Category Archives: 2020 Crafty Goals

28

Apr. ’20

Cross Stitch: Titania, Queen of the Faeries, an update

Last week, Titania was my xstitch project of the week.

Here it was last month:

Titania
Mirabilia
3/29/2020

And here is what it looks like when I put it away last night.

Titania
Mirabilia
4/26/2020

A lot of progress has been made. This is about 700+ stitches added and it’s growing.

I am enjoying working on this more and more.

This week I’m working on Gamer again and time just flies on by. It felt like such a short time ago since I last worked on it. I hope to get a lot of stitching done this week.

Stitch on my crafty friends!

Melanie

 

 

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24

Apr. ’20

Weasley Sweaters

So I have a long term goal that one Christmas my family (me, hubby and the kids) would take a family pic in our Weasley Sweaters.

I started with Kayla’s using Gryffindor colors first. At that point in my knitting life, Jacob was not interested in wearing any hand knits so I wasn’t about to invest a year of knitting for someone who didn’t appreciate it.  So Kayla’s was first.

Kayla’s Weasley Sweater
4/12/18

 

After Jacob saw the sweater he liked it and was okay with me making him one. And I spent 2019 making his. His is Ravenclaw colors: Blue and Gray (or silver).

 

 

Jacob’s Weasley Sweater
12/2019

So last Christmas, there were 2 –

Kayla and Jacob in their Weasley’s
12/2019

This year, 2020, I’m working on my hubby’s. I just finished the back:

Ricky’s Weasley Sweater
The backside –
4/21/2020

The color is washed out in this picture but it’s a blue/gray with a green stripe. It’s suppose to be Slytherin but the hubby didn’t want a green sweater. So I made it a gray/blue with a green stripe. The letter will be green and I plan to put green stripes in the front and on the sleeves.  The hubby ended up really liking the green but it’s Knitted Wit and I bought all the shop had (2-3 mini skeins) which would not have been enough for an extra large sweater.  I actually came close to ordering yarn for him and it was going to run close to $300.  Needless to say, he’s not planning on wearing this but once a year for our annual family Christmas picture. So, I just used the yarn I originally bought.

My goal is to get the front done in Q2, the sleeves done in Q3 and then sew it all up, knit the collar and weave in the ends  in Q4.  I’m a little behind since it’s already 21 days into Q2 but I hope I’ve given myself enough of a buffer in Q4 to still get this done in time for Christmas. 🙂

Hope you all are doing well!

~Melanie

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23

Apr. ’20

Breadmaking

I’ve been making a lot of bread. And they haven’t been turning out well. Actually, they were good enough and I wanted to make them better.  I was using a bread machine and I do not think it was mixing the ingredients properly. Then I switched to hand and using recipes that didn’t require too much kneading. They came out better but I was missing something. Last week I decided to delve into sourdough breads. They are my favorite. So I went on theperfectloaf.com which was recommended by a knitting buddy and spent last week feeding my starter. I didn’t know if it was working or not but by this last Saturday I was going to make bread to hell or high water. (Is that the right saying?) Anyway, I did it and I love it… So now I’m setting aside some of my starter each day to give away to friends who want it.

Finished product
4/19/2020

 

Sourdough Bread
after baking for 20 minutes covered
4/19/2020

 

Sourdough Bread
after proofing for a few hours just before baking
4/19/20
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21

Apr. ’20

Mugrugs, Coasters and orphan blocks…

 

 

I finally bound these little mats. They were orphan blocks made for one reason or another. The top one was for a paper piecing workshop offered through my guild. I used these mats to practice on my Q20 (among others) and finally got around to binding it.  Don’t tell anyone but I forgot to take the paperwork out of the top one so it’s crinkly.  I don’t care.  They will Most likely be used as coasters or mugrugs.  I love them and plan to give them away to friends.  Since the quarantine we’ve been passing along various items to each other – oranges from the trees, yeast, sourdough starters, chili, cookies, bread, etc.  So I’ll slip these and the others I’ve finally finished up.

~ Happy Monday,

btw, I’m feeling better this week and have high hopes in accomplishing a lot…

<3

Melanie

 

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20

Apr. ’20

Cross Stitch: A Stitch in Time, an update 04/2020

So I have a rotation of cross stitch projects and in general, I work on a project for a week then on Sunday switch to a new project. I have 4 projects in rotation.

  • Gamer
  • Snowman
  • A Stitch in Time
  • Mirabilia – Titania

Gamer is my priority project so when I am working on Snowman which is a small 6″x6″ I also have Gamer on the frame for me to put a few stitches in each day.  That way I’m able to work on Gamer for 2 weeks and hopefully get this finished faster. This last week I was working on A Stitch in Time, by Aimee Stewart and is a Heaven and Earth Design.

Before:

 

 

A Stitch in Time
2/23/2020

And how it looks now after I’ve worked on it a week before I put it away…

A Stitch in Time
4/19/2020

I must have forgotten to take a picture and update you on my March progress but it’s coming along and I’ve gotten it on the frame that Mama’s Bukid used to be on.

Happy Stitching!

~Melanie

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17

Apr. ’20

Harriets Hat, another finish. kind of.

Hariett’s Hat
04/2020

 

Harriet’s Hat
04/2020

At Stitches Socal 2019, my friend Liz and I went halfsies on a colorwork project called Harriet’s Hat. Really, we wanted to try the yarn Jamieson and Smith but didn’t want to invest too much money on something we possibly would hate. So we decided a hat would be a good trial project. Liz started on hers way before me but something happened and she put it in timeout. I got through most of the hat when I ran out of the white yarn. Liz popped over with the remaining bit of white from her project and I was able to finish knitting this dreamy project.  I still have to weave in ends and block it but all the knitting is done and it’s beautiful.

 Next Stitches SoCal we plan to get a sweaters quantity of this yarn to make a colorwork sweater. We have a bunch lined up.

 

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01

Apr. ’20

Update on my 2020 Crafty Plans

I wrote about my 2020 Crafty goals here for quilting… and here for cross stitch… and here for knitting and here for everything else…

Feel free to check it out and remind yourself about how goal oriented I am. ;0

This is a long one and if you want to see how much I’ve done and what my plans are going forward, grab yourself a beverage and read on.

My quilting goals and updates-

  1. Staycation – this was part of my quilt queue and is still in that queue. I got my Q20 in February and I’ve spent a few weekends quilting smaller practice items (mats and table runners) that have been in the ‘to be quilted’ pile for the past couple of years. As I finish these piles up and warm up to quilting, I’ll soon be getting to this quilt and the other ones on my quilting queue.
  2. Good Fortune – this is done! and has joined Staycation in the quilt queue. It needs a back. This is not something I plan to do soon but will tackle that as my quilt queue gets shorter.
  3. Glam Clam – this is done! too and is in the quilt queue and needs a back.
  4. Scrappy Stars – all the blocks are done and I am waiting for this shelter in place thing to pass so I can go to the quilt shop and buy fabric for the sashing. I’m looking at grunge in the white/cream family. I could buy online but I want to take my blocks to the shop and pick the best one. We’ll see. I’m not in any rush to finish this top so I can wait.
  5. Area One Mystery Quilt from 2012 SoCal Quilt Run – I finished the inner top and have decided to do a 5″ border. I need to figure out which fabric to use. I have fabric for the border that came with the kits but I’m not sure I like it.
  6. Area Four Mystery Quilt from 2012 SoCal Quilt Run – Right before the pandemic started I went to the first retreat of the year. At the retreat I was able to lay out all the blocks and decide how to put them together. All I have to do is put them together.
  7. Dancing with the Stars – At the same retreat I finished some of the blocks for this and realized I didn’t have any more of the white. I believe I pulled it for another project and never replaced it. I’ve since bought more white fabric and can start working on this again.

And that’s it. I have moved forward on all the projects that were in my quilty list. Here are my goals for the rest of the year.

  1. Scrappy Stars – once we are able to go out, go to LQS and pick sashing fabric and cornerstones.

    Scrappy Stars Around the Corner
    3/6/2020

  2. Area One Mystery Quilt – pick and sew border on to finish the top.

    2012 Southern CA
    Quilt Run
    Area One
    Mystery quilt
    3/29/2020

  3. Area Four Mystery Quilt – piece all the blocks together and figure out if you want a border or not.

    2012 Southern CA
    Quilt Run
    Area Four
    Mystery quilt
    3/8/2020

  4. Dancing with the Stars – start working on this again now that I’ve got more white fabric.

    Dancing with the Stars
    Linda Ballard
    3/8/2020

  5. Radiant Jewel Quilt by Kimberly Einmo – was a craftsy mystery quilt. I actually started this on that same retreat and have been working on it. I’m on the third step.
  6. Allietare –  Bonnie Hunter’s mystery quilt from 2015 – Clue 1
  7. Area Three Mystery Quilt from 2012 SoCal Quilters Run – This is kitted up and I haven’t even looked at the instructions.

Now for Cross Stitch:

  1. Mama’s Bukid – Finished this! Goal was met for this one.

    Mama’s Bukid
    It’s finish!
    3/22/2020

  2. Gamer – Finish 6 pages. I am still working on page 1 and to be honest, unless I work on this project more than one week per month, it will be hard for me to finish 6 pages this year. This is now my focus piece so I hope to make more progress but I will need to dedicate more time to this.

    Gamer Nouveau
    03/2020

  3. A Stitch in Time – My goal is to work on this each month and I have been. I love working on this project but it is very slow. There is a lot of confetti everywhere and it’s slow going on this one.

    A Stitch In Time
    03/2020

  4. A Kiss for Snowman – I have not worked on this at all. This is my travel project but I haven’t been travelling so I haven’t done anything with it. I think what I will do is add this to my rotation and during the same week work on Gamer at the same time. I can do that because this is held in had while All the other projects are on frames.
  5. Mirabilia Titania – Added a new project to the rotation. Now that Mama’s Bukid is done, I decided to add another project to my rotation. This one is not nearly as complex as Gamer or A Stitch in Time as it is not full coverage and is not heavy on the confetti. There is beading and some back stitch but I think this is certainly doable. I feel like with Gamer and A Stitch in Time, having a small one like A Kiss for Snowman and this Mira will help me see movement when projects like A Stitch in Time go so slowly.

Knitting Update:

I finished 2 pairs of socks so far this year. I’m working on my March socks but they will not be finished in time. They are long socks and I’m just turning the heel. Hopefully they will be done soon and I can start a new sock project. 🙂

knit picks
scrappy socks
2/1/2020

The next priority project was and continues to be Ricky’s Weasley Sweater. I’m almost done with the back. I probably have about 5 inches or so left to do and I will get that done in the next 2 weeks. I plan to have the front done in Q2, the sleeves done in Q3 and the whole thing put together and finished by Christmas.

Fairy Hill Shawl was finished last quarter.

Fairy Hill Shawl
Pattern by: Curious Handmade
Finish!
2/13/2020

24 days of Christmas Shawl from Jimmy Bean – I’m working on Day 12 so I’m half way through the clues.

Mix Wave Cowl – I’m almost done with this project. I am knitting about 3 blips per week and I am just knitting until I finish one of the balls.

Water Lily top – I have to knit about 11 inches before I can even start the lace part. I’m about 6 inches so I have about 5 more inches. At a row or two every week, this is slow going.

Kayla’s beanie – I haven’t even started on this.

Because I finished the fairy hill shawl, I started Tranquil Mist and Harriet’s Hat. I love working on Harriet’s Hat and I’m hoping to get it done as soon as my friend brings me more white yarn. 🙂

Harriet’s Hat
3/29/2020

 

And the other stuff:

I finished my Megan Dress:

LAFS: Megan Dress

  1. continue working on LAFS projects
  2. Dress no 1 in size Large
  3. Dress no 2
  4. Skirt no 1

Bag making – I finished the Maxwell Bag! woohoo

Maxwell Bag
A Finish
3/29/2020

Card making – I need to put this on my calendar. 🙂

~ whew – this is a lot of stuff and it makes me tired to write all this up. But it truly helps me to see what I planned earlier this year and what I’ve done and what I’ve still to do. Surprisingly I got a lot of quilting done even though I feel like I haven’t spent as much time quilting as I want to.

Happy Crafting and I hope you spend your time doing the things you love best. 🙂

~Melanie

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29

Mar. ’20

Day 17 at home

Today is day 17 and I’m finding it difficult to stick with a schedule. I normally work from home so that’s not my problem. My kids are home all the time but they are older and do not require as much from me as they would if they were younger.  Last week I was supposed to be on vacation. But with everything going on with the stock market I worked for most of it.  I was able to get off early in the day and do various things but not nearly as much as I wanted to.  I’m okay with it. But life will be more hectic next week as we finish up one quarter and start another. So I need to figure out how I want things to be.

In the meantime, here’s what I’ve been working on:

Knitting – I’m still knitting on my morning socks and almost daily I’m able to knit a couple of rows on Ricky’s Weasley Sweater. But those pictures are no fun. Just a little bit longer and bigger than the last picture. I will try to take pics this week since the month is ending and I want to take end of Month pictures. My real knitting love is this hat:

Harriet’s Hat
3/29/2020

I ran out of the white yarn and luckily I have a friend who’s knitting the same hat with me. As soon as she is done, she will be dropping off (social distancing being kept) her leftover white.  In the meantime, I just love looking at it. I am still working on my mix wave cowl, water lily top, etc. Basically I’m doing my daily and weekly knitting. Mostly.

For cross stitch, since I finished Mama’s Bukid I started working on Titania by Mirabilia. I started this a long time ago – 2018 – and only did a bit on it. I hated working on it. Really hated it. I had never worked on linen before. Before this, I didn’t realize that there were different fabrics and every Flosstube I watched was talking about how great linen was. So I kitted this project up with linen and did not like it. I couldn’t see the holes and they were uneven. It was awful and sat in a box for 2 years. Every once in awhile early on I would take it out and try for a bit but it’s been in complete timeout this last year. This time I started working on it again and while I can’t say I love working on it, I am better at it and it is now doable.  I am loving what I’m seeing and it was my focus xstitch project for this week:

Titania
Mirabilia
3/29/2020

Here’s what it will grow up to be:

 

I finally finished this dress:

LAFS: Megan Dress

I’m not totally in love with it but it makes a great house dress. This is my second real dress but the first time with set in sleeve, gathers, my first time with darts, and a bunch of other things, I am really happy with how it turned out and how I can wear it. I plan to make skirts and other dresses one of these days.

On the quilting front: It’s harder to take pictures. I finished putting together this inner top –

2012 Southern CA
Quilt Run
Area One
Mystery quilt

I know the picture is not the finished top. It was harder to take a picture it because it is just too big.

2012 Southern CA
Quilt Run
Area One
Mystery quilt
3/29/2020

Here it is on my bed. I plan to do a small border – maybe about 5 inches all around.  I am loving it but put it away for now.

Here are some other things I’ve been working on here and there…

I bound a few mats that I had practiced quilting on the Q20. Here’s a table runner. I picked up the top at one of our guild’s treasure hunts for, quilted and bound it. Now it’s gracing my table.

More practice on the Q20

Fun stuff.

Hope you are doing well during this time. I’m up and down and tend to stay offline when I’m not doing so well.  I also try to remember that things are not so bad, people experience and survive much worse than being stuck at home with all the crafts, and I try to be very grateful for what I have and where I am.  It’s still hard and there are a lot of sad things going on. Stay strong, friends.

Love always,

Melanie

Posted by . Categories: 2020 Crafty Goals, Cross Stitch, Knitting, Quilting. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a comment