I can't believe how fast this year has flown by - how can it possibly be June already!? Hopefully after next weekend life can slow down a little bit, and we can get into a bit more of a routine... The fatigue doesn't like an exciting life at all!
This week I'm going to tell you about some of my projects, WIPs and UFOs, to try and inspire me to get some of them done soon and out of the "to do" pile (and also to try and stop me picking up more new projects for a bit)!
Market Day
It has finally arrived! This Saturday is the Eastwood Uniting Church Annual Market Day, raising money for the Exodus Foundation. I am having a stall at the market, selling scarves and beanies (and hopefully taking some orders for more animals!). 20% of my sales and orders is going to support Exodus, so if you're in Sydney and want to check out my stuff, and get some super cheap toys, jam, cakes, books, clothes and white elephants, come on down!
My cousin Tracey, also a crochet artist, has sent me some very cute wool beanies and headbands to sell as well! You should definitely go check out her work at Cooper's Craft Corner :)
My amazing Mum has been making me some organza bags for my customers - what do you think? A nice touch?
And, because everything we do is a family effort, my talented sister has made me a new set of tags for my wares. Don't they look good!
So, hopefully that goes well. I've decided if I sell 5 things, it'll be considered a success :) Any more is just a bonus!
Coming Full Circle Cardi
You know how you have those moments sometimes, when you see something and your brain just stops and shouts "WOW! MUST HAVE/DO THAT RIGHT NOW!!" Wandering through Ravelry about a week ago, I stumbled across the Coming Full Circle Vest by Lily Chin, and wow! I had to make it for me, right then. It's published in a book rather than online, but thankfully (?) there were so many errors in the published pattern that the whole thing is in the errata notes on Interweave's website! It feels a bit naughty, but the book is very expensive to buy when I just want the one pattern.
Using Moda Vera Fayette in Pastel Mix (my favourite self-striping yarn is back in Spotlight! Yay!), I've been happily v-stitching round and round in circles for the last week or so :) It's not quite finished yet in this photo, but I wanted to try it on!
I'm up to the border now. The pattern asks for a shell/picot border, and.. well, after my Sunday Poncho I just don't think I can face more picots just at the moment. After a little Google image search (such a great way to look at lots of pictures!), I think I've decided on this two strand braid. What do you think?
Lily Pond CAL
After a slow start, I'm starting to enjoy the Stylecraft/Jane Crowfoot Lily Pond Blanket CAL. I'm not quite up to date at the moment though! The colours are just beautiful - very reminiscent of a pond. I'm glad I chose to do mostly Stylecraft Special DK with a few Life DK colours thrown in when there wasn't a Special DK to match, as it seems to be lighter and brighter than the original while retaining some deep colours for the deep waters of the pond.
The Order Mountain
I'm slowly working my way through my crochet orders. Fortunately my clients give me lots of notice so I don't have to be stressed about getting things done. Next off the rank is a cute pink and tan hippo, and then some Crocodile Stitch Booties in lovely Moda Vera Fayette Jewel Mix! Just like these ones, but adult sized ;)
Tumbling Blocks Baby Blanket - New Pattern
In between everything else, I've been steadily working on my Tumbling Blocks Baby Blanket Pattern - both writing up the (sometimes very odd) instructions for the squares, and crocheting away on the prototype. It's looking really good so far, if I do say so myself! I'm hoping to get it done and published by the end of July, but that really depends on the order list, work, the fatigue monster and whatever else falls in my lap in the next few months!
Overlay Crochet Purse - "Turkish Doorways" - New Pattern
Somewhere at the bottom of my cotton yarn bag is a half-done, half-written, half considered new pattern for a little coin purse (or pencil case or phone case or clutch - so many options!). I really need to pull it out, get it finished and written up, and then published, to get it out of my hair!
And... don't even ask me about my cross-stitch. It hasn't been out of the bag in at least a month!
Do you have any projects that just feel like they will never end?
How do you inspire yourself to finish them off?
Phew, you sound busy. Things are rather like that here too. Like you I am also hoping to do a wips post as my way of making get on with them! The crocodile boots look so fun :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon! Sitting down and writing a list really made me realise how busy I am - maybe it's not so unreasonable that I've been so tired recently?
DeleteThat is a HUGE list of commitments! You are so lucky to have such a supportive team around you to take some of the load. Yay team!
ReplyDeleteI am currently inspiring myself to finish off projects by not buying any more yarn! I also have been coming across various project "to-do" lists and "queues" (none of which really match each other having been written at different moments) so trying to review and collate into one place so they don't get forgotten.
Good luck at the market! One of my friends has been an active supporter of Exodus Foundation so I have told her about your market. Have fun!
Thanks Jodie! Perhaps the fatigue is a bit more justified than I thought :P The team is priceless, and I do love them all so!
DeleteI'm afraid I have lots of projects that need to be finished. I'm really pleased with myself for having finished quite a few recently, including a tepestry that is now being framed. I have to make myself put the brakes on, not start any more projects and get some finished. Of course, I never get them all finished before I MUST give in and start something new!
ReplyDeleteHah I do that all the time... There are just so many pretty things out there that I want to make!
DeleteI hope the market day goes well for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'll report back next week :)
DeleteYou've taken a lot on! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI have quite a pile of unfinished myself, somehow I don't think it will happen during the summer :-)
Amalia
xo
Enjoy the sunshine!!
DeleteNo tips I'm afraid, I'm always finding yarn I have to buy immediately and then have several wips all needing to be finished, my longest running wip is a cross-stitch, I've been doing it off and on for 4 years. Hx
ReplyDeleteI love to start new projects so there are quite a few WIPs lying around. I also started the Lily Pond blanket but from cotton yarn and it is quite exhausting because the yarn I've chosen likes to split. So my progress is very slow, as well. But I know that some day I will finish it and that's okay. Take good care of yourself, Viola
ReplyDelete