2017 - A Fresh Start

Last year was hit and miss in both the blogging department and the quilting/sewing/crafting department. I do so much better when I blog regularly, as then I have to do something in order to blog about it.  I'm committing to joining the following blog reports, etc. so I have a schedule to follow!

1. For the fourth or fifth year, I'm joining Judy Laquidera's Patchwork Times Sunday Stash Report.  Today, being a Sunday is a great start - nothing in, nothing out so the numbers are easy:

Added this week: 0.00 metres

Added this year: 0.00 metres

Used this week: 0.00 metres

Used this year: 0.00 metres

Added/Used this year: 0.00 metres

My goal is stay in the blue this year. It should be easier because my favourite on-line discount shop has shut down.

Judy's blog has turned to more about knitting and recipes, but her Sunday Stash Report has quite a few quilters that link up, and I have found some great blogs to follow through it.

2. New this year, I'm following Elaine Theriault's Crazy Quilter on a Bike Motivational Mondays in order to put some order in my life!  Motivational Mondays is actually a Facebook group, but her blog is filled with some great tips and ideas.  The first step was to identify your Dirty Dozen, or 12 UFOs that you feel you must complete this year.  I have identified the following:

Epic Halloween Quilt

Mom's Christmas Quilt

Splendid Sampler

Vignette

Farmer's Wife

Gramma's Dresden

30's Hexies

Snowman Reunion

Grand Illusion

Vintage Valentine

Sunkissed Snail Trail

Sunkissed Birdie Stitches

Bonus - Santa Advent Calendar

This isn't cast in stone, as I haven't gone through all my UFOs yet, these were only the ones within view.  I know I will substitute at least one, and I will also create more Dirty Dozen lists for future use.

I'm probably also going to create a smaller list of scrapbooking projects I want to complete this year, as I have fallen behind on those as well. Two I know I "have" to finish are my Trip to Italy and 6 Heritage Albums for my daughters and nieces.

3. Just like Barbara Stanbro of Cat Patches, I want to also set monthly goals so I don't lose sight of the small projects and tasks that need to get done as well. And when I say need, that is only for my satisfaction - I like accomplishments!

4. I'm also going to report regularly on Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday report, although I tend to do most of my slow stitching on weekday evenings. Several of the UFOs on my Dirty Dozen list involve embroidery or hand-stitching, plus there will be bindings as I complete them!  Kathy's a fellow Canadian and a lot of the quilters linking to her report are as well, so it's always fun to check out their blogs.

5. Last but not least, I am going to do a weekly weigh-in. With my recent knee injury, it has really driven home the point that I need to lose weight.  I'm only going to report my loss or gain, no need to put up the starting figure!

Now I have to think about what my Word of the Year will be, but "commit" just jumped in my mind, so I'm going to mull it over!

Happy New Year, everyone! I wish much health, happiness and peace to all of you this year and for many more!

Slow Stitching

Have you ever heard of the term "Slow Stitching"? I'm not where it originated but Kathy in Ontario has been hosting a Linky Party called Slow Sunday Stitching since 2012 celebrated the art of handwork. I've always got a bit of embroidery on the go, sometimes cross-stitch and now some "big-stitch" hand quilting, so I'm finally going to join along.

I tend not to slow stitch on Sundays, though, as that is usually a day I can spend at the machine. Instead I stitch in the evenings when I'm watching TV, so I'll use the report to show what I worked on in the previous week.  I get more done when I "have to report", but I know the only person I'm being accountable to is me!

Last night, I  finished what stitching I could get done before assembling my new tote bag:

This is my own design, made with Moda's Honeycomb pre-cuts.  I hope what I vision works out!

Linking up to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching!  Come join the fun!

Slow Stitching Sunday

A fellow Canadian, Kathy in Ontario, hosts a linky party focusing on hand work.  I can't just sit and watch TV, and want to get off the computer more, so I'm going to join in for an evening of handsewing on Sundays.  Today's project is also my newFO for January!

 

 

 

I've always wanted to make a crazy quilt, and last year I started collecting items of meaning to me to incorporate into one.  This block is not "crazy" in that the base is pieced from several fabrics, but I wanted to use this piece of linen with cutwork that came from my grandmother.  I have several pieces and I don't know if she made them or if they were bought, but when I see them they remind me of her.  This particular pieces had some small holes in the centre so I didn't feel bad cutting into it.

 

 

 

I'm adding the embroidery around the border of the linen.  I didn't have an exact match for the blue, so I went a little darker, then added some beads to the sprays in a darker blue as well.

 

 

Along the bottom of the 6" block, I have added some venetian lace anchored with a bit of featherstitch with green beeds.  The lace flower was added separately, along with a cluster of silver flowers, a silver lead and clear beads.  The silver picks up the silver satin I put behind the cutwork.

 

I'm considering adding stems to the ribbon roses, then adding some more beads as rosebuds.  I'm still looking for a charm piece to add to it.  I'd like to put a watch face on this piece but all the ones I have on hand are too man-ish.  I might have to bust apart an old watch I'm not using any more.

 

Linking up to Kathy's Slow Stitching Sundays.