Hello, 2021! We woke up to a cold, grey, drizzling and foggy day, and expect it to rain most of today. I checked the veranda this morning, and the money was still there, so I hope I brought in good fortune for this year. We can all use some good fortune! I have no idea where this tradition came from, but my mother did it, so I do too. You hide some money outside on New Year’s Eve, then bring the money into the house on New Year’s Day. It is supposed to bring good fortune with it, as long as it is still there, LOL!!
For more good luck on New Year’s Day, I usually do a version of Hopping John that I have kicked up a notch with sausage and call Jumpin’ John. The peas are mixed with rice, sausage and sauce, then garnished with green onions. It is a good luck lunch in a bowl while watching the football games. Here’s a pdf of the recipe in case you’d like it – Jumpin’ John. Share your good luck traditions in the comments, and on our Friends of From My Carolina Home Facebook group.
It is said you should do on New Year’s day the things you want to do all year long, so I am going to do some sewing on New Year’s day and relax. I will not be doing any laundry. I am working on the blocks for the next mystery, and it is looking good! Announcing the mystery for 2021, Scrap Dance Pachanga begins January 8!! Clues will post twice a month and take about four months to complete. I am breaking down the steps a bit differently so those who want to do two days a month of sewing will have a step, but not so much that it is still reasonable to finish both steps in one day. I hope that makes it doable for everyone.
I spent all day yesterday playing with my friends on Zoom. After I discovered a mistake in the cutting instructions for Pachanga, I spent the first hour or so making a new test block then reworking the math. After that, I decided to get some progress made on my next Quilt of Valor. These strips became nine patch blocks for my To The Nines pattern. After spending all day sewing with this group, I joined a really fun new-to-me group of quilters hosted by an Australian blogger, ChookyBlue. I’ll be spending part of today looking at a bunch of blogs I haven’t read before, as she put all our blog links on her sidebar. I can’t wait to play with them again. Sounds like a fun way to spend the first day of the new year, making new friends (and reconnecting with familiar friends) is something I’d like to do all year this year.
How are you spending your New Year’s Day?
From My Carolina Home 
I had a great time playing with you all on Zoom yesterday! Today, I will do a little cooking for my kiddos, some stitching, watch my team play football and rest!! My sweet mama always said the same thing about what you do on New Year’s day will be what you do all year! I’ll make dumplings and sausage balls and we have two cajun turkey breasts Gary will fry. Maybe I’ll open a can of peas for me and my son-in-love! One of the twins might eat some, he eats most anything that doesn’t devour him first!! LOL Your kicked up Jumpin’ John sounds good! I’m going to file that away! I’m looking forward to seeing what your mystery is this year! I have fat quarters I bought years ago in Gatlinburg that might just work for this!!
Uh-oh…just finished first load of laundry…does not sound good, LOL! We don’t really have a new years tradition…my mom always did oyster stew, but that is the last thing I would want to eat! Have no idea what we will have. Had an overnight ice storm and trees and surfaces are a lovely glaze that I hope will melt soon. Your next Mystery sounds fun…need to look up that word. Finished my douvet cover for the down comforter last night and hope I can take a nap later under it later today! Happy New Year everyone!
What a lovely way to spend these otherwise dreary days! Am ordering a PDF of ToThe Nines so I can start a QOV.
Thanks again for your inspiration.
Happy New Year! (How long do we say that?)
Mary Ed
What a wonderful way to spend the day yesterday. Sorry to have missed the fun! Looking forward to spending some time today in my sewing room! (No laundry / no toilet cleaning! ) Happy New Year my friend!
Oh, I’m so sorry – I forgot to let you know about the Zoom. I’m glad you enjoyed sewing with the others – sounds like a fun day. I’ve never heard of the money tradition at New Year’s. Interesting!
Fun to read about your New Year’s traditions, Carole! I don’t really have any like yours, but will spend some time putting away the holiday decorations and getting the house ready for January. I’m sorry again about missing your Zoom yesterday and hope to join in next time!
I don’t zoom but I did hop over to ChookyBlue and started a nice look around at all the wonderful blogs. Today I’ll hop back over and keep looking about. Here’s to hope and needles and thread creating wonderful precious projects in 2021. Thankful I found you 🙂
I know Chooky and a number of Aussie quilters thru their one monthly goal and some of their QALs and Stitch ALs. Look forward to the new Scrappy QAL.
I enjoyed your virtual quilt retreat very much. I too will be sewing on New Year’s Day and thinking of you as I sew. Happy New Year.
What a fun day you’ll have! I never heard about the money, but Hoppin’ John is a Never To Be Missed tradition. Today I plan to cook 2 huge bunches of Collards! Can you imagine me in Boston asking the butcher if he had any “streak o’ lean” or “salt pork” and describing it like a “brick of bacon”…..just another reason I moved back south!
I had my Hoppin’ John for breakfast, have chicken marinating in buttermilk and collards to cook. Good day for me also!!
Happy New Year! Recently discovered your blog and I’m looking forward to seeing what you create for 2021.
Happy New Year to you both, sending best wishes over the sea from New Zealnd.
Happy, healthy and wealthy New Year to everyone! I love crazy foods but the traditional lutfisk (pickled fish) is just a wee bit out of my zone. So making Thai Coconut Shrimp soup. We usually have people dropping by all day (not this year) so maybe next year I’ll make your Jumpin’ John soup too. Sounds like a crowd pleaser! Love the colors you picked for the new quilt! It’s going to be so fun. Thanks
Uh-Oh, I’m with Linda B. I did a load of laundry this morning too. Hope that’s not a bad omen for the rest of the year. HaHa! No new year’s traditions here like we used to when I was a kid. Mom always made 2 kinds of dips (really runny as we had 8 in the family) and we had chips and dips and pop and pretzels while watching the parade on TV. That was a big deal. Happy New Year to you and yours and all your followers. Cheers!!!
Thanks again for hosting the zoom retreat, Carole, it was a fun day and I made excellent progress! Today, I have been out for coffee with a friend, bought fabric, walked Max, and am now going to do yoga with Adrienne….this could be a good start according to your mom! Alas, I will do some laundry and cleaning, but also spending some time on my favorite activities!
A lot of fun going on in your studio, Carole!!! I’m looking forward to your mystery quilt unfolding. I quilted my first quilt of the year today, then my sister and I visited our mom. It’s been a good day!
Happy New Year Carole. Looking forward to Scrap Dance Pachanga. Seems my last name has been pronounced that way a time or two. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Working on binding the autumn jubilee quilt and the scrappy back came out great. Thanks so much for the tips!!
was so nice to have you join us zoom sewing………they are such fun days………I was on for a very LONG time…….but I got lots done…….
Looks like a lovley way to spend the first day of the year.
Fun idea of the money.
You should do on New Year’s Day the things you want to be doing all year?! Oh no! I did laundry, vacuumed and dusted a bit! That’s NOT who I ordinarly am and NOT who or what I want to be in 2021! My saving grace….I did take some time and go to the antique mall, reorganizing, pricing and fluffing. We also enjoyed finishing The Queen’s Gambit (highly recommend!). So, I can live with the balance, just not equal measures of the things I did on New Year’s Day!
Wishing you a Happy and Health 2021, Carole.
I had a great time at the virtual retreat! Very excited for the new mystery!