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Oh, I so love the idea of A Year of Living Creatively! What a good idea!
A friend of mine made a rule a few years ago that Thursdays are her quilting days. She won't go out or answer the phone on Thursdays, and her husband has instructions not to interrupt her for any reason. He does, though, of course.
My 2018 resolution will be to actually finish every sewing project I start. Of course, the term "project" can be interpreted variously !
I just received 8 garment patterns I had ordered on-line, and am now in the process of choosing a fabric for one pattern. On-line again, unfortunately, as I do live in a fabric desert as we discussed earlier. I looked at some of the fabric stores others have recommended. B&J, which was new to me, has beautiful stuff, but BOY is it EXPENSIVE! I love fabrics so much, but sadly my pockets don't match my tastes. It's fun choosing, though.
I'm still looking for an older Bernina or Pfaff, as recommended by some of you in my previous thread about what new sewing machine to buy. Hopefully I'll have one on hand by the end of the year, so that my 2018 can be a year of creative sewing.
Last edited by 601halfdozen0theother; 11-24-2017 at 12:44 PM..
How do you get to selling your things? And how on earth do you manage to make enough to fill a booth or table at a show?
There's an alpaca farm nearby and something else exotic and they both open up on certain days. It's on my list to get there and fondle the goods (none of which I think I could comfortably afford).
My show season runs September through early January so I have lots of time the remainder of the year to work on items. At my first show, I didn't have a lot of items so I spread everything out. Now I have a problem fitting everything in.
I love selling at shows---it gives me purpose in retirement--- and if anyone out there is interested in doing this, I would suggest starting at a small show such as a church bazaar where the vendor fee is low and you will be furnished with a table so there will be a small display area. By talking with the other vendors, you will get recommendations of other shows to do.
I have a small herd of alpacas and this is the fiber I work with. The reason it is more expensive than wool is due to the higher cost of processing.
I love cross stitch, too. I did so many things I ran out of people to give things to, and I haven't done much for years. Any for years. But I'm sort of starting to think cross stitch would be a better thing to take on down to our winter place than knitting - because knitting takes so much paraphanalia (I do loom knitting). Once you get all your colors together for a cross stitch project, you don't need a lot of other stuff, except that I did it with a frame. I think these days I would need one of those big bright lights, too, though.
Just get a floor lamp with one of those adjustable necks that you can move to exactly where you want. i dont know the name of this type of lamp, but it extends over you rather than be on the side of you.
If you dont have a Michael's or Joann's Fabrics you can get stuff on line, more than you'd think and its about the same price, but you have to wait a week or two for delivery.
I do go to the store and get supplies for 3 projects at a time, that way my next project and thread is ready.
Also i recommend getting this very soft Aida - its either called soft aida, french aida which lays like a blanket and is not stiff, so easier threading. JOann's Fabrics has it online. Its wonderful!!!
I have to get back into it again - cross stitch. We are getting ready to go down to Florida and I think I will take the old poinsettia down and see how far I get with it - it's been about 2/3 done since, oh, maybe 2009.
I have to get back into it again - cross stitch. We are getting ready to go down to Florida and I think I will take the old poinsettia down and see how far I get with it - it's been about 2/3 done since, oh, maybe 2009.
I might try some crewel or cross stitch again. I live on a bird street, so maybe a pillow cover with the bird on it. I have a lot of embroidery floss, and it seems a shame to waste it.
I also have a lot of gray yarn from a knitting project I never finished. I just was reminded of the knit poncho that Martha Stewart wore on the way to, or on the way back from prison, which is pretty, and I hear the pattern is online. Maybe I’ll knit one.
A few years ago I decided to have a year of living creatively. I made tons of stuff, and I was at my sewing machine daily.
That Christmas I got a crewel kit of the ruffed grouse, the Pennsylvania State Bird. And it’s sat. I think I’m going to have to institute another creative year. It’s funny, the things I love to do always seem to get shunted to the rear to do things that don’t bring me joy.
Gotta stop that.
How true; sometimes I think those of us who have more than one hobby zero in on one for a long time and get burnout. Then we go on to another and do the same thing over and over. I've been burned out on quilting large items; so I started doing quilted handbags and got burned out on those also. These days I may be getting burned out on knitting I may have to take my creative side back to the 70's when I loved doing crewel when my girls were napping.
Hi QuilterChick, I think I may be getting burned out on knitting, too. After switching to loom knitting, first year I did about 15 scarves for everyone, next year hats and scarves, next year did sweaters, hoodies and blazers, this year I have done about 10 pairs of wristers and can't seem to make myself finish a blazer I started early in the year.
I wish we lived nearby and could do a swap since I'm certain I have a crewel kit for a bit beautiful owl. I got it as a gift and had already done it, so imagine the poor gift giver who came in and saw it on the wall! I had the poor thing in a yard sale in September and no takers.
ndcairngorm - I bet you finish that poinsettia this time.
ndcairngorm - I bet you finish that poinsettia this time.
Well I think the reason I never finished it (besides getting a bit burned out) was that it was on black. But maybe if I take it down to Florida and can get it into some strong sunlight I will have an easier time with it. It was the last in a long line of ever more complicated things and didn't deserve to get forgotten in my bag all this time, but ...those things happen. My eyes are not what they were when I started cross stitching back decades ago. I, too, have LOTS of embroidery thread - at one point I had every color they made (but they've thought up lots of new colors since).
Well I think the reason I never finished it (besides getting a bit burned out) was that it was on black. But maybe if I take it down to Florida and can get it into some strong sunlight I will have an easier time with it. It was the last in a long line of ever more complicated things and didn't deserve to get forgotten in my bag all this time, but ...those things happen. My eyes are not what they were when I started cross stitching back decades ago. I, too, have LOTS of embroidery thread - at one point I had every color they made (but they've thought up lots of new colors since).
None of our eyes are what they were. I use an OTTlite, but they sell daylight bulbs in the hardware store for less, and I have bifocals (like an old person! imagine). I think you're right about the sunlight, especially with black, and I hope we have you sufficiently re-interested. Nothing like enablers, is there?
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I may have to take my creative side back to the 70's when I loved doing crewel when my girls were napping.
