Year of Projects Week 8

It's been a whirlwind of a couple of weeks. I was out of town last weekend and part of the week. I visited one yarn store and managed to come out with only a new set of Straight needles..lol. But they were so pretty I couldn't help myself. I want to get back into knitting and I thought these might just encourage me a bit.

I knew I wouldn't have much time for projects but I picked a simple one as the next in line to finish. It's a simple pattern and one color so easy packing.

Not a huge amount of progress but I did manage a complete motive and I dug around and found another skein of the same yarn so the stash will be moving in the correct direction! I did a variation of a pattern I found on the blog Martin Up North, He was basing his scarf on a section of the Hotel of Bees Shawl, which is also on my wish list. I've been a bee keeper, I don't have any now, but I have spent many a lovely afternoon watching industrious bees coming home loaded down with pollen, doing the "direction dance" as we called and it then zooming off again. I seem to be having a thing with hexi's lately too..

I've started the next pillow also, same fabric but triangles this time. And I've got a couple of  square pillow forms so another item out of the craft room.

These mini rulers are great for jelly rolls, I bought a few from the Sewing Show last year and I'm finally putting them to use. They were less than 2.00 each and I'll  say it was a great deal.

I've gotten the center sewn together and I'm lining up the other pieces, The top couple be finished by this weekend, fingers crossed. 

I need to get on the ball if I plan on making a bit more room so I can bring home a few things from the Southern Eastern Animal Fiber Fair this October.

So my Year 9 progress hasn't changed much, I'll weigh my skein this week for blanket progress

So here's where it stand as of now:

615 yards Yarn in and 957 yards out.

I jelly roll in process in and 2 .25 yard Panels and 1 yard of fabric in.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all of the other great projects in the Year of Projects  Blog along.

Year of Projects Update Week 6

It's been a busy week and I had every intention

to post , because I didn't want to miss a week but it just didn't get done.I did attend a Sewing Expo and didn't come home with tons of new projects so that's a positive at least,

Most of my craft time for the week was taken up trying to decide on just the right border for the peach blossom. I tried at least 6 different borders before I just decided to go simple and do a scalloped edge with a picot. One thing I have decided is that if I do the Celtic lace join again, I won't do the chain five on the outside edge of the square. This is the "joining" round and for me It just left a space that was difficult to find the Just right border for. But having said that I'm happy with this one and as busy as this blanket is, it didn't need a lot more border..

I used the chain space and did four double crochet, chain three and then four more doubles with a slip stitch in the connecting chain from the prior round. It works out good and after all of the other options I think it is the best fit. Still a few ends to work in but over all I'm calling it a finish!




I managed to finish my pillow too! So now it's on to the next one, I hope to do at least two more and a cushion for my rocking chair out of this fabric or at least coordinating colors. The next two will be square since I have a couple of those forms already hanging around in the craft room, I've even started cutting out the triangles for the next pillow. Same fabric, different shapes, just to keep it interesting


I'm going through bags looking for a good travel project, since i will be out of town next weekend and I am not going to have a lot of down time but I need to keep the projects moving,

I feel pretty good about the amount of  fabric that I actually brought home when you see what I was faced with and this is only have of the expo! Lots of Beautiful Quilts, tons of fabric and accessories and machines. I enjoy attending and I was good this year. I bought two panels with a project in mind already for both and backing for one. Not too bad.

So my Year 9 progress is: 

615 yards Yarn in and 957 yards out.

I jelly roll in process in and 2 .25 yard Panels and 1 yard of fabric in.

Still basically on the positive side..as long as I finish up the fabric panels by the end of the year. since both are destined to be Christmas presents.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all of the other great projects in the Year of Projects Blog along.

Year of Projects Week 4

It's Sunday again, I was off a couple of days and they went way too fast!

I have a couple of almost finishes and I even visited a Yarn Store and managed to stick to my Cold Sheep.

E and I traveled to Nags Head which is part of the North Carolina Outer Banks, only a couple of hours north from us, to pick up a couple of mugs from a potter she follows on Instagram. Her online sales generally sell out so we went straight to the source. Being crafters with small businesses of our own we try very hard to support others. Her business is Swell Ceramics and this is her instagram, if you are interested in some very beachy type mugs and cups.

While we were there we ran over to South Beach take out, which has a truly awesome menu of vegan, and other options, it can be hard to find really good food for different dietary options, but they really do a great job. If you are out that way check them out.

The best part of that is in the same shopping center is a yarn store, Yarn and More. I know who expects to find yarn at the beach, I was very thrilled! I love an Local Independent yarn store, especially one with such a great selection. They had some very beautiful yarns, all the supplies you need, in case you happen to have left your favorite hook at home or need a new project, and even cross stitch supplies. I'm hoping to get back up there soon, maybe in the fall after the tourist season is over. While I oohed and awwd over lots of beautiful yarn I left empty handed with the promise to come back once I've moved a few more projects out. It wasn't easy but I'm determined.

So that brings me to the Peach Blossom Blanket. The squares are all joined and now it's time for the boarder and about a thousand ends to be sown in .I'm pretty sure that I'll be doing some kind of fan stitch for the boarder, just the gray, since I have this huge skein to use up..lol




I've made great headway on the pillow too. Hexi's join easily, I think my biggest concern was color placement. I should have that finish this week and another one started by next weekend. I need a cushion for the rocking chair too, so I'm thinking same color palette. I have ideas for a couple of other pillows and I have the fabric and the pillow forms so there's a couple of more items heading out of the craft room too. I'm hoping to have a bit more working space come winter, which is when I have more time for crafting.

 
We've had a nice end to the week weatherwise and so I've been spending more time than normal in the yard, trying to get this  hot mess under control..lol. But I'm thrilled to be making the head way I have, but there is still lots to finish and so many things I'd love to start.

So my Year 9 progress is: 

615 yards Yarn in and 782 yards out.

I jelly roll in process in and none in.

I'm still on the positive side and I can add a pillow form too!

I hope everyone has great week and If you'd like to join us or just love a to see some seriously talents crafters at work, check out all of the blogs who are participating in a Year of Projects!

Week 3 Update Year of Projects

I played a bit of yarn chicken and lost bigger than I expected to this week..lol

I am making great progress on the peach blossom blanket but that Celtic Lace Join really eats yarn. Which normally wouldn't be a bad thing since I am trying to move some major yarn out of the craft room and into projects but the yarn I am using comes in a large skein and I thought that just maybe I could get all of the joins done with that skein but nope, I'm going to be 5 squares short. So it's a trip to Joann's for me this week. I must be strong and only pick up that one skein. However since I', having to do this is does help make the decision on what color the boarder should be a bit easier. I was trying to decide if I should try to introduce a bit of the flower colors into the boarder instead of the grey, now I know I'll be using a bit of the grey at least.

Here's the progress and the placement and you can see the remainder of the skein off to the side,,

I also see some serious blocking in my future too..But I'm glad to see the progress and soon it will be on the Finish list!

Since I finished my Moose Cross Stitch project I felt like I could add another project to the list. I blame it on all of the changes I've made in the house over the last few months, I've been wanting a couple of throw pillows for my bedroom. I was lucky enough to get my grandparents bed and I have redone my bedroom around it. My grandmother was an avid and talented quilter so expect a few pieced and quilted projects to show up here over the next few months and I tweak the decor.

I picked up a Jelly Roll a while back and I went a head and cut out a few hexagons, now I just had to decide on the layouts..and backing too. 

Blue, white, grey and a pop of yellow are my colors and think these work pretty good. I have a couple of round pillow forms already so I think that's the shape I'm shooting for but it could change.

So for this week that gives me 

0 Yarn in ( for right now anyway) and 615 yards out.

I jelly roll in process in and none in.

Not too bad of a start to the year.

Be sure to check out all of the other very productive and talented YOPers this week too!

Later this week I'll be heading to the Coast to check out a very talented Potter, I'm hoping to get my pottery mojo back too. I'm hoping to be inspired by new places and being around other talented people, just like the others in the Year of Projects community.

Have a great week!

Year of Projects Year 9 Week 2

Yay Progress!

Okay, so It's only week 2 but there is progress, I've got a finish and an update. The finish isn't yarn related but it a project that's been hanging around for a while, almost done. My Moose Welcome Cross Stitch is complete, well craft wise, it still needs to be framed but that should be heading over to do that in the next week or two.

It's just been washed so it needs to be stretched back out but Yay it's a finish!

Then I have my yarn related update, I've managed some work on the Peach Blossom Blanket. All of the squares are done, actually they have been done for a while. I decided on doing a Celtic Lace Join  by Cypress Textiles and it takes another 3 rounds on each square then a joining round, so it's not a real fast project but I'm loving the way it looks. Last fall I had decided on a layout and joined a couple of squares.

This what I started with 

Squared them off

This is with the join rounds, quite a difference in size..

And the lay out

And today's updated progress. I should have another two joined today, and if I'm really diligent I might get it finished this week! It's going to take a bit of blocking once it's ready but I think it's going to look great. 

Which would be great considering a might have bought a Jelly roll to make a pillow for my bedroom.

And I promised myself no new starts until I have a finish or two..

I stayed on my Cold Sheep ( not counting fabric) but didn't weight the skein before I started, I'll wait till next week and have an accurate number.

So I'll start year 9 with:

O yarn in - ? yarn out

1 Jelly Roll of  Fabric in- 0 Fabric out

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out all of the other awesome updates in this weeks Year of Projects!

Week 1 Year of Projects -Year 9 Starting List

Last year I really thought that it would the catch up year for projects, it really didn't work out that way, best laid plans and all. I had a few set backs and unfortunately a few more starts..lol But this time Year of Projects start is falling on a bit better situation for me. I did however continue my cold sheep and I plan on keeping with that this year. My craft room is a bit out of control and has expanded to to other rooms. Hopefully being dedicated and making myself responsible to this awesome group I'll make some great head way in the 9th year of YOP. I have actually started for the last four years, but as great as I start I seem to lose steam and fall behind, which is  also why I have so many WIPs. 


Year of Projects Year 9 July 2019-2020

This is the year of finally finishing projects...and I'm still working the cold sheep plan.

Current WIP- Crochet
Falling Leaves Blanket (Baby) Spring 2019
Moss Stitch (premie size for charity)
Catherine's  Wheel Blanket Winter 2018
Honeycomb Blanket Fall 2018
Stitch Story CAL  (I actually started two in two different colors!) July 18
Peach Blossom Blanket from spring 2018
Bee Hive Blanket- Spring 2018
Unicorn Ripple- May 2018
Pom Pom Rug- April 2018
Whale Shark- Gift for E- from two years ago
Carrot Snuggle sack- 75% done- Spring 2017
Deftly Delft Mystery CAL 2016
Flower Garden Blanket- Started 2016
Cardigan for Me -Started 2016
Sidewalk Blanket- started 2015
Twilight Ribbon  Blanket before 2015- Almost done (ends maybe)


Current WIP in Cross Stitch
Moose Welcome Cross Stitch
Lizzy Kate- Be who you are
Log cabin Quilts
Lizzy Kate- Dog Lessons
Lizzy Kate- Cat Lessons

Quilt Projects WIP
Jar Quilt for E-2005
Wolf Panel- quilt 2008
Log cabin panel- quilt 2006

Old Outstanding Projects
Wool Projects -
Bags of Fleece- Wash/Process/Dye 2014
Spin roving bought from Heelside Farms 2016
Get the wheel out and do some spinning

New Projects if I can get some of the OLD done

Crochet Projects
Blankets
Patterned C2C
Wendy Blanket
4 Seasons CAL from Deramores
10 Fleece "blankets' awaiting edging
Mini Spirals of Change
Star Blanket
Angelica Afghan
Blue Mandala Throw

Shawls
Maple Leaf
Oswin
Yes Yes Shawl
Festival Shawl
Hitchin a Ride
Charleston Wrap

Amigurumi
I just bought Unicorns, Dragons and More Fantasy Amigurmi 

Other items of Interest
Nature's Best Hat
Rolling in the Deep Cowl
Cat beds for a local rescue
Leaping Stripes and Blocks Beanie
Lake Town Socks

This is a fairly good representation of what needs to be worked on and what I'd like to work on next. I have made a deal with myself that I can't start another project until at least two are finished. I'm heading to the Southeast Animal Fiber Fair in October, so I'm really hoping to have a few finished before I head out so I can bring a few more projects home!

I'm looking forward to meeting some Ravelry people while out at SAFF in Asheville this October, so if you are out that way lets get together for some yarn fun!

If you are like me and need some encouragement to help you get you UFOs turned into FO then check out the Ravelry group Year of Projects. It's a great group of  talented crafty friends who post each Sunday to talk about their progress, show off some beautiful work and encourage each other. You will have to be a member of Ravelry but if you are into fibre crafts it's the place to be.

Year of Projects- Year End Wrap up

It won't come as much as a surprise to most that have been around the clock with me this last year and a half that I got to week 8 of A year of projects and I kinda fell off the face of blogging for a bit.

I was crafting a bit, lots (I mean lots) of starts but not really any finished pieces, kinda like my blogging. I had the drive but just not the follow through.

I am going to go out on a limb here and give a sneak peak so you can see what a lot of WIP look like.

Yep there's a project in each one of those bags..

Some aren't even in bags..

Some aren't even crochet..lol (still yarn related)

So I'm wrapping up my year by saying that, nope there's nothing to see here..lol 

 However I'm going to revamp my list of projects, dig into those bags see what really needs to be salvaged and what needs to be frogged, what can be turned into something that can be finished and then that dreaded what was I thinking pile!

The upside to this disaster is that I managed to stay firmly on the cold sheep wagon. While nothing really went out,  nothing came in either. But I will be starting my count over this year and I hope to be able to report a very big dent in the stash by June of 2020.

While I've totally lost my crojo, I have enjoyed the work of others, if at least a respectable distance.

If you'd like to join a group of really talented crafters who also blog, head over to Ravelry and get ready for a Year Of Projects which will be starting it's 9th year the first Sunday of July!