I've been meaning to post this for weeks, but I never seen to find the time. So 2 weeks into January, here I am recapping 2011...
Last year I did a whole variety of crafting - I finished 4 medium to large cross stitches, 6 smaller cross stitches, 5 knitted projects, 1 crochet piece, 3 lace projects, 1 needle felting project and 1 small quilted project:
Cross stitch:
A New Beginning
Classic Pooh Birth sampler
Bird in Hand
Time for Harvest
Holiday holly biscornu
Hedgerow Birds
Celtic bookmark
Christmas pinkeep
Wild Thyme Fairy
Christmas joy needlebook
Knitting:
Lace scarf
Stripy socks
Zig zag scarf
Chenille cable scarf
Blue cardigan
Pink cable scarf
Lace projects:
Bedfordshire lace sampler
Bedfordshire lace flower
Christmas bangle ornament
Other crafts:
Crochet corsage
Needle felted mushroom
Pink heart quilted cushion
Much more variety and lots more knitting than last year, but my cross stitch productivity dropped off as a consequence!
At the start of the year I had the following WIPS:
* Eeyore's problem - some progress
* Peacock firescreen - lots of progress
* Gaelic banner - didn't touch it
* Wild Thyme fairy - FINISHED
* A new beginning - FINISHED
* Sampler quilt - some progress
* Amish star quilt - some progress
* Milanese lace - didn't touch it
* Bedfordshire lace flower - FINISHED
* Bedfordshire lace butterfly- FINISHED
* Lace ornament- FINISHED
This year I am starting with the following WIPs:
*Eeyore's problem
*Peacock firescreen
*Gaelic banner
*Fruit Bell Pull
*Lincoln Cathedral from Castle Grounds
*Green cardigan
*Crochet scarf
*Bedfordshire lace butterfly
*Milanese lace
*Amish star quilt
*Sampler quilt
*Teacher's pet quilt
So how did I do with my goals for 2011?
1) Finish Wild Thyme Fairy YES
2) Finish Peacock Firescreen NO
3) Work on the other 3 cross stitch WIPs I didn't touch Gaelic Banner, but I worked on the other two
4) Finish the lace ornament and 1 more lace project YES
5) Finish a quilt NO, but I am close with one
6) Start a large TW YES
7) Start Hedgerow Birds (Blackbird Designs)YES - and finished it!
8) Do the finishing on some of the many ornaments I stitched in 2010 NOT ONE :(
9) Stitch lots, on what I want, and enjoy it!!(my favourite goal from 2010!!) ALWAYS :)
For 2012 I am going to attempt the following goals:
1) Finish my Bedfordshire lace butterfly
2) Complete another lace project
3) Finish Peacock firescreen
4) Work on all three of my other xs WIPS
5) Finish Teacher's pet quilt
6) Finish another quilt
7) Finish my green cardigan
8) Finish the crochet scarf
~ and, as always ~
9) Stitch lots, on what I want, and enjoy it!!
Happy stitching everyone :)
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Happy New Year!
Hmmm, I've really got out of the habit of blogging, haven't I? December was mostly taken up with work, Christmas shopping, visiting family and making some Christmas gifts. When the festive season finally arrived I ate, drank and crafted, making great progress on a couple of projects. We did over 750 miles in the car visiting family and friends. Thankfully we realised that after all that busy, we would need a relaxing holiday... so Ed and I both took this week off work too. Yeah for extended holidays!
I had three happy dances in the run up to Christmas. All were knitted gifts:
The first scarf was for my friend Annia. It's actually a very late birthday present, but I posted it with her (bought) Christmas present. The yarn is Ranco multy by Araucania.
My second happy dance was my first ever pair of socks, which I made for my Dad. These were a big hit, he wore them the day after I gave them to him.
The second scarf was for my sister. I decided it was time I tried a more complicated lace pattern. This backfired a little, as it took me ages to get going... then a week before Christmas the pattern suddenly made sense. Which was great until I had to work out the pattern for the pretty ends, which took a while. I then learnt that I forgot how to do the pattern entirely when knitting late at night... I finally finished it at about 10am on Boxing Day - then wrapped it and drove to my parent's house - it was done JUST in time... It's knitted in a different colour of the same Ranco Multy yarn, and I LOVE it!
I've not had chance to work out my yearly recap, or to think about goals for 2012, but they will follow. Hopefully after not too long! I'll also share some photos of my current cross stitch and knitting projects, and what I hope will be my first happy dance of 2012, a Bedfordshire lace butterfly...
I hope everyone has a lovely, crafty 2012 xx
I had three happy dances in the run up to Christmas. All were knitted gifts:
The first scarf was for my friend Annia. It's actually a very late birthday present, but I posted it with her (bought) Christmas present. The yarn is Ranco multy by Araucania.
My second happy dance was my first ever pair of socks, which I made for my Dad. These were a big hit, he wore them the day after I gave them to him.
The second scarf was for my sister. I decided it was time I tried a more complicated lace pattern. This backfired a little, as it took me ages to get going... then a week before Christmas the pattern suddenly made sense. Which was great until I had to work out the pattern for the pretty ends, which took a while. I then learnt that I forgot how to do the pattern entirely when knitting late at night... I finally finished it at about 10am on Boxing Day - then wrapped it and drove to my parent's house - it was done JUST in time... It's knitted in a different colour of the same Ranco Multy yarn, and I LOVE it!
I've not had chance to work out my yearly recap, or to think about goals for 2012, but they will follow. Hopefully after not too long! I'll also share some photos of my current cross stitch and knitting projects, and what I hope will be my first happy dance of 2012, a Bedfordshire lace butterfly...
I hope everyone has a lovely, crafty 2012 xx
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Happy Dance!!
It's been a while since I've had time to blog, but I wanted to share my latest happy dance with you:
A New Beginning
(c) Abbey Lane Designs
Stitched in Weeks on platinum cashel
I really enjoyed stitching this piece, and I think the colours are fabulous. I've got no idea how to finish it, maybe a cushion or a wall hanging instead of a frame.
What else have I been stitching on recently? I've been making steady progress on the Peacock Firescreen by Barbara Thompson:
And while staying in Nottingham at our flat I've been working on a small kit of Lincoln Cathedral:
I've also been knitting and crocheting, but more of that later, I hope!
Happy stitching
A New Beginning
(c) Abbey Lane Designs
Stitched in Weeks on platinum cashel
I really enjoyed stitching this piece, and I think the colours are fabulous. I've got no idea how to finish it, maybe a cushion or a wall hanging instead of a frame.
What else have I been stitching on recently? I've been making steady progress on the Peacock Firescreen by Barbara Thompson:
And while staying in Nottingham at our flat I've been working on a small kit of Lincoln Cathedral:
I've also been knitting and crocheting, but more of that later, I hope!
Happy stitching
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Pretty peacocks
Is anyone else enjoying the Indian summer? It was 28 degrees C in Leeds today. It does feel a little odd wearing a sundress and sandals at the end of September, but I'm not complaining - in fact I'm hoping I can manage a similar outfit tomorrow and over the weekend. Although my legs are back to being milky white again, after a pretty cool August!
This week I picked up A New Beginning again. I've finished stitching the peacock and bird motif, and have also done the orangy diamond in the middle, and the small olive green motif just under it. Last night I started the square blue motif in the middle - and it's now official, I've finished pages 3 and 4!!! I'm really enjoying this as a change.
Sorry, it's a bad photo, and very crumpled...
This weekend I'm off to Nottingham. Tomorrow night we're going to the wonderful Memsaab for dinner with some of Eddy's colleagues, and on Saturday we're off to Lincoln. I'm taking a couple of projects to get framed, and I hope to pick up some lovely tea and coffee at Imperial Teas. I can't shop too much though, as it's the last weekend of spending before my credit card bill is issued, and I'm all spent up - just enough left to get a deposit down on those frames!
Whatever your plans this weekend, I hope you have a lovely one - and that you get some stitching in too!
This week I picked up A New Beginning again. I've finished stitching the peacock and bird motif, and have also done the orangy diamond in the middle, and the small olive green motif just under it. Last night I started the square blue motif in the middle - and it's now official, I've finished pages 3 and 4!!! I'm really enjoying this as a change.
Sorry, it's a bad photo, and very crumpled...
This weekend I'm off to Nottingham. Tomorrow night we're going to the wonderful Memsaab for dinner with some of Eddy's colleagues, and on Saturday we're off to Lincoln. I'm taking a couple of projects to get framed, and I hope to pick up some lovely tea and coffee at Imperial Teas. I can't shop too much though, as it's the last weekend of spending before my credit card bill is issued, and I'm all spent up - just enough left to get a deposit down on those frames!
Whatever your plans this weekend, I hope you have a lovely one - and that you get some stitching in too!
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Birth sampler happy dance!
Well it's all washed and pressed now:
I really enjoyed stitching this kit (I did switch from aida to linen), and I can't wait to get it framed and give it to Helene and Guy.
This weekend I've done a little more knitting of the pink and orange scarf, and have picked up A New Beginning again. I hope everyone else is having a lovely, relaxing weekend.
Happy stitching
I really enjoyed stitching this kit (I did switch from aida to linen), and I can't wait to get it framed and give it to Helene and Guy.
This weekend I've done a little more knitting of the pink and orange scarf, and have picked up A New Beginning again. I hope everyone else is having a lovely, relaxing weekend.
Happy stitching
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Now autumn is here...
I don't know about you all, but it's getting a bit nippy around here. So I'm even more addicted to knitting! I really do feel the need for lots of warm cuddly scarves... not to wear JUST yet, but I know it won't be long! Over the weekend I finally finished the chenille cable scarf I knitted over the summer - all I needed to do was sew in the loose ends! But this is now finished and ready to wear - I *almost* can't wait!!
I've also got a progress photo of the scarf I knitting my friend Annia as a late birthday present - the colours are fabulously autumnal. I wouldn't wear anything this bright, but the colours are exactly what Annia loves. I really hope she likes this once I've finished it.
I've just taken the last 2 days of work - a lovely four-day weekend, spent pottering around the house and garden - with lots of crafting of course. I knitted a fair length of Annia's scarf while watching Wallander on Sky+, have a cross stitch HD to share once it is dry and pressed, and we dug up the potatoes, ate chard, courgettes and tomatoes from the garden and planted up several pots of winter violas. It's my last chance for time off before Christmas - our term starts on Monday. Although I do wonder if once I've settled into my term-time routine I'll have a little more time for stitching.
I've also got a progress photo of the scarf I knitting my friend Annia as a late birthday present - the colours are fabulously autumnal. I wouldn't wear anything this bright, but the colours are exactly what Annia loves. I really hope she likes this once I've finished it.
I've just taken the last 2 days of work - a lovely four-day weekend, spent pottering around the house and garden - with lots of crafting of course. I knitted a fair length of Annia's scarf while watching Wallander on Sky+, have a cross stitch HD to share once it is dry and pressed, and we dug up the potatoes, ate chard, courgettes and tomatoes from the garden and planted up several pots of winter violas. It's my last chance for time off before Christmas - our term starts on Monday. Although I do wonder if once I've settled into my term-time routine I'll have a little more time for stitching.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Where does the time go?
First I should apologise to my regular readers - I've become very bad at writing posts. No particular reason, just life being extremely hectic (but then, it always is). I've not been stitching as much as I would like recently - I seem to have less time and energy than usual. Hopefully when term starts and I get REALLY busy at work things will settle down and I'll get back into my usual routine - and the lovely extended evenings developing a stitching ass...
So what I have I been working on? Well I've got the knitting bug again. I've started a lovely new cardigan (I bought the wool back in the winter last year) - given the state of the weather I should knit it quickly, it would be useful to have another snuggly cardy in my wardrobe! I've done the back, but that's all so far:
Last Thursday we had another stitch and bitch, this time at Sonia's. I really loved the crochet scarf that Heidi made back in June. She kindly gave me the a link to the pattern, and I tried it out - with Chrissie and Louise, my crocheting buddies, there for support in case I couldn't figure it out (they didn't need to help me out as much as I thought they might have to!). Chrissie lent me a lovely ergonomic hook (NEEEEED some of those) and some yarn, and I quickly made the flower. I then improvised and made a smaller flower and over the weekend I made it into a corsage, which I wore to work yesterday. I love the pretty button I found for it in John Lewis. I also bought some rather fabulous Debbie Bliss Alapaca in John Lewis, which I hope to use to make a scarf similar to Heidi's...
At the weekend I visited a new-to-me knitting shop, Saltaire Yarns (recommended by Chrissie). I left the very happy owner of a basic crochet book (I can never remember which stitch is which, so I can't read patterns), a book called 'luxury yarn one-skein wonders' and two of the aforementioned single skeins of luxury yarn. My credit card is in shock... two yarn shops in two days. Ouch!
Anyway I'm so far behind in the blogging stakes I totally forgot about the 29 August TUSAL. This is my current ORT jar status - most of the new ORTS are from Peacock Firescreen. The jar is sat on my new knitting project, a scarf for a friend using one of those luxury yarns, pattern out of my new book :)
I hope everyone had a lovely summer, and that you are all getting in some lovely stitching time now the weather is on the turn! Happy stitching x
So what I have I been working on? Well I've got the knitting bug again. I've started a lovely new cardigan (I bought the wool back in the winter last year) - given the state of the weather I should knit it quickly, it would be useful to have another snuggly cardy in my wardrobe! I've done the back, but that's all so far:
Last Thursday we had another stitch and bitch, this time at Sonia's. I really loved the crochet scarf that Heidi made back in June. She kindly gave me the a link to the pattern, and I tried it out - with Chrissie and Louise, my crocheting buddies, there for support in case I couldn't figure it out (they didn't need to help me out as much as I thought they might have to!). Chrissie lent me a lovely ergonomic hook (NEEEEED some of those) and some yarn, and I quickly made the flower. I then improvised and made a smaller flower and over the weekend I made it into a corsage, which I wore to work yesterday. I love the pretty button I found for it in John Lewis. I also bought some rather fabulous Debbie Bliss Alapaca in John Lewis, which I hope to use to make a scarf similar to Heidi's...
At the weekend I visited a new-to-me knitting shop, Saltaire Yarns (recommended by Chrissie). I left the very happy owner of a basic crochet book (I can never remember which stitch is which, so I can't read patterns), a book called 'luxury yarn one-skein wonders' and two of the aforementioned single skeins of luxury yarn. My credit card is in shock... two yarn shops in two days. Ouch!
Anyway I'm so far behind in the blogging stakes I totally forgot about the 29 August TUSAL. This is my current ORT jar status - most of the new ORTS are from Peacock Firescreen. The jar is sat on my new knitting project, a scarf for a friend using one of those luxury yarns, pattern out of my new book :)
I hope everyone had a lovely summer, and that you are all getting in some lovely stitching time now the weather is on the turn! Happy stitching x
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