Craft Updates

I thought it was time I updated you on some of my projects. I haven't blogged for so long because I've been a little busy - family emergencies and starting studying again have taken almost all my time. First up, is my progress on 'Hang in There Panda'. I was working on it a bit, but then realised I was running out of one of the threads. Thankfully you can order more thread free of charge from Dimensions. It took about 3 weeks, but I can now get on with it again. I was trying to get it ready by the beginning of May, but I think it might be more reasonable for the middle of June. As you can see, I have a little more of the panda to do and then all the other sections.

Next there is 'African Sunset'. There is absolutely no way I will get this done by August as I planned. However, what I have decided to do it tell the person I'm giving it to how much I've done and that I will finish it as soon as I can.

I'm currently trying to get the top left corner finished, just so I feel like I'm getting somewhere and so that I don't have to constantly change colours all the time.

And then there is my crochet rug. As I do with many projects that I design myself, I have changed the design of this once again. I was planning to use two balls of blue to one ball of purple with two rounds of maroon in between. However, I am almost to the end of the second ball of blue and I would prefer to have more blue before the next purple section. So I'll just do however many blue I feel looks right and then do some more purple. I will stick with the two rounds of maroon in between though.

You couldn't really get the full colour contrast with the photo of the whole rug, so this next photo is a close up of how the three colours work together. I love how they all complement each other and it will be interesting to see how the next part goes. I'm still not sure quite how large the rug will be.

Oh, and can anyone tell me how I can even out the edges? They are a little wonky right now. I have heard something about blocking, but I'm not sure how it will work on a project this size. I'm guessing that it has to be done once the rug is finished.

One of the things I love about this now is that it keeps my legs warm while I crochet - a perfect winter project!

A Sewing Day ... Finally!!

Yesterday for me was a sewing day - or at least a sewing afternoon.
I've needed to do this for a while and it finally worked for me to get some things off my list. I haven't quite finished the list, but it's now down to just 4 things.

The first photo is actually the progress on my crochet rug. I've finished the 1st ball of purple, the second section of maroon and started on the next ball of blue. I love the way it looks and the contrast between the sections of blue.




The next photo is of the t-shirt that I altered for a clown costume. I ironed on some flower motifs and around the bottom hem I sewed a sequined, decorative trim. I love how it jingles!
The costume is for Good News Gang this week. We are having a special event - Everybody's Birthday. The kids all get to dress up in what they would like to wear if it was actually their birthday. This way we can celebrate all the birthdays for the year without having a separate party for each child.

And finally are the other things I sewed. 2 headbands and a small bag. The bag I got the fabric and ribbon for at a craft show that I went to last year. It's just 2 pieces of fabric sewn together with the ribbon sewn into the seam, then turned right side out. Half the fabric is inside as the lining.
The headbands are just a single length of fabric which I folded in half and sewed up the side. Then I turned the fabric to have right sides out and sewed the ends. The ends are then folded twice over lengthwise and sewn up to make narrower parts for tying.


And that's my carft weekend. I'm now in the process of making some cards. One is using some stamps I recently bought off Ebay.

Too Much!!

I'm convinced I have too many projects on the go, and too many potential projects competing for mental space and to be done.
Let me tell you what I've got and then you can decide.

• Crochet Rug - 2 balls of blue, 1 ball of purple and 4 rounds of maroon complete
• The Lighthouse Quilt/Embroidery - 75% done (or maybe a little more), once complete to be incorporated into a quilted doona cover
• African Sunset Cross Stitch - 5% (or maybe a little more done - needs to be completed buy August 2011)
• Felt Brooches (photo not yet loaded on my computer; people who see them think I should be making more and selling them; I have some of my own designs that I would like to try)
• Doona Cover - I have the fabric (it matches my curtains), I just need to cut and sew
• Hair Towel - one of those turban things (I've made 1 but I need a 2nd one)
• Alter new Jeans - I have to put elastic in the waist and that requires hand sewing because of the belt loops (I really need a good thimble)
• Finish off the latchhook rug that my sister did for me (the edges need binding - and yes, I have the stuff to do it with)
• Headbands - I have the fabric to make and they would literally take 10 minutes or maybe 15 - and that's for 2, if I just had the sewing machine out
• Drawstring Bag - to go in the Operation Christmas Child shoe box (needed before next month)
• Clown Outfit - needs to be completed before Term 4 starts
• Cardmaking - I have new stamps that I'm dying to use, plus some ideas I want to try

So that's my list - so far! I'm sure I've forgotten something.

Then there is the interior design course that I'm doing, plus planning for next year - like applying for study at TAFE.

I just need block time to concentrate on this and not get destracted by, well, my computer, which I'm on now when I really, really should be in bed.

So what do you think?

Project Overload

Is is possible to have too many projects on the go at once?

I was reading someone else's blog tonight and they said they have 7 cross stitches on the go.

Also, can you have plans for too many projects in your head at once?

My dilemma is that I think I will forget to do something important, a project that will be a gift or just something in general because I'm thinking about too many things at once.

Ok, so I've heard that we only actually use a very small percentage of our brain at once, but still ...

There is this one project that I have been thinking about and planning for 11 year. Yes, you read that right. ELEVEN!

I keep changing the plan, which is not surprising since I first started planning it as a teen and some of my tastes have changed.
I'm now saying that my current plan is the last one. We'll see!

Part of the current plan involves my 'The Lighthouse' project. I'm planning on using that as the centrepiece for the doona (quilt) cover. The plan used to be for a cross stitch sampler, but I like my current idea much better. The doona cover is going ahead. I purchased the base fabric today. I have no idea what the rest of it will look like, although I have been adding to my fabric stash for the past 11 years. The colours that I want to use haven't really changed all that much. I'm currently planning for the rest of the area surrounding the centrepiece to be crazy patchwork. I just kind of like the idea of putting my fabric stash together in a random way. I just hope it works. There will be a plain border between the centrepiece and the crazy patchwork.

Ok, so then I have another doona cover that I'm making using the same fabric as my bedroom curtains (once this is done I may try to get it posted on Ikea Hacker ).

Then to continue with my sewing projects list I have a few items of clothing needing alterations, some things to mend, covers to make for my desk chair (the black is boring and doesn't match my room), and the binding to do on a latch hook rug (my sister did it for me, but said I had to do the binding - she has now learned how to do it as she goes).

And then there are my cardmaking and stamping projects, including a set of cards for my Mum for her birthday (shhh, don't tell).

So, I ask again, is it possible to have too much planned or on the go?