2013: the Year of the Finished Project

Well, here we are -- the last post of this challenge.

For some of you, this has been a great year in terms of getting UFOs completed. For me, the year wasn't as productive as I would have liked.

However, I have met some new blog friends and completed some UFOs/WiPs. People have been very encouraging and that's always a good thing, right?

My December goals looked like this:

1. Notebook Covers for sewing classmates
2. Scrappy Diagonals quilt
3. Knitted Patchwork #2 blanket
4. Hearts quilt
5. Westall Cardigan

So how did I do?

The Notebook Covers (link to tutorial) didn't happen. Honestly, I couldn't imagine anyone getting excited about them as a gift, I fussed about what fabric to use for each person and, in the end, decided to just buy them something. This is the first time I've done that since I started in the class -- in 2011 I made wheat bags and in 2012 I made apricot slice. To save myself angst, I have already put "start Christmas gifts for classmates" in my calendar for late June! I don't want to be caught out again buying gifts from the store at the last minute!

I have not touched the Westall Cardigan at all. I am still not convinced that the pattern works in the yarn I have chosen. On Tuesday morning it occurred to me to knit a swatch of the lace pattern to see how it blocks out -- doh! You'd think as a knitting tutor, making a swatch and blocking it would be "normal" for me but its not, I still don't think about it until something like this happens! The photo shows the cardigan with no sleeves; I have done one sleeve but am not happy with my short row shaping! This yarn has great stitch definition – just what I don’t need!

Nearly all of my knitting in December was related to finishing Knitted Patchwork II. This was completed on 17 December. Older Grandson seemed to take a liking to it but didn't miss it when I put it away so it has gone into the pile of completed blankets to be stored for when they're needed.

  
I finished the Diagonal Strings quilt on 13 December. It was good to get it done. I'm not sure I like that method of QAYG -- I have a great deal of trouble pin-stitching the sashing in place! I guess only further practice will improve that!

The Hearts quilt finally got its day in the sun on 31 December, not that I did much! I started writing a long description about it but decided to save that for my "thank goodness it's finished" post (hopefully sometime in January).  I was going to say it would be my UFO for January but it can't be -- it's a WiP because I've worked on it in the last three months! Sorry about the angle of the photo – this is the only way I can see all of what's on my design wall; my cutting table, which can’t be moved (seen in bottom right of photo), gets in the way.

It is this project that I am linking up with A Lovely Year of Finishes over at Fiber at All Sorts blog. After debating with myself over the best way to finish it, I have finally decided to QAYG row by row!

Well, folks, that's it. The Year of the Finished Project is over. Thank you for being a part of this and playing along with me. I invite you to join my "Something Old, Something New" (SOSN) challenge which starts today (the Linky party is on the second day of each month). The first post for SOSN will be published later today (Australian Eastern Summer Time).

How about you? How did you go with your goals for getting projects finished in December?

Please link the URL of your blogpost here so we can all visit and see what you've been doing.

Thanks once again for joining in -- see you over at SOSN!

2013: The Year of the Finished Project -- December edition

Well, here we are -- the final post for 2013. There will be one more post, on January 2, to rap up the year. But, for now, we will focus on November goals and publicly state those we have for December.

Because of my commitments to making (or helping make and distribute) blankets and quilts for victims of the bush-fires in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, I actually put my own projects on hold for seven weeks so didn't have any goals to work towards in November.

I attended Caring Hearts Community Quilting Group's final meeting for 2013 today and learnt that, as a group, we distributed 168 quilts to children who lost everything in the fires. Our group didn't make all the quilts, many (the majority) were donated by good-hearted quilters from all around the metropolitan area. I also know that so many blankets were donated that requirements were exceeded and one large, well-known charity had their delivery refused!

A friend and I got together during November and sewed 28 squares into a blanket which I have called "Scarlet Diamonds"

My own personal crafting time during November was spent knitting this blanket:

Knitting is time-consuming so I don't have anything else to show for the seven weeks of my absence from 2013: The Year of the Finished Project.

December will be even busier for me than usual. My sister, who became a grandmother for the first time this year, had an idea to get the extended family together on Saturday 14 December. Although its likely to be a seven hour journey for us (after WM works all day Friday), how could I refuse to attend? On top of the other madness that December brings (including our wedding anniversary two days ago), a weekend away is not really want we had in mind.

DD, SIL and our grandsons will be there for the weekend and then coming back here to spend a week with us. The following weekend we have two family Christmas parties -- one for my side of the family and one for WM's extended family (about 60 people if they all attend)!

What does all this have to do with 2013: The Year of the Finished Project, you may ask.

Simply this, my crafting time this month is to be severely limited so my December goal list is necessarily short.

1. Knitted Patchwork #2 blanket -- get it finished

I have 12 half squares to knit then a large amount of seaming and sewing in of ends to do, followed by a border of some kind. I plan to have this one done before we go away for the weekend.

2. Scrappy Diagonals quilt -- get it finished (photo shows one row) 

I started the month with all the rows done and sewed into pairs (and one triplet). I'm pleased to say that, at the time of writing, I have only to cut fabric for the binding, make a level, attach the binding and label and hand sew the binding down. I hope to have this one done tomorrow!

3. Hearts quilt -- get it finished (the photo shows two of the thirty blocks)

I have completed all the blocks and am now considering whether to turn it into a "quilt as you go" project, or to make a flimsy, baste and quilt in the normal fashion! There are, as I'm sure all you quilters know, pros and cons for both!

4. Westall Cardigan (for me)

I would love to see this finished but it's a low priority compared to the other projects I have in progress.

5. Notebook Covers (Christmas gifts for my class mates)

I always seem to leave this till the last minute as I can never decide what to make. I'm almost settled on notebook covers as seen on Samelia's Mum blog. I will make them all on Saturday -- or something else I can do quickly because I need 12 by Monday 16th!

Once DD and family go home on 23 December, I will have the rest of the month except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the weekend, to myself because WM will be at work. If I complete all my other projects, I plan to work on these:

• Rainbow Blocks from 2013 (I have four-patches, nine-patches, strings, and improv blocks - like the ones in the photo, all 6"); I'm considering something similar to Dancing Nine-Patch by Bonnie Hunter

• join more knitted squares into blankets -- my friend and I are slowly working through these piles; thanks D!

• Country Houses Quilt -- this was my third quilt project, which was started in May 2011, and therefore is my oldest quilting UFO;I just can't make up my mind what I really want to do with it (apart from get it finished)!

• Socks for Someone #4 -- I stalled at the heel of the first sock because turning heels requires concentration and I haven't had that kind of knitting time (the photo is a pair I k it ted for WM in the same colour way - they are actually much brighter and that "black" band is actually burgundy!)

That should keep me busy enough!

What about you?

How did you do with your November goals?

What, if anything, do you planned for December?

Please link up here with the URL of your specific blog post so we can all visit and see want you've been up to and want plans you have for this final month of 2013.