Art, Craft and Needlework, January, 2025

[Harriet]

A wonderful new beginning for our 2025 creative lives!

The year stretches ahead of us - what wonder will it bring?

For one thing, let's do keep LEARNING new methods and ideas. We can challenge ourselves to puzzle out some interesting techniques or even INVENT some new, clever projects or finishes.

How can we offer our art ability in new ways this year? I was thinking of Nancy's giving of her painted rocks in the past. Surprises left along the way for others. Can we surprise anyone? Is there a need we can meet or just a fun extra gift someone doesn't expect?

And speaking of FINISHES... .. how are those going?
Does anyone need to abandon a project that really can't be part of their future creativity? How can that be done well? Donation? Sale on a site like e Bay?
Does anyone (me) need to buckle down and insist on finishing some UFOs? How do we recapture the enjoyment we first saw in a project, btw? Do we need to give ourselves permission to change it halfway through and make it more interesting in the here and now?

How do you see 2025?

[Nancy]

Thanks Harriet.
I abandoned rock painting to get time for finishing up some wool spinning projects had to simplify.
I have gotten the cape did the ties today and I Just need to weave in the ends for those ties. Done.
I started a lavender ombre project but it is not quite the pattern I wanted so will be restarting it
I think yep and again third restart was a win I did not have to rip it all bout each time but most glad it's reknit to where I was yea!
I have some hot pads and dishcloths as on going adding to my collection of them before the fall give away some in the summer
were gifted too last year as I remember.
I am to the next section of the great grand child baby blanket apx 12" knit on it.
I have a blue variegated project cast on and knit an inch. or so to see how the colors would be.
I have Christmas vest to do before next Christmas
Jelly roll baby quilt.
Some one needs to organize her fabric pile me.

[Nancy]

Progress /
I cut out the fabric lining for a Cmas vest for next year
did not get it done for last year but there is next year.

[Nancy]

Finished pink and blue striped knitted baby blanket. 1-8-25
Yesterday completed a bright green hot pads found 2 dish cloth to go with the set.

[Harriet]

Those sound like warm and cozy January projects, Nancy. Seems like you got that baby blanket done quickly. I liked reading about your projects for the year, all the way out to getting a Christmas vest done.

I've just been doing a little bit on along on a small project for birthday gifts of what you would call coasters, I guess. Got the print fabric cut out and pinned to the background for the front. Pinned some "easy tear" stabilizer onto the back, hoping it will be stiff enough to help it keep machine applique flat. I think it's really just an inexpensive interfacing without much "cloth" to it, really. It's quite old - had it sitting around for ages and haven't used it much. I have never really done embroidery, which most people would probably assume it's for. I hope this doesn't fray. Can't use any kind of glue product if these are going to have to stand up to heat from mugs, so it will just have to be raw-edge under a blanket stitch.

Waiting until morning light to sew. My eyesight is just not good right now and I want to have the best chance of stitching close to edges, getting edges covered.

Have nearly run out of any off-white or beige thread. That will have to be bought. Probably the most used color.

[Harriet]

Did get that seam sewn well, and now have gotten a blanket stitch done all around the same. Very pleased with how it came out. Inside points and outside curves. Took some planning and I did some practice areas on scraps first.

It's just a small project and I gave up on making more than one - at least not now. So it's a mug rug, not a coaster set, lol. But it pleases me so much to do something that took some thinking. Now just to hope the next steps go as well. I'm finding my hands get shaky lately, not surprising I suppose. So, I will wait those times out.

Found "ecru" color thread. I remember years ago deciding that was just about the most practical color to have on hand.

[Harriet]

Twins', you would be shaking your head over me. I bought a stamping pad I thought was gray. It turned out "silver" and nearly invisible except for sparkliness. Not much help and too expensive for just one. Getting a pack of more than one color, way cheaper.

The mug rug is sewn, turned and sewn again near the edge so that it looks like piping around it (both back and the front background are the same fabric). Turned by cuting a circle in the back so it wouldn't tear more. Have made a nice larger circle of the front fabric and hand-basted that around the edge like a yo-yo, for covering it soon.

I think I'll wait on the arrival of the ecru thread tomorrow to sew that down/quilt the mug rug. I just don't like making up a bobbin of a small amount of thread. This way I can make a full bobbin and have it ready for lots of future things.

Meant to say the Tear-Away product tore away very well! No problems.

[Harriet]

Found SHEMs

Creativity is just intelligence having fun.

Fabrics don’t make exquisite dresses, it’s the stitches.

My sewing machine is my happy place.

Life is a seam of endless possibilities.

[Nancy]

I ran into a snag on the hot pads in bright green.
I have ran out just a few rows from the end.
I ripped back to the half way point to put in a stripe of white in it and have started on that currently.

Knitting on the blue ombre knitting projects as well.

[Nancy]

Harriet I am impressed that you are sewing!

I have re done the rows I ripped out and have the white stripe done and
finished up that hot pad.

Got some down time to knit and regroup it is great for reflection.