The Stitch Up

New Year New Projects

I love January. I love making New Year resolutions and goals, starting a new planner for the year, making lists and getting organized.

 

My first project of the season is a combination of my desire to get organized, recycle and upcycle. I've been saving wine corks with the plan to use them to make a note board and I finally got started. I combined the corks with an old frame I was no longer using and started hot glueing.

 

 

This is a pretty fun project that comes together quickly if you don't count the time it took to drink all the wine -I did NOT drink all that wine during the pandemic. Although this past year probably contributed to a large portion of the corks I used. I'm close to finishing but I do need to drink a few more bottles so this will probably take another month or two to wrap up. I'm thinking of asking friends to toss me some of their corks so I don't have to sacrifice my liver for a cork board.

 

I'm also working on the 2021 tea towel from September House.  I love her patterns and love kicking off each new year with her calendar tea towels.

 

Finally, I've planned out my big project for 2021. I've decided to finish up the Spanish Ladies Quilt that I started back in 2006. When I say "started", basically I got inspired while we were living in Spain and I stitched four panels that I wanted to turn into a quilt and that's pretty much where I stopped.

 

 

I've figured out that I need 48 6-inch squares to complete the quilt. I'd planned to either stitch or applique the squares to look like Talavera Tiles. I'll probably still do that, but I think in order to get it done I'll have to intersperse some regular fabric squares. I'm hoping to use fabric from my current stash but if all else fails I'm going to try and find what I need at the thrift store.

 

I'll also be fitting in some projects from my WIP backlog where I can. I'm going to try to learn from last year not over estimate what I can get done and keep it fun!

 

I hope everyone's year is starting off with promise and inspiration. I'm looking forward to sharing and learning in 2021!

2020 End of Year Wrap Up

I didn't get as many Christmas crafts done as I had hoped this year however, my friend Teresa and I did do another Christmas themed craft exchange since last years Elf exchange went so well.  This year we decided on Christmas nesting dolls and we got crafty with it.

 

I decided to try making a set of dolls based on the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer cartoon.  I made Hervey the elf, Rudolph,  Yukon Cornelius, Sam the Snowman and the Abominable Snowman.  I'm not a skilled or practiced painter so I sketched things out a bit before I picked up the paint brush which helped.  Overall this was a really fun project and I'm happy with how everything came out.

 

My friend made a more traditional matroyshka style set of nesting dolls with a Christmas spin and they are so cute!

 

Teresa is pretty amazing with a paint brush.  I don't think the photo captures how perfect the tiniest nesting doll is, but it's amazing.

 

As always I had a lot more crafting planned for the Christmas season.  I wanted to make more progress on the table runner I started last year, plus FINALLY complete the tablecloth I've been planning for years.  But despite the fact that COVID has made this a much quieter Christmas season without as many social obligations, work and trying to get gifts out to everyone in time for the holidays put me off my game a bit. 

 

In general, this year was a learning one for me.  I had what I thought was a great plan to pick out 3 or 4 WIPS to do each season so I could really move through my backlog of projects.  And initially I had some good momentum and thought I'd really cracked the code on working through my stash. That lasted about one season. 

 

The WIPs I chose for the Spring season took much longer than I'd thought they would and it threw off my plan for the rest of the year.  The needlepoint bag and the knitted shawl are both still in progress - although the shawl is much closer to completion then the bag .

 

While I didn't get all the projects done that I'd hoped this year, I did learn quite a bit about pacing myself, setting realistic expectations and accepting that sometimes life will throw the occasional twists and turns that might change my plans.

 

I'm hoping to use all of those lessons in the New Year with my NEW PLANS to work through some WIPs. (Yes I am undaunted by last year!) I'm still focused on using the materials and projects that I currently have rather than buying new items - just another resolution to add to my list for 2021!

 

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year that brings health and happiness to all!  See you next year!  (Sorry I can't help myself)

2014 - Word of the Year

I try to give myself a word each year to inspire me and keep my focused.  My word this year is sew.  Which I use all the time, but really my plan this year is to learn as many sewing techniques as possible.  I've done quilting and embroidery and some simple projects like pillows and curtains.  But this year I want to learn how to put in a zipper, make a shirt, make a skirt, create a button hole, and in general just get to know my sewing machine and everything it can do.

I signed up to be a sewing buddy through the Whip Stitch Sewing Buddy project.  I'm looking forward to taking some courses on Whip Stitch and having a sort of pen pal who is also trying to learn some new sewing tricks.

I have in mind a few small projects to start like coin purses or clutches to practice putting in clasps and zippers.  The first big project I think I'm going to try is a tunic.  I really like this pattern.  I bought it and downloaded it so I don't have an excuse not to start it sometime soon.

I'm looking forward to reporting on my tussles with hems and button holes and arm holes!

Organize

I expected to move into January and start 2012 with tons of energy and start kicking things off my "to do" list left and right.  It's not quite working out that way.  I did finish my 2012 calendar tea towel.

I was determined to get this done by the end of January and I had to avoid some distractions in order to wrap it up.

Honestly.  

I have a couple of projects in mind, but I wanted something to stitch tonight while watching tv so I started on a tea towel I'd prepared a couple of months ago.  I had enlarged a J.F. Ingalls pattern and transferred it - I'm hoping it will be a cheery kitchen addition.  

I've been thinking about what I want my word for the year to be.  Last year it was Focus.  This year I've picked the word Organize.  I'm thinking in terms of more than clearing out files and drawers, although I have started some of that.  But also, organizing my thoughts, organizing my priorities, organizing my time.  

Part of organization for me is using diaries, calendars and some cool printables I've found on The Project Girl.  The menu planner is already helping me organize some healthier meals for the Hubby and myself.

The other part is sitting down, making some lists, and figuring out how to organize my life to achieve some long term goals.  I'm hoping that devoting this time to planning and plotting out my course for the year will result in some positive changes across a lot of areas of my life.   I also hope that those changes will be reflected in this blog with some fun posts for 2012.  I'm excited about this year and hope everyone else out there is too!

Goodbye 2011

After our quiet Christmas we went out to visit my parents for some fun and some more relaxation.  Mom and Dad live out in the desert.  It's beautiful and serene, and we always have a nice time when we visit.

We played games, walked in the hills and just enjoyed family for a few days.  I brought along a travel project - a cute 2012 tea towel by Curious Doodles and got quite a bit done between the plane rides and time spent around the kitchen table chatting with Mom.

We got home just in time for New Year's Eve which we spent quietly.  We took advantage of the weirdly warm weather by grilling outside.  

After dinner we snuggled on the couch to talk about the past year and what we hope for the new year.

I will of course have resolutions or plans for 2012, but I've enjoyed just feeling the excitement of the start of a new year and all the hope and possibility that it promises.  Happy New Year to everyone!