2024 Favorite Books and a Good Start to 2025

Thank you to recent readers and commenting friends. It feels like I'm back amongst my familiar artsy peeps who enjoy talking about sewing and our creative experiences as much as doing it. And coming back to blog reading regularly is like settling in with a good book. So with that intro, here are my favorite books of 2025. I had to laugh at myself because, yes, I DO like the long form of so many things, books included. Several of these were quite lengthy but I enjoy diving into the whole alternative that they create for me. (I didn't even include the 40 plus hours I spent walking listening to Barbra Streisand's autobiography!) And if the first day of the year is how your year will go, then we're off to a good start at our house. Mr Lucky, Bingley and I headed out on a blustery afternoon to do a first day hike. I'm getting over the damn virus ( I think it was from our Christmas day visit to Longwood Gardens) so I didn't want to join the morning ranger walk. We just wandered the trails on our own and ended up at the Crystal Pier where a birder and photographer pointed out this adorable little sparrow sized bird...a snow bunting...who has made the long trip from the Arctic to the Chesapeake Bay. There's what I need more of in sewing endeavors, patience, persistence and determination. And it's a new bird on my meager Merlin bird list but does bring me to my word for 2025...new. Yes, I'm looking for some novelty in my sewing experiences this year. I have so many patterns but have kept to tried and true ones in recent years since a lot of the fit work is done. But this is my year to venture a little further. No numbers to challenge or frighten my, just some steady progress trying out some new to me patterns. This morning I cut out a Jalie jacket for an initial mock up. And the coming cold weeks here in Maryland are good for sewing something cozy. Here's hoping that your sewing is keeping you interested and curious.