February 2016

Stitch from Stash was cancelled/closed.  I was pretty disappointed because I felt like I was doing a good job not spending/staying within budget.  I really wasn't in it for the prizes at the end of the month.  So now it is completely up to me to track my spending and stitching.  So here it is.
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In January we went to an estate sale that advertised a "sewing crafter's dream" and it was mostly what I suspected.  There was a lot of fabric for someone who sewed clothes.  There were crochet hooks and knitting needles, most of which I didn't need.  However, I did find one Tunisian crochet hook so I grabbed that up.  There was also a lot of plastic bins with miscellaneous crafting stuff in them.  (Feathers, pony beads, sequins, etc.)  There was even some plastic canvas, but I found no cross stitch or even embroidery supplies except for one kit in which you were to put it on a piece of clothing.  Out in the garage were all the boxes of yarn and more crochet hooks.  DH found a hook for me in the brand that I am currently collecting and a size that I don't have.  It was marked $9 from a specialty store and I paid 50 cents for it.  All together I paid $5 for:  a jelly roll pan (for cakes) two crochet pattern books, two crochet hooks and two skeins of yarn.
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As for my stitching, I really got into Guilt Free January this year.  I decided that it was time to go through my WIP list (Works In Progress) and clean it up a bit.  To start with I finished 4 old projects and was able to take them off the list.  Then one project was started by my daughter as a teenager.  If I pick up where she left off I would have to rip out the whole thing so it becomes a UFO (Un-Finished Object).  Another one became a UFO because I have no idea where to find the person it was meant for.  Another one needs to be restarted on different fabric.  Two others were started on (cheap) fabric.  The plan is to keep stitching on them as is.  When the fabric runs out, start on a new piece and finally hand sew the two together.  The other option would be to throw these away and start over again.  Since I have so many started I figure I can put those on the back burner and decide on that later.  In the mean time I have reclaimed the floss that was set aside for these two and put it back into my stash to use.
Now starting new projects is exciting!  To me it's actually more exciting than finishing a project.  So for GFJ 2016 I started 5 new projects.  Enchanted Mermaid by Mirabilia


Disneyland Map

Emerald Treasure by Lesa Steele

Mickey Self Portrait

Mickey & Walt heading to the Castle
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Mermaid is coming along the best and all the Disney ones are rather large and going to take a long time.  Emerald Treasure is one I've had for a long time and have been wanting to start it for years.  Now it's just finding a place in the rotation.
I am now down to 34 on my WIP list!  I haven't been down this low in I don't know how long and I'm really excited!  It means I'm being a lot more discriminating in what I'm starting and having a bit more self control in how many I'm starting at any given time.  I'm also finishing some as I go along which is really helpful.
I have also changed my rotation a bit.  I'm trying out a system where I have two focus pieces that I can pick up (or not) every day.  (And one of those slots is empty right now.)  Then Monday thru Friday there is a specific one (different every day) that I must pick up and do something with.  Saturday and Sunday are "open" to anything I want to work on because weekend plans change and I may not be available to stitch at all.
Well, that brings everything up to date.  I will try to remember to post more often and hopefully with some pictures!