"I may have a scrap problem" June goals

Hello

I've moved home. You can now find me blogging at Never Too Hot to Stitch! at Wordpress.

Click on the link to take you straight to the post mentioned in this title. Here's a taste of what you'll see there.



While you are there, would you consider following my blog at it's new address? Thanks.

I may have a scrap problem...

Check out a new linky party while reading my latest post at Never Too Hot To Stitch!

See what this is all about!

it’s February and some people’s thoughts turn to hearts

This is not the story of a finished quilt, so I hope Val will forgive me – but the Tuesday Archives link-up at Val’s Quilting  Studio looks like so much fun, I couldn’t help wanting to be a part of it.

I have to say, this soon-to-quilt-top is one of my favourite projects ever and I’ve blogged about it several times but it’s never had it’s own post.

In 2011, DD and I , with two month old Younger Grandson, made the hour and a half trek across Sydney for the inaugural meeting of what was to become the Sydney Modern Quilt Guild (now the Sydney Modern Quilt Group). We needed a hand-stitching project to keep us busy (well, DD had her hands full anyway) during the three hour meet-up. I had recently acquired an Accuquilt Go! Baby and had been keen to try it out.


I’m glad I learnt how to do fused appliqué in the few quilting classes I had taken at that point. I had also done embroidery in my past which, of course, included blanket stitch. Putting the two skills together, I was able to work on some of these:


Over the years, DD and I carried appliquéd hearts to meetings of the Caring Hearts Community Quilters and eventually I had thirty blocks done. But they were only 6” (yes, I was a new quilter and forgot to add seam allowance when cutting the squares) so I needed more blocks – or I needed to enlarge them somehow.

Inspiration came from two sources: a chance overhearing of a comment from someone in our quilting group  on the merits of appliqué and/or scrap quilts; the other from the Dresden wedding quilt made by Jess at A Quilty Habit.

I enlarged my blocks and  made them scrappy!


And I worked on the layout until I came up with this:


So, the obvious question is: if I love these blocks and this layout so much; why has the project stalled?  Well, firstly, we moved house! That slowed all projects down for several months! But, more importantly, I know I need to add white sashing between the blocks but I'm not sure how I want to quilt it (using a walking foot; FMQ is out of the question for now). I think I want to echo quilt around the hearts but dragging the whole quilt though my domestic machine (even though I have a 9” harp space) doesn't inspire me so I’m considering QAYG row-by-row (gasp!)

What would you do if you were a novice quilter with little FMQ ability?

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!  

Let’s Book It!

Way back in the dim past that was the beginning of this year, I decided that Sharon’s Let’s Book It linky party was a great idea. Sharon blogs at Vroomans Quilts, and was encouraging us to make something from all those quilting books, magazines and PDF files accumulating on our shelves and in our computer – you know, the ones we’ve bought or been given that we’ve never actually used except to admire the quilts.

“Great idea” said I, to myself. “But I’ve never made a quilt from any of my quilting books because I’ve never made a quilt from a pattern”. But Sharon’s idea went further – we were encouraged, if we so desired, to use a pattern for inspiration, as a springboard to another quilt.

I have admired this quilt in Quilts for Kids by Elaine Hammond ever since I saw the book on sale in the book store. Of course, it was the limited palette and the bold bright colours that got my attention; not the actual design of the quilt.

 
Then I saw the same design in Scrap Quilt Sensation by Katherine Guerrier.

It’s an old, tried and true pattern – Jacob’s Ladder, made of four-patches and large half-square triangles. Katherine’s scrappy quilt may not be as striking as Elaine’s design but it does make use of something I have in abundance – scraps!

My friend, Deb, who blogs at A Simple Life Quilts, finished a Jacob’s Ladder quilt in October last year. Hers is made in Thimbleberry fabrics and is modern and fresh from the use of white to make the ‘ladder’ stand out. I love the way the choice of fabrics and treatments make the same pattern look so different!

Several months ago, I decided to make four patches from 2.5” squares as my ‘leader and ender’ project. I did the math back then regarding how many I would need to make the quilt the size required by my quilting group (48”-54” x 60”-70”) and worked out that I need ninety-something. It was just as easy to make 100, then I’d have more than enough. Some could always go on the back where I generally have a panel of some kind to widen the backing fabric.

In this post, I showed you that I had 60 four-patches completed; I now have the 100 blocks completed; and have moved on to making the half-square triangles from 5" squares. Trimming them down to 4.5" squares is the most time consuming part of the experience!

All I have done was match a dark fabric with a lighter fabric (which may well be a mid-toned fabric) and sew them in pairs, then I’d join the pairs together to make four-patches or sew the squares diagonally to make two HST. Making blocks this way is so easy; I’m really making two quilts at any time without taking my focus from the one that is my ‘main’ project. 

If you’re not into scrappy quilts, Jenny Doan of the Missouri Star Quilting Company has a video on YouTube for making a Jacob’s Ladder quilt the easy way using pre-cuts but you could use yardage instead.

Are you playing along with Let’s Book It? It’s not too late to join in the fun – this is my first link-up ; nothing like coming in at the end of the year! (LOL) Sharon intends to continue with this next year (yay); there are a few more books on my shelf and patterns in my PDF library that need my attention and I’ve even been cutting pieces in anticipation!

Something Old, Something New – March 2014

How did you go with your goals in the shortest month of the year?

I thought I was on track but then WM and I went to visit an “open house” (we weren’t really expecting to buy) and we “fell in love”. The photo shows the western side of the house where all rooms have doors opening onto the “deck”. That first door (on the left) is the main bedroom, then moving towards the right: the door from the secondary living area, the window from same, the window from main living area, the door from same, and (just showing through the trees) another window from the main living area. What you can’t see through the trees is the door from the second bedroom. The view is across crown land into the national park. Those plants are on our property and in the bottom right corner you can get a glimpse of our swimming pool. My sewing table will be near the window of the secondary living area (or at least that’s what I have planned)
 
That, of course, meant that we had to put our house on the market. The real estate agents advised us to get rid of all the clutter and to keep the house like a show home – which we did, but it meant that sewing has not been an option because I make two much mess and have too much clutter around me! The photo shows my living room and piano as they’re rarely seen!

My goals were to bring my Country Houses quilt up to the point of binding and to learn how to foundation piece.

The quilt remains untouched.

The foundation piecing nearly didn’t happen either. I knew that we would be doing this technique in class when we resumed at the beginning of February. What I didn’t take into consideration was the procrastination of my class mates. The first week the teacher explained what we would be doing and showed us a bag made from four sample blocks. The second week she gave us pictures of the block layouts. We were to look at them and decide what we wanted to make by the third week. In the third week, we told the teacher which blocks and how many of each we wanted to make, so that she could bring the foundation papers necessary in the fourth week (which was last Monday).

Only two of the five students who were “playing along” came to class prepared to make the first block. The teacher gave a demonstration and then the two of us who were ready began to sew. Well, I would should say, I began to get ready to sew. First I had to select fabrics from my pink scraps (that was the colour of the month at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge), then iron and cut them. Then my sewing machine played up and I had to unpick the “loops” created on the back of the fabrics where stitches should be. Then my bobbin thread ran out. Finally I got some sewing done but there’s not much to show for a three-hour class (the demonstration didn’t begin until the end of the first hour).

However, I also learned another new technique the week before that. Knowing that we wouldn’t be doing foundation piecing, I asked the teacher to show me how to piece curves (also pink for the same reason).

I’m linking this post with the ScrapHappy Saturday for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge hosted by Angela at SoScrappy blog.

For March, my “Something Old” plan is to get the Country Houses quilt moving forward and, because I’ve only had one lesson on each of these new techniques, my “Something New” will be to continue learning about Foundation Piecing.

What about you?
How did you go in February?
What are your plans for “Something Old, Something New” in March?

Link here with the URL of your blog post.
Don’t forget to pop into some of the other blogs and see what others are doing for this challenge.

Relaxing Robin report

Sorry about the length of time between posts. We have DD and our grandsons staying with us at the moment. We all attended MIL's 80th birthday party on Saturday. They will be staying until Wednesday morning, when I will drive back to Woolgoolga with them and return to Sydney the following day by train so I have a busy week ahead.

But you didn't come here to read about my family activities, did you?

Dawn, over at sewyouquilt2, has a Relaxing Robin Linky party. It's like a Round Robin but the work never leaves your hands so the only one to work on it is you. 

In January we were to find (or make) an orphan block (or two) and add a small border. I showed you my block in my last post but here it is again. Looking at this photo, I'm glad I have a new iron to press out those creases and seams.

I'm considering using the other block as well but haven't started on it yet. I certainly don't have enough of the green fabric to add a border to the second block.

In February we were to add some appliqué. I want to add some bird appliqués to mine, in keeping with the theme set by the fabric in the original pinwheel. My idea was inspired by this lovely mini by Samelia's Mum.

 I plan to do this while travelling on Thursday -- nine hours on a train gives me plenty of stitching time. I hope to cut the appliqué shapes this afternoon while DD and the boys are visiting with DD's best friend.

What about you?

Do you have an orphaned block (or two) that could form the basis of a Relaxing Robin project?

It's not to late to join in if you start this week!

Link up with the Relaxing Robin here.

some new linky parties I might join

The craft-webs are bursting with linky parties. Some have been around for a while, others are new (at least to me).

The two I'm going to mention here are both new; neither of the bloggers has had a linky party before (well, that's my understanding anyway).

Both are quilt related, which is not surprising since knitters are so well catered for by the wonderful site known as Ravelry. There we can find all sorts of knit-alongs, groups to join, etc. that those things are rarely seen on blogs these days.

So, back to the two linky parties that have caught my attention this past week.

The first goes by the rather curious title of "Relaxing Robin" so I just had to check I to out. I've always wanted to join a "round robin" but I use chain store fabrics and many of the "robins" want quilt store fabrics only. Also, since I still comsider myself a beginner, I'm never quite sure if my skills are up to the task.

Dawn, at sewyouquilt2, has come up with a novel idea -- a "relaxing robin" where the work never leaves home. Instead, each month, Dawn posts instructions and quilters add to their work. It starts with an abandoned block and builds from there. Of course, if you didn't have an abandoned block, you could always try a new technique to make a block (and link it to my "Something Old, Something New party, LOL)

Dawn has not actually set up a linky party; you can read more about her idea here.

The other linky party I'm considering has to do with those shelves full of quilt books we all have! Sharon, at Vrooman Quilts, is challenging us to make a quilt from one (or more) of those books. I left a comment that I have never made a quilt from a pattern and that's okay, says Sharon, we can work on a quilt inspired by a pattern in a book! Here's the link to Sharon's blog post and below is Sharon's fabulous button (which, as yet, doesn't have a grab code).

So, what about you? Are you joining any linky parties in 2014, weekly, monthly or occasionally?

Something Old, Something New -- January edition

Hello and welcome to the first post of this Linky party. If you are here for the first time and have no idea what "Something Old, Something New" is about, you can read the guidelines by clicking on the tab at the top of this blog. That's where you’ll find the “grab code” or you can get it from my sidebar. Some further background reading is in this post where I first proposed the idea.

Basically, "Something Old, Something New" (SOSN) is about two things each month:

1. Choosing one UFO to work on* -- for me a UFO is any project I haven't touched in the last three months; but you may have a different definition and that's okay!
2. Choosing one new technique to learn or practice

*Originally I said to "finish" a UFO but there are some projects that can't be finished in a month but can be worked on! For example, I have a cross stitch that was started many years ago and is nearing completion but there's no way I can finish it in a month and still have a life! So I'm changing the {rules}  from "finish" to "work on"!

Personally, I am intending to focus on both the "old" and the "new" each month but you might choose to work on only one or the other, it's totally up to you!

On the second day of each month, I'll put up a Linky party where we'll share how we went with our previous month's goals and list the goals for the following month.

I don't know about you but I have so many UFOs and so many techniques I'd like to learn that it's hard to choose one!

So, what do I plan for January?

Old -- Rainbow Blocks quilt

I made the blocks in 2011-2012 as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and it's time to do something useful with them! I'm not sure I will get it finished but my aim is for a completed flimsy!

 

New -- Shadow (Illusion) knitting

I am booked to tutor a workshop in this technique in July and I haven't tried it myself; so if I start now (and continue to practise) I will have some level of experience by July! I can’t show you a photo because I haven’t started yet but here is a link to a great design on Ravelry.

How about you?

Are you going to drag an old project out of its hiding place and work on it?

Or are you going to start the new year by learning a new technique?

Maybe both?

Please link up here with the URL of your blog post so we can all visit and cheer you on.

If you don't have a blog, leave a comment with the address of where we can find your photos (eg Flickr).

Have fun working on your projects in January!

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!

Something Old, Something New -- part II (with button and grab code)

Note: This post is almost identical to the information in the tab at the top of this blog so you may have already read it. Please leave a comment if you're thinking of joining the party! ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nearly all the crafts-people I know are like me. We all have UFOs that we "should" be working on but the lure of the new beckons us.

In 2014, I want to concentrate on learning new techniques across many of the crafts in which I am involved. However I also want to get some of those UFOs out of my craft room and into use.

Hence: Something Old, Something New. I am challenging myself to finish (at least) one UFO a month and, at the same time, learn (at least) one new technique a month.

How do I define UFO? Any project I haven't worked on in the last three months is a UFO. If I've done some work on it in the last ninety days, it's a WiP and doesn't really qualify! But that's the boundaries I've set myself. You can set any boundaries/rules/guidelines -- whatever works for you!

Maybe you are unlike me and have no UFOs but would like to learn some new techniques.
Or maybe you've dozens of UFOs and no plan (right now) to learn new techniques -- you just want to get those UFOs done!

You've come to the right place.
For me it will be "old" and "new" but for you it might be either "old" or "new".

Won't you please consider joining me for this year's challenge?   
Any craft, any project, any technique is welcome.

I'll put up a linky party on the second day of each month (there are many other linky parties happening on the first of the month! LOL). In that post, I will share my progress from the previous month and list my goals for the month to come.

There will be no prizes, no give-aways; just the joy of sharing and perhaps meeting some new blog friends. 

I'd love you to join me -- parties are much more fun when other people come along! Here's the button for your blog if you accept my invitation!

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<br /><a href="http://2hot2knit.blogspot.com.au/" title="Never too hot to Stitch!"><img src="http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a607/ellebee57/85d98e30-e984-4b34-925f-027fc19b8dc5_zps40bbf708.jpg" alt="Never too hot to Stitch!" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
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Something Old, Something New

2013: The Year of the Finished Project was not as successful for me as I would have liked although it was very successful for other participants.

Deb at A Simple Life Quilts asked recently what one word described this year. My word was "unexpected" -- I didn't expect my DD and her family (including both our grandchildren) to move several hours away, I didn't expect to spend three months renovating a house I don't own, I didn't expect to get shingles, I didn't expect horrific bush-fires so early in the season, I didn't expect to be so moved by this horrible event that I just had to do something to help, I didn't expect to spend weeks sewing knitted squares into blankets (with more still to be done). Most of all,  I didn't expect to find a deeper, more wonderful relationship with my husband which is the direct result of returning to fellowship with other believers after several years isolation (of my own choosing) and a closer walk with my Creator, my Saviour and my Friend.

As far as my linky party was concerned -- I didn't expect not to meet my goals each month, or to have so many excuses/reasons for not meeting them.

That being said, I have decided to take a more relaxed approach next year. (Perhaps "simplify" is rubbing off on me, Deb.) I still have UFOs I need to complete but I also want to spend 2014 learning and/or practising new techniques.

So I'm inviting you to join me for a year of "Something Old, Something New". The "old" will focus on finishing just one UFO each month (you could finish more if you wish). The "new" is not starting a new project -- there's already a linky party for that over at Cat Patches -- it's challenging yourself to intentionally learn one new technique or skill each month, related to the craft of your choice.

Will you join me?

 I'm already thinking about things like foundation piecing, trapunto, Bargello, piecing curves, FMQ (although that's not really new for me, I just need lots of practice), candlewicking, shadow knitting...

With all four bedrooms (including the sewing room where my PC is located) occupied until next Monday, I can't access my computer to make a linky party "button" and I haven't thought of any guidelines/rules for playing along but hey, if there's anything else you need to know, just ask!

And, because I can't finish this post without any photos, here is Knitted Patchwork II, which I finished on Tuesday. I started with thirty-five half squares, so I had to knit 35 half squares, sew them all together, sew in the ends and add the single crochet border. 

Not bad for seven weeks work (if I do say so myself)! I would prefer it was flatter but the blocks are not square and it was hard to join them in this pattern! I live and learn! Older Grandson likes it -- the first thing he asked was "is that for me?" And he spent a lot of time yesterday dragging it around the house. I need to wash it to soften up those fibres so it isn't a big problem. Besides, I have plenty of yarn, I can always knit a new one; if that one gives him so much pleasure, he can have it!

2013: The Year of the Finished Project – October edition

During September I came to realise two things: one about me, one about my lack of fore-thought!

Firstly, I am addicted to my iPad. Seriously! If I pick it up in the morning and start using it, I can still be on it when WM comes home at 2:30pm. Whole days have been spent (wasted?) browsing the internet, reading blogs, reading emails (and not even in answering them, sorry) and playing games like FreeCell, Spider Solitaire and Jumbline 2: Star Tower. I will now no longer allow myself to turn my iPad on until after lunch. Hopefully, by then, I will have started on some crafting project, and be keen to get back to it!

As for my lack of fore-thought: I have come to realise that it is a very good idea to check the calendar before deciding on how many projects can reasonably be completed in the month! This may sound obvious but I have gotten into such a habit of listing six or seven items that I just didn’t think about my schedule in combination with how much work needed to be done to complete each project!

I didn’t allow for the fact that I would be gone for one weekend teaching at The Knitters’ Guild of NSW biennial camp. I didn't allow for the fact that one of the two classes I was asked to teach needed a great deal of preparation time in writing notes, preparing patterns, knitting samples, etc. In fact, all the preparation, knitting and so forth, swallowed up most of a week!

I didn’t allow for the fact that we had a Conference at church for the last five days of September or for the fact that we would be billeting people for those five days. Preparation for those visitors in terms of making the spare bedroom habitable (we have been de-cluttering!) took more time than expected!

Basically, I really only had about fifteen days of “normal” life during September and all of the projects I listed for the month needed a great deal of work on them to bring them to completion. I did have the sense to realise that number seven wasn’t possible so took that off my list in the first couple of days.

Here is my September list and how I fared in my progress towards finishing:

1. Scrappy Log Cabin quilt (50” x 60”) – goal: quilting and binding
   – finished 4 September (see this post)
   
2. Westall cardigan, aka as “Cardigan for Me” – goal: get it done and on my back
   – I didn’t get it finished but I did pick up the stitches for the first sleeve, and knitted the sleeve cap twice. I wasn’t happy with my short rows (they looked very messy) so I did it all again. Eventually I got the sleeve done to the elbow where the lace pattern begins. This requires concentration so I didn’t get any further!
   
3. Scrappy Heart blocks – goal: enlarge all thirty and turn them into a flimsy
   – I didn’t get all thirty blocks enlarged, I have done a total of twelve, nine in September and three in August
   (show in the two pictures below)
   
4. Country Houses quilt – goal: get it off the shelf and on to our bed
   – this project wasn’t touched; I never remembered to measure it for the amount of wadding I needed! I only ever remembered when I was already in my LQS for classes!
   
5. Gift of Hope quilt #2 (24” square) – goal: backing, quilting and binding
   – finished 19 September (see this post)
   
6. Purple Cocoon Socks – goal: just get them done, they've been on the needles too long!
   – I finished the first sock on 19 September and cast the second one on at Camp on 20th September; I also knitted on the way to Conference one day but was too tired the other two mornings (the fourth morning I had to drive myself and have not yet mastered the art of knitting and driving at the same time!). I am almost at the heel of the (toe up)socks; I am still finding using the shorter needles of 40cm (16”) circulars quite clumsy – I much prefer dpns!
   
7. turn another set of blocks from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2012 into a flimsy – unrealistic and removed from list!

So that was September – not too bad considering my lack of time!

Now for October. Let’s see, I have not had any crafting time in the first three days and have my grandsons here from tomorrow night until at least next Thursday so there’ll be no crafting during that week. That leaves me about 21 days of “normal” life. Realistically:

1. Scrappy Hearts quilt – finish enlarging blocks, make flimsy, make backing, baste, quilt and bind!
2. Country Houses quilt – get it off the shelf and onto our bed!
3. Purple Cocoon Socks – to be finished
4. Westall Cardigan – sleeves to be finished
5. turn another set of blocks from the 2012 Rainbow Scrap Challenge into a flimsy

That seems reasonable for the amount of time I have.

What about you?
How did you go in September? Did you learn anything about yourself along the way?
What are your plans for getting those UFOs done in October?

Please link up with the URL of your specific blog post. Thanks for joining the party. Don’t forget to visit some of the other people who have joined in and leave a comment on their blog.

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

Warning: there are no photos in this post, sorry. My computer, with all my images, is in the shop undergoing treatment for spyware! I am posting this from my iPad.

Well, here we are; two thirds of the year over and less than seventeen weeks to go of 2013. A sobering thought, at least for me -- this year has not turned out at all I like I planned!

I wasn't expecting to spend three months renovating DD's house; at the beginning of the year, the idea of moving away had not even entered DD's head!

I certainly didn't expect to get shingles either!

De-cluttering wasn't unexpected but it did hit rather suddenly!

However, as host of this here Linky party, I'm tired of excuses and tired of my UFOS. I'm planning for the final third of this year to be more productive, craft-wise, than the previous eight months.

So, first, a reality check on my August focus list:

1. Country Houses quilt -- untouched due to forgetting to buy batting whenever I was at LQS
2. Ambassador of Love mittens -- untouched; can't find the yarn to finish
3. Westall cardigan -- untouched
4. Scrappy Log Cabin quilt -- flimsy and backing finished, to be basted in class 2 Sept
5. Purple Cocoon socks-- untouched
6. Gift of Hope quilt #2; substituted by Gift of Hope quilt #3 -- finished 29 August

There's no more to be said; it's a sad indictment on the host!

Lets turn our attention instead to my focus list for September:

1. Scrappy Log Cabin quilt -- quilting and binding
2. Westall cardigan, aka as “Cardigan for Me” – get it done and on my back!
3. Scrappy Heart blocks – enlarge all thirty and turn them into a flimsy
4. Country Houses quilt – time to get it off the shelf and on to our bed
5. Gift of Hope quilt #2 – get it finished
6. Purple Cocoon Socks – just get them done, they've been on the needles too long!
7. turn another set of blocks from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2012 into a flimsy

Edited to add that I'm linking goals #1, #3 and #4 with Nothing but UFOs over on Carrie's blog, A Passion for Applique. 

We're only five days into this month but I've already made a start!

The Scrappy Log Cabin quilt was basted on Monday. The quilting was finished on Tuesday and the binding will be attached this afternoon.

I've decided that waiting for my "desire" to knit to return is fruitless, best I just take control and move on. To this end, I dug out the Purple Cocoon Socks on Tuesday evening. You may recall that I stopped knitting these socks because they were for me and I thought they were a bit too small in the  foot. Having decided to just get on with it, I determined that if they didn't fit me, they will fit either DD or mum, so it was time to get them finished. I found using two 40cm (16") circulars very awkward so I only managed twelve rows on Tuesday night. Last night I did another twenty-four rows of the pattern and the final twelve rows of ribbing. Now I just have to bind off and the first sock is done!

Things are looking up for me now -- no turning back, onwards and upwards! I want to finish the year with a flourish!

How about you? Did you meet your goals for August? What have you planned for September?

Please link here with the URL of your specific blog post so we can all pop in and cheer you on!

2013: The Year of the Finished Project – August edition

I hope that July was a more productive month for you than for me.

The month started well with a trip north to spend three precious days with DD, SIL and the grandsons. I posted about that here.

While I was away I had an itchy back. That became excruciating pain which caused a trip to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning with chest pain; followed by a diagnosis of shingles by my GP the following evening.

In the three weeks since that diagnosis I have balanced my pain medication so that I now only feel slight pain but am not so dosed up that I can’t walk straight. Because of that, I have been reluctant to use my sewing machine – that needle moves too quickly for me!

I have also avoided fine detailed knitting, like picking up and knitting the sleeves for my cardigan.

All that to say that my July goals remain just dreams – all projects totally untouched.

So my goals for August are basically my goals from July.

Country Houses quilt

Ambassador of Love mittens

Westall cardigan

Scrappy Log Cabin quilt

Purple Cocoon socks

Gift of Hope quilt #2

What about you? How did July turn out for you? And what plans for finishing those projects do you have for August?

Please put the URL of your specific blog post here when linking up to join the party!

2013: The Year of the Finished Project – July edition

Is it just me or does this year seem to be flying past?

Despite the fact that I was on vacation for the first twelve days of June and did little crafting between my arrival home and the last few days of the month, I managed five finishes! You can read the posts about finishing here and here.

Of course, it helps that most of those were nearly completed before I went on holidays.
In fact, most of them were on my list for May!

Let’s look at my list for June:

1. Bed Socks for Beulah -- finished 3 June
2. Blanket for Emily -- finished 30 June 2013
3. cardigan for me -- knit sleeves (untouched)
4. bind the Earth and Sky quilt -- finished 29 June 2013
5. add border to Scrappy Log Cabin quilt (untouched)
6. finish Hexagon Project Bag -- finished 28 June 2013

What's that? You thought I said five finishes? 

Yes, I did say five. I also finished a pair of socks that had been on the needles too long. At the beginning of the year I stated that I had to finish one old knitting project before I could start a new one, and two quilting/sewing projects before I could start a new one. I also stated that “plain” socks are not  counted in my “new” projects because I always have socks on the needles – they are the perfect travel companion and are great for knitting in company (unless I’m up to the heel).

So perhaps I shouldn’t count this pair as a  “finish” either; but the fact of the matter is they are finished! So I did have five finishes in June even if only four count as part of the challenge!

Hey, it’s a linky party! It’s not life and death. Crafting is our hobby and we’re not supposed to take it too seriously. We’re here to encourage each other to finish those UFOs and WIPs – any finish is worth celebrating, right?

So, what's on my list for July?

1. Country Houses quilt – to be finished
   I want this on my bed this winter; it’s been hanging around for two years now!
   
2. Ambassador of Love mittens – to be finished
   No more Second Mitten Syndrome allowed!
   
3. Westall Cardigan –  to be finished
   I’d really like to be wearing this instead of looking at it gathering dust on the table.
   
4. Scrappy Log Cabin quilt – get the border on and turn it into a finished flimsy
   It’s been hanging around here waiting long enough!
   
5. Purple Cocoon socks – make a decision and follow through
   These have been on the needles for nearly two years while I tried to make up my mind whether to frog (rippit!) or finish!
   
6. Gift of Hope #2 quilt – to be finished
   I started this in March but I was waiting to acquire some white flannelette for wadding. I have it now so it’s time to get it off the list.
   Sorry, no photo, I haven’t taken one!

I also have samples to knit for the workshop I’m tutoring on 20th July so I’d better get moving on those too!

And I’d like to make some progress on Deb’s Diamond (knitted) Blanket, my current embroidery (outside of class) and my Dutch Caps hexagon project.

So, I’ve got quite a list but it’s winter, it’s cold and it’s great crafting weather.

I’d also like to clean out my sewing room and make the storage more functional – I’ll start by moving all yarn not in use to the spare bedroom! But that’s another post…

How did you go in June and what’s on your list for July?