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?

Hi Bigbirthdaygloom - well done on your marmalade - always good to feel ahead of things!

Entirely predictably, I lost motivation for lacework as my job got busy. I've been knitting very simple blanket squares to use up my stash - v relaxing though.

I've made real headway in learning to crochet.

I'm doing a blanket made out of circles in squares and have nearly completed my second square of about 15 square. It's not far in the grand scheme of the blanket but it feels like I'm finally getting my head around crochet and it's good practice.

I chose squares so they are easily portable and this is mean to be my In between projects pick up/put down project with the aim of getting it complete by the end of the year but ideally before winter draws in around the end of October. We shall see!

So, it's February, it's blooming cold so very lucky I chose hot water bottle covers as this months project. Plan to make pattern this week and do first (perhaps only!) cover next week. It feels low pressure, which is good.

Still on blanket squares! I've got various shades of purple, blue and pink, and then I found a whole load of variegated purple-ish wool that I'd forgotten about - so am going to be knitting squares for quite a while! Still, it's a good default option for when I can't be bothered with fiddly lace knitting.

I'm unpicking some free motion quilting from a scrappy quilt, so that I can re-do it differently. I'm about to start another cross stitch, and I'm planning a blue and green Arkansas crossroads quilt (in my head at the moment).

It's inspiring to see the other projects you are all working on.

I've knitted the back and one sleeve of a jumper for ds4 and have also made about 10 necklaces and lots of earrings - I'm planning to cover a Parker knoll chair I bought on Ebay with some Laura Ashley fabric - means getting the sewing machine out so it hasn't happened yet, maybe half term ....

Worked out pattern and tacked up a prototype hot water bottle cover. Really pleased with it. Need to get sewing machine out next.

Hi everyone. I can almost here the clicking needles. Very busy! I've been busy but in an unexpected way...journal 52 has led to some illustration commissions which has led to me going 'public' as an illustrator\portrait artist. I'm a bit in shock tbh but excited too!!

Congratulations Stitchthis, that's very exciting news!

I've now been inspired by the Hexipuff post earlier, and I'm doing a crochet version. Plus I'm going to decoupage fabric onto a mirror frame, crochet a throw, and do a paper flower picture! In the tiny amount of spare time I have when the kids are in bed...

Everyone has lovely crafting plans for 2014 .

Here are my plans for 2014 - I'm being ambitious, but life is short and I just want to bite the bullet!

1. Finish knitting my 'Art of Knitting' blanket. I began this in 2009, and have all 90 issues/balls of wool required to create the beautiful blanket. Have been flying at this in the last fortnight - 33/90 squares are now knitted up! The they need to be sewn together and a edging in crochet done around the whole thing... so a huge project!!!

1. Learn to crochet! My mum has started me off last month, but I am joining a weekly class this week! Really looking forward to this!

1. Sew a patchwork quilt - I'm signing up for a class to do this as I've never done anything like it before!

1. Take a class in curtain making and sew at least one pair of curtains for our new house....!

1. Learn to reupholster a piece of furniture - yet another class I plan to take this year! Hope to pick up a nice antique chair and make a nice job of it!

1. Repair my sewing machine and get thoroughly reacquainted with it!

1. Knit Christmas stockings for DH and I (we haven't any DC yet)...

That is a huge list isn't it!!! I am fairly determined though!!! I also have a couple of other knitting projects that need finishing, but this is the list for now!

Pearlgirl I see you are doing a spot of upholstery yourself - I'd love to see some photos when you've finished!!!

Stitchthis that sounds like a dream come true for you! Congrats!

Bigbirthday are you sewing or knitting the hot water bottle cover?

Sewingandcakes I google imaged the Arkansas quilt - how pretty is that?! Do you do a lot of quilting? :-)

I'm moving house, all going well, so it will be quilts and curtains.

Quiltwise, I have 3 to finish:

dd's handpieced star quilt (handpiecing done, just needs borders sewing on and quilting)
ds2's Kaffe Fassett jewels strippy (top done, just needs borders sewing on and quilting)
me and dhs' 'woods in spring' quilt which I have bought the fabric for. It's based on the Fassett hot/cool/pinafore print diamond ones but green and leafy instead of any of his colour schemes.

I would love to learn upholstery (esp as we buy furniture at auction, so it would be so much fun to upholster something myself) but that's further down the road.

Tunip do I need to be a fantastic sewer for curtains??? You sound very accomplished!

And your quilts sound lovely - just going googling them now!

Thanks Castlelough!

OK, to be honest, I have never actually made curtains, but I've sewn enough that I don't believe I can't do it.

I plan to start with some little ones for a bathroom or somewhere, so I can get my head round how they fit together, and then gradually build up to the big ones with expensive fabric.

Sounds like a great plan Tunip .

Wow-loads of exciting plans! I have a real desire to quilt, but I think that's next years plan!
My hot water bottle covers are stitched in fleece with a contrast appliqué motif. Have the pattern and prototype tacked up. Just need to blow the dust off the sewing machine!

Happy crafting, one and all. Loved popping back here (fell off my threads I'm on list) and seeing all the posts.

Castlelough I do a bit of quilting; not as much as I'd like to as it's very time consuming! I tend to start a quilt full of enthusiasm, get halfway through and see other quilts and fabrics I want to have a go at, and then rush to finish the current quilt!

Congratulations StitchThis,that's really great!

Would be lovely to see pics of people's projects as they progress.

I haven't made any headway on anything for ages - only had 1 day off last weekend and that was busy. But I'm off work tomorrow and looking at the weather forecast, I think the best thing to do with a 3-day weekend is to settle on the sofa and get knitting.

Bump! How is everyone doing?

I've knitted about a zillion blanket squares and today have finally made some headway on my lacework shawl - just got 17 rows of border pattern to do now, woohoo! But I think I'm going to run out of wool, grrrr ....

Might have a look on Ravelry for a jumper or cardi pattern next. Intrigued by fair isle but it would be waaaaaaay foo painstaking for me.

(This is Somewhere btw, I NCd in the great Heartbleed password crisis ....)