Everything Sewing: 2024 To-Do List

2023 threw a curve ball at me. I thought I was improving mobility wise. I am, but I have severe arthritis in my right knee and hip. I am now having to balance sewing, crafts, and knitting with exercise, and chores.

The goal, once again, is to sew down more of the stash. Reality set in as I took off my rose coloured glasses. I have a lot of fabric left in the stash and I need to sew it up. Gift bags, reusable grocery bags, some clothing, piping, and more needs to be sewn this coming year. I am allowed to buy fabric to finish projects and maybe for one or two new projects when I reach a certain goal.

Crafts like pattern drafting, Sewing With Cinnamon, machine embroidery, cross stitch, junk journal making, and Cricut will be included in the mix this year. My goal is to enjoy the crafts I do. Mixing these in with sewing and knitting will help bring a change of pace into my life.

Knitting will continue especially if am I having a very sore day. I can sit and knit when I can't do anything else. The stash of yarn is healthy and will keep me busy for a long time.

Sewn and Bought

January - sewed 4.75 meters and bought 4 meters.

February - sewed 1.35 meters and bought 4.5 meters.

March - sewed 1.45 meters and bought 0 meters.

April

I bought no fabric in March. I looked at fabric, admired fabric, but bought nothing. I did buy crafting materials which is coming to a halt for this month. I am working on using up what I have stashed. I know what I may need to buy fabric this month -- backing and batting for a quilt top and lining for gift bags.

My two projects in March were labour intensive. It was exhausting working on them as the doll's chemise gave me lots of issues and then I decided to smock a row incorrectly. The quilt is getting heavy when I sew a row on it. I know I will not be doing 2 intense projects in one month.

I am going to work on balancing sewing with outside work towards the end of the month. I also want to help with the Linus project once a month. I will try to go this month. I also want to start sewing twice a month at the quilt shop. This can only happen if I get my physio/osteopathy appointments further apart or if I can keep Tuesdays free. I need to figure out what I am going to sew and start prepping for those days.

Sewing

Hand sew binding on the cardinal quilt.

Start 3 yard quilt using snowflake fabric.

Begin doll's dress that could be labour intensive.

Finish wine bottle bags

Finish mug rugs

Sewing piping

Crafting

Work on signature 2 ideas that are basically ready ready to make.

Make 3 cards.

Knitting

Finish Daughter-in-law's socks

Start hat using new yarn

March

I fasted from fabric for 7 weeks before I bought fabric in February. I had to buy fabric to make bags for daughter to have for raffles and auctions. I got the print but now need to buy the plain fabrics to make them. I also was to the quilt shop and bought 3.5 meters of fabric. One meter for the next quilt, 2 meters for another quilt I want to make later on. That fabric had sat stagnant on the shelf for a long time and most of it had sold in the last 7 weeks. I also got .5 meter to make piping and maybe toppers for wine gift bags. When I get the fabric for the bags, that will be it for the next 7 weeks or more.

I have bought nothing for crafting this month using only what I have on hand. I have one item I want to buy when I get to crafting those items. Knitting is still using up what I have in the stash. No fear of not having enough yarn to knit and no real desire to buy yarn at the moment.

This month, I have decided to slow down sewing the cardinal quilt. I am giving myself the month to finish the second half of the quilt. I want to work on the doll's chemise, make more wine bags and some mug rugs. I also want to design the bags for daughter. I may not buy the fabric for them until closer to the end of the month. With spring coming, I want to start sewing once a month at the quilt shop in New Minas and help out with the Linus Project the shop is hosting once a month. I will volunteer to hand sew down binding if that is what they need.

Sewing

Finish the cardinal quilt (got the sewing done ready for binding)

Make 6 4 wine bottle bags (not completed)

Make some mug rugs from left over fabric (not completed)

Finish the doll's chemise I started and got frustrated with. (not completed)

Crafts

Work on signature 2 of the Charlie Brown Christmas (not completed)

Make more reindeer candy holders (10 in total)

Knitting

Finish daughters socks

February

I decided on Jan. 5 that I was going to use what I had in the stash. I had bought what I wanted on the 5th for projects and then decided on my way home to not shop for anything else. I was very focused on my goal and didn't go into a fabric shop at all. I did go into a craft store to get a couple of items but didn't get anything I didn't need. The want list was out the window.

I am going to try and sew what I have in the stash again this month. I don't need anything new as I have the fabric for the projects I want to make. For crafting, I am setting a budget for that and once I reach it, I'm done. Knitting is using what I have in the yarn bins as there is plenty for me to knit up.

My goals for February are:

Sewing

Finish my cardinal quilt.

Make 2 wine bottle bags (~~embroider or use vinyl~~)

Piping

Doll's outfit (historical) -- this took me 2 weeks to smock and I became frustrated and put it aside to work on in March.

Crafts

Work on the Charlie Brown Journal - signature 1 completed.

~~Finish reindeer if I can get the right coloured~~ ~~card stock~~

~~Make tea bag holders if I can find one item I need for them.~~

Knitting

Make 2nd yellow hat in smaller size

Reknit my red hat.

Start on socks for ~~Teresa~~ daughter

January

December was a stressful month for me. I was behind and needed to get caught up. I had to stop, take a breath and prioritize what I needed to do and what could be done later. That got me through the two weeks before Christmas. After Christmas I focused on cleaning up the sewing room so I could begin sewing in a clean and organized room in 2024.

I have chosen not to take part in the Declutter Challenge 2024 as I did it early. I need to keep the room clean and tidy and work on sewing down the stash. My long term focus is to sew the Christmas fabric into gift bags and mug rugs. I want to do one or two a month and use up the fabric. I have found a tub to put these items into so they won't get dusty or dirty. I will also add other Christmas items I make.

My goal for January is to

Sewing

Finish cardinal quilts