Sampler September Progress

 In the cross stitch world Sampler September in a month when cross stitchers can focus on sampler stitching. There are no rules it's up to the stitcher if and how they mark Sampler September.

I decided just to work on my samplers over the month and see what the end result was.

The first project was Summer Quaker by Lila's Studio, which I'm stitching in the called for DMCs on a cream 40 count Zweigart linen.

Before:

After:

I also worked on Sampler Aux Chats by Jardin Privé. Sewn in my own DMC colour conversion, probably on a 32.count Antique White Zweigart evenweave.

Before:

After:

I also put some significant stitches into a secret project and couldn't not put some work in on Mini Tudor Allegory by Heaven and Earth Designs in the called for threads on 25 count evenweave.

Before:

After:

The Plan - The Outcome

 At the start of the year I set myself a fairly loose list of projects that I wanted to work on which I called my Plan. The aim wasn't to finish everything, I didn't want the stress of feeling I was failing to hit a target, more to give me a focus and try and stop me buying lots of new materials and stashing them away.

I think it has been mostly successful, here's the latest update:

UFOs were as follows:

1 Hue Shift Afghan        
2 Floozy                        
3 Sparkle Punch Quilt
4 Alice cushion              EPP complete, borders and quilting left
5 Aran squares              One complete plenty more to go!
6 Pumpkin mini

7 Xmas stars                 Still a WIP
8 Wedding quilt            Still going
9 Opal socks                 Replaced by other socks

10 Jessa shorts            Toile complete now going to be trousers

The 'Ready to Gos' were as follows:

1 Highland cushions       To be started
2 Colourwork stocking
3 Scheepjes hat
4 Scheepjes shrug          Change of plan to a wrap (not started)
5 Hitofude                     To be started
6 Blythes Spirit 
7 Lottie and Albert Blanket   Removed
8 WM quilt
9 Bird quilt                    One EPP project at a time
10 Xmas mini                Needs to be started soon!
11 Socks
12 Cross stitch bookmark    Playing hide and seek

Not much change since October although the biggest change is that the Sparkle Punch Quilt is complete and gifted. I also decided that I don't need a Lottie and Albert Blanket and I can't think of a recipient for one so it's off the list.

As well as the items above I have also completed a Grace dress, Slipstravaganza shawl (still to be blocked), a Billie sweater, two Xmas stockings and five pairs of socks.

I like the use of a list, or lists, to keep me aware of what I have already got materials for. It also has worked as a place to list all the new projects that catch my eye and then I can decide whether to do them or just keep them as possibilities. I have definitely stressed myself out less this year by not planning to try and do everything, although I have slipped a little with sock yarn - though I'm working through it and variety is nice! My stash has gone down this year, although that has been helped by a couple of ruthless clear outs.

I'm going to adopt the same list approach next year, trying to balance out the crafts and project sizes so I don't get bored. I will refine it over the next few days and share it here as it has been fun to look back. 

Does "The Plan" Still Exist?

I'm pleased to say yes it does and yes I'm still working from it ... to a certain extent!

So a first a quick reminder of the two main lists that were the basis of the plan with updates as to progress:

The UFOs are as follows:

1 Hue Shift Afghan        
2 Floozy                        
3 Sparkle Punch Quilt    Binding to go
4 Alice cushion              Still in progress
5 Aran squares              One complete plenty more to go!
6 Pumpkin mini

7 Xmas stars                 Still a WIP
8 Wedding quilt            Still going
9 Opal socks                 Replaced by other socks

10 Jessa shorts             Toile complete now going to be trousers

Hmm I'm sure I've completed more than that!

The 'Ready to Gos' are as follows:

1 Highland cushions       To be started
2 Colourwork stocking
3 Scheepjes hat
4 Scheepjes shrug          Change of plan to a wrap (not started)
5 Hitofude                     To be started
6 Blythes Spirit 
7 Lottie and Albert Blanket   And again
8 WM quilt
9 Bird quilt                    One EPP project at a time
10 Xmas mini                Needs to be started soon!
11 Socks
12 Cross stitch bookmark    Playing hide and seek

So 9 items off the list so far, and apart from face masks I think only one item has been completed that wasn't on either list - a Grace dress.

As may be assumed from my last post I am planning to swerve away from the lists, but not just for the Slipstravaganza Shawl but also with a Lovenote sweater that I am planning to knit in my upcoming week off which means it's also likely I'll have two big knitting projects on the go at the same time. 

Ah well some plans are made to be deviated from! 

Fearless Fair Isle - After Seven Years!

 I'm getting through my crafting projects pretty well at the moment, I guess I'm being assisted by all the current Coronavirus restrictions meaning more timd to craft. For example as I'm working from home I can do a bit of knitting during my lunch break (I could've done that at my office and I may do in future) and rather than spending an hour in the car at the end of the working day I get another hour to myself as my partner finishes work an hour after me (he does start an hour later in the morning). I'm also avoiding adding too many new projects to the list or pre-emptively buying materials for projects that are a long way off. 

Sock yarn doesn't count.

I thought pre-emptive buying was a habit I'd got into last year. When sorting out the yarn for my next knitting project I found this wasn't the case.

Price hidden intentionally.

Luckily I still want to make the project as much as I did if not more.

Hard to tell from the photo but this will be the Reindeer Romp Xmas Stocking from Fearless Fair Isle Knitting by Kathleen Taylor. Started well but turns out 7 years ago the shop was out of stock of one of the colours, after umming and ahhing I've now ordered a ball of the correct colour from what may be the same shop I bought it from originally (same name other end of the UK). This is a daylight project due to needing to read the chart so it may take a while, hopefully not another 7 years! 

Progress with The Plan

So the beginning of June seems as good a time as any to review my "plan", which was just my list of UFOs and planned makes which I am aiming to put a dent in this year whilst not adding too many new projects to the list. 

I broke my plan into 3 parts, so I'll update in those three parts. 

The first part was the UFOs as follows with progress updates:

1 Hue Shift Afghan - complete (except the ends, don't mention the ends) 

2 Floozy - just needs buttons purchasing

3 Sparkle Punch Quilt - on the quilting frame, getting my nerve together! 

4 Alice cushion - getting close to a completed flimsy

5 Aran squares - one added to the collection

6 Pumpkin mini - complete

7 Xmas stars - nothing much to report

8 Wedding quilt

9 Opal socks

10 Jessa shorts - slow progress has restarted on the toile

There has also been some progress (and removals) on the ready to go list:

1 Highland cushions

2 Colourwork stocking

3 Scheepjes hat - complete

4 Scheepjes Shrug - removed and planning to use the whirl for something else 

5 Hitofude

6 Blythes Spirit - next in line

7 Lottie and Albert Blanket 

8 WM quilt - basted 

9 Bird quilt - must stop collecting fabric for it! 

10 Xmas mini

11 Socks - one pair done, another 3/4 complete

12 Cross stitch bookmark

Of the Requires Refinement List I now know what pattern I will be using for the cat quilt, the joni dress has all the necessary materials purchased so is now in my dress making queue and the cowl may not be a purl soho one! 

All in all quite pleasing progress, and I haven't deviated too much from the lists. 

The Rest of the 2020 Plan

I mentioned in my 2020 Plan post that I'd broken my projects into 3 groups, I shared the first group, the started projects in that post, now I'll own up to the other two groups.

Ready To Go
1 Highland cushions
2 Colourwork stocking
3 Scheepjes hat
4 Scheepjes shrug
5 Hitofude
6 Blythes Spirit 
7 Lottie and Albert Blanket 
8 WM quilt
9 Bird quilt 
10 Xmas mini
11 Socks
12 Cross stitch bookmark

The list above are projects for which I have the pattern and all the materials ready to start whenever I need a new project. 

Require Refinement 
1 Cat quilt
2 Freya dress
3 Xmas lucy's terrace
4 Advent socks

5 Joni dress
6 Rainbow quilt
7 Purl soho cowl

And this list are projects that still need some elements purchasing for them. There is a chance that enthusiastic buying will cause one or two of these to change lists quickly!

So I have plenty to keep me entertained for the year and that's before any side track projects come along! And just a reminder that I have no target to finish a certain number of these projects, this is purely for interest (a reminder for myself). 

And just in case you think I'm being over optimistic I have made progress on three on my WIPs this week:

The third quarter of the Hue Shift Afghan is complete. 

And a little sewing has been achieved on the Alice cushion and the Xmas Stars quilt. 

The 2020 Plan

After some consideration I've decided on a plan for this year. I'm not going to set resolutions or target a number of projects to finish, I'm just going to work through my WIPs and see what I achieve and if I get distracted there's no pressure.

Luckily I have quite a lot of WIPs in various states of progress and across all my crafts so I shouldn't get bored!

I've broken my projects into 3 groups (there is a fourth but this is more of a wishlist of ideas so won't be featuring).

The first group is UFOs - projects already started, the second is the ready to go's - projects that are ready to be started whenever, the third is requires refinement - projects that need some extra bits, in at least one case a pattern, before they can be begun. 

The UFOs are as follows:

1 Hue Shift Afghan 
2 Floozy 
3 Sparkle Punch Quilt 
4 Alice cushion 
5 Aran squares
6 Pumpkin mini
7 Xmas stars
8 Wedding quilt
9 Opal socks
10 Jessa shorts

All things which have appeared previously on this blog and some items on which good progress is being made and to prove this here's the progress on the Hue Shift Afghan in the last three evenings...

I think I'll save the other two lists for later in the month. At least I'm not trying to complete any of them, in fact I'm expecting to add to them!