Crafty Plans For 2013

I really am not looking forward to packing our house up  when we eventually move and really think this is the best time to down size some of our belongings.  I know what I am about to say is very rude but my crafting supplies need to be down sized too, yes, I admit I have too much stash. You would never have guessed I had too much, but where do I start?



 

My expedit is full to the brim with paper and yarn, a further shelf unit is full of yarn and then there are baskets galore scattered around the house filled with yarn.  Apart from the odd ball all of the yarn has a purpose with 90% of it for projects already started.  Crochet wise I must get working on those WIPs.  I find it very hard to believe that I only completed 4 projects last year; a cot blanket, a pram blanket and 2 hats.  The hats were not included in my one a day tallies yet I managed to complete 502 stripes, rows or squares last year.  Why then do I have so many WIPs which are less than 30% complete.  According to my Ravelry account I have 23 WIPs at present.  To be honest I think there is about another 4/5 not listed.  Lots of work is needed to complete these.  This year I intend to complete one a day again and I am currently on track which is at least a positive towards completion of the many projects I have began. 

 

 



 This week I have been working on the Rowan Cashmerino DK blanket.  I need 96 squares and have now completed 50 squares and surprisingly I have sewn in all the ends as I have gone along.  Happy with this progress but I had wanted to complete this by Christmas but life just got in the way.  The aim now is to complete the blanket by the end of February.  Seems a long time but I need to be realistic with what I can achieve.  I just don't crochet as quick as I used to due to carpel tunnel and finding time always seems to hinder progress.

 

Knitting wise I just have one seam to sew up to complete my grey cashsoft chunky wrist warmers.  Max of 10 minutes yet they have sat there unloved for about 9 weeks!  Then I have my Nephew's owl hat that needs sewing then eyes, beak and ears tufts made and attached.  Again so close yet very far from completion.  These projects will be completed by the end of next week.

 

2013 will be the year when I do some serious work on the many projects I have started and I will do my best to ignore any new yarn and projects shouting out to me.  Its clear a large number of projects need to be completed before any more are started.  But let me think, didn't I say that last year??  Wasn't 2012 going to be the year of completion?  Oh well, it just happens doesn't it or in my case it doesn't happen, lol.

 



 

Then there is paper crafting.  Paper, paper, paper every where.  I spent the latter part of the year sorting scrapbook kits out.  I had tended to keep the kits in the boxes they were delivered in as I found it easier to use them that way.  I could have a good look at what I had and then just shut the lid. However, the number of boxes were taking over.  I couldn't store them all as I had more kits coming in than LO's being made.  I still have Scrapagogo kits unused and I stopped the subscription 2 years ago.  I also have plenty of Sarah's Cards kits untouched and then there are all the Studio Calico kits. But don't get me started on the number of paper collections I brought in addition to these kits.

 



 

The kits packed into plastic pockets and then stored in these files look much better.  I still need to purchase anpother 5 files to unpack all of the kits but I am getting there slowly.  Even though I am getting organised and compacting my stash I must vastly decrease the quanity I have and quickly.  I can't bear to throw any away which means I need to scrap, scrap, scrap.

 

I took part in Shimelle's class Cover to Cover and I have gone through old albums and noted all the missing stories.  I now need to sort out the photographs for these LO's which I want to work on doing this month.  Completing the actual LO's is not essential I just want to get organised and get the gaps ready to be filled.  My next aim this month is getting on top of Project Life 2012 and September to December Document 2011.  Yes, you did read that right, I have yet to complete my 2011 album.  Then there is the Christmas albums; 2011 and 2012 need finishing. 

In order to decrease my stash I could say I'm not going to buy any more this year but lets be honest its never going to happen.  Instead I plan on completing a one a day for my scrapping too.  This year I will make 365 LO's.  A little ambitious but I will count my Christmas albums as 1 LO per page I make and they are smaller albums, Project life will be 2 pages per week and I intend on keeping up with this years as well as completing last years album.  As with the crochet I won't necesarily make 1 LO per day but I will average this over the year.  Must get started as I have yet to make any LO's this year but I often find I struggle to scrap when the kids are off school as Freya always wants to scrap as well and my table is not big enough for the two of us.

 

Wish me luck because as well as moving house, renovations and life in general I'm going to be very busy crafting this year.

Tuesday Tallies (13 November 2012)

I really don't know where the past few weeks have gone.  I've hardly done any crafting yet I can't tell you what I have been doing.  Life I guess!  I have been busy on a couple of projects.  

I've knitting a hat, just need to sew it up and add the decoration which I am hoping to get done this week.  

Knitted 1 wrist warmer which only took me one day.

Worked on my Springtime Throw.

Worked on Rowan Cashmerino DK Granny Square blanket - now completed 30 squares.

And started a new blanket after I went away on holiday and ended up with no crochet but bags of new yarn.  I have completed 8 colours on this blanket.

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Pop on over to Carole to take a look at some other yarny work.

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Tuesday Tallies (16 October 2012)

This week I have again concentrated on my Rowan Cashmerino blanket. I crocheted the cream around the 9 squares I made last week.

 

I then made a further 6 squares.

 

 

This makes total squares made to 20.

I have spread these squares out on the bed and I need to make the blanket 8 x 12 squares to fit a single bed; 20 down, another 76 to go. Do you think I can manage to make 10 each week and have this blanket finished by the end of the year?  I should have enough to complete the blanket as I can't find any of the Rowan yarn; I did buy it over 2 1/2 years ago so I am not surprised really.  Will teach me to not hoard yarn and make one project before I get yarn for another or at least buy enough for the intended project!

Pop on over to Carole to take a look at some other one a day projects.

Tuesday Tallies (9 October 2012)

The past week has not been too good here.  I was in hospital for a couple of days having some treatment on my elbow and hip and it meant I was not very mobile for a few days.  The hip is not too bad and it was only uncomfortable for a couple of days and pain killers worked well to ease things.  My elbow however is a different story.  It has been very painful and I have not been sleeping.  I don't sleep well at the best of times but the past week I have had a maximum of 2 hours a night and usually not at the same time.  Lets just say I am withered a little and I have to go back to the hospital today for a little bit of the same.  At least I know what to expect this week. 

 

All this has hampered any craty things I wanted to do let alone normal housekeeping, looking after children and pets.  Whilst recouperating on Thursday and having got very bored with the never ending all the same day time tv I set about sorting my yarn stash.  Anything to get me away from this so called entertainment.  I have a large number of projects on the go and not all of them have all of the yarn I will need purchased.  I made a big list of what I need and really want to buy up the yarn as some are discontinued.  One colour for my Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK blanket is discontinued and I need another ball (22 Fuchsia Pink). 

Don't know what I am going to do yet but if any one knows of somewhere that stocks it I will be very grateful and I am open to part balls too!

 

Well this sorting of yarn uncovered some projects that have been unloved for a long time, a very long time.  In January 2010 I purchased 3 packs of 10 balls of some Rowan Cashmerino DK yarn.  Three yummy colours; pink, green and navy.

 

 

I started the granny square blanket in the April and managed to make 8 squares.  I then crocheted a border of teal (Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK, Elkin) and that is how it  has remained. 

At the time I was not happy with the teal but at the same time didn't know what colour to use which is why there has been no progress. Speed forward 2 1/2 years....

 

 

On Thursday night I removed the teal border and began work on a new cream border.  The squares are five rounds each with a border of cream.  I had already made 8 squares which I have edged 5 this week. 

 

 

 

I love this blanket now, the cream is so much better and they are lovely snuggly pieces of yumminess.  Just love, love, love, love, love, love it!  This really has put a smile on my face.  My crochet, well crafting in general was not much fun the past month.  I don't know why but it seemed like a chore, nothing to enjoy but this blanket has changed that.  Can't wait to snuggle under this when it is finished.  I then made a further 6 squares up to the first 5 rounds.

 

  

I am much more happy with the cream, if you didn't  guess.  The cream is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK.  The original 8 squares had been blocked and you can really see the difference.  My aim for this week is to block the new makes and finish the cream on the remaining 9 squares. 

 

Sorting through my stash has shocked me by the number of projects I actually have on the go and the fact most of them have a long way to go to reach completion.  I really don't have much odd stash, by that I mean stash that does not have a project in mind. I suppose that is a good thing as I have only ever brought yarn with a specific project in mind instead of the other way round which can be very dangerous on the purse.  Shame I don't have that feeling for scrapbooking!

 

This year one of my many goals was to make 'one a day'; one crocheted row, stripe or square.  I knew that I would not actually make 1 each and every day of the year but the intention was to make 366 by the time Big Ben starts to strike on the dot of midnight.  I am really happy to say that yesterday, 8 October I reached this goal.  Admitidly some of the items have been 2 round grannies but I reached my goal well ahead of time, something that does not happen too often in my life.  I am still going to keep tally and hope to make a further 100 by the end of the year.  I may get some of these WIPs finished some day and the one a day goal is keeping me on track.  Only thing that is holding me back is the number of projects that I have started.

 

Now you have read all about my one a day project, pop on over to Carole to take a look at some other great yarn projects.

Tuesday Tallies (2 October 2012)

October??  How did that happen?  This year is really flying by.  On the domestic front not a lot has got done but I have looked at lots and lots of sofas and then looked at 2 houses on Saturday.  The first, a cheaper one, was not quite right for us and then the second one was right at the top of my budget.  Well the search will continue.
 

This week I have only managed 12 squares for my blanket but I have knitted a hat.  Yes, you did read that right, I knitted a hat.  Super easy garter stitch on circular needles.  garter stitch is all I can do but I really want to extend my knitting skills and make some clothes.  I order some Amy Butler yarn and have knitted the choke for a cardigan over the weekend.  All these crochet blankets are great but I think I am at getting quite close to the upper limits of how many a family of three could ever possibly need. 
 

Here are my squares for this week:

This makes my total to 174 squares.  I think I may need about 500 for the finished blanket, maybe more.  Pop on over to Carole to take a look at some more one a day projects.

Tuesday Tallies (25 September 2012)

This week has been one of those with lots of ups and downs.  Just one of those weeks.  I have not had much chance to crochet this week but I did manage to get 12 light squares made:

 

 

Can't believe how cold the weather has turned and how wet it was this past weekend.  I am a little annoyed with it as there were things that we needed to do on the house outside and were unable to do which has meant that we have had to put the builder off  and he now can't come for 2 weeks.  I think these house renovations will never get done.

 

Pop on over to Carole to see some other one a day projects and I'm quite sure other will show you much more progress than me.

WIPW (19 September 2012)

Good morning my yarny friends.  This week as well as my mini granny square blanket and cross stitch I have also been working on this blanket:

 

 

My Kool Kotton blanket.  This blanket was started 2 1/2 years ago.  I frogged the blanket as it was just too large, it was evn too large for a king size bed.  It is now the size of a lap blanket so much easier to handle.  I think it was because of the size that I wasn't working on it.

 

Not much progress due to the me ending up in hospital this week but every bit of progress helps.  Pop on over to Tami to see a host of other WIPs this fine Wednesday.

Tuesday Tallies (18 September 2012)

Where oh where is this month going?  It only seems like yesterday the summer holidays were over and already we are over half way through the month.  My list of to do this month has not really been impacted and there are deadlines to meet if our future plans are to be sorted by next summer.  well I have found some time to crochet and have completed 12 squares this week.  This makes a total of 150 teeny squares, about 1/3 done.

I have got 2 colours to start and then I will sew them first batch all together.  The blanket is 11/12 squares across and I have made at least 12 of each colour, 5 colours have enough for 2 rows made.  I really want to get this blanket finished as I have so many others on the go that need my attention.  I need to sit down and work out whether I have enough yarn for some of the projects I have started as some of the colours are discontinued (Rowan Cashmerino DK, for example) and I would hate to not have enough to finish these projects.  That is off to the top of my to do list right now; how I then pay for the yarn is another question!

Pop on over to Caraole to see some other one a day projects.

Tuesday Tallies (11 September 2012)

I haven't been that productive this week.  I was so looking forward to the kids going back to school but I just seemed to crash.  I had shingles 4 weeks ago and I am still struggling with the fatigue which is why I have not got as much as I would have liked done.  This week I managed 12 squares:

 

Pop on over to Carole for some other one a day progress posts.

WIPW (5 September 2012)

Not much progress this week as I have only managed 6 squares:

Now have made a total of 126 but the sewn in progress looks like this:

Pop on over to Tami to look at some other yarny progress.

Tuesday Tallies (4 September 2012)

Wow, September, how on earth did that happen?  I think I am like alot on Mom's in the UK and looking forward to tomorrow so much when the kids go back to school.  Having said that we were really enjoying ourselves in Wales and having to go back to school/work was quite an inconvenience!

 

Last week I managed to crochet 4 squares.  This means I now have a total of 120 mini squares:

 

 

I then proceeded to sew them together.  I am making the blanket 12 squares wide which makes it just over the width of a single bed before a boarder is added, so a nice sized snuggle blanket.  Length will depend on supply of yarn.

 

 

Pop on over to Carole to see some other one a day projects.

WOYWW & WIPW

Hello all.  I'm still on holiday and still struggling with a really bad internet connection so I am afraid this is a joint post again.  We are back home tomorrow so next week I will be going back to 2 separate posts.

My desk this week has looked like this week with my two little helpers who both wanted to scrap:

This is what they were working on:

Crochet wise I have sat on the beach and made another 9 squares, plus the 4 blogged yesterday as part of my Tuesday Tallies. 

This makes a total of 116 squares with 16 of the joined together.

Pop on over to Julia and Tami to have a look at lots of crafty desks and woolly projects.

When home I will take a look at other participants of both get togethers as really struggling with the internet connection.  The local library  here closes on a Wednesday (!!!!!????) and I had trouble logging on at the train station yesterday which meant we had to go back to the library for a second time to finish my posts.  Reason it was a second visit is it closes for an hour at lunchtime.  Until you are in a similar place you don't realise how much you take your local amenities for granted.

Thanks for visiting and I will be popping in to see some of you over the weekend. Enjoy your day all x

Tuesday Tallies (28 August 2012)

Before I start talking crochet can I apologise to anyone who visited my blog yesterday.  How on earth I managed do a post without a picture I really do not know.  The internet connection here in Wales is teriable and I have to either go to the library or the local steam train cafe to get a connection.  The connection on my blackberry is awful, vertually none exixtant during the day and very tempremental between midnight and 4am.  Good job I am an insomniac really else I would not be getting my crafty blog fix these past few weeks.

 

This weeks progress is a little different to normal.  After completing 4 squares I got bored.

 

So I went down to the local knitting store where we are on holiday and brought a needle and started to sew squares together:

 

 

Pop on over to Carole for some other one a day progress reports.

WIPW & WOYWW (22 August 2012)

I am away at the moment and don't have internet access where we are staying, therefore when I do manage to get a connection I am making the most of it as it is very rare and very temperamental.  This is why this is a combined post.  As part of Tuesday Tallies, yesterday I blogged that I had made 13 squares between Wednesday and Saturday just gone.  Between Sunday and last night I made a further 27 squares, giving a total of 103 mini squares.  Yay, passed the 100 mark!!!

I'm getting there slowly.

And my workdesk this week?  Well its been this view:

Yes I have sat on the beach crocheting.

Pop on over to Tami and Julia to join in all the fun.  Thanks for looking x

Tuesday Tallies (21 August 2012)

These are my little squares competed this week:

All 13 of them.  I have completed a total of 76 squares and used the first ball of pink I have.  I have crocheted 23 sqares from one 50g ball.  I have 11 colours and 3 balls of each.  I plan on crocheting 2 balls of each colour which will giove me 1 ball for sewing together and a border.  Hope this will be enogh as I don't want to be buying any more stash as life changing plans have been made and I NEED to downsize craft supplies and save money if they are to come to fruition.

I am ashamed to say that last week I did not make any squares at all which is why I wasn't joining in.  No real reason why no crochet done exceept life.  It just distracts for our hobbies at times.  How very annoying of it!

Pop on over to Carole to take a look at some other one a day projects.

WIPW (8 August 2012)

Had a much more productive week this time.  I have made 28 little squres:

Making  a total of 63 squres.  Slowly but surely getting there.

 

Pop on over to Tami for some more WIPs

Tuesday Tallies (7 August 2012)

Morning Ladies this week I have completed:

I know a bit of a miss match but I need to get working on some of my old WIPs as well as the new ones.  If you take a look at the bar above you can see I am ahead of my goal to crochet one  day this year. I have also been working on my little granny square blanket which I am posting my progress on my WIPW post each Wednesday.  I am really happy with what I have achieved this week and I am planning on having another bumper week again. 

Don't forget to pop over to Carole to see some more Tuesday Tallies.

WIPW (1 August 2012)

Morning all.  This past week I have been working on my mini granny blanket and have completed another 12 pink squares:

This makes a total of 35.  Not brilliant for a project that was started in last November (yes you are reading tht right, she says as she hangs her head in shame)  But its not as bad as this project! At least some progress is being made on both projects.

Pop on over to Tami's blog to have a look at some other yarny projects.

Tuesday Tallies (31 July 2012)

Not done much this week crochet wise.  I am trying to concentrate on some of my projects and get some items finished.  this week I have been working on the baby Rico Granny.  This is what I had completed before this week:

Not much considering it was started wy back in July 2010.  I know (hangs head in shame) 2 years ago!  Think it is time this project was finished. This week I have completed 5 squares:

I intend on making 6 of the larger squares to complete the blanket.  Don't forget to pop over to Carole to see other one a dy projects.

WIPW (25 July 2012)

Hello Ladies.  This is the first time I have joined in but I have 'stalked' for a while looking at all the fabulous projects you are all working on.  I have not joined in before as I ever seem to have anything worth showing.  I do have lots of WIPs, I really do have lots, but they are all just at the beginning and nothing much to look at.  Hoping this motivates me to get a move on and finally have some FOs.

I love buying wool and love starting projects.  It makes me so happy to squeeze a new purchase and search the net for a new project.  The problem is I don't like finishing them.  I am totally innocent you see, as it is not my fault I keep seeing all these fabulous things and manufacturers sell some much wonderful yarn.
I can only do garter stitch for knitting and I really don't do that very well.  I don't know why but I just can get my head round knitting.  However, I just love love love crochet.

This is a blanket I started a while ago, I am very embarrassed to say when considering what I have done but it was certainly pre 2012. Here are my little granny squares:

All 23 of them. There are another 7 colours to add and lots more of these colours too. I have 3 balls of each colour in my stash and I am hoping that will be enough to get a good sized lap blanket.

This is what I am basically hoping to do:

I want to make a diamond shape but need to work out how to do half grannies. If anyone has a link to a good tutorial I'd really appreciate it.

Don't forget to pop over to Tami's blog for other projects on the go.

Thanks for looking and lets hope the good weather continues but cools alot more than it has today at night time. Just hate stuffy rooms with no air at night. I can never sleep.

Us Brits are never happy are we? lol