Busy week this week, which is weird. You'd think with so much in lock down again that it would be very slow and quiet. But I am hustling around doing Christmas baking and finishing the last of the wrapping with Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CDs on repeat!
This week I've also been sorting through crafting goodies and reorganizing. I managed to get three large bins and two boxes of kits, charts and needlework supplies whittled down to four mid sized (and matching!) bins. Several kits were deconstructed and the materials went back into the stash. Charts I had done were sorted out and are in the box for donation. And I know exactly what I have and where it is.
There are two tedious bit of organizing yet to be done with the needlework items - DMC floss and Mill Hill beads. Spinning fibers and gear will be done today, but the quilting fabric is nearly untouched - I have only sorted out my small collection of 1930s reproduction fabrics and my even smaller collection of American Civil War reproduction prints. But I'm moving on to knitting yarn (by far the largest stash by volume) this week because I need to get those half dozen tubs/bins out of the middle of the dining room! At least floss and beads are small and easily moved out of the way, and the quilting fabric is all still in the under bed storage.
Around both Christmas and craft reorganizing, my usual projects got some love this week as well.
Dutch Beauty is at nine and a half hours! The top of the lily pot is done. Just the little squirrel motif that goes over the page break to finish and this rotation slot (AND page U/21) will be done. I'll lay it all out with a full photo in the changeover post later.
The big news, though, is the Sampler Sweetbag. I really want to get this piece to FFO (Fully Finished Object) status by the end of the year. It's dated 2020 - over one. Not pulling that out. Since there are only a couple of weeks until the end of the year, the sweetbag needs my attention.
On Friday, I got it out of the WIP bin. I'd gotten the inter-lining basted on both the front and back when I worked on it last (in October). I was determined to use my weekend crafting time to get the seams done. I may yet make it. The bottom seam and one side are all hand stitched and the final side is set up and ready to go. I am doing a fine ladder stitch over three to four threads to attach the front and back of the sweet bag.
The original pattern has the maker machine stitch the lining fabric to the linen at the point where the top of the bag sits, but that means that the eyelets would be through both a layer of linen and layer of calico / quilter's cotton. I find eyelets through two layers of linen to be much easier and much neater. So I am going to cut the top long enough to fold over and reach the line of the embroidery again. Then I need to decide how to attach the pretty lining fabric. Still thinking about that, so I haven't cut the top of the linen yet. You can see the selvage edge of the linen to the left just below my needlebook.
I know someone will ask, the needlebook is from a free Drawn Thread pattern. The pattern is for a fob as originally written. It is called "Heart Throb", and it is still available on the DT website. For such a tiny piece, it has a nice variety of specialty stitches.
Today, I need to finish my squirrel on Dutch Beauty, get the third side seamed on the Sweetbag and make another batch of cookies. And check out the rest of the SSS crew (link to the current round up).
your stitching is always so pretty to look at you really do a good job on it
ReplyDeletethank you. Both of these projects have been around for a long time, so getting progress on them makes me very happy.
DeleteWonderful projects you are working on this week! Such a good idea to keep track of the time spent on a project. I haven't don't that before and people always ask, so maybe I'll try that in the new year?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your organizing and slow stitching!
I've been tracking my needlework hours for several years now. The 'rules' of my rotation keep me moving along on a variety of projects. Ten hours is enough to see some progress, but short enough that if I'm bored with a project I can power through. Without the time component, I was always shorting (or skipping)the less interesting projects.
DeleteDon't you feel great when you have done some sorting and organising I need to do the same! Sounds like your socks are coming along great, I managed to finish mine last night yay! Your sewing is lovely.
ReplyDeleteEven though these have pretty short legs, getting to the heel flap feels like half way done. Congrats on your finish! That's always a good thing.
DeleteGreat projects you are working on this week. I will probably organize after Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI have a contractor coming right after the first of the year to get some electric work done in the room that has been my craft storage. I'm using that as an excuse to get it cleared out!
DeleteThe stitching on the bag is very effective. Putting cord/ribbon through casing or through the fabric is sometimes tricky to achieve a neat finish.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful stitching. I can't imagine tackling organizing as well as all the holiday baking and decorating. I usually leave that for January.
ReplyDeleteJUST the crafting stuff moving from the upstairs to the basement and only because I have an electrical contractor coming the second week in January! The timing isn't optimal, but I have to get the malfunctioning baseboard heater out of the upstairs room ASAP. In the mean time, the circuit is cut off at the main panel and it is COLD up there - hence everything piled in the dining room! Oh the joys of a 100 year old house LOL.
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