October 3, 2011

I have no restraint or Two New Starts

Every year I 'reward' myself with a new start at Retreat.....or rather twice a year I reward myself since I attend a spring and a fall retreat.   This year was no different..........I really have no business starting a new project but than again, it is all about justifying it and you know we stitchers can justify the 'need' to buy something or the 'need' to start something.    I have finished 10 of my 2011 iChallenge of 15 projects and resisted all year to start something new knowing I was scheduled for two classes.   Now in addition to the two class pieces I have two new starts from my retreat.  (Oops - signed up for a Catherine Theron Class in late October! so make that three class pieces this year.)  I really am thinking that 2012 needs to be the year of shaving some of those WIP's off my list because the number of 9 WIP's only counts what is in my workbasket in my family room and not what is stowed away in my sewing room.  Oh the things we squirrel away.

I believe I will start working in a one week rotation on my projects as well as packing one of them in my stitching bag for a traveling project.   You know, the kind that you can take to friends easily.  I bought a neat project bag at retreat.   I love these mesh bags and now to have one with handles, how cool is that?


Tto memorialize my WIP's, here are the final four five of my 2011 i-Challenge.  LHN - Heart of America, The Sheltering Tree, Jeannette Douglas - My Sewing Box and Bent Creek - The Leaf and Lizzie Kate's -  ABC's of Aging. 

Heart of America - I am enjoying and have made the most progress on this one.   It sits on my scroll bars and is easy to access for a quick few stitches before work. 

The Sheltering Tree, I need to concentrate on this one when I stitch but I love the silk threads I am using.  I saw several of my fellow stitchers on Retreat doing this same project and love the difference colors some are using.   Mine seems boring now.  



My Sewing Box is a favorite that I haven't picked up enough which is ashame because Jeannette Douglas uses the best colors and softest  flosses.  Before I started this in January, it is a project that I wanted to undertake for years.   I think I will be able to move fast once I put it on my scroll bars after I finish Heart of America and free up my scroll frame.

Lizzie Kate's the ABC's of Aging has been my carry along project.  Taking it to guild meetings or friends for a quick few stitches.  But, alas, I am bored with it.....


The Leaf - I am not liking.  I think I used the wrong count fabric or too many threads.  And I thought this would be a quickie but I am finding it tedious!

My class pieces:   Gay Ann Rogers - A case for color.  This is my first canvas piece.   I had a stumble early on with this one with the center motif and I haven't picked it up since.  For shame.....


Jette Finlay-Roy - Whitework.   This is a new technique for me.  It is worked with pre-cut linen thread.  A friend from class is suggesting to do one thread per day and I think I will try her approach times two and vow to stitch two threads a day.

And now for my new starts:   Shakespeare's Peddler - Keys and Drawn Thread - Random Thoughts.  
There was a little restraint shown - I bought the Keys last fall at retreat. This will be a quick stitch and may become my carry along project. 

Random Thoughts has been in my stash pile for at least three years.  It is a piece I have wanted to do for a long time.  I am happy I finally started it. 

Oh look, a project for every mood!  If  2012 is the year to complete WIP's, 2013 will be the year of finishing!

7 comments:

  1. wow...what a variety...your right, every mood is covered :D! It will be fun watching your progress..your choices are wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow you are doing so well on your 15 challenge. I know you will get the rest of them done. Love your new starts. xx

    ReplyDelete
  3. That new bag is cool! I think you've done really well to get down to 5 from all of your challenge pieces this year. Wish I could have been at retreat to start Random Thoughts with you. Mine's been in the stash a lot longer than 3 years!

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's a lot of great looking WIPs, Robin. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have a lot of great projects!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great variety, Robin, in all of your projects! And they're all wonderful. I have more than enough WIPs and can't stop obsessing about starting more things. I suppose there could be worse things, right?! I love the new starts.

    I know one of the bloggers is doing a WIPocalypse type thing for 2012--I need to google it to see exactly what the deal is, but it's essentially working on your WIPs during the year. I am contemplating signing up for it. Of course, I am contrary enough that the minute I sign up, I will then want to start twenty new things. ;)

    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like you have a plan. I am afraid to even think about the amount of WIP, projects to be, etc. in my sewing room, let alone in the three baskets I keep downstairs in the family room! Yikes. And isn't that the truth that we need projects to fit the mood (or the level of tired/awake at night when finally sitting down to stitch).

    Looking forward to seeing the progress.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks is much for stopping by. I so enjoy your comments even if I do not always reply. Have a great day that hopefully includes a bit of stitching.