2025 In Review

 This has been quite a year. Lots of travel and important decisions. Mom moved to Knoxville last August and it was such a good idea. In January, she called me with a nose bleed that wouldn't stop. I was teaching a class at Mountain Creek Quilt Shop. Marian took her to Parkwest Hospital ER. That was a mistake. They admitted her. The service was impossible. They only checked her vitals once a day. The room was dirty. We couldn't get answers on why we were there. They didn't address her nose bleed even though it keeps bleeding for a couple hours each night. We finally had to call the patient advocate and get a new doctor, after Marian went off on the other one and scared him so bad he wouldn't come back into her room. Turns out she has Afib. I got her a cardiologist at UT Hospital. Then in March, she fell in her room while trying to climb and get something from the top of her closet. I took her to UT ER where we were there for about 10 hours. She had cracked her tail bone. They sent us home with OXY. The next morning I couldn't get her out of bed because of her reaction to the OXY. Back to the ER. Fortunately the ER wasn't busy. It turns out they didn't mean for her to be released the day before. So we spent a week in the hospital. She was released to a Rehab facility. It was the same facility by Karen's house that Carol died in. After one night Mom called having a panic attack demanding I come get her. She ended up staying there for 2 weeks. It was not a great experience for her. Her PT person turned out to be my neighbor, who went to school with Taylor and Josh. (The horrible part is that she died in the Fall.) Anyway, during her second week of Rehab we took our first trip. Taylor, generously came and stayed with Mom, while Marian and I went to our Quilt Retreat in Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina. It was a great trip as usual. 

Mom and I took some drawing classes together for a while. It was fun. Taylor came to town in January and we had a Mom/Daughter weekend. We made glasses, went to Wake and had a great foot massage. It was a great weekend! 

We purchased a new washer and dryer this year. Probably didn't need to, but we did. 

My first trip of the year was in January was to spend the weekend with Karen Pharr. The first night and day was fantastic. Then I got food poisoning which really sucked. 

My second trip was to the Quilt Retreat in April.

In the middle of July, Karen and I went to Ginny's house in South Dakota. Best trip. We saw wild bison, went into Wyoming. It was just wonderful

In late July and Early August, Marian and I went to England. It was an exhausting trip, but it was excellent. So much fun!!!

In September, I spent the weekend with Taylor for the White Oak basket festival. Such a fun weekend.

The middle of September, we took Mom to Jekyll Island, Georgia for her birthday. We had such a good time. She got to go on the beach again. The city was very low key and it was such a fabulous place.

In October, Marian and I went to West Virginia for Quilt Camp. My two classes were extremely successful. 

For volunteer things I did this year - I donated platelets every month. I agreed to be in charge of my guild's Block Party committee to help make quilts for charity. I also helped make beds for a local charity who gives them to kids who don't have beds. 

I made the decision to stop teaching, mostly because I just don't have time to develop classes while taking care of Mom. 

Mom fells again in December. This time she fractured her hip. Required a partial replacement and Marian and I taking turns staying with her all month to help her get better. So I missed my Christmas with Jonas and his family.

Hopefully 2026 will be better health for Mom. I have finally gotten better health. I had to work all year with my Doctor to feel better. Turns out I have asthma. I am finally seeing an endocrinologist who is handling my thyroid. I knew it wasn't acting correctly, but my Doctor didn't agree, but it was not acting correctly. 

One of the most enjoyable things that started happening this year was Isaiah starting Facetiming Me. He starting just carrying me around so I could watch him do stuff. Then we started drawing together. I love these phone calls. They are the best!!

Painting and Drawing

 First cards:

  Sent to my friend, Ginny Storm

 Sent to my friend, Karen Pharr

 Given to Mom for Mother's Day

2025 Finishes

 My first finish  of 2025 is a cross stitch. I started it in 2023 or 2024. It was a gift from Taylor. The designer is Happy Sloth Patterns on Etsy. 16 count Aida fabric. Name of the pattern is Strong Women.

 My second finish of the year was my kawandi by machine. I wanted to see how a kawandi would look when machine quilted because I've had several students who don't like handwork not take my class. I needed to show it was possible to do by machine and it turn out well. I love the way this one turned out!

Third finish was a true labor of love. I started this in December 2021. I ran into a problem when I hit my grandmother's name, Zettie Florence Tittsworth. I thought I made it wide enough to handle everyone's full name, but nope. I finally decided to just put the middle initial since her middle name was the same as her Mother's. This will be framed and given to my daughter. The pattern is called Mother's Tree by Marilyn Leavitt Inblum for Lavender and Lace. It was done with DMC thread on 32 count Fiber on a Whim wheat. Started 12/7/21 and finished on 1/14/2025.

Framed:

and what we discovered that is very cool, it was framed on Jonas's birthday.

 I saw this pattern at the Quilt Camp in West Virginia. As soon as I saw it, I wanted to make it. I purchased the fabric on my trip to the Houston Quilt Show. I make the squares while visiting Karen Pharr in South Carolina. I had to square them up at home and sew them together because I got a stomach virus at Karen's and threw up Saturday night. I spent Sunday sleeping and Monday I drove home. I plan to quilt it using straight lines. I'll put the picture of the quilted one here when I finish. 

 This was my 4th attempt at watercolor. I'm really proud of the way it turned out.

 When Taylor came up for our girls weekend we decided to go to Pretentious Glass and Beer and make glasses. This is mine. It was a great weekend! We went to Wake on Sunday and soaked out feet and finished up with breakfast at the Ruby Sunshine. Saturday was spent shopping with Mom, lunch at Petro's and then more shopping with just Taylor.

This was my first watercolor.

   This quilt was made in tribute to my sister, Karen who passed away when she was 60. The color purple was chosen because it was her favorite. The material with buttons was for her button collection, which I inherited. The crochet pieces are because we learned to crochet together when her husband, Bill passed away. The orange is for her beloved Vols. It also includes some Vera Bradley material. We three girls loved Vera Bradley bags. I got the idea for this quilt last year when I was in Texas during the Day of the Dead Celebration. 

This was a Brown Bag mystery quilt from 2024. The fabric was picked by Mountain Creek Quilt shop and matched the postcard from Anderson Advertising company they made for the Raven by Edgar Allen Poe. I didn't keep up with the mystery as it was released by Karen Montgomery. I took it with me to the 2025 retreat with my friends in Murrell's Inlet, SC. I will quilt it myself.

 This quilt will be my entry into the 2025 Smoky Mountain Quilt guild's 2025 Challenge, called If you could be music, What would you be? I picked Broadway since it is my favorite. This is an my original design. The playbill covers and other Broadway pictures were printed on our Brother fabric printer and then raw edge appliqued onto the black background fabric. I drew the spotlight on the bottom right. I love this piece and after the quilt show, I will hang it in my room. It won a 3rd place ribbon at the show!

I put this cross stitch on the back.

It has been many, many years since I made an egg basket. I saw this class offered by the City of Knoxville and signed up to take it. I still enjoy the process of making these baskets!

I also made this cross stitch for Keri. It was impossibly hard, but it turned out so well.

2024 Year in review

 I beginning my year in review in November because I have been terrible about posting this year and want to make sure I get everything correct.

The year started out tricky. I had spinal surgery again on December 18, 2023 and stayed in the hospital until the 24th. Right after I got home, the weather turned brutally cold and then we got a couple feet of snow. The entire city was shut down for a week. I was not allowed outside due to the fall risk. Then because I couldn't get around well, my left foot began to drop. I got some PT exercises from my friend Mary and that helped me get back on my feet. I was able to go back to pickleball after 3 months. 

The first of April, we went to our quilt retreat in Murrell's Inlet, SC with Ginny, Karen, me, Marian, Sally, Kathy and our new addition, Pam (friend of Karen's from Brother) who we all really liked. Karen was late getting there because her Mother was in the hospital. It turned out to be cancer and she ended up passing away not long after. On our way home, Mom called and Dad had died that day. So we rushed home, Taylor went to be with Mom until we could get there. We didn't have a funeral.

I also attended the first Spring Quilt Camp in West Virginia. I meet some nice people, but because I went alone, it was very lonely. Got several quilt tops finished, but I can't say I had a good time.

In early summer, the whole family went to Pensacola, FL. In the house, we had Jonas, Keri, Isaiah, Taylor, Derrick, Dax, Ali, Mom, Marian and I. Annaleigh and her boyfriend stayed nearby in a hotel. We got to see the Blue Angels, which was amazing. The beach was about 1/2 mile away so hard to reach with Mom and the soft sand made it impossible for her to walk. We went to the pool for the first part of the week but then it was closed down due to an issue with chemicals. :( Mom, Marian and I spent one day quilt shopping which was fun.

In July, Karen and I flew to South Dakota on a Thursday and spent the long weekend with Ginny. We had a fabulous time. Loved her house, the area and it was just wonderful. On arrival day, we went downtown Rapid City to eat and visit the local quilt shop. Then we drove into Custer State Park and then saw the Monument Men. The next day we went to another state park, hiked and had a picnic. The we did some site seeing around the area. The next day we went to Deadwood State Park, visited a sod house with lots of gopher and did some more site seeing. It was a great time.

The first of October saw me, Marian and Mom going to Quilt Camp in West Virginia. Traffic was horrible due to extensive flooding in East Tennessee and North Carolina due to a hurricane. I40 was washed away near the TN/NC border and it will not be fixed until mid 2025. 

In late October and first of November, we went to Texas with the Country Heritage Tour group. Karen and Sally went with us. It was a great trip. Ran into a couple of people from our tour last year to the midwest and some people who are going to England with us next year.  Pam, from our retreat was there and Ginny was working the show so we all went to dinner one night. 

I started donating platelets this year. A man came to Ritzy Thimble Quilt guild meeting to talk about platelets and how they can only be used for 7 days after donation. So they constantly need donations. I've done it a couple of times. The first time I went, they couldn't get the stick to work. I went back when Stephanie was working and she worked her magic and I was able to donate. In fact, that donation was used. I've been able to do it once more this year. I've tried 2 more times but they didn't work. Once was because my hemoglobin was too low and the other time, my stick was leaking blood and other fluid. I'll start trying again on January 6th. 

I've enjoyed my time with my new quilt guild, Ritzy Thimble. They are such fun. I have volunteered in 2025 to be in charge of the UFO challenge. I hope it makes me work on my UFOs. 

I missed several things early in the year due to my operation. Jonas's surprise birthday party, Wicked at the Tennessee Theatre, and pickleball for 3 months. Speaking of pickleball, I decided to stop being in charge of the group after 2024. And then the club made the decision to start charging for outside play. So I cancelled my membership the end of December. I will begin the new year playing for 3 months on Thursday in a block time. On Monday, Wednesday and Fridays I will play at the church with the group that plays there. Hopefully when the weather clears I can get some people to play outside. 

I had several quilt classes I taught this year. Unfortunately, the woman running the classes at Pellissippi moved away and the new person was horrible. I decided not to teach there anymore in 2025. Fortunately, Mountain Creek Quilt Shop finally opened their classroom, so I'm teaching there some in 2025. I want to not teach as much. I decided to start drawing my social security mid year so I don't need to teach anymore. I'm so tired of thinking up classes. 

We moved Mom up to Knoxville in August. It was her decision. It was hard going through her house. It sold so quickly. The first family that looked at it, bought it for cash. It is nice to have her up here. It means we get to see her a lot and spend lots of time with her.

So let's talk about my stats for the year:

I only read 127 books this year. I was supposed to read 150. First time I didn't make my goal. :(

I saw 16 movies

I started drawing classes with Mom

For my birthday, Marian bought me tickets to see Alan Parsons Project at the Ryman. It was amazing!!!!

I think that about summarizes everything. I am going to try to read more, finished some UFOs, start weight lifting again for 2025. I hope its a good year.

47,158

pages read

127

books read

Lynn Sykes

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Updated December 29, 2024.
Newly completed books appear after a delay.

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Shortest Book

216

pages

Longest Book

985

pages

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Average book length in 2024

371

pages

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2024 Finished objects

 

 I started this Kawandi during the class I taught in Fall 2023 at Cedar Lake Quilt Camp. I finished this in February 2024. I'm naming it Saving our Landfills. The fabrics I used were quilt scraps, doilies, and other scraps that were saved from old quilts plus some selvages and old fabric pieces. I love the way it turned out.

I decided to make a kawandi for the Cherrywood Challenge. I bought the stack of fat quarters and this is what I ended up doing. The theme is Poppy.

I really like the way it turned out. I don't expect it to be accepted but it was fun making it.

I spent the week of April 28-May 3rd in Ripley, WV at the first annual Cedar Lake Quilt Retreat. They originally planned to have classes, but no one signed up for classes so they turned it into  a retreat offering a $100 bonus for any guild that brought 5 people (only 1 guild did that.) I sat with some nice people and finished several things:

This is a 3 yard quilt pattern. I have taken it completely apart because once I took the picture, I realized I put it together completely wrong. I will post a picture when I get it put back together correctly.

Here it is put together correctly.

This was a quilt kit I purchased I believe at the OEQS show in Lebanon. I love this quilt and cannot wait to get it quilted.

I had a lot of fabric left over from the quilt kit so I started doing some improv blocks. This is how it turned out. When I showed it to my table mates, they mentioned it looked like it said LOVE. I LOVE how it turned out.

This pattern will have a crocheted edging around it. I pieced, quilted, and bound this while I was at the retreat.

I also started really working on my black and white kawandi. Its going to be so cute!

I finished a cross stitch pattern to honor my trip to South Dakota to see Ginny with Karen.

My latest kawandi called Ebony and Ivory:

My National Park Quilt - the fabric was chosen by Mountain Creek Quilt Shop, the block designs were from Tula Pink's 100 Modern Quilt Blocks. The layout was mostly my design with assistance from my Spring Quilt group, especially Ginny Storm. Ginny was also the person who quilted it on her longarm.

This quilt pattern is an exclusive class project by Linda Hahn. I took this class with Mom and Marian on November 6. I love the way the quilt came together and the fabrics work together. I have not quilted it yet, but that's next.

I finished the middle embroidery piece a little while ago. I purchased some new batting and wanted to try it out so I used this piece. I did not like the batting. But at least the piece is completely finished.

This piece was done in 2022 and I finally quilted it in 2024. 

2023 Year in Review

 This end of the year review is happening on January 22nd. It has been a tough end of 2023 and beginning of 2024. I had major back surgery on December 22 and stayed in the hospital until the 25th. I am having a slower recovery from this surgery than the first back surgery. Much more pain. Anyway here is my year in review for everything:

Books - 201

Movies - 22

Trips - Quilt retreat in South Carolina, Panama City with Jonas and his family, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska with Country Heritage.

Plays - Tootsie, Hamilton, Hair, Hair, And Then There Were None, Ain't To Proud to Beg, Six and Jagged Little Pill

Concerts - Yo Yo Ma, Jay White as Neil Diamond, Wayne Newton and Mandy Patinkin

It was my first time to teach at the Cedar Lake event in the Fall. It was tons of fun. I did several talks at local guilds. I joined a new guild in Oak Ridge in November.  I quilt the SMQ Board because of bullying by several members of the Board. It was a great year. I hope 2024 is just as good.

69,117

pages read

202

books read

Lynn Sykes

---

Updated January 16, 2024.
Newly completed books appear after a delay.

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Shortest Book

96

pages

Longest Book

692

pages

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Average book length in 2023

 

342

pages

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Most Shelved

7,191,406

people also shelved

Least Shelved

448

people also shelved

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My average rating for 2023

 

4.0

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Highest Rated on Goodreads

4.72 average

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My first review of the year

it was amazing

Hilarious, laugh out loud funny!

2023 Fun Things I did

 

 We started attending a monthly card making class. These are the January cards.

We also took a class at Sugarbakers on making cookies. 

February card making class:

Board and Brush with Pickleball girls:

This was a class we took at Pellissippi at the Blount County campus with Lydia Harman.

This is my beginning quilting class at Pellissippi minus Mary who was not there the last night. It was a great class! I had the best time and I think my students did too.

Marian and I took a class at Creative Spark in Maryville on blacksmithing. Marian only got partly finished with her leaf because she burned her hand. I finished up hers and did mine. I had the best time!!!!

I attended the Tennessee Basket Association's convention at the Airport Hilton with my friend, Tone Haugen-Cogburn. We took 4 classes. Had a great time and made 5 baskets.

 This was so much fun and I loved learning about Nantucket baskets. I want to make more of them.

Marian and I took a class at the Appalachian Arts and Craft Center in Cyanotype printing. 

You treat fabric with chemicals and then place items on them and place them in the sun for 10 minutes.  It was a fun class and we learned a lot.

I've always wanted to see Wayne Newton in person. Since I saw him on the I Love Lucy show when I was a kid. He finally came to Knoxville on September 14th. I went all by myself and I had the best time!!!!

My Beginning and Quilting 2 class students - all my classes were fabulous

I participated in a tournament in support of an orphanage in Ukraine at my Pickleball club. We lost horribly, but it was a fun day.

I was lecturing at a guild in Athens and a woman came up to me. At the SMQ 2021 Quilt Show, she won the ribbon I made for the traditional quilt. Her son made her a coffee cup with the quilt on one side and my ribbon on the other. It was amazing that she shared it with me.