A Sea of Fabric

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Heather

The great purge of 2013 continues. Yesterday’s targets were the main bathroom and my sewing stash.

Fabric and other sewing junk

Fabric and other sewing junk

This is about a quarter of my fabric and trims. The rest was actually properly sorted away, and there are a few in-progress projects with my sewing machine. (And my sewing machine seems to be working again! Yay!)

I’ve learned some things while doing this purge:

  1. I will never be a quilter. I may, however, still try to make a Hello Kitty lap quilt using a simple pattern. And I will definitely finish the 2012 Craftsy Block of the Month Quilt… eventually.
  2. As much as I really, really love the Aunt Martha towels, I think this is a hobby I’m just going to have to let go. I’ve got one more towel to do, and once it is done I will send my paints to Goodwill.
  3. I think beading is pretty, but I don’t like to do it. Thankfully, my mom has really taken to making beaded jewellery. I will probably finish the bracelet I’m working on and a couple of small projects from A Needle Pulling Thread, and I think that will be it for me.
  4. I really don’t like using acrylic yarn for anything other than toys. I know that makes me sound a bit like a yarn snob, but it is how I feel. Actually, that isn’t totally true. I do have some very soft acrylic and acrylic blend sock yarn that I do like.
  5. While Tunisian crochet is an interesting technique and looks lovely, I just don’t like doing it.

What it comes down to, I think, is that I need to decide exactly what hobbies I enjoy the most and I need to focus on them. Sure, I can paint towels and make beaded things, but ultimately I’d rather spend my time cross stitching or knitting.

Oh yeah, and I’m never sewing fleece with my sewing machine again! 😛

4 Comments | Posted in Crafts |

Yarn Everywhere!

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Heather

Sometimes you have to make a mess to get organized. (This post is for you, Anna of Stitch Bitch!)

Too much yarn!

Too much yarn!

This is about half of my stash of yarn. On Sunday evening I dug out yarn from literally everywhere in the house and spread is across the living room. And then I viciously purged it. Okay, I really didn’t get rid of all that much. Mainly, it was balls of acrylic that I didn’t need that ended up in the Goodwill bag. They will actually find a good home at a nearby old folks home.

See that first bin in the front, that is one of two drawers that size that I have for sock yarn. I also have another bin with 12 more skeins matched to patterns. I have a problem.

And, yet, somehow after all of this, I didn’t find the two balls of yarn I was looking for. 🙁

6 Comments | Posted in Knitting |

More Ornament Inspiration

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Heather

So, how’s that stitching going? How about a little more inspiration?

Merry Christmas from Log Cabin Needleworks

Merry Christmas from Log Cabin Needleworks

This lovely ornament (pardon the terrible picture, but we aren’t getting much sun around here right now) was a gift from my friend Erica of Erica’s Places. We were finally able to meet this past week and exchange Christmas gifts. This lovely ornament was part of my gift, along with my very first pair of Ginghers (the purple Charlene, what else?), some fabulous silk and stainless steel yarn, and a couple of other little goodies. I was super spoiled!

Is it weird that I want to put my Christmas tree back up so I can put this ornament on it? lol!

 

2 Comments | Posted in Cross Stitch | Tagged ,

Ornament in Progress

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Heather

It is just over a week and a half until the first post day for the Ornament SAL, and I have to admit that I’m not even close to being ready. My sore hand is still sore (hence the name), and it is affecting my cross stitching much more than my knitting or crochet. I suppose I’ll get off my wide bum and call the doctor on Monday, since it is about time I had my hand looked at.

Some sort of Christmas ornament...

Some sort of Christmas ornament…

Anyway, I thought I would share my progress on this month’s ornament. It is (surprise!) by Jennifer Aikman-Smith of Dragon Dreams. I won’t reveal which design it is yet, though.

How is your ornament stitching coming along?

And in other news, did you hear that Leisure Arts is allowing Teresa Wentzler to republish a whole bunch of her out of print designs? She is going to work on re-charting several of them and then she will be releasing them through PatternsOnline. Check out her blog post here for more details. Unfortunately, the two designs I don’t have (Jacobean Floral and Wool Cross and Beyond) aren’t part of the list! lol!

5 Comments | Posted in Cross Stitch | Tagged , , ,

Turtle Trot – January 2013

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Heather

Today is Turtle Trot update day. This month I’ve been focusing on Carolyn Mitchell’s Creative Persuasion, and I think I’ve made some good progress.

Creative Persuasion, designed by Carolyn Mitchell (WIP)

Creative Persuasion, designed by Carolyn Mitchell (WIP)

There is actually some stitching with one thread in the middle section, but it is very difficult to see. It is meant, says Carolyn, just to give a small bit of different colouring to that section. But, to be honest, I can barely see it, even up close.

I’ve also been working on the collaboration design from my LNS. The top section, designed by Jeanette Douglas, is finished.

Friends Stitching Together (WIP)

Friends Stitching Together (WIP)

The threads are DMC and Gloriana. And there is a bunch of Mill Hill beads scattered around. The next section was designed by Laura Dickson of Enchanting Lair and will have the word “Stitching” in the centre.

Pretty good progress for around two weeks work, eh? I’m still recovering from my latest cold, so I’ve spent more time stitching and less time doing errands. (Un)Fortunately, I’m getting better, so it will be back to the regular schedule soon.

10 Comments | Posted in Cross Stitch, Memes & Collabs | Tagged , , ,

TUSAL – January 2013

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Heather

Happy new moon! It is Totally Useless Stitch Along (TUSAL) time, again.

TUSAL orts for January 2013

TUSAL orts for January 2013

This month I’ve collected bits from my work on Carolyn Mitchell’s Creative Persuasion and from the collaberation design from my LNS that I’ve been working on. I also have some bits that I picked out from this month’s Christmas ornament (I can’t count to five!), and there is a few leftover bits from finishing of the Carolyn Mitchell ornaments earlier this month. Not a bad collection, I think.

1 Comment | Posted in Cross Stitch, Memes & Collabs | Tagged

Hot Stuff!

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Heather

This Christmas I gave my husband one sock. Last week he got the second one.

Hot Stuff! Socks, designed by Wendy D. Johnson

Hot Stuff! Socks, designed by Wendy D. Johnson

The pattern is Hot Stuff! Socks from Wendy D. Johnson’s book [amazon_link id=”0307463850″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Toe-Up Socks for Every Body[/amazon_link]. (And excellent sock book, by the way.) The yarn is Berroco Comfort Sock in colours Black and True Red.

Man, were these socks a pain in the bum to knit. I actually started them in August 2011. I knit the foot of the first one and then had my husband try it on. It was too big. So, I ripped it out, reknit and got the size right. I started on the leg pattern and did 1/3 of it before checking the fit again. The leg was too tight (I have a bit of trouble with colourwork and tension). Rip, rip, rip back to the heel turn. Thank goodness these are knit toe up! The third time was the charm, and both socks fit fine. (Although, you might notice the gauge is a little looser on one of the socks. I must have relaxed a little!

I’ll be practising my colourwork skills even more when I get started on these mittens! (If you follow me on Pinterest, you’ve probably already seen them.)

3 Comments | Posted in Knitting | Tagged , ,