What are your crafty plans for 2014?

[SomewhereBeyondTheSea]

Hi all, sorry if there is already a thread along these lines, I did have a look but couldn't see one. Thought it would be nice to share ideas - I don't really have anyone irl I can ramble about knitting with!

I have just started the Ashton shawlette (Ravelry page: www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ashton-shawlette) - it's my first time following a lace chart, and I'm not very obedient at following patterns, so it'll be interesting to see whether I can stick with it ...

Using Sirdar country-style DK, in a kind of mustardy yellow, and 5.5mm needles, so I think it'll turn out quite a bit bigger than the 'official' pattern.

Anyone else got something on the go, or planned?

You've just reminded me, OP, that 2013 was going to be my year for finishing my UFOs. Oops. That'll be the plan for 2014 now . And also not to buy too much any more stuff.

daisychicken The morse code quilt was made by my friend (and quilting teacher!) for a Secret Messages quilt exhibition at Bletchley Park in 2012. She traced the pattern of some camouflage fabric onto her plain quilt top and also dots and dashes for the morse code message. Then she used different colours to quilt the camouflage pattern avoiding the morse code. There's a snippet of the quilt on her blog here

Thanks for the link Craftynclothy, the sneak peek of the quilt looks fab. Please show us yours when you get it finished!

I agree, the morse code quilt looks gorgeous. I was curious about that too but was afraid to ask as quilting is one craft I've never tried and really don't know anything about it. Thought it might be some kind of technical jargon between quilters!
Everyone's projects sound lovely and I can't wait to see some photos of the finished items.
happy crafting everyone

daisychicken tell more about your project with the art journals! it sounds v interesting. That was one of the things I wanted to do with my sampler quilt - work on each block each month and only decide what it would look like that month. Am thinking snowy house with a [new years resolution] tape measure/set of scales incorporated into it somehow...

Well..... I do art journalling, mixed media, scrapbooking etc plus I really need to keep a pain/meds/diet diary.. it hadn't occurred to me to combine the art with the boring but necessary record keeping until I read Roben-Marie's blog and stumbled on her "The Documented Life" project so I now have a diary to record in plus extra pages to add my art journalling in. I'm following the project for the prompts plus following Journal52 which is another free art journal prompt project. I also intend to add photos of my family, days out plus any quotes that are important to me so it will become a truly personal project and I hope one that I'll carry on doing.

The idea of a monthly sampler quilt sounds great! You could include anything from the weather to important events that happen in that month! I'm a bit too impatient to quilt... I give up too easily(!)

Journal 52 looks v interesting....I might sign up. Thanks.

I'm planning on making a stable/farmyard for my 7yo. I made a play castle this year which worked well and I made another for a friend, but the painting on a farmyard will be more difficult imo as this is smaller scale.

What do you plan to make it out of Skrifa? Would you need to paint much? Maybe a brick/stone effect floor and then grass? Could the fences etc not be made as well?

I was planning on using wood for the buildings. Stone effect would look interesting, I did that for the caste last year, but the stone look needed for a stable would be very different, so I think I will try. Otherwise, I would have stained the wood to varying degrees if planning a wooden effect, then painted where necessary. Then for the pig sty, I'm using acrylic (and using an acrylic bender). I was thinking of using some miniature grass roll for the grass, as it has quite a good realistic look to it and I saw some in a charity shop a bit back. We have fish, and some fake plants in shops could be easily cut down, so that they can be tons smaller and good for bushes.

The DC aren't the best players though, so I'm fixing a lot of the smaller stuff down, so if I do fences, I'm worried they'll end up broken, as the rest of it will be quite chunky and secure, but that might look odd for the fences!

I've already started a 2nd shawl - the same pattern on smaller needles and with thinner yarn! So, two on the go now. This will take me a while ...

Really great to hear so many interesting plans! Good luck with it all, everyone.

5HundredUsernames - I've definitely found it better using thicker wool and needles to get the hang of the pattern first. You could always have a practice go and then do a 'proper' version on thinner wool etc afterwards? Like doing a test square really.

Roguepixie - I admire your stashbusting plans, I should do the same really. Have got a lovely load of chunky wool in 'forest green' that I've been meaning to do a sweater with for ages. But I've chickened out of getting my head around sweater patterns ...

Hexiegone - what are UFOs?

Skrifa could you do dry stone walls instead of fences?

Just marking my place - will be back to post properly at a later date.

But your projects all sound amazing!

I am going to try out using some fimo type stuff.
I make cakes. one of the things I love about it is the sugarcrafting and modelling so I am going to have a little experiment with an alternative medium.

really looking forward to it.

skrifa I've been pondering your project all day... sounds so intriguing! I agree with TheWoolly as stone effect walls could be fixed in place and made much sturdier. The stable could still be wood walls but paint the floor inside and outside in the yard to look like brick/stone....

I want to complete 6 stitch or sew projects this year. I'm working on a cat design which will be DM's Mother's Day gift, then I plan an alphabet for a friend's baby and a new toy bag...for my cats I also want to do some funny geeky designs for Christmas presents.

Oooh, Journal52 is exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for to keep me inspired and motivated. Thank you for linking!

It looks great doesn't it? I'm planning my binder tonight! Is anybody else going to do it?

I've joined :)
Will be starting my binder tomorrow. Am rather excited!

I've only just discovered my crafty side. Learnt to crochet in September and started a simple granny square blanket. I'm about 1/4 way through. I'd like to finish that, cross stitch some Xmas cards, crochet a blanket for my niece due in late Feb, contribute to wooly hugs and I've signed up to a year long crochet afghan project at my local wool shop. Phew!

I want to finish my coat in the next week or so. At least I might get to wear it this year.

I'm hoping to get much more sewing done with what's in the stash. The only fabric I need to buy is black velvet, washed taffeta and some chiffon to finish projects already started. However I also want to do a wine velvet jacket so will need to get some! Although I do have the lining for it

Two skirts were cut today and 6 lengths pre-washed. Hopefully I can tack them together in front of Sherlock tonight and get my machines out tomorrow. I don't want to end up with masses of unfinished stuff around this year!

A coat? That sounds amazing - can you please post a pic when it's done?

I learned to knit over Christmas with the book Knitty Gritty and have just finished my first thing, a scarf. I'm going to work my way through the projects in the book (baby bootees next) and will then probably buy the follow up book and work through that. Ultimately I'd like to be able to make lovely things to wear.

I'm also fairly new to sewing, having got a machine for my birthday in the summer. I've made a few tops and skirts and a dress already and am about to start on this . I'm doing a practice run first in some cheap pale pink crepe. I've got a few other patterns stashed away that I'll work on through the year.

This time last year I wouldn't have considered myself at all crafty. It's amazing how much you can teach yourself with books and the internet.

I am aiming to finsh the 3 blankets I have on the go at the moment first. A patchwork one for dd2 (dd1's is the only blanket I have ever finished), a flower blanket and a a blanket in a smoothie mix wool that looks like playdoungh all mixed together for the sofa. This year I intend to plan a project all the way trough rather than just buy whatever wool I like the look of and go at it. I would like to make a double blanket in plain granny squares for our bed and something in some proper grown up expensive yarn.

How is everyone getting on? I've made my marmalade and because I stuck to one project for January I feel as I've beaten a deadline and am ahead. Normally, with a list as long as my arm, I feel demotivated before even starting.