I guess I should do a round up like everyone else right? LOLOL! As I went through my stuff, I did more things than I remembered; that was pretty exciting for me since I feel like a crafting bum. But I guess as they say … they proof is in the pudding so here it is … 😛
This year, I:
- Dyed yarn
- Made body products
- Crocheted a cowl that was gifted
- Made a hat
- Started my first sock
- Made my first sweater
- Experimented making clay ornaments
- Messed around with fabric painting
- Crocheted coasters
- Blinged out some felt
- Messed around with some tunisian crochet
- Did my first test knit/crochet — made love bombs for this talented lady
- Made stitch markers
- Swatched my first adult sweater
- I introduced my newest knitting mascot — Pablo
while working on a basic cowl. I need to add some single crochet to the edges to finish this baby. I’ll do that while I’m home this week!
- and I even cranked up my sewing machine to make a rice heat pack as a swap gift (which incidentally is the last installment in my craft book challenge this year).
Not too shabby but I know with some better time management I could have done more. Now that I’ve cranked up the sewing machine, I want to do more stitching. God help me. I don’t need another rabbit hole to fall down.
For 2014, I want to:
-
Work through the entire Simple Collection from TincanKnits
- Complete at least 20 projects / 14 new techniques via knitting and crochet. These techniques include thrumming, colourwork (fair isle and intarsia), conquering knitting in the round with dpns and magic loop, cables (don’t find them hard just never completed a project with cables), lace, garment construction.
- Include in the 20 projects at least 2 sweaters, 2 shawlettes, 2 pairs of socks and a blanket or two.
- Try … I said try … 😛 .. to make at least 25 handmade decorations for my Christmas tree for use Christmas 2014 (g.w)
- Reacquaint myself with Violet aka Vivi (my sewing machine named by my cousin Anita. Yeah I know … all my toys and tools have names. What?!!!! Don’t yours? LOLOL!). Stitch some potholders, a set of table mats and a swing coat (yes, I said a coat). My sewist extraordinaire BFF gave me a pattern 3 years ago that she expects to be completed this year. No exceptions. Oye vey the pressure!!!! 😀
- Spin at least 10 braids of roving in 2014.
- Complete at least two cross-stitch pieces.
- Leave #teamstartitis and join #teamFO
- Practice some monogamous crafting instead of starting all the thingz!
- Stop saving free patterns on Ravelry. I’ll never be able to make all the thingz; I need to focus on the wonderful patterns I have already in my library.
-
Schedule crafting days and stick to said schedule. Poor time management stopped me from crafting as much as I could have in 2013.
It’s an ambitious list, especially given the fact that my commute takes up four hours of my day and work renders me useless once I leave the office most days. But I have to intentionally do the things that benefit me and make me feel good and crafting does that.
Think I’m crazy? That’s okay! Just hold this list over my head when I start whining about. how tired and frustrated I am! Seriously … I’d love you forever if you don’t let me slack off. 😀 It’s high time for me to move from newbie status to intermediate — for crochet, knitting and general crafting. And the only way I can do that is to craft, craft, craft!!!!
What are your crafty resolution for the upcoming year?
D'NALI 
My mom did a lot of sewing on the machine when she was a housewife as a kid. I wore a lot of home made outfits the first few grades in school.
Got two big projects to get done soon. One is the cowl pattern I bought at Rhinebeck, the other is a baby blanket for a coworker having a baby around march/april. Then at some point I’ll try to tackle that other sweater pattern I bought at Rhinebeck, that’ll probably take me the rest of the year, lol
I’ll have to ask her for tips then!
I got a few big projects including blankets myself. Cousin is having a baby in May!!!
Don’t forget to complete the second! Or are you doing two at a time?
That’s quite the list! I look forward to seeing what you create.
You know, in my last email, I was going to ask if you sewed. You did a great job. What type of projects are you doing? Have you been sewing long? What type of sewing machine do you have? You should not have told me that.
Looks away innocently.
I have to finish the first sock then I’ll do the second. Didn’t do two at a time, one at a time on 9 inch circs. I was enjoying the project immensely, there’s no valid reason why I didn’t complete that first pair.
As for sewing … sorry to wake up your bug! LOLOL! I learned hand stitching and embroidery in H.S. Then my bff and I took a garment making course when we were teenagers. She kept sewing; I made a couple of outfits (that I could actually wear out my house) but fell off the wagon.
I still remember the basics, I have my notes and love that our lecturer taught us how to custom make patterns with our own measurements. All that info moved with me when I came to the U.S. to live so it’ll be easy to jump back in the saddle. My lecturer loved how much attention I paid to the details.
Fast fwd January 2010, bff and my mom gave me two refresher courses as a Christmas gift; until the heat pak, I hadn’t made anything other than my course samples. I know … utterly shameful. But I’m back!!!!! 😛 While I like making clothes, home decor projects interest me more. Drapery, housewares, etc. In the new year, I want to do some project bags as well.
I have a Brother XL 5600 machine and 3 Christmases ago, my mom bought me a dress dummy (Malynda).
Nothing like drafting your own pattern. I learned that via trial and error. Only recently did I purchase a few books. I’m now teaching my daughter to draft patterns,
As far as new years resolutions… I really don’t make them at the end of the year, just come up with things as it pops into my brain. However since I recently started weaving a few weeks ago one of my goals is to make an outfit from the woven cloth I create. I’ve already sewn with the cloth I’ve made, it’s hard to put into words the feeling I get from sewing my own cloth. I guess adding spinning to the mix will be the ultimate… 😉 Next thing would be is to shear a sheep. Looks easy enough, but you know how that goes. Folks always make things look easy actually doing that would be a bit challenging I’m sure. 😉 I was looking for a angora rabbit but they did not have any from the homeless shelter. I can’t complain we love our Oreo (newfoundland bunny) and Gracie (lionhead bunny.)