Friday 4 January 2013

2013, a year of planning

The run up to last Christmas taught me that my planning was off kilter and if I was to achieve what I had expected of myself in my head then I needed to get organised. So I sat down and put the paper all the projects I have ever wanted to complete but felt that I didn't have enough time to do.

For Christmas this year (I know we have only just packed away the last one...!) I'm aiming to make as many of the presents I give as possible. For starters, my children will be getting quilts as one of their main presents.

But for now the main things I want to do (or just finish) are:
  • Finish Swoon quilt
  • A ripple blanket
  • A granny square blanket both crocheted and patchwork
  • Finish my daughters Kina cardigan
No doubt the list will grow but I want to tick more stuff off than just start new projects and will be making a concerted effort to get through what's already 'on the go'. I also plan on getting to grips with my camera and taking more pictures, my new little obsession with instagram is at least getting more pictures taken. 

And having just been over at Emma's and seeing her memory jar, I think it's just what I need to remember those little moments of this year because 2012 passed me by in a blur!!

And now I'm up to date, today blog post will be up later on, right now though? Time for tea and toast!

Lots of love, Amy x


WIP Wednesday

Before the year was out and despite having umpteen other projects on the go, I started a Daybreak Shawl. I don't know why, it's lovely, maybe that's why, but it's another project to put on the long list of ongoing ones I have around me at the moment.

My aim with this shawl, as is with my crochet, is for it for be a project to pick up whilst the kids are about and I have twenty minutes spare (wishful thinking I know, but I maintain life in a slightly deluded state). So what that in mind, it'll be finished in maybe the next few years.

Here it is so far...



Lots of love, Amy x





Tuesday 1 January 2013

I had grand plans in 2012. Some which saw fruition and some which didn't. I go in 2013 with renewed vigour for the projects I want to do and the plans I have.

To kick start it all January is a time for me to set myself some challenges, something to focus the mind. I have today starts a photo a day challenge, which you can see on instagram #fmsphotoaday. My other challenges include a blog post a day, exercising daily and spending some time getting my life in order. All of this will hopefully enable to enjoy time at home doing what I love.

Tomorrow I'm going to have a look back over 2012 and everything it involved. And what I'll take from that year into this.

I hope everyone enjoyed their new years eve and have plenty of fun time ahead of them for 2013.

Lots of love, Amy x

Wednesday 10 October 2012

WIP Wednesday

A real quickie because I am in the midst of wrapping presents and baking a cake for my daughters 6th birthday tomorrow (how did 6 happen so quickly??).

As mentioned in Monday's post, I have finished the cushions I had on the list over the weekend, and I've also basted (meaning it's ready to be quilted) the BIG quilt.

The past few days I've had delivery of fabric for a nursery bunting order, and have finally (FINALLY) got my mitts on the natural linen I needed to finish off my Dad's cushion that I started, oh, well, ages ago *cough*. So they shall be coming off the to do list shortly.

As I'm wrapping her presents, which this year are all store bought, I'm kicking myself and have made a pledge that next year she will more handmade things as she loves them as much as I do. That said, I had planned on making a slip for her new tablet she's getting, but since that hasn't arrived I haven't been able to, so I did have something planned, at least!

Hope you're all having a lovely evening. xx

PS - I'm taking christmas orders, if you're after gifts, or decoration of any kind, please message me and I'll see what I can come up with, but sooner rather than later as you know how busy this time of year can get and I'd hate to disappoint anyone :)




Monday 8 October 2012

WIP: Complete

A little post weekend round up. 

Sampler Pillow (being secretive in case the recipient sees, and a  Shabby  Chic Patchwork Pillow


I love a bit of hand embroidery



 I forgot to add my label to the big pillow, but made sure I got it on the Sampler one, I love it!


Hope you're all having a good start to the week xxx

Wednesday 3 October 2012

WIP Wednesday

A new regular feature for the iSewStitch blog. Since I have so many ongoing projects, of my own and as orders, I need a place to document all of them and their little journeys to being completed.

So, inspired by many blogs around, and by my friend Emma  Wednesday's are now for WIPing.

As I mentioned, I have A.L.O.T of ongoing projects. Some might say i.e. me, that there are too many. Some may also say i.e. me, that I need to not start anything else until they are all done. Needless to say (have I said 'say' too much yet?) I'm not one to listen to my own advice...make of that what you will.

When making a little huge list of my current going's on I start to get a little freaked out buy its ever growing form. This is going to be cathartic I keep telling myself, and worth my while. My aim is that by Putting It Out There it will spur me on to get more of it done rather than being easily distracted by other things.

So here goes...

I have had this lovely quilt top here made for a couple of weeks now and have just taken delivery of a mammoth amount of batting, so a serious quilting session is coming up for me this weekend. I'm hoping it'll be done and out to its new owner in the next week or so.



I'm at the lovely hand embroidery stage of this project which is a customer order. This will be done by the weekend and I can't wait to see it finished!





A very long time ago I started this for my Dad, and have been waiting on a teeny tiny bit of natural linen to finish it off. I'm sadly still waiting for it to be stocked, so I may be going back to drawing board with this one.




Don't be fooled into thinking that's it. I have quite a few orders in the queue, didn't think my order forms were of much interest, but they're there niggling at me telling me to get them done. I also have two quilts on the go for me to keep, which is ever so exciting and I really can't wait for them to be finished, but if I'm honest, it's going to take a while.  And then there's the hexie pillow, the lounge cushions, the Kina I'm knitting, the Ripple I'm crocheting...sigh

I won't even get started on what my plans are for Christmas, I have Camille Roskelley's stocking pattern sat on my desk, AND the fabric ready for it, but IT IS GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT!

I couldn't go without sharing my recent bargain. Red Heart yarn down 70%, this little lot came in at £13. Bargain! I have boot cuff's, cowls and two Kina's planned for this little lot, aim to finish it all about 2020, yeah? Yeah!


And as the saying goes, that's all folks! x

PS Not much can get done with these two gorgeous, but highly distracting creatures around! Love them!




Sunday 23 September 2012

Admin Day of Rest

I took advantage of the rainy weather and an empty house for an hour to finally get my craft room back into some order.

Rainy days in our world

When I started iSewStitch, my order tally was quite low and I could keep track of them with just my brain and perhaps the odd list written down on the back of an envelope in my handbag. But with the increase in orders (and ideas) I've been struggling to keep track. Now though I have adopted what seems a fairly robust system and hopefully I'll feel much more organised (and I seriously have to knuckle down since my new sparkly spreadsheet has *ten* ongoing orders at the moment! Eek!

I'm looking foward to a week getting most of them finished and off to their new homes so that I can focus on products for Christmas and perhaps make a start (or finish) the projects I have going on for myself :)

Hope you're having a happy Sunday.

xxx