quilt; how to make the quilt smaller or bigger, and suggestions about making other things from the patchwork.
The list goes on but I ran out of Ps!
At the time of writing this, we still have a couple more live sessions to go. There'll be more tips, more tuition, more demonstration of techniques, and more fun. Then the nightly routine will be over, but it will have enriched our lives and our crafting experience.
Did you know that all the videos are still, and will always be, available to watch and rewatch?
You can watch on FB, on the Lizzy Curtis page:
You can also watch on YouTube, here's the link to the 2024 playlist (2 more videos to be added at the time of writing)
And while you're on YouTube, you may like to watch the playlist for the 12 Days of Christmas 2023...
...and 12 Days of Christmas 2022
Well, we have talked about the benefits of routine, we've experienced (or you can join in) a new routine over the last 10 days (and next 2 days) and I've shared with you the importance (to me) of making sure we build crafting into our life routines.
What have you enjoyed about your temporary routine that has been the 12 Days of Christmas 2024?
How has is enriched or improved your life experience?
Have you even watched any of the videos? If not, will you be watching?
Have you started making your blocks? If not, will you be making any?
In what ways will you be able to bring (and maintain) crafting into your normal routines?
Drop me a comment and let me know your answers. It makes my day to know you've read and if you've enjoy it, even more so.
We have so much to be thankful for. Life is precious and the more ways we find to be able to live it to the full, the better.
From all of us, thank you Lizzy for the wonderful routine created by the 12 Days of Christmas, all the fun we've had and all the knowledge you've imparted. Thank you for a year of Lizzy Curtis Designs, the "routine" that is ongoing and really does have true health benefits!
Happy New Year Everyone. See you in February for the next blogpost.
Kath x
Happy New year Kath,
Another well thought out and written blog, I love your blogs as they are always so fun and insite full. Sadly I did not get to join in the 12 days of Christmas this year as I have so many unfinished projects, I am going to finish 😁😁 however I do normally join in and that is why I have so many items to finish, so this year my focus is to do that,before I start anything new. I still keep up with all that is happening, but as I am a slow sewer I need to accept this instead of trying to keep up with everyone else. I will then join in again with some…
Thank you Kath for the blog. Very informative. I didn’t know the playlists for 2023 and 2022 were available. My 2022 still has to be finished - there’s always another project first. I have to sort out my UFOs and find time to finish them. The thing is there’re are always wonderful new projects on the horizon. I love the Lizzy/Kath lives and often intend to make. I find my sewing takes me longer as I age but am still excited to try new things. Thank you both for sharing your knowledge.
Happy New year Kath,
Thank you once again for doing the blogs.. I love them , you make them come alive I must get into the routine of sewing more, I think if I did New Year resolutions that one would have to take priority , it’s lovely to go on Facebook live and only very occasionally would I forget to do so.
I love you Kath for all you do for us, and of course Lizzy who invests so much of her time to give us great patterns, to teach us so much never seems to be a problem only a joy. You are both great inspirational ladies.
Lots of love Chris Long 💐💐
I am pleased you have had a lovely Christmas. I think routine is very important, I get so easily distracted over the Christmas period because everything is so different. I don't even have the regular TV to keep me on track of days. Thank Goodness for Creative Friends, we can rely on Lizzy to tell us what day it is every morning in the group 😂. I always look forward to the 12 DOC, to me it has become part of my Christmas routine, I haven't missed a live yet! And although I haven't made this year's myself (yet) I love seeing everyone else's blocks. Thank you Lizzy and Kath x
Oh how true your words are Kath. The fact we are so keen to get back to 'normal' after the festivities shows that. But the 7pm nightly routine has also become part of our norm & will definitely be missed. I haven't been able to craft for over 3 weeks due to some health reasons but to be able to watch & hear Lizzy has been a joy. So many hints & tips picked up along the way sometimes without realisation. Thankyou x