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 - sewed 8.8 meters, donated 12 meters, and bought .6 meter.
May - sewed 3.2 meters, bought 5.6 meters, donated 1 meter
June - sewed 4.7 meter, bought 3.45 meters, donated 2.5 meters.
July - sewed 3.5 meters, bought 1 meter
August - sewed 2.9 meters, bought 5 meters
September - sewed 8.95 meters, donated .75, and bought .5 meter.
October - sewed 2.15 meters, donated 2 meters, and bought 0 meters.
November
October was a month of sewing items that required small amounts of fabric. All of the fabric came from the stash which made me happy. Every time I use fabric from the stash, it is less I have to sew up later on.
This month, I have to spend 2 days cutting out projects for the month. I am still hoping that I will not have to buy fabric unless it is to pay for the backing on the Scandinavian quilt. I am still waiting for it to be long arm quilted. I am thinking that it may be another month of small items but I really don't know. The first ones are small items but the remaining ones may be larger items. We wait and see. I do know that I won't be starting a quilt until January as I have one more quilt to go to the long arm quilter. The next quilt gets started after I take this one up. It is called pacing my quilting projects.
Sewing
Doll's outfit -- capris and shirt that was a Barbie outfit in the 1960's.
Table runner for daughter to use up the fabrics I bought two years ago.
Finish 2 mug rugs that are cut out.
Placemats for daughter's sewing machines.
Knitting
Purple socks for daughter-in-law
October
September was a great month. I finished the Scandinavian Winter quilt and it is at the long arm quilters. I also finished the quilt as you go project and used the scraps to make a doll's quilt. I also sewed a fat quarter quilt top using winter fabrics I bought sometime late last year. Then it was to cut out the next batch of fabrics to sew. I was on a roll to use up more stash from the fabric.
This month, I plan on finishing up what I cut in September and then cutting more projects to sew. I am looking at the stash and am thinking of items I need to make for the craft bazaar and other projects for gifts and myself. My next quilt will be started late in October with washing and starching the fabric. More doll clothes will be cut out and sewn as I continue to work on wardrobes for my dolls.
Fabric purchase in October will be paying for the backing for the Scandinavian Winter quilt (1.5 meters). I am hoping that I can keep my purchases to a minimum again this month.
Sewing
Colonial Williamsburg doll dress
Doll's quilt and pillow
Baskets and mug rugs using up fabric from the stash
Piping (3 pieces)
Doll's skirt
Swedish doll's outfit
Knitting
Knit doll's sweater to go with blue skirt
Finish Christmas socks (need more yarn)
Finish Work socks
September
When I got home from Sweden, I realized I had to make items for daughter and son-in-law to take with them to field trials for their auctions. I had a stressful 2 weeks of sewing 2 bags and a wine bottle cover. I got it done. I also got two of the vertical pieces of sashing done on the cat quilt when I needed time to think about the bags I was making.
I am in the process of trying to get caught up and finish the two quilts I was working on. A new quilt has been designed as well as a table runner. I also need to sew doll's clothes as I am behind on them. I am going to try to keep sewing less stressful this month.
I am also starting a rule where I have to sew up the same amount of fabric I buy so I can stay ahead of the growing stash. I really should be sewing twice as much as I buy and will even aim for that if I can.
Sewing
Finish cat quilt
Doll's quilt and pillow
Fat Quarter quilt top
Knitting
Finish doll's sweater - See October
Start on Christmas yarn socks
August
July was quite a busy month for me. As I was leaving for Sweden on July 26, I set a schedule to finish projects either to a given point to be put away or finished. I achieved that goal with days to spare. Impressive as we had to be ready to leave 3 weeks after we knew we were going.
The first 10 days of August I was gone, so my list is smaller this month. If I make more items, I will add to the list. I will probably add to the knitting list rather than the sewing list.
Update August 15:
I remembered when I got home that I needed to make a large bag and smaller bags so daughter can donate them for an auction or two at field trials/clubs they belong to. I had to rush and get my thoughts together, design chosen and figured out, and fabrics picked from the stash and bought. They will be the focus for the rest of the month. What ever else gets sewn will be a bonus.
Sewing
Dog bags
Finish cat quilt
Piping
Sashing and border on Scandinavian Winter quilt
Strawberry Shortcake dress
Colonial Williamsburg dress
Knitting
Socks
July
June was a busy month for me both in the house and out in the yard. I was sewing a lot in the afternoons due to the heat we had. Of all the fabric I bought, 3.2 meters were not sewn and are slated for projects this month or August. Though I want to focus on sewing up the stash, there will be fabric purchases this month. Some are needed to finish projects and a couple are for new projects that have a theme to them.
The projects this month consist of large and small projects. I want to have some quick projects to make plus some that take a bit more time. I need to balance inside and outside jobs in July.
Sewing
Blocks for Scandinavian quilt
Doll's skirt (Nova Scotia plaid)
Piping
Redo a cushion cover
Start cat quilt (Quilt as you go with sashings)
Knitting
Finish socks for daughter
Finish doll sweater
June
My ended up being a buying month for projects that I am working on. Some were for the quilt I have 5 of the 9 blocks completed, some for piping, and some for a bag I was asked to make for a Christmas In July contest. Most should be used up in June with a bit of carry over into July. I also put 1 meter of fabric into a box to ship to daughter.
Once I finish up a couple of the items on the cutting table, I will be cleaning that table off and prepping for more things I want to make and a few items I need to finish. At the moment I am trying to balance inside and outside chores along with sewing and knitting.
Sewing
Finish the Christmas In July bag
Finish Lady Lilly outfit.
Do more blocks on the Scandinavian Winter quilt
Cushion cover
Crafts
Clean up the mess in the crafting area
Work on the memory journal
Knitting
Finish hats for daughter-in-law
Finish 2 pairs of socks
May
April was another month of using what I have or was given. I ended up buying a bit of fabric for the next quilt I have started. I have since found more pieces of fabric for it that need to be starched. I have to say I was very good at not therapy buying. I did look at fabric several times but refrained from buying.
I cleaned the sewing room, once again and it has sparked more creativity. I love my clean space and am working hard at keeping it clean. I did put a lot of fabric and notions into bags to either be sold or donated. I have skipped over them for the past 6+ years and it was time to let them go to new homes.
I thought I hadn't sewn much in April but I outdid myself. I did spend a lot of time in the sewing room but I enjoyed that time immensely. This month is starting out with less ideas as I have other things to do. I am planning for a yard sale in May plus doing an outside project. I also need to spend a day or two cleaning up the crafting area. I have not worked much on the book though I have ideas in my head. The mess is stifling my creativity.
Sewing
Make the outer dress for the doll's outfit. Still have the head dress to make for it.
Work on the Scandinavian Winter quilt. It is a beginners quilt that I want to make.
Crafts
Work on the memory journal
Start some gift card tags
Knitting
Make a pair of socks for the fall fair (and me)
Make hats
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.
Dog panel quilt ready for long arm quilting.
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
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
Gift bags - embroider
Mug Rugs #1 - in the hoop
Garment
Dolls - Hollywood Tracksuit
Craft
Tea bag holders for craft bazaar
5 Reindeer candy holders ready to fold - one part done (10)
Work on junk journal - A Charlie Brown Christmas
Knitting
Socks for grandson - finish
Hat for daughter
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