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2025 Goals

I admit, I haven’t given a lot of thought to sewing goals (or any goals) for the new year.

I am participating in Karen Brown’s DeClutter Challenge 2025.

This is my 5th year participating. Karen makes it easy…you approach it with a timer. 15 minutes.

You can handle 15 minutes of declutter a day, can’t you?!

2025 Declutter Challenge Sewing Studio

Karen’s challenge has become so popular now…woodworkers are cleaning their spaces, along with kitchens, closets, offices, and any space that one wants to tackle in easy increments!

This challenge has just started, so if you’d like to join, it is definitely not too late!

Just click on the ‘DeClutter Challenge I’m In’ photo in my sidebar!

2025 Declutter Challenge Sewing Studio

My sewing space is small and always looks cluttered, even when I do have it cleaned up!

The current project involves a lot of strips, so it is spread out on the tables.

I do have a goal of using up stash in 2025. Bonnie Hunter’s Silk Path pattern is one of my solutions towards that goal.

I am using my 1-1/2″ strips and that is what you see in progress in the studio photos.

Bonnie Hunter Silk Path Pattern

I like Bonnie’s patterns! She uses scraps and her patterns are well written.

I hope to make a few more scrap quilts to use up stash.

I will also continue to make pillowcases for donation. You can see some of those by clicking here and here.

I have one other goal for 2025, and that is to do more hand embroidery. Once upon a time and long ago, I did a lot of embroidery and I’d like to get back to it.

Once I complete the DeClutter Challenge, I will consider other goals. I know there are UFOs and kits hanging out in the studio that need to be made. I still need seasonal table toppers and the gift box is empty too!

Have fun and carry on!

More Pillowcases

I’ve not been in the sewing studio all that much.

Life issues depressing my sisters and I, but we will get through it.

Pillowcases

Meantime, I did have fun sewing more pillowcases for charity and moving fabric out!

Pillowcases

Have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy your loved ones!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

The Hubster and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday visiting with our son and his fam. While there, our son and daughter-in-law treated us to a field trip to the Tacoma Museum of Glass.

What a fantastic opportunity! We learned so much!

The museum had so many incredible works of glass art on display and not one of us took any pictures of it! Oops! We were all just so mesmerized by all of the galleries, including the adorable children’s art pieces!

However, the Hubster and son did take photos while we were in the Hot Shop.

The Hot Shop is where the magic happens and it was such fun to observe! As you can tell from the photo, it is easy to see. There are bleachers to sit in (where the Hubster, myself and granddaughter were) and a platform to stand (where son and daughter-in-law were), as well as large screens, and a person with a mike who takes questions and tells you what you are looking at. You are free to move around.

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Those large ovens are called glory holes and are 2100F degrees! The glass must be kept heated (called flashing) or it will crack.

*Clicking on a photo will give you a closer look!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

The visiting artist was Jason Christian. Jason is a glass artist living in the Seattle area.

That hot blob of glass will become a very large yo-yo when he gets finished with it!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

These two assistants are shaping a disk to add to the piece that Jason is working on. The torch, as well as the glory hole, help to keep the glass hot and prevent cracking.

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Here you see the disc attached:

Tacoma Museum of Glass

And here is Jason shaping the glass while an assistant helps to keep the heat off of him with the boards.

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Another piece of glass is being attached. The announcer (the man in black with his back to you) shared that the glass is about 20 pounds. It seems heavier because it is like balancing it on a fishing pole. The ‘fishing pole’ is a steel rod and is called a punty.

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

After much shaping and flashing, Jason is opening up the glass into large disc shapes.

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Glass blowing takes a lot of team work!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

The glass is heated very, very well so that it can be broken from the pole without cracking!

This is a tense moment, let me tell you!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

An assistant, wearing heat resistant gear (I saw him stick his gloved hands in a glory hole to preheat them) catches the glass as it is cut from the punty.

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

The glass goes into the annealing machine to be reheated to its glass transition temperature and then allowed to cool gradually.

Once cooled, it heads to the Cold Shop, where the shape and surface of the glass will be finished (a process we did not see).  

Tacoma Museum of Glass

We did not get to see the finished project, but I strongly suggest visiting Jason Christian’s website to see his art. There are lots of yo-yos, as well as other art pieces to see…he has even created an amazing black dragon chandelier!

There is a gift shop at the museum.

You can also walk around outside to see glass art pieces. We walked on an overpass where there is an entire wall of beautiful glass art pieces!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Don’t forget to look up!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

Tacoma Museum of Glass

If you are ever in Tacoma, you just might want to put the Museum of Glass on your bucket list!

They even have a Hot Shop Livestream if you can’t be there in person!

Tacoma Museum of Glass

See the world around you!