Right after midnight, cause I'm always up that late... I cast on a new pair of scrappy socks...
something easy and mindless because while I am a night owl I recognize my limitations at that hour...
Then I slept late... oh that is glorious... I love sleeping in... and the older I get the less often that happens ... then I picked up the new Christmas stocking project I have this year for my DIL and did about 1.5 ornaments... I did the turquoise one an part of of the multi-color one to its upper left...
it is a very pretty stocking ... by my count (and this is a ballpark count) there are:
16 candles
22 big ornaments
46 ball ornaments
60 little gold balls... I think it is part of a garland but don't think I'll be stitching the detail
My plan is to do a little every day ... hope I can stick with that... right now it is at that stage where the canvas is stiff and you have to wrestle with it... ugh... I'm happier when it gets more malleable but that takes time.
Then I went downstairs into my sewing studio.. I made a small bag that's a gift so I can't show it yet... and I worked on that Christmas quilt I showed last week... here's how it looks now...
yep... I unsewed what I had an came up with this layout... a 15 patch block alternated with a plain rectangle and the a 9 patch for sashing ... the plan is for 10 blocks across and 9 down... that would make it about 66" wide and 70" long... think I'll add a border only on the top and bottom... and I should be able to have this one done pretty soon and have a Christmas quilt pre-made for this Christmas...
After that I went out and picked up a carryout order for dinner... I LOVE eating out... I can cook, I'm just tired of cooking and for 2 people it is easier a lot of times to eat out... we can still eat inside in Ohio but I try to be careful... so I'm doing more carryout and less inside dining... that said the Mediterranean salad with chicken kabobs from Taziiki's is excellent... and so is their whipped feta with honey appetizer ...
After dinner I settled in and started a new cross stitch sampler... and no I didn't get the one I was working on finished so there is no issue with dating it 2021 (I hope that this year is one I won't regret remembering...)
This is Needleworker's Sampler by With Thy Needle & Thread... 32 ct fabric I painted with Rit dye, using the called for flosses so far... I'm really liking this one ... an easy stitch... that border is really wonky... you have to pay attention and count each hill and valley but if you made a mistake it would be easy to fudge...
I did make progress on Heart & Hand...
very close to being done... ran out of Mulberry for the berries but found another skein in another project... it is good to have stash, isn't it?
And I also did some online shopping... picked out a couple of things at KittenStitcher as I got a gift card for a Christmas present... she's not open till tomorrow but my cart is ready to go, so when she turns her payments back on I can order....
And I bought some dahlia tubers and some flower seeds... already thinking of next Spring and Summer... I know you should wish your life away... and Lord knows how much life I have left... I hope a lot, but my family history is not encouraging... my parents both died in their late 40's/early 50s'... my only sibling was early 60's ... I hope I take after my Grandmother's who both lived into their 80s... but lets drop that topic and think about dinner plate dahlias and cosmos and zinnias and I've been looking at cannas and caladiums... I have high hopes for all the daffodils and alliums I planted... last Spring they were such a welcome sight... even my neighbors commented on how it brightened their spirits... hey yellow is HAPPY HAPPY color!!
Sooooo it was a great day for me... I could repeat it over and over and over again for the next 365 with no issues... however I know other obligations will arise... such is life....
And I did a little looking back on 2020... I do try to keep track of how many quilting/stitching/sewing/knitting projects I do... however this year I somehow lost the list with the knitting on it, but I don't think there was a lot.. some socks and couple of shawls... but I did do 18 quilts...now at least half of those were already in the works before 2020, but done is done... and I've decided the 3 that are still waiting to be bound won't be counted in 2021... I'm moving on... As for cross stitch I did 24 pieces...most smaller... and some that were finished in 2020 were also started in previous years... I've gotten more cross stitch done in the past but the needlepoint stocking took up a LOT of time... by my notes I started it in late January and finished in late September... now there was a month or two that I didn't touch it at all, but stockings are definitely a long term project...
I shall endeavor to keep better track of what I finish this year... I've got some forms prepped and ready to go!! I have lots of things I want to do and I know I won't get them all done but I will be happy with whatever does get finished... I have some quilt blocks that I'd like to get sewn into tops... much smaller tops than I had planned when I started the blocks, but finished is better than languishing in the plastic bins, right???... and for cross stitch I have a couple of samplers calling my name and I think I should stick with small pieces where seasonal stuff is concerned... my displays are pretty full and it is getting hard to wedge in larger seasonal pieces... and I have wall space for samplers... so that's a win... and I found a couple of UFO samplers... maybe I could finish one of them... hope springs eternal... as for knitting it will again be socks and shawls... easy stuff... and the stocking needs to be completed by the end of September... that will be the 6th one I've done in my lifetime, and I consider it quite the achievement... if I had known 35 years ago what I know now, I would never have selected 24" long stockings on 16 count...sheesh.. why didn't I just do nice cuffs... so much less stitching, but they are beautiful and my kids do appreciate them... they'll be my legacy...
So I hope that 2021 brings you lots of time to engage in all the crafty projects that you love to do... it is NOT a resolution but it I shall try to try and stay off of the internet a bit more... I get sucked into political blogs and crafty stuff and Instagram... OMG... I LOVE and HATE Instagram... I find so much cool stuff on IG but it takes up so much time... I can scroll mindlessly for hours... not productive... so I shall re-affirm by mantra to always try to try... but I never define exactly what it is that I'm trying... keep it vague and no one can pin anything on you... LOL... kinda like "experts" who keep changing their tune and moving the goalposts ... and you know what I mean...
I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today... she always has a wonderful collection of blogs to peruse ... Wishing you a happy and healthy 2021... may we put 2020 in the rear view mirror as quickly as possible...
happy stitching-
carol fun
What nice goals and I like a couple of those cross stitch projects--but I have already set some cross stitch projects for myself for 2021--
ReplyDeleteand I do the same thing you do--feel on New Year's day I need to do a bit on all the types of things I want to work on in the new year!!!
Would you believe I just got your Chmas card in the mail yesterday--thank you--
luv, and hugs, di
I am not on Instagram but I can just imagine the love and hate relationship you have with it. It does seem to be a very deep rabbit hole. You have lots of lovely projects to work on throughout this year. The Christmas quilt you are working on is pretty and as for the stocking, love all the pretty details.
ReplyDeleteI am on Instagram and I have to set a timer or I would be "down for the count" and never get anything accomplished. The stocking you are working on for your DIL is going to be stunning. Pretty sampler you started, Carol! Look forward to seeing your progress on it and whatever projects you end up working on during the year. Wishing you a blessed and bright New Year!
ReplyDeleteGreat projects you have going on! Happy stitching, and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI,too, have to watch the time I spend on IG and on YouTube. That's another one I can spend hours just browsing. What an amazing number of quilts. That plus I love your quilts because you choose such happy colors. They make me smile. I hope to do a few more samplers this year but I have already been distracted by Parson Brown by Notforgotten Farm. I really could use more winter things. That seems to be my lacking season. However, I am ready for a decorating break. I do Fall , then, Halloween, then thanksgiving and finally Christmas. So a little time off suits me fine. Good luck on another beautiful stocking!
ReplyDeleteAfter the last year, I think we all need to be gentle on ourselves and stop the subtle pressure of New Year resolutions. And yet it feels right to indicate that this year can hold hope for improvement. I resolve to 'try to try' also, thank you for such a great phrase. And it fits every facet of our lives. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteYou are working on a lot of great projects. I fully understand the lure of the internet and how it sucks up so much time. I do try to do some handstitching while watching YouTube but then when I am scrolling, it is hard to stitch anything.
ReplyDelete