2012 Challenges: 13.1 & 52/52

Because I am nothing if not ambitious (and perpetually almost willfully unaware of my limits), I have set myself a set of challenges for 2012, one old, one renewed: finish 52 projects in 52 weeks and knit, crochet, sew, or spin a combination of 13.1 miles (23,056 yards).

I'll be counting.  Will you?

2010 In Review

2010 was my most productive year, needlework-wise, ever.  I also tried a lot of new things, this year.

In 2010, I completed 26 knitted projects (27 if I finish my Spearhead Cowl tonight).  I also finished two large home-dec sewing projects: a replacement for the way worn-out comforter cover and a new tree skirt, since the one I made in 2004 was far too small for our tree.

Daydreaming about summer skies

and warm days where it wouldn't be unreasonable to wear a sweet cotton skirt instead of sweats, slippers, and a blanket (as I am, now, on this 36-degree gray, gray, gray day.)

And I've been daydreaming about what I want to pack for Hawaii (in July - I'm not planning ahead, just daydreaming) and doodling with SWAP boards.

Like this one.

Shoes, found at Zappos, are $85.  If I was sure I'd be able to stand to wear them while teaching, I would so snap them up.  But I'm unfamiliar with the brand.  Need to research - after I finish this stack of lesson plans and philosophy statements.

So, um, Yay! Finishes!

I finished the wedding dress. Actually, it ended up being Mom and SIL who finished the dress while I was off getting turned into Fancy Me. I had to calmly ask Mom to stop sewing because I had the sandwiches for the reception in the back of my car. Pretty dress was/is pretty. Maybe not as reusable as I'd hoped, but pretty.

(Yes, the neckline is high. There was some miscommunicaton.)

During my Month of Southern Living and House Cleaning, I got some knitting done. I flew down to Alabama on December 24, arriving the afternoon of the 25th. I finally got to come home this past Friday, January 22.

I may pull this off, yet.

Instead of fixing what I did to my dress muslin by interfacing the cut-up pieces, I decided to use the medium-weight interfacing to make a new pattern. I pinned the cut-up pieces of fabric to the interfacing, traced the pinned fabric to mark the stitching line, then added a six-inch hem to the bottom of each piece and a two-inch seam allowance to the top and sides.

Brief panic ensued when I ran out of interfacing at piece seven of eight. Duct tape + smaller pieces = useable interfacing piece. (I'll zig-zag along that seam this afternoon after work so there's no incidental shifting. Because that would throw off my pattern, and I don't want that!)

Nothing like a deadline for motivation.

It took me three months to complete the muslin for my wedding dress and 20 minutes to create problems for myself by cutting the dress apart along the stitching line instead of ripping the seams.

I have absolutely no idea what possessed me.

Tonight's plan: make muslin pieces into pattern pieces by stabilizing with Serious Interfacing. If that fails, backup plan: make new muslin from original pattern and get to altering.

I have less than a month to go. Better get to work!