Taking stock in the New Year - craft related resolutions or WIP piles that need shifting?

[BigBaubledBertha]

I was just being nosy really and wondering if any of you had any craft goals/resolutions for the year? Is it simply to shift the WIP pile or does anybody have plans for a big new project?

My big thing is to get to grips with my City and Guilds patchwork and quilting course work. I have a quilted container to finish, a design project on pattern to do and wallhanging to make, including dyeing the fabric. There are also a lot of samples to make up for different techniques. That is even before I start on the other two quilting projects that have to be completed for our final show in July, one of which has to be a bed quilt.

I would love to do more knitting but don't have the time at the moment but I have a cardie I wanted to make for new year (nice yarn with sequins in). I have done about 1/4 of the back Maybe for next year then......

Would anybody care to share and make me feel better about my pile of things to do?

[stitchNting]

I'd like to fix and figure out how to use my Pfaff embroidery machine. I've had it 5 years and it's only worked once. Am close to madness every time I try to use it, the needles snap every time I press go...

I also have 6/7 knitting wips, one crochet baby boot missing a buddy and a pile of lovely craft books bought for me this Christmas to get through...

I'd like a magic spell to add a few hours to my day (baby free!) so I can get something done!

I'm curious about your quilting course, is it at a college or do you study at home?

[GetOnYourDancingShoes]

I have a busy year planned.
DS3 has left home and DD moved into his old room. That leaves her old box room for me to use as a craft room. Yay!

All I have to do is sort out all the treasures junk she has left behind, redecorate, buy storage and move my craft stuff in.

I'm really looking forward to having all my stuff in one place. At the moment I am reluctant to start new projects as I have to hunt out the stuff and leave time to put it all away again...

I have an extensive list of things I want to try and a long list of WIPs, too.

[LaVolcan]

I made a resolution last year to not start anything new until I had finished all the WIPs. We-e-ll: I didn't quite succeed - two pieces of lace on the go, and one embroidery, but I have just finished the knitting I started in April (4 ply and hence a bit slower than normal.)

Plan for this year: to finish one piece of lace before the middle of January - should be doable, it's only an afternoon's work, and the embroidery by the end of January. And then.......

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

I would love to get to grips with knitting and actually produce something. I've started on a scarf but by the time I finish I think summer may be upon us I find knitting so much harder than crochet......

I need to finish my crochet blanket of granny squares and make another in cheaper yarn for camping.

I am terrible for starting things and not finishing!

[LaVolcan]

I've started on a scarf but by the time I finish I think summer may be upon us

I would call this good forward planning myself - you will be ready for next Autumn

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

I like your thinking LaVolcan! I think I'll apply that to my ever growing stash of yarn next time DH gives me the face. I'm simply planning ahead and getting preparing for projects that I may not have thought of yet

[PurpleFrog]

I have so many things that are started but not finished. I want to try and finish as much as I can this year, and reduce my fabric and yarn stash!

Some of my WIPs are so old that they can probably be classed as vintage.

[BigBaubledBertha]

I think it is healthy to have more than one thing on the go - it stops boredom setting in. I feel like doing different things at different times. The problem I have now is that I have sooooo much to do I don't know where to start. Probably finishing my quilted bowl that should have been finished in September is the priority.

StitchNting - I am doing a 2 year C&G course that takes up one day a week - 9.30 to 3.30pm in the classroom, so to speak, and they reckon on another day for the homework. I love it but it is relentless and I am behind. You can do it online I believe but I would never in a million years motivate myself to do anything so I have to do something where I have to physically go somewhere and get on with it.

GetOnYourDancingShoes - I am deeply jealous of your craft room. We had some visitors over Christmas and I had to clear out the dining room and move stuff out of the lounge to make the place look presentable and there is piles of it! I am wondering how the rest of the family put up with telling them to put stuff away actually - if I was them I would be telling me to practice what I preach. I really could do with a room of my own and some storage. I yearn for proper storage. Problem is the most likely room for using is in our loft conversion and I can't seem me carting my sewing machine up and down 2 flights of stairs once a week so it isn't ideal. I dream of an extension with a big work table though. Somehow I don't think DH will go for that, even if we had room to extend.

Doyouthinktheyaurus - you could always start a summer weight scarf. Something in a nice 4ply cotton perhaps?

LaVolcan - very jealous of the lace making. Where did you learn to do that? Not that I need another craft! Perhaps you had better not tell me.

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

Now there's an excuse to buy more wool Bertha

I think I'm fairly safe with knitting blankets all year round. Whenever we go camping the sun goes in and the temperature drops so I'll keep at my granny squares.....

I like having different projects too, depending on my mood I may fancy a challenge or something more straightforward and familiar that doesn't require a lot of thinking.

[LaVolcan]

BBB - I got a lace maker to give me lessons. If you got in touch with the Lace Guild I think they might be able to supply you with a list of teachers.

Some lacemakers say that they have taught themselves but I am not convinced.

[3birthdaybunnies]

Well I want to get lots of christmas decorations ready for next year, having failed to do them this year!

It is birthday season for us, dd1's is sorted, but for dd2 I need to get to grips with decoupage. Am going to put layer of gold paper over all the sarcophagi, and practise making muslin mummies, then need equipment and supplies to help a bunch of 5+6yr olds to finish the sarcophagi and make mummies.

Ds - well all of them are loving the playmat I made for him, one side is a map of our village and the other side has a sea, river, grass and vulcano, it could do with some trees/bushes. After that am going to search out some new projects to make for them, first one is some angry bird hand warmers, have some material, just need the time!

[TheWoollybacksWife]

You have inspired me to get out my one and only UFO. It is a crochet cotton blanket that I'm hoping to finish for my great-niece who is now 6 weeks old. It is on its third incarnation as I started it as flowers linked together, (hated that), then started it again as granny squares, (got pissed off with them) so have now started it as a ripple blanket.

I did have a big long list of projects to finish before Christmas but managed to get through them by a combination of insomnia, neglecting DH and the kids and not sending all but the essential Christmas cards.

I am going to the yarn shop tomorrow though for some more scarf yarn as my sister admired the one I made for my mum . But having a crochet project and a knitting project on the go at the same time doesn't count, does it?

[craftynclothy]

Ok, I make the same resolutions every year and usually fail miserably!

Use up current fabric/yarn stash before buying more - perhaps I should ignore the fact I got 1.8kg of yarn for Xmas and 3 FQ's and in the post-Xmas sales have bought 1 panel, 2 jelly rolls, 31 FQ's and 17 metres of quilting fabric

Finish the UFO's before starting new projects. Currently on the go I have:
1 quilt being free motion quilted
a sampler quilt
a quilt top made from little hexagons (going to be a long term project)
at least 3 other quilt tops
a couple of wall hangings
a knit fabric top
a dress
a couple of skirts
a couple of little decorations
a doorstop
a cushion cover
a shawl

And I already have plans to start:
a sampler quilt
a Xmas tree skirt
recovering a noticeboard
new aprons for me and the kids
2 skirts for me

[BigBaubledBertha]

17m of fabric and 31FQ - wow! I can see why you chose your name!

And your WIP list makes me feel much better although I bet you get through a lot more of it than me. What are you going to do with 1.8kg of yarn?

TheWoollyBacksWife - 2 projects is a must. 1 is not allowed. It isn't the in the spirit of this thread at all. I don't want anybody making me feel an out-of-control craft or shopaholic even if I am for having so much to do whilst still planning my next spending spree.

I am going to a quilt show in 10 days - lots of the fabric shops go there to get rid of their excess stock. Sort of a January sale for fabric lovers. They have gorgeous quilts to look at too which is a bad thing as it gives you ideas about what you think you might do next.

About 3 weeks after that there is a knitting show in the same place (Unravel at Farnham Maltings) Very hard on the purse it is too.

There are some really imaginative projects on this thread - love the idea of the playmat with the map of your village 3birthdaybunnies.

[TheWoollybacksWife]

I really fancy making a Christmas tree skirt. I have dabbled with sewing over the last 6 months. I bought a jelly roll (thanks to an Arts and Crafts thread) and made quilted runners for the bottom of my DDs beds. At least I'd have 11 months to finish it! I suppose I'd need to buy the fabric pretty sharpish before the Christmas themed stuff goes out of the shops.

I will also make cardigans/sweaters for my nephews, nieces and gnieces for Easter because if I buy them chocolate then I will eat it but I made a determined effort a couple of years ago not to have lots of projects on the go and I am keeping at it so far.

[Molehillmountain]

I'm going to enter all the craft categories in our village show this year. And do a craft fair stall with a friend. My yarn stash will be smaller than it started the year (eBay probably!) and I'm going to make something with the Christmas fabric I bought two years ago. Probably...

[Molehillmountain]

Oh-and I'm going to stop buying craft magazines. probably...

[LaVolcan]

Erm yes, I am going to make some dresses with the materials I bought six, three and two years ago. Honest. but I haven't said when

[craftynclothy]

The yarn will be used for a few blankets and the leftovers will make some smaller blankets/squares for the LittleHugs project.

The 17m of quilting cotton was a bargain (£42) at a local shop that have a fantastic sale every Jan 2nd. Most of it is going to be used for backings. Some of it is Xmas themed and both the jelly rolls were Xmas fabric (2 for £25 so a bargain!). Some of it is for skirts for me.

I go to a sewing group every Monday and am joining a quilting group that is once a month doing a sampler quilt and my plan is do to two of the samplers at the same time (i.e. make one during the class time and then make another in my free time in the same month so I end up with two finished quilts by the end of it)

[ThePigOfHappiness]

I need to finish my lovely granny stripe blanket. Very monotonous though.
Dd2 has a cardigan with no sleeves, I need to finish that.
I'd like to do a nice chunky jumper for myself.
I also need to lose weight so I can wear the skirt I made this time last year.

[yuleheart]

I booked to do an evening class in dressmaking, that was cancelled and re-instated as a two day course in a couple of months time (have had the pattern and fabrics for ages but was too scared to start myself off!).

I want to make an applique quilt for our bed but think I will have to rejoin a previous evening class to get motivation. I have all the stuff, I just can't get started.

BBB I looked at the city and guild course but having read your comments here thats way too much work for me, seems like a full time committment!

stitchNting I had the same problem with my embroidery machine, it reduced me to tears on numerous occassions and I broke three needles before I 'officially' gave up - DH made me go to a local sewing machine and explain my woes - the answer was, I was threading the bottom bobbin wrong! (by the tiniest error) and now it works a treat. Is there a local shop near you that could run through it with you?

My resolution this year is to keep my sewing room tidy and use what I've got before I buy more (and we all know thats not going to happen!)

[BigBaubledBertha]

yuleheart - I am doing level 3 which apparently is equivilent to an A level (if I had known that before I might not have signed up - I am at me doing anything design orientated and arty at that level!). You might find a level 2 course is slightly less work although I don't know for sure. There seems to be more level 2 courses around although it wasn't an option round here. And you are right it is a big commitment. It would be great if I had no DC but I do. A lot of the ladies are retired or heading that way so they have more time and don't struggle as much as me. If I had a room to leave everything out so I didn't have to pack and unpack everytime I tried to get something done it would be a help too.

Part of the reason I started is, because like you, I had all the stuff, some ideas I didn't know how to translate into fabric but none of the motivation to do it on my own. It has helped with that. I also didn't want to be stuck following somebody else's pattern all the time and the design work helps with that too.

If you don't want to evening class and you want some motivation a quilting group might be a good idea - the sort that meet once a fortnight or once a month. Have a look at the Quilters Guild website.

I agree sewing machines are very temperamental at times and it could be a tiny thing you are doing wrong. There is a particular sort of thread (Guttermans) that mine takes offence at. Once I changed threads it was fine.

Molehillmountain - I should stop buying magazines too. I have piles of them. If I knitted or sewed everything in them that I wanted to I would need to buy a new house with two extra bedrooms just to have enough wardrobe space. Oh and a lottery win to pay for it all. I got an iPad for Christmas so I might try buying mags on there to try and save the space at home. That doesn't really save money though!

TheWoollyBacksWife - IME most quilt shops stock some Christmas stuff all year round although they are selling it off cheap now so it is a good time to get some.

[yuleheart]

BBB thanks for that insight into C&G, I think I'll stick to my local evening classes

I have ruthlessly gone through ALL my craft magazines and taken out the articles I actually think I might make and binned the rest!!! - and also off loaded all my mollies makes magazines to DSD and her uni friends who are all doing art/textile/fashion courses.

Every time I sort part of my sewing room out DH hopefully says "is that going on ebay?" and my reply is always " No, I need this for......"

Anyhoo, just popping over to my Amazon wishlist to see which craft book DS can buy me for my birthday...........

[BigBaubledBertha]

I found the local evening classes ended up not being enough. The first one I did we made a sampler quilt but the others just seem to be making blocks using different techniques and I ended up with nothing to show for it when the course finished except a pile of mismatched bits and pieces. I wanted more in the end.

....I sound like some sort of patchwork junkie now!