Craft On: Making Some Progress

Linking with Nicole of Frontier Dreams  (This is last weeks post for Nicole as she is in the middle of a move:)

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I am participating in the 100 Day Project LINK HERE. It seems that it's more geared towards artists than crafters, but there are several of us crafters that have joined in. Look up #100dayproject on instagram and you will see lots of different projects going on. My journey can be found at #100daysofmymaking on instagram:)

I've gotten a few knitting projects off the needles in the past two weeks.

First is a Sockhead Slouch hat I made for my daughter. I really like the colors in this. Black, of course as that is mostly what my daughter wears, but the pops of blue and a grey/purple kept it fun to knit. This is the 3rd of these hats that I have made and I'm thinking the last. I hope next time she wants a hat we can pick a different pattern:)

I also finally finished my Hermione Socks and I really love how they turned out!! 

I did have a problem with the toe on the first sock I knit though. I have done kitchener stitch before on the other socks that I've made, but it didn't seem right this time. I decided to knit up the second sock and see what the toe looked like on it before fixing the first one. Sure enough, my kitchener stitch worked out just fine on the second one, so I took out the toe on the first one, and fixed it.

I also have a stitching finish. I finally finished the first of the Farmhouse Christmas series: Red Barn by Little House Needleworks. This series is perfect for our little 'homestead'*. I love the little sheep on this one!!

I said I didn't have any set goals for my 100 Day Project a couple weeks ago, but I did end up making up a list of what I hope to accomplish over the 100 day period. This is the first page of my goals and so far I am right on schedule, actually a little ahead of the game. I'm happy to be a bit ahead as I tend to slack off as a deadline comes closer to the end:)

We will see how far I get on this list which includes finishing the 3 Farmhouse Christmas charts that I currently own - I will have a few more by the time this challenge is done, finishing up my O'Tannenbaum stitching project and making/finishing two more pair of socks. I would also like to see some progress on the Cloud Wrap I am working on.  I will keep you updated on my progress:) 

Note: *Homesteading has many different definitions for many different people. I see homesteaders as as people actively using their land/property, whether acreage or their backyard, to partially provide for themselves or family. This can mean growing a garden, raising animals, and/or finding a way to use the land to provide monetarily, by providing money or saving money - ie cutting wood for sale or own use, canning their produce, sewing for profit or family ect. Technically then, I don't see us as actively doing this, yet, but we are working on it.  Everyone can have their own opinion on this, of course:)

Final '12 Projects of Christmas'

Sorry for the lateness of this post, we have both the stomach bug and the upper respiratory crud going on in my household (thankfully I haven't caught either - how long do you supose that will last? 😷). I've been busy cleaning, sterilizing and trying to only breath in non-infected air!! :) 

 As expected, I got a few of the projects completed, made some progress on others and a couple didn't get any attention at all. *Here* is what I had done before Christmas and below is what I've accomplished since.

This was the mess of stitching projects I had going the week before Christmas. Do you see the paper chart, yeah - that was one I hadn't even started but...

'She Feeds Them Well' by The Scarlett House was #11 on my list and I got done and framed in time to give to my mother in law. It was my first time framing my stitching and I think it turned out really good.

Stitch/Finish Ornaments was #8 on my list. I started and finished the stocking (the name of which escapes me - I'll update once I can get to the magazine it is in. I know it's by Blackbird Designs and that it is in one of the Just Cross Stitch Ornament issues.) This was a last min gift idea that my daughter gave to her boss's family. The Santa was one I stitched up the year before, but never finished it into an ornament. This one was a gift to my sister in law. I didn't finish the other stocking from the first photo yet.

Knitting/Crocheting pictures will be updated tomorrow for the Yarn Along, but here is a rundown on what did/didn't get done...

#1. Crochet Stars - Didn't even touch these. But I do still have them out so *maybe* I will still work on them as a quick project?

#2. Project Peace - Well, I was coming along on this, not that I was keeping up with it, but it was starting to look pretty good. Then I realized that I had the cowl twisted. I really did check my work and I thought it was good, but I must of missed it, and then in a fit of frustration (or resignation), I ripped it out. Now that I'm thinking of it more clearly I'm not sure I needed to rip it out. It wouldn't have interferred with the knitting of it and as it is a longish cowl and I will be wrapping it around me twice, you really never would have noticed it. Oh, well. I will start again soon. 

#3. Make hat for me - I am almost done with this getting ready to start the decreases - updated photo in tomorrow's post. 

#5. Make Cowl for me. Take what I wrote in #2 and repeat that:/ Well, not exactly. This happened right before the Project Peace problem. I didn't twist it, but did drop a stitch right in the middle of a lace section. I could not for the life of me figure out how to fix it, not even good enough to blend in, so I ripped it out. When I started this project I bought enough yarn to make the longest length, but then decided to knit the medium length. Now I'm back to really wanting it long (it got really cold here!!), so I guess it's not the end of the world that I'm starting it again.

#6. Crochet Lap Blanket - this is slowly coming along. It's getting too big to take with me to places so I'm only able to work on it at home. Hope to get this one done this winter.

Other projects...

#7 'JOY' Decor... I like how this turned out but it isn't a professional job. I think it would have turned out better if I had used fabric. You can't see it very well in this picture, but some of the edges aren't covered very well. You really can't tell unless you look closely so I don't think it'll matter any, I'll keep it the way it is and call it good:) 

#12. Wall Decor - this one didn't get touched and that doesn't surprise me at all. I had wanted hubby to make a wall hanging that had a basket, hooks and some kind of way to attach a stitched piece to it so I could change it out with the seasons. This is still high on my priority list of honey-dos, but as we ran out of 'play' money and then he was feeling puny the last half of break, it just didn't get done...yet!! 

So only 2 projects didn't get touched, and two went backwards, the rest either got done or make good progress. I say that is a win!! 

I'm going to take a break on challenges/bucket lists for the winter. So no new list for now, maybe I'll do it again for Spring:) 

Gail Pan SAL - January 2015

Last year I participated in a Gail Pan SAL (hosted by Martina of Sunshine Quilting) where we did projects from her book "Patchwork Loves Embroidery." I had a lot of fun making several need-fuls from that book...

This year the Gail Pan SAL is for all of her designs, which are many!! I still have a couple projects from her book that I'd like to do before looking through her website to choose more:) This month I worked on a tote bag from her book. I had done the embroidery last November, but hadn't gotten around to making the bag. I didn't get it finished this month either, but I'm glad to have gotten it started...

I just love the color of the fabric!! The original was all red work, but I found the rust colors to be much more fun:)

I have the front and back panels done and all the other fabric cut and ready to go. The finishing always takes me longer than I think it's going to. I'm hoping that next month I will have this bag done and a good start on the next project:)

IHSW - Jan 2015

 

This past weekend was the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend hosted by Joysze of Random Ramblings. It is a time set aside to do as much stitching (and staying home) as possible!! This is *my* kind of challenge:)

 

While I haven't ever actually been able to stay home a whole weekend for this, I did get a bit stitched this weekend...

Madam Cottontail (from With thy Needle and Thread) is coming along nicely. She is all dressed up and ready to do her gardening. Though it kind of looks like that flower is trying to eat her ear;) I'm pretty happy with the progress I made on this one, it's been a fun project to work on.

 

Off to see everyone else's progress:)

YOTA Check In - Jan 2015

Time for the first YOTA check in of the year!! YOTA is hosted by Pull the Other Thread. Join in when ever you like.

Yesterday I posted the 10 projects I am going to focus on this year for the Turtle Trot SAL, and I had thought I would just use one of those projects for my YOTA project as well, but what fun would that be?!?!? So I found another project that I want to focus on for this - actually I still have several UFO projects that I could have chosen from - I really hope to get a few finished this year!!

My YOTA project will be 'Birds of a Feather Mystery SAL' from With thy Needle and Thread/Brenda Gervias. This Mystery SAL was from a couple years ago and I really enjoyed working on it for quite a while. Here is where it's started from...

 And where it is now...

 

More work went into this than it looks like!! I'm pretty sure I stopped working on this because of a mistake I had made the first time around on the tree trunk. I didn't remember that when I picked this projects to work on - otherwise I probably wouldn't have picked it, as it was I almost put it back!! I had miscounted way down on the 5th row of the trunk, and I may have decided that I could just work with it and so left it that way. Well, as I got higher up on the tree, it started causing problems with alignment, so I frogged about half the trunk and patched in the repair. It's all better now, but goodness that took some time!! I'm happy to report that I'm back to enjoying this piece and hope to make lots of progress on it this year!!

 

The rest of this weekend it going to be dedicated to fixing a mistake on the wrap I am currently knitting. I think I need to pay more attention to my projects and less to Downton Abbey!! :)  

Turtle Trot Jan 2015

I'm really excited to participate in this year's Turtle Trot, hosted by Claudette of BAP Attack. I'm hoping that I can make some real progress on some projects that have been neglected for a while, and maybe even finish a few of them. Wouldn't that be a shocker!! :) This month we are to post the 10 projects that we want to focus on this year, so here are mine...

 'Common Thread' from Threadwork Primitives. This is one of the charts I received from being a member of The Ladies Prim Society in 2014. It was so much fun to receive surprise projects in the mail that I joined again this year. If you are interested in joining, do so quickly over at Dyeing to Stitch.

'Mary's Sampler II' from Plum Street Sampler.  I don't have a picture of the finished chart for this one as it is a freebie and can still be found over at Paulette's site.

'Spring Snapperland' from Bent Creek. The only one of these I have finished (and framed and hanging on my wall almost all year long) is the Autumn one. These all have a freebie boarder that helps bring the individual charts together.

'Summer Snapperland' from Bent Creek.

'Winter Snapperland' from Bent Creek.

'Flower and Bird Sewing Roll' by Chessie and Me. I almost have the front panel done on this, but haven't started the inside panel.

'Summer, Autumn, Winter Loose Feathers' from Blackbird Designs. This is one of my favorite projects I have going right now. I LOVE stitching on 40 ct!! I will be leaving off the alphabet from the top/bottom of this chart.

 'Liberty Tree' from M Designs. I also LOVE stitching over one:)

 'Sarah Tobias' from Blackbird Designs (found in Thank You, Sarah Tobias booklet). Also being done over one.

'Summer House Pincushion' from Blackbird Designs. Obviously, I changed the colors on this:) I really love that blue and brown together.

 

So many pretty and fun projects to work on!! And you can still join in on this SAL as well, but only until tomorrow, so hurry over to BAP Attack and get signed up!!

Project Progress

So how has this year been treating you so far? I have really been taking things slow and easy. Mostly been working on my Jan 1st projects, puttering around the house and trying to convince myself that all this lovely holiday time must come to an end. Not doing so well on that last part:) But school will resume today as well as house chores and grocery shopping.

As for my project progress, here's how it's coming along...

 

 Madam Cottontail from With thy Needle and Thread, almost has a head now:) I love the colors in this piece!! So far the fibers have all been from Weeks Dye Works, which I have a love/hate relationship with. I LOVE the colors they have, they are rich and turn out just beautiful. But I have troubles with the thread itself. It tends to knot on me more than others and it doesn't have as good of coverage as other I usually use. This piece is on 36 ct fabric, however, so coverage isn't as much of an issue.

 

Here's my crochet project. These will be fingerless mitts and it is coming along nicely. I really like the color, but I'm thinking I should have chosen a non-variegated yarn for this project. I'm losing the stitch detail with all the color shifting. That's okay for these since they are my first mitts and I will use them either way, but it's something I want to be aware of in the future.

 

And finally, my knitting project, Guernsey Wrap from Jared Flood. The yarn is SOOOOOO soft!!! I can't wait to wrap up in this one!! It may be a while though, as I'm on row 32 of 464. :) My goal is to have this one done at the end of next month, but I'm pretty slow at knitting, so we will see.

Today I am wanting to start pulling the projects I will focus on for the YOTA Sal and the Turtle Trot Sal as well as find a project to work on for the Smalls Sal (I will be choosing Christmas ornies for these so I will be ahead for next year:). Lots of fun 'work' for me!!

New Year, New Blog, New Goals

Well, here I am at my new 'home'. Like it is many times, my new 'home' has yet to be decorated, nor has it had all it's finishing touches. Hopefully by the end of this week I'll get the header up and do a bit of work to make it just right. But I didn't want to wait any longer to move in and start posting:) I will leave 'Around the Homestead' open for a while as new and old friends start coming by here, but I will eventually shut it down, I'm just not sure when yet.

Yesterday (at the other blog) I mentioned that I had a stitchy finish and also received a couple stitchy related gifts this year. First I finished a couple of ornies to give as Christmas presents...

 

The top one is Winter Song from BBD found in the 2008 ornament issue of JCS. This was a gift to my sil, Marianne Meyer. I also made this for my 12 Days of Christmas exchange partner, but used an 'A' as her name is April:)  The bottom one is Snowbirds from CCN found in the 2013 ornament issue of JCS. This one was done for my mil who loves birds:)

 



I was also able to get this done just in the (St.) Nick of time!! Except I still haven't finished it into a stocking:) Luckily this one is for me, so it didn't matter so much. This is Christmas Stocking from Plum Street Samplers found in the 2013 Ornie issue of JCS.

 

I LOVE stockings!! And I *think* I mentioned this to my sil, so she made this adorable stocking for me!! This was her first stocking finish, and I think she did great!! I believe this is part of the December Stockings that BBD did.

 

Every year my sil and I also receive a gift card to our local needle work store. It just so happens that our LNS also has an inventory sale at the end of the year and every thing in stock is 20% off. Of course that means that we have to have a little shopping day to spend our Christmas money!!

 
It wouldn't be a New Year without some New Starts!! This year I have 3 new starts.

A stitching start...


Madam Cottontail from Brenda Gervais/With thy Needle and Thread

And a new knitting and crocheting project!! :) The purple/grey wool blend sock yarn with be for crocheted mitts. The teal yarn is for a knitted wrap. It is a bamboo/silk blend and is OH SO SOFT!! The pattern is called Guernsey Wrap created by Jared Flood and can be found at Brooklyn Tweed website.

I've been spending a bit of time for the last couple of weeks trying to decide what handwork goals and challenges I want to try and tackle this year. Here's what I've come up with so far...

Smalls SAL from Stitching Lotus - Stitch and finish a small project and post on the last Wednesday of the month.

IHSW from Joysze at Random Wonderings - Work on a project(s) of your choice on the 3rd weekend of the month, trying to devote as much time as possible that weekend just for your stitching.

YOTA from Pull the Other Thread - Pick a project to focus on for the month and show off your progress on the first Sat of the month.

Turtle Trot from Claudette at BAP Attack - Pick 10 projects you would like to finish this year and post progress on them on the 10th of every month.

Gail Pan Patterns Sew Along from Martina at Sunshine Quilting - This is a embroidery/quilting/sewing SAL that I participated in last year and was a lot of fun. You pick any Gail Pan pattern to work on and post your finish/progress on the last week of the month.

I think this will be the bulk of my stitching goals/challenges. I haven't decided/found any that I want to do yet with knitting/crocheting, but will add them if I do. I do want to make sure to continue with the knitting and crocheting in order to build skill and confidence with them, plus it's a lot of fun!!

Of course, I would love it if you would cheer me along as I will cheer you along in your stitching/knitting/sewing/crafting adventures!!

Here's to a wonderfully creative 2015 year!!!