Crafty Happenings - Week 1

 

A nice new notebook from my pink friend S (she really doesn't
acknowledge many other colours!) - I do love new stationery

 

Hello there! 

 

I've been reading lots of Year End/Year Beginning posts over the last few days - catching up with my favourite blogs.

 

I love looking at the round-up posts and reading the thought processes that make something a hit or a miss for that person, it's so individual.

 

I thought about doing something similar but, if I'm entirely honest with myself, it doesn't really work for me - you've only got to look at how out of date my yearly Achievements pages are to see that!  I am going to update my Achievements page for last year (when I get half an hour spare), otherwise I'll forget entirely. 

 

Plus, I'm an outstanding Starter but I don't finish a project before I start the next one.  I know, I'm probably doing it wrong.  It just doesn't work for me - I'm sure I'd be a million times more productive but I have to be in the right frame of mind.  Crafting is a pleasure for me, it feels more like a chore if I make myself finish a crochet project when I'm in a sewing frame of mind.  And I'm never going to be the world's most productive clothes maker because I'm actually comfortable with a pretty small wardrobe of pieces that work together for me.

 

So, I'm going to come at this from a different angle this year.  This is the first of my weekly posts of craft-related progress in my life.  It might be something I've bought or made the plans for or, hold onto your hats, actually got on and made!  But for me this year is about the steps forward, not the finished items.  I have a feeling this will be more motivating for me - it's certainly worth a go.

 

I kind of tied myself in a knot about taking decent photos but it isn't going to happen, if I'm going to do this regularly I'll have to take them when I have time - given the current weather in the UK expect them to be poor quality and taken when it's dark and raining!

Here goes then:

Fabric

Curtain samples - bought in the sale for a bargainous £1 each,
I just see scraps as a challenge!

The biggest pieces of each one are sufficient for a bag -
I've been making lots of tote bags lately and have orders for more.
This weight of fabric is perfect.
 

Supplies

A great needlepoint book from the Oxfam shop for £1.49

8 reels of white and cream thread for my overlocker -
I must be using it more than I thought as I've entirely run out

I have a great many craft books so, even if they are a bargain,
I don't buy them now unless there's a pattern/project that
I love - I really want to make this bird cushion, it's beautiful.

Cross-stitch

Progress on the Batman & Friends cross-stitch I'm making for P -
originally this was going to be a Christmas gift but trying to sew in
secret was not working at all
You can find the pattern here http://www.etsy.com/people/weelittlestitches

 

Quilting

My new A1 size cutting mat arrived this week - goodness it's brilliant,
I can't believe what a difference it makes having had only a tiny little
one before, it was really for card making and just wasn't suitable.
 I'm whizzing through my cutting out now.

My first Jelly Roll quilt (fabric bought for me by my brothers last April!)
All the squares are sewn together and I've figured out the sizes for corner and
setting squares.
I can't make any more process now until I pick out my border fabrics

 

 

That's all folks!

 

x



Hello Blog - Remember Me?

Hello Little Blog

 

I bet you're feeling a bit neglected, left off the Christmas card list, overlooked.

I managed a Draft post about John Denver and the Muppets Day
but never posted it

Expectations were high as we had F & A to stay for the weekend
- Uncle P did a brilliant job of breakfast :)

To be honest Little Blog, you were just one more thing on a very long list in the last 6 weeks or so and I knew I could let you slide off the end.  I've struggled to even keep up with all the brilliant blogs I follow. 

 

I even had a bit of a wobble and wondered whether it was worth putting you back on the list at all, perhaps we'd reached the end of a road - I know, very unfriendly.

 

 

I enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Lunch with friends from the Rochester Sewing Club
- Julie was delighted with her Secret Santa present from Rachel

Foxy Sewing - Made by Rachel

 

Brilliant knitted pincushion by Julie for Polly
- I admire anything knitted, being entirely pants myself!

 

Another craft bag, for Rachel - I totally forgot to photograph this after I'd made it, just
not in a bloggy frame of mind



My gorgeous present, made by Polly - this appeals to me so much,
I'm delighted with it, and it's all marvellous polka dots on the inside

The little oriental fans are my absolute favourite.
Polly was in the middle of Christmas madness, family birthdays and
house moving.  How she found time to make this is beyond me!

I've been snowed under (sorry, pun entirely intentional) with Christmas, worrying family stuff, the death of a friend and colleague I admired so much, work re-structuring/potential job losses and just general, all-round crapness. 

Ernie and Elmo did their bit to help us feel more Christmassy

Elmo had to make a concerted effort - at this point it was becoming clear My Boy
wasn't going to make it home for Christmas and she misses him badly.  Not me, I'm fine
about the whole thing, honest ... poor Elmo

I had a decision  to make - I could just about make all the gifts I so desperately wanted to give or I could photograph and blog a couple and accept I wouldn't get the others done. 

 

I decided to actually do the stuff that keeps me sane and figure out where to go from there.  Life is, after all, about the living of it rather than keeping a record, right?

For another Sewer

For my 'pink' friend S

For my Sister-in-Law's talented Mum - whose knitting
keeps F & A in jumpers :)

There was another bag for My Girl, a Jane Austen cross-stitch for my brother and his wife, a
Pirate Izzy costume for A and a
stuffed penguin for My Boy. 
None photographed but completed with love and done in good time :)

 

We made a pre-Christmas dash to Swansea to see My Boy and his Girlfriend
- so lovely to see them

A Christmas decoration for our tree, made by My Boy's Girlfriend -
so thoughtful
 

 

Despite the terrible weather and power cuts, we managed
to take P's parents and his aunts and uncles out for a Christmas lunch

P with his Mum

Sadly there's an aunt and uncle missing from this group,
sad losses to the family in the last couple of years.
I'm so glad we managed to do this - it was lovely to get everyone together.
I love how much effort they all made dressing up festively -
they're a fine bunch of people :)

Crafty Auntie S and P's Dad

Christmas is over, spent with my brother and his family (and yes I still owe him a dressing gown - goodness, the guilt!).

 

We saw the New Year in with My Girl, my Best Friend and her husband which was lovely.   I've had a chance to catch my breath today and I realised how much pleasure you give me Little Blog. 

 

How great it is for me to have a record of what I've made (well it would be if I made any effort whatsoever to keep my Achievements pages up to date!).  And I've made some great friends and am part of a brilliant sewing group.

 

 

I'm not really one for Resolutions but I think you and I should stick with it little Blog.  And, despite being an Excellent Starter I'm determined to try to be a Finisher this year - it's certainly worth a go.

 

So, can we make up?  I'll update my 2013 list of completed projects and then it's onwards and upwards for 2014 :)

 

xxxx

Merry Christmas & A Happy, Healthy 2014

To you and yours

From me and mine

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and wish you

All the very best for 2014

Jacq

X

 

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