I failed. Or did I?

You may not believe this, but I lost my blog!! Seriously, I couldn't remember the URL for the longest time and for some reason, the search engine didn't bring it forward when I tried searching for it! That's sad, and pathetic. Obviously I google too many things that involve "hooking" in the description.

So, failure. Yes. I have failed at my planned project of #18in2018. Why? Well, I could make excuses. But first let me say that I finished another three projects for Christmas, cowls and a sewing piece, but neglected to take pics because I didn't want to post pics to social media and ruin the Christmas surprise. So I think I rounded out at a solid #12in2018. Excuses, well the biggest being that I didn't have a job when I set the goal but I did two weeks in (albeit, part-time). 

Sometimes in life, or most times actually, it's good to set a goal and fail. Sounds odd? We learn so much from it, and frankly if I hadn't set that goal at all I probably wouldn't have completed any of those projects. So I can't look at 12 finished pieces as a failure. Would you agree? 

I feel lighter having these materials and half-made projects out of the way. Yes, there are a couple of glaringly unfinished, aging projects staring me in the face, which may or may not happen in 2019. 

I have an exciting rug project in mind as well. I've just completed my pre-dyeing for it yesterday. So I intend to jump into it today or tomorrow. I will share some pics as I go along. For now, there's nothing to see here. 

Wishing you all the best in 2019. Try something new. Set a goal. Fail. It's all good for us. 

wee #9

Not every UFO completed can be a huge accomplishment. Sometimes it's the smallest project that just eats at you. Every time you walk by it, sitting there waiting to be completed...it's almost like they can speak to you! "Finish me!" "Why are you ignoring me?"

I'm the first to admit that it's ridiculous that it took months to get around to hemming these jeans. Guilty. As I say though, the smallest projects are sometimes the biggest hurdles. 

So, they're done. Since it's an item of clothing, they qualify as fibre. Which means finishing this hemming job qualifies as #9 of #18in2018. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

What matters is that they're done. They are wearable and there's one less item in the To Be Done pile!  

Mistakes, I've made a few

You haven't heard from me in a while, my apologies. Life's been busy, but who's isn't? I have been slowly working away on a few fibre projects. Seemingly with no finish line in sight.... until today.

I knit a cowl. Twice. Still not right. Long painful story. It'll be done but not for this post, as planned. 

Still, I persisted with another project. I'm counting this as part of my #18in2018 because the 50s replica fabrics were purchased in the 90s. I loved them at the time, but had no plan for how they'd be used. When I was looking through my stash for projects suitable for #18in2018, I recognized that these fabrics really needed to be used up and a nice summer quilt would be the perfect plan for them. 

So I found a pattern online that I could use as inspiration, and that would be flexible with the many fat quarters I had. I pressed, and I cut. Then I figured out how I could use those fat quarters in some semblance of order. 

I think I started in January or February. Not bad for a quilt turnaround. Not bad for me, that is. 

You may have seen some of these in progress shots. 

Quilting finished today, and photographed on the deck. This quilt will be a snuggly addition to the cottage for cool summer nights. 

By no means is it perfect, there are a lot of mistakes. I'm okay at piecing, but really sub-par at quilting on my machine. But I'm a lover of "done". That's what this is.... done! 

The shortest UFO

Is that correct to say? The "shortest" UFO? In other words, this has been a UFO for less time than the others. Which is more correct, but awkward as heck. 

I hooked this elephant for the Smidge, and left the background for her to choose. As a result, it's quite busy and loud with colour. So much for the background taking a backseat to let the main image shine! No, not for this girl.

My upholstering skills are lacking, so I don't look too closely at the edges. No, I said not to look at them. Geez. 

Alas, it is done and Smidge is happily enjoying her new stool in her room. Though it's not being used where and how I thought it might be, that's totally up to her. 

What number am I at? Lots to do before completing #18in2018, that much I do know! Onwards....

Time to Bloom

January isn't normally the time to bloom, at least in this area! Though considering it was above zero on the weekend, that's practically blooming weather compared to what it had been a week or so before. I've made progress on several projects lately. Yes, that means I have many on the go at once. Plus my daughter's science fair project is taking up half my space. Hopefully that will be finished soon!

I do love cross-stitching but haven't done any for years. Though a small project, this took a while because even with reading glasses, I could not see the dang holes! So ya, I've been feeling pretty old trying to stitch this. 

Did I share this "before" pic?

This wee project completion counts as #5 of #18in2018. I've always wanted to cross-stitch this design, and now I finally have. Bonus: MIL's mother's day gift is made. 

I have to admit I didn't use many of the called-for threads, but hobbled together what I thought could work with what I had around. The Watercolours thread was actually too thick for the linen count, but I still used it because I'm stubborn. After stitching it, I made it into a doorknob pillow. Don't ask me why, but I do love a little doorknob pillow. I braided some of the Watercolours thread for the handle, and used a scrap of quilting fabric for the back, and ta-da!

 As I say, a wee project, but done nonetheless. Methinks it will be a while before I have anything else completed, so I'll drop by with an in-progress report in a while. 

#4 is a Wrap

Well, it could be used as a wrap...but it's a quilt! Done! Started about two years ago (my oh my how time flies) and abandoned during the quilting phase. I mentioned it in May 2016 when I was laying out the blocks for the top. 

Because of its size, I was thinking I had to hand quilt it, and had started. Barely. Almost two years later, I knew the possibility of it being hand quilted entirely and ever getting finished, was not good. So in the spirit of #18in2018, I decided to see if I could manhandle this sucker through my piddly little machine. So that's what I did. 

It's not great, but it's usable. Quilting is not my forte, by any stretch of the imagination. I wouldn't want anyone to look at it too closely. It's a Trip Around the World pattern, with SITD (stitch in the ditch) quilting. But you know what? It's done, and it's already been used. And my daughter is happy!!! 

And my daughter being happy that she finally has her new quilt on her bed, well that makes this journey of doing #18in2018 all the more worthwhile. #4 completed by January 16th, people!! That's what I'm talking about! 

1, 2, 3.... Go!

Reporting in with progress on the #18in2018 challenge. I have completed three UFOs so far, admittedly easy ones. I thought it would be good to give myself a boost of confidence by starting with a few that wouldn't take too long. Yup, that's the official word. Really I wanted to do the projects I was most interested in doing, and liked the idea of almost-instant reward. I'll admit it. Regardless, three finishes. 

I have before and after pics on my phone. But my phone is acting up.... don't get me started. So I have "after" pics here, taken with my camera. You'll just have to trust me. 

You did see the pile of tshirts, so this one can't be argued. Here's the finished (sort of) crocheted rag rug. Before I go further, let me assure you that these tshirts were all past their prime: stains or small holes or otherwise unwearable. Couldn't be donated. I saved them for a while, cut them up (there are instructions available online) and crocheted away. I only say it's "sort of" finished because it wasn't really enough material to make a full rug. When I have more available, I can add to this though so I'm calling it finished for now. The pile of tshirts is gone, and that's what counts. Beautiful it is not. Fun and functional, it is. 

Next up were two rugs that were finished being hooked long ago, but had never been whipped (the edges unfinished). Now they are. And now I'm shaking my head at how ridiculous it is that it took years (years!) for me to get around to it. Admittedly, I am far more fond of whipping rug edges now that I was years ago, so that's why this happened. One has already been put up, and the other is ready for its premiere next Christmas (ahem). 

I've even started #4. Though it might not be the 4th finish, as I'm planning on changing gears tomorrow. We'll see what's next to be reported. I'll try to get the before pics in order for the next batch. 

So that's it, folks. #3in2018 completed so far. Not bad for January 7th. 

And how are you doing with finishing some UFOs in 2018? 

#18in2018: A Twist

I may hate myself for this...or at the very least, kick myself. 

#18in2018 is a thing. Officially. And I'm adding a twist. Not only will there be 18 fibre projects completed in 2018. That's do-able, that's only one more than this year, and frankly I did far more than 17 this year. So I figured I needed a challenge. Here's where the kick comes in, literally and figuratively. I will find, with no problem, 18 UFOs (unfinished objects/projects) to dig out, figure out, and finish. Yup, I'm making 2018 the year of extreme punishment. 

What led to this insanity? I finished my Christmas projects early. I blame that. So I decided to clean my studio (fancy word for the extra bedroom where I make stuff). In doing so, I discovered quite a number of projects that I had forgotten about, ahem. 

So this pile of old tshirts on the floor? A crocheted rug waiting to happen. I best get to that one soon, since it's literally a pile on the floor! 

A basket full of yarn with patterns that haven't been knitted. What you can't see is the applique quilt in the bottom (what was I thinking?). That will be a doozy. 

Two rugs to be whipped, including a Christmas rug which was finished, um, 4 or 5 years ago (?) and hasn't ever been out for Christmas because it's not whipped. One queen size quilt to hand quilt. Pillows to be made. Oh ya, it's going to be a busy year. 

And that's just what I left out in plain sight. 

So, who thinks I can do it? Anyone up to the challenge? If not, you can follow along with my angst right here. Before and after pics will hopefully be shared throughout this joyous journey. 

Is it a leap year? Dang, it's not.