Something Old, Something New – December edition

Welcome! Come in and read. This post will not be what you expected but you will learn something about me. However, a word of warning: this is a long, wordy post without many photos!

I started Something Old, Something New for several reasons:

1. Like many people, I have a lot of UFOs here from a variety of crafts. I hoped that if I blogged about them, I would get some of them finished! Hence "Something Old".
2. I attend a weekly "sit and sew" group at my local LYS. Before attending classes there, I attended a class once a month. My teacher there, Elizabeth Wallace, of Aussie Patches, once said that if I was paying for her classes then I should be learning something new (not doing the same thing on a different project). It was advice that I obviously took to heart. At the beginning of this year, I decided that, since I was paying to be in class each week, I was going to learn "something new".
3. I still knit; in fact, as many regular readers would know, I tutor for the Knitters' Guild of NSW. Some of my UFOs are knitting projects. Sometimes I'm asked to tutor a knitting technique which is new to me, like shadow (illusion) knitting -- a workshop I facilitated in July. Most linky parties I've seen are quilt, or at least sewing, based. I guess because knitters have Ravelry where there are groups relating to all sorts of knitting, including knit-alongs and challenges. Because most quilters whose blogs I read seem to dabble in other crafts, I decided that Something Old, Something New would encompass all crafts.

Somewhere in the middle of the year, I lost my way. Instead of focusing on two projects (one UFO, one new-to-me technique), I began listing all my projects relating to other people's linky parties! A gentle reminder from a blog friend (hi Lindsey) got me back on track.

In my non-crafting life, I am pretty good with deadlines. I know something is coming up so I do a little towards it, think about it a lot and, generally at the last minute, have a final push to get it done on time. I have always been like this and it worked particularly well for me when I was at teachers' college (1975-1977) and university (2003-2005).

Even in my crafting life, I tend to be pretty much like that. If I have a workshop to facilitate, I will research the topic, try some knitting, think about it a lot then, a few days before the workshop, have a final push to get the samples done and notes typed up. I'm sure this must drive my good friend and test knitter crazy (hi, D.) but it works well for me. 

I rarely cut it so fine that I get in a panic but my "last minute" relaxed attitude has bothered people in the past. When I was in a musical society, some people apparently complained that I was always the last to be ready but they were asked, "Is she ever late?". When the answer was "no", they were advised not to worry, that's just the 'way Lynne is'!

Similarly, I know that our quilting group has its "Airing" on the second weekend of April each year. That means that I am still working on quilts right up to the end of March (and sometimes later) even though (I'm told) most people in the group have all their quilts for the next Airing done by the end of December!

I've known this about myself for a long time. It is the way I am. I don't do it to hurt other people and I always meet deadlines unless there are extenuating circumstances.

However, over the course of this year, particularly in the last few months, I've come to realise something else about myself: if there are no looming deadlines, I have a tendency to do as I like, when I like! 

Now, where keeping house is concerned, this could be a problem although WM rarely complains (that's why  I call him my Wonderful Man). The essentials are taken care of: I am clean, groomed and clothed; food is bought and stored; clothes are washed and ironed and put away where they belong; our bedroom, the bathrooms and the public areas of the house are tidy -- it's the cleaning-related activities that can be a bit neglected. 

As far as my hobbies are concerned, I tend to work on whatever takes my fancy at the time. It doesn't matter that I've listed Project A and Project B as my Something Old, Something New projects -- if there are no deadlines looming, I'll work on whatever I want! Quilting and knitting are my hobbies and I won't allow myself to pressure me! (I, Myself and Me don't always live in harmony! LOL)

November was one of those months. In the three weeks I had to work on my hobbies (after WM's annual leave finished), I chose to spend two weeks ironing, cutting, sorting and storing scraps. My cutting table still looks like this except the containers have a lot more in them and the contents of the basket on the ends has gone from pink to purple to blue (overflowing) to red (also overflowing) to orange:

During the last week of November, I had few days to sew. It was hot: the temperature got to 44*C (111*F) one day and was still 37*C (99*F) the following day. The weather knocked me about. I was out of the house nearly every day. The only sewing I did was to finish the four-patches for my Jacob's Ladder quilt. After all the time spent dealing with some of my scraps, I just wanted to sew and sew and sew and sew!

You know where I'm going, don't you? I didn't touch my Something Old project. I didn't start my Something New project. 

Something Old, Something New as a concept didn't work for me. I should have realised that before I started but I was hopeful that putting my UFOs "out there" would motivate me to get them done!

Something Old, Something New started the year with quite a few people linking up but, as I lost my way, less and less people joined in. In the last few months, it's only been the same few stalwarts that have linked up. Thank you, Sharon, Katie and Kate, for your support throughout the whole year. 

There were some months during 2014 where Something Old, Something New was the only post I wrote in a month. However, we did de-clutter our old house by removing one-third of the volume of our possessions, move house and spend time unpacking and getting settled here. There were several times when I considered closing my blog because I had neither time nor inclination to write. I've come out of those doldrums now but who knows what the future holds. 

It is with a touch of regret that I bid farewell to Something Old, Something New but, to be honest, it is also with a sense of relief! There will be no more guilt when I enter my sewing room and realise that I should be working on "that project" when it is "this project" that makes my heart sing! 

I think I will still be blogging in 2015. One thing's for sure, I will be working on whatever craft project takes my fancy!

For one last time, please link up here if you're inclined to write about your Something Old, Something New projects. And please, dear readers, do visit these blogs. Introducing bloggers to other bloggers is part of what linky parties are all about!  

Something Old, Something New – November edition

October was a mixed bag (both good and not-so-good) for me, with not much sewing got done.

First I was away at the beach with my mum, sister and her family, as well as DD and the Grandboys, for a few days. When I came home, it was a long weekend so WM spent some time together and I also found a little time for sewing.

On the Monday of the long weekend, I got hit with some kind of gastric attack which lasted five days. I didn’t feel like doing much except reading or watching YouTube videos. One can still be inspired and taught, even when one is feeling poorly, right?

We were supposed to go away for ten days on 21 October but our friends were unable to host us on the planned weekend – she had been offered a last minute chance to go to India on a missions trip – an opportunity not to be missed. WM was on annual leave and we had nothing planned for the weekend coming up, so we caught the train to the nearest station to their place (a seven hour trip), stayed for two days (three nights), then caught the train home again.

We were at home for one day (two nights), before we took off again: this time to visit my mother for a few days then to Woolgoolga, the town where DD and the family live. We returned on Friday with three hours of October left! I will write a separate post about our time away; this is not the time nor the place! ;-)

My sewing time amounted to a few snatched hours on the long weekend, plus two three hour classes. It’s my experience that one achieves a lot less in class than at home with the whole sewing room to oneself! Because we were away most of the month, my sewing machine also had a ‘vacation’, she has gone away for her annual service. I hope she’s back when I go to LQS for my Monday morning class.

So, all that to say: neither of goals for October were met, nor were they even touched.

For some reason, I thought my “Something New” project was learning how to join my braids with every other braid inverted.

 

See how the braids line up on withwer side of the sashing? That was much more complicated than I thought and I managed to join just two lengths of sashing in a three hour class!

My goals for November, therefore, remain the same as those for October:

Something Old is to unpick the stitches that were previously quilted into my Country Houses quilt and, perhaps, even get started on the applique to replace it!

Something New is to make at least one snap bag following this video (the same video I embedded on my previous Something Old, Something New post. I include it here for those who missed it last time).

So, what about you?
How did you do in October with your Something Old, Something New projects?
What are your plans for November?

Link up here with the URL of your specific blog post so we can visit and see what you're up to!

Something Old, Something New – October edition

The last week of September was very busy, including an unscheduled train trip north to bring DD and the Grandboys back here to attend a church conference that went from 25th to 29th September. And what a fabulous conference it was! I was on the music team and sang at every day session; which was eleven of the fifteen sessions so my voice was a little tired by the end of the ‘weekend’. Can’t wait for next year’s conference!

Before the conference, I had quite a bit of crafting time in the first part of the month, both sewing and knitting, so was able to achieve more than I expected.But this post isn’t about all my projects – just two:

My Something Old project was also my Relaxing Robin challenge which is being held over at Dawn’s blog, sewyouquilt2. Unfortunately, I missed September’s link up because of my unexpected trip north then having a house full of over-excited people! I did make some progress but I want to devote a special post to my progress so I’ll just show you the original block here.

The challenge will be to turn two 9” blocks into a ful quilt measuring approximately 54” x 64”!

My “Something New” project was very successful. I had planned to make a start on a braided rainbow quilt by learning how to make one pioneer braid. I soon discovered that it take much longer to press and cut all the strips for the braid than it does to actually sew the strips and that it is easier to sew two braids at the same time (so to speak) so that there is always something under the machine needle. So here are my first two braids made from twenty-three pairs of 7” x 2.5” strips.

 

But wait, there’s more…

Here are the second two braids

 

and the third set of two:

I had to stop work on the purple braid when I ran out of purple scraps and fabrics. I just needed eight more fabrics before I began repeating the fabrics! :-(

A very successful month indeed, as far as the Something Old, Something New challenge is concerned.

So, now: what will I do in October?

I’m not really feeling enthusiastic, but I need to make some forward progress on the Country Houses quilt, so I have chosen that for my Something Old project. First I have to pick out the six houses I carefully quilted into fabric – that may be as far as I get but we’ll see! This, at least, is a lot more doable than setting myself the goal of finishing the whole quilt!

For my “Something New” project, I am going to make at least one of these ‘snap’ closing bags.

I’m thinking of making these as Christmas gifts for each for my classmates, teacher and the two shop owners, but I'll make one for myself first to see if I enjoy the process before I start out with a plan to make ten!

What about you?
How did you go in September?
What plans do you have for October?

Please link here with your specific blog URL so we can all visit and cheer you on.

Something Old, Something New – September edition -- Redux

This post, which was published on 2 September, has been completely re-written. Friends have made relevant comments and there is a linky attached so I couldn't figure out how to write a whole new post. The original post, which has been slightly modified, has been posted as monthly check up and dated 31 August. Some of the comments refer to that post rather than this new one -- sorry, I just couldn't work out how best to proceed.

If you've come in from Angela's Rainbow Scrap Challenge, please follow this link for my green scrap related post! Sorry - I couldn't work out how to edit my entry over there!

Firstly, a big thank you to all my blog friends who reminded me that "Something Old, Something New" should be about just that -- not my whole master list! Thank you, too, for the reminder that nowhere have I said I have to get anything finished. I think I'm confusing myself with last year's linky party!

August was a messy month for me. I undertook a new leadership role in relation to music and that occupied pretty much the first week. Then DD and the boys arrived unexpectedly and stayed for a week because DD became too ill to drive home! Those germs were passed on to me, got into my sinuses and my head was so so stuffy for the next week I could barely do anything.

The last week of August saw me back in my sewing room and quite productive -- but not on the goals I'd set myself.

My 'old" project for August was a pair of curtains that I started making way back in 2011. DD is still vacillating as to whether she wants the curtains or not. I don't like making curtains particularly so I'm waiting for her to make a decision before I spend time on them! At the rate she's going, both boys will have outgrown the fabric and no decision will be needed! ;-)

My "new" project is always something new in the sense of technique or something I haven't made before. I had planned to start a quillow in August but, with all of the above happening, I missed two classes so it never got started. I’ve since decided that I don't really want to make one anyway!

So, in keeping with my original stated aims for "Something Old, Something New", instead of giving you my 'master list' for the month, I will stick with two things:

Something Old: work on Canary on a Pinwheel quilt – this should have been my Relaxing Robin challenge but I fell way behind! Moving house didn’t help! The photo shows it just as I left it in February

 

Something New: start a rainbow "pioneer braid" quilt by learning how to make a  64”-70” braid from orange fabric (this month’s colour for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge) from the tutorials on two blogs: Stitchin’ Therapy and Quiltville Quips and Snips – I started this in class yesterday (by cutting 2.5” X 7” strips)

 

So, how did you do in August?
Was it too warm for crafting in your part of the world?
What are your plans for September?
Dare I ask if you are starting your Christmas crafting?

Link here with the URL of your specific blog post so we can all come visit.
We'd love to see how you're going and what your plans are for next month.

Something Old, something New – August edition

Finally, more than halfway through the year,  I am able to report that I had a pretty good month in achieving some of my plans.

My list for July was long compared to other months – perhaps that’s what spurred me on!
Actually, I think it was having all my fabric and yarn sorted and in the right places that made it easier for me to be productive.

So, let’s look at my focus list for July.

1. The first of my “Something Old” projects was to repair the toe on one sock of the first pair of hand-knitted socks I made for WM. Back then, I didn’t know how to graft properly and dropped a stitch. That toe has been unpicked, ripped back to the dropped stitch, re-knitted, re-grafted and blocked and looks good. Mind you, he hasn’t worn it yet, so I don’t know how much the re-knit stitches will stretch! From my point of view, goal accomplished!
   
2. My second “Something Old” project was a pair of socks I knitted, frogged and re-knitted. They have been hibernating for (literally) years because I thought the legs were too short and I couldn't face ripping back past the heel again. I think I’ve gotten more ruthless since all that de-cluttering before we moved; I made a decision to just get them finished and stop agonising! Goal accomplished!
   
   Note to self: don’t use a variegated yarn for a subtly patterned item!
   
3. The smallest of my “Something Old” projects was to knit one man-size fingerless mitt to match the one I finished two years ago (I may not have ‘second sock syndrome’ but mittens are a different matter, it seems!) I did not even cast on for this one; I got too excited about other knitting projects (subjects of another post).
   
4. My biggest “Something Old” project was my Country Houses quilt. This has been in hibernation since I decided it was too big for a single (twin) bed but too small for a queen/double (full). I didn’t have enough of my original dark green fabric to add more to the quilt so it went into hibernation. For a long time I couldn't decide what to do with it, then I couldn’t find any fabric that I liked. Finally I settled for a very subtle beige on white stripe. I thought I would add some of the checked fabric I had used in the houses as a border for the central part of the quilt (thus making it wide enough to fit a full-size mattress) then add the striped fabric to hang over the bed. I would stitch houses onto the fabric to tie in with the central panel. It all seemed good in theory but it didn't work! Even from a distance of only a couple of metres, the fabric read as white and the beige colour I had chosen for the stitching disappeared into the fabric.
   
   I really, really didn’t like it! I tried to convince myself that six hours of work had been done and it would be okay but I knew it wouldn't and there was nothing for it but to rip out all that stitching – slowly and carefully as the fabric seemed a lot more delicate than it should! However, I had to use that fabric, I had bought four metres of it (What was I thinking?) and fabric in Australia is around $25 a metre (40”) so I knew I couldn't waste it. It It is still waiting for the day I can face ripping out all that work! In the meantime I realised that I would have to cut the ‘white’ fabric into smaller blocks and that I would have to appliqué houses to them. I considered hand embroidery but the appliqué would have more substance, hide quite a bit of that white and probably be faster! All that to say that the Country Houses quilt is still a work in progress and will, hopefully, be completed in August.
   
5. My “Something New” project was a blue Bargello table runner that I only work on in class. That meant only two lessons during July so the fabric was selected, pressed, cut, seamed, pressed and made into two tubes ready for the next cutting step. I only planned to get started on this technique, so goal accomplished!
   
6. I listed my Keyboard Scarf, which is knitted in a shadow (illusion) technique, as a “Something New” project even though the technique itself was not entirely new and I had started (and frogged and restarted) the scarf in June. Following a chart for the technique was new so it was, sort of, a “Something New” technique. The scarf was not finished in time for the workshop I tutored but it was long enough to take as a sample. It was finished last week. Goal accomplished!
   
   What do you mean you can only see stripes? LOL
   That’s why it’s called an illusion! Does this help?
    
   
7. The biggest goal on my focus list was to sort and store my yarn stash. I wrote a post about that here so I won’t go into more detail except to say: goal accomplished!
   
8. Then came a WIP – Socks for Someone #4: they were finished on the first of the month.
   Goal accomplished!
9. Socks for Someone #5 were cast on immediately. I like to always have a pair of socks on the needles, they make great travelling knitting and I have lots of sock yarn! The first sock was finished and the second cast on before the end of the month. This was another project I only planned to start, not finish so goal accomplished!
   
10. Another WiP was my Nouveau Log Cabin blanket which I finished knitting in June but the ends still needed to be sewn in before I could say “Goal accomplished!” That happened on the evening of the 30 July and I’m glad to see it done!
    

As you can see, a pretty good month. There were other sewing projects started which I mentioned in this post and other knitting projects completed (but you’ll have to wait until next week’s post to see those).
Yes-sirree, I’m a pretty happy stitcher this month!
Now can I carry the momentum forward?
What about my plans for August?

1. Something Old: I’m embarrassed to type this: I’m going to finish the curtains I started in 2011! I think the fabric print is too young for the boys now but DD wants them so wish me luck!
2. Something Old: man’s fingerless mitt (see item #3 above)
3. Something New: I’m going to learn how to make a quillo, then I’m going to make a second one – I have two grandsons so one is not enough. Because this is my “Something New” project, they don't have to be completed, just one has to be started and some progress made.
4. WiP: finish the Bargello table runner.
5. WiP: finish the Country Houses quilt   **sigh**
6. WiP: finish the Green Scrappy Strippy quilt top started last week.
   
7. Grab Bag Challenge: Taupe Buffalo Shawelette – I knitted six repeats of the pattern in two days; it’s a very easily memorised pattern. I am trying to decide if I have enough yarn to knit a seventh pattern repeat. I plan to finish this one.
8. WiP: finish piecing my curved blocks (20 to go)
9. WiP: Green Stripes and Triangles – make at least two blocks to add to this one (I need 35 altogether)
   
    

There’s a lot of sewing projects in there, seven out of nine items; as opposed to last month when it was seven knitted projects, one sorting project and two sewing projects! It will be interesting to see how much I actually get done – I’m pretty sure this list is Way. Too. Ambitious.

What about you?
Did you achieve your goals for July?
What do you have planned for August?

Link here with the URL of your blog post so we can visit and see what you’re up to. Thanks.

Something Old, something New – July edition

What a month June turned out to be: five days staying with my mother, three weeks with bronchitis, another three-day trip away to tutor two knitting workshops (“stranded colour knitting” and “using slipped stitches for colour and texture”) and hosting a couple who were billetted with us for four days! Needless to say, not much sewing happened during the month.

My stats show that less and less people are signing up for Something Old, something New each month; in fact, less and less people are visiting my blog period! I am tempted to stop the linky party right now but I need something to keep me working on my old projects – they have a way of wearing me down after a while! Just knowing they are there, in the background, whatever life throws at me, makes me want to get them finished! So, Something Old, Something New will continue, despite the fact that I seem to say the same thing -- “almost no progress” -- every month!

In June, my “Something Old” project was to have been a pair of curtains I started way too long ago. Those poor old curtains never even made it out of the cupboard! What little time I had in front of the machine (not a lot when you’re coughing ‘fit to bust’) was spent working on the Country Houses quilt, which had been my Something Old project earlier this year. I was working away on it, making reasonable progress, when I found a small hole right on the seam line of one of the central blocks! I had to unpick some quilting, and open the backing and wadding (it’s a quilt-as-you-go project) to access the seam in question. I really didn't know what to do so I took it to my quilting teacher. I hadn’t been in class for weeks because I hadn’t wanted to share my germs so it wasn't until the very last day of June that the hole was repaired! (Sorry, I forgot to take a photo and the repair is almost invisible!)

I did spend some sewing time at home practising my curved piecing

and in class (after repairing the hole) on foundation piecing so at least some progress was made on my Something New techniques!

My crafting plans for July are as follows:

1. Something Old -- repair the first pair of 4ply (sock weight) socks I ever knitted: they were for WM and I dropped a stitch while grafting the toe; I have had to rip back several rows to find that stitch!
   
2. Something New -- sort my yarn stash, decide what's staying and what’s going then update my stash records on Ravelry! (There’ll be a separate post about this so no photo here)
3. Works in Progress -- sew in the ends of the pair of socks I finished knitting this past weekend (Socks for Someone #4); it took me eight months to knit the first sock and less than a week to knit the second! They were completely finished on 1 July.
   
4. Something Old -- graft the toes of the Tidal Wave socks I started a long time ago (the original pattern can be seen here on Ravelry). According to my Ravelry notes, the socks were in hibernation because they were possibly too small (too short?) but it's time to get them off the needles and move on!
   
5. Something New -- shadow knitting: I’m currently making a scarf which has the illusion of a piano keyboard (Ravelry link)
6. Works in Progress -- sew in the ends of my Nouveau Log Cabin knitted blanket (seen in this post about knitting)
7. Something Old -- finish the Country Houses quilt (you’ve seen this often enough – no more photos till it’s finished!)
8. Something Old -- knit one fingerless mitten (man size)
   
9. Something New -- a new quilting technique for me: Bargello
10. Something New -- cast on Socks for Someone #5 (I always have socks on my needles) -- I cast on last night while I was wastching television; I didn't have enough light to cast on navy mitts (the colour in the photo above is nowhere near dark enough) and I can't sit there doing nothing!
    

I have decided that I will do all ten of these things in July, which is quite ambitious considering how little I usually get done! Some of them are only little projects  so I think it's possible to get it all done... I have listed them here in the order I plan to do them but, who knows?!

What about you?
How did you go with your plans in June?
What are your plans for July?

Remember, your “Something New” project can be to start something new or learning (or practising) a new technique! (This month I'm doing both!)

Please link the URL of your specific blog post here so others can come and check out what you’re up to!

Something Old, something New – May edition

I sincerely hope that this is the last time I’m going to have to say that I have achieved absolutely nothing, sewing-wise, towards my goals!

I think I’ll distract you with a few photos:
My new kitchen (installed in 2010)
      
The dining area (with a couple of late-arriving birthday cards, a quote for new window coverings and an invoice from the plumber – our ensuite toilet blocked on Day 2!)

The living room (yes, there's that much space!)

The balcony deck looking back towards our bedroom (and the street)

The view from the end of the balcony deck

and this is the view from the balcony/deck outside our bedroom! (I just love that touch of colour from the bougainvillea)

Aren’t these trees magnificent? (you should see the colour in the early morning!)

Now, back to the topic of this post (tee-hee)

I attended two classes (of three) last month and finished one foundation pieced block (it is square, really!)
 
and pieced and cut out some shapes for two scrappy Drunkard’s Path blocks


So, I have worked towards my “Something New” goal which was to continue practising the new techniques of foundation piecing and curved piecing. They will continue to be my focus for May.
As for my “Something Old” project, strangely enough, it remains untouched. My excuse is obvious – and the seventy-nine unpacked boxes bear witness to the fact that I have not been idle (with some help from WM and friends).

I want the Country Houses quilt finished, so it remains my “Something Old” project for the coming month.

So, what about you?
How did you go in April? Did the Easter holiday help your plans or upset them?
And what are your plans for May?

Please enter the URL of your specific blog post so we can all drop by and cheer you on!
(PS Sorry I wasn’t very encouraging last month; no more excuses, I hope I’m back on top of it now!)

Something Old, Something New – April edition

Well, my friends, it’s been a long time between posts.

I hope you’ll forgive me – moving house is a big job. We have been here for more than twenty-two years and have seen a lot of “mementoes” (aka junk or stuff) leave the building in the past few weeks!

Just thirteen days until moving day so there hasn’t been a lot of crafting going on – honestly, only what I could get done in class! And I’ve missed one of those in the past month too!

My “something old” project, the Country Houses quilt, has remained untouched. Alas, it will be carried over for another month. To be completely honest, I have lost my love for this quilt which was originally destined for our spare bed, then for our bed … but now, I think I’ll just get it done single (twin) size and put it aside as a spare quilt.

The picture shows the quilt as it was – on our queen sized bed and obviously too narrow and too long. I have removed two rows since then but it’s just not working for me…

My “something new” was to continue learning how to do foundation piecing! Do you know, it’s amazing how little gets done in a three hour class?

Here is what I’ve done in four weeks (excuse the photo quality, I had to take it at night, under fluorescent light, using my iPad. I completely forgot about this post – in fact, I have trouble remembering what day it is, let alone the date!)

That’s one and half 8” blocks! Sad, isn’t it? (and I didn’t even take time to press the blocks before taking the photos!)

Since moving is getting in the way of my crafting activities, tiredness is sapping my ability to think, and unpacking boxes seems to be my destiny for some time to come, I will stick to these same two projects for my April goals.

What about you?
How did you go with your March goals?
What do you have planned for April?

Link here with your blog post URL so we can all drop by and see what you’re up to.