Hello 2017!

So, who’s looking forward to 2017? Can we say it starts tomorrow in order to protect David Attenbrough???

I have compiled a list of goals for next year, a variety of crafting/learning new skills/personal development. I’m really excited to start!

There are three crafting(ish) ones I’m aiming for:

1)Have birthday/Christmas presents planned by the end of February

This one is actually mostly done. I need to come up with something for my dad’s birthday, and I currently have a blanket down for my parents Christmas, but I’m not sure about that one… I’ve started a spreadsheet with everyone’s birthday/fav colour and what they’ve had from me previously to make this much easier, and it’s definitely working! I can do a larger post on this later if people are interested?

2) Stitch and finish my Christmas stockings.

I want 24/25 of them to become an advent calender for me, the others I’m not so sure on. Maybe Christmas tree decorations? So far I think I have about 3 done (but they’re currently up in York so I can’t check!)

3) Complete the November crafting challenge. Either NaKniSweMo, or NaCrossStitchMo.

I have a couple of options for this. There’s a butterfly fairy cross stitch I’d like to do from a couple of issues of one of the cross stitch magazines I’ve got. Alternatively, I still have Cockatoo Brae to do (because doing NaKni with a 4ply yarn is such a great idea…). Or I could figure out how many hexagons on my scrappy blanket that would be and do that (this would be the easiest to keep track of whether I’m on track…). Or just a generic blanket, as I totally want a proper blanket for myself!

 

So what do you think? Any thoughts will be gratefully read! Are any of you planning on anything similar???

Camera Found! And plans for the new year

So, I found my camera yesterday. I thought I had brought it home! So here are some photos of the cross stitch kits I got for Christmas 🙂 I have already started the butterfly one

But I haven’t just been working on cross stitch this holiday. Before Christmas I bought an inspiration pack from my local yarn shop, here in Salisbury, and one day I just had to organize the lovely sparkly thread. So I would the 12 lengths I had on a few cut up empty toilet roll holders. Wonderful things those, so much crafty potential. And then immediately afterwards, I had to start crocheting them, it was just too lovely. I should’ve taken a photograph, but I got a little bit caught up. As evidenced by the pile of crocheted stars sitting next to me, waiting very patiently for their ends to be woven in, and string up on a garland. So, the sparkliness! There was only enough yarn in each bit to make 4 stars, so I now have 48 stars waiting for me 🙂 Oh, the loveliness. I’ll finish them off today, and this will be my last finish for 2013!

I have also been thinking about plans for what to make over this coming year. One of my biggest problems is that I have too much to make, and so rather than think about it all and decide, I don’t do anything. Obviously, this plan needs to change… I need to do more crafting things. It’s like a drug. So I thought that by giving myself a general overview for each month this coming year, I should be able to do more. Obviously, I’m not going to sweat it if I want to work on something else, this list is just for when I can’t decide what to work on.

So here is my plan:

January: stuff for my etsy shop. I would really like to get one up and running, and if I keep putting it off, it’s never going to happen!

February: summer things. I have a top on the go, and also several birthday presents this year are for summery things which can be made here

March: crochet. Can be anything, I just thought it would be a good way for me to get more practice at it

April: presents. I have quite a wide range of things planned for presents, and this is a better plan than trying to get a month for each different present!

May: summer things again. After all, summer is nearly upon us by this point

June: stuff for me. After all, it is my birthday in this month 🙂

July: Christmas. It is known as Christmas in July by crafters for a reason

August: finishing little bits and pieces. I have a bad habit of starting things, and then when they are nearly finished getting bored of them and putting them down. I also have a list of little things that need doing (sewing on some buttons, redoing the ribbing on my hat) that I just never get around to doing. This should give me the push to do them

September: big patterns. As in Spirit (it counts as large in my eyes, it was the first thing I’ve started with more than one page of chart!) and Pokemon (yeah, I decided that I do want to finish it, and I know someone who would like it when it’s done!)

October: socks!!!!!! No explanation needed there

November: a jumper for me 🙂 I have the yarn, and the pattern, just need to knit it. And what better month to knit my first jumper than in November?

December: Christmas jumpers. Ok, this almost certainly won’t get finished in this month…I may start it in July too, I guess…

So there we go. Each month I’ll also be putting up any particular aims for the month. They will be more important, like finishing off someone’s birthday present in time to post.

So there we have it. I’m feeling pretty confidant about this 🙂 Bring it on, 2014! I may do another post about what I want to achieve this year, or I may just keep a list with me.