Fledglings flying through craft stash in 2018

[Bowerbird5]

Since I joined the fledglings thread I noticed quite a few people have and find de-cluttering craft stashes difficult. Lots of crafters have half finished projects lying around creating more clutter.I'm very guilty of this.
So I have started my first thread.

The idea will be that you pick up one of those projects and complete within a month. Those that are clever( not me) can post a photo of the result on this thread for the rest of us to admire.
Also those new to a craft can ask advice of those experienced crafters. You can also post about organising and decluttering your craft area.
So crafty fledglings I'll start off.

I bought some wool from Yorkshire because I saw it in the window in Leyburn and had to have it. It was in June. So I started it on Jan1 and I am knitting( slowly) a snood. I aim to have it finished by the 31st Jan, 2018 😁
What is your pledge?

I am in the process of trying to reorganise/declutter my son's bedroom to turn it into a craft room. Problem is he moved out a few months ago and left most of his stuff behind.[hmmm]

I have been cleaning today and planning projects in my head.

For January- finish the baby blanket and jumper. Find all half finished cross stitches and complete (they are only small).

Feb - can start something new! With no guilt about half finished projects

Well I finished the hat in an hour last night, hurrah for chunky wool, and wore it today. So, tick!
Unfortunately I found the baby cashmerino crochet blanket i started for DD before she was born (she’s 3 now). Spent so much on the wool in lovely unisex colours but have no inspiration to finish it... its gone too far for me to rip out now or make something else instead. Have to keep plodding on I guess!

Haha, there is a tiny part of me which would love to have twins on Thursday!! Not the part which likes sleep though 🙈😂

I finished the footstool cover, yay! (1st picture) ☺️ Still needs a bit of extra ironing to get it to sit right, but I'm pretty happy with it a it's the first time I've done anything like that 😊
Bower, you were totally right about the grey stripey fabric for the bag, it was throwing it all out, so I have swapped it and rearranged the others (see 2nd picture).
Welcome to new crafters, looking forward to seeing everyone else's projects 😁

WhispersofWickedness That footstool looks amazing! It also looks like it was incredibly technical. Was it hard?

Brilliant first picture. It looks really good.
Oh, I'm glad I said now I wasn't sure whether to but it just look out of sync with the rest in colour and type of fabric. I like the line up now. I just love that leaf one.
Yes, I had a friend with twins. First babies. She wasn't going to have any baby stuff around the house it was all going to stay in the nursery. My friend and I went around about three weeks after birth and stuff everywhere, dishes piled up in kitchen it looked like a normal home instead of the show house it had been. She was so glad to see us and the boys were lovely. She looked like she had been run over by a traction engine. I didn't envy her the nights either.
Welcome to slow poke. Just the sort of projects I mean. I have wool for a blanket I bought about eight years ago and I havent even started it yet. Just took a liking to it on holiday.

I have a nearly finished baby quilt that I have been making for my friends daughter - it’s got really cute little sheep on it. I have decided that I hate Minky though.

Well done. Put a picture or if you want and can.
Minky? Off to check out who or what Minky is.

Thank you for the lovely comments about the footstool! It looks more complicated than it is, it's just a slip cover for an existing footstool, so just a top with sides sewn on 😅 It is slightly bigger than it should be because I was paranoid that it wouldn't be big enough, but better too big than two small 😅

Bower - yes, I'm glad you said something too, that one was definitely the one which was not working, I think I picked it initially because it looked 'book-covery', but I guess they don't need to really...
Oh, and the leaf fabric is actually feathers! But still lovely, I agree 😊

Would love to see the baby quilt! I'm contemplating getting into baby quilts once I've finished all the WIP (😒😂), there is a charity called Project Linus which gives donated quilts to hospitals for sick children and babies to keep, I would probably make them for something like that because I'm not a massive quilt fan and don't have any babies 😅

Ah so it is I see that now. I do need to go to Specsavers app. Long overdue.
I have a quilt to make for Sick Kids in Edinburgh😳 been in stash for ages. They saved my niece's life. She was given a quilt while there. My has Dolphins on it and is a beautiful blue.it is just one of the ready printed ones but I had no sewing machine for a while but now I have one I pledge to do it this year!
I have another colour finished and unless I stop I should have a snood by the end of the month. This really is the way forward a little each day.

Well done Bower, it definitely builds up with a bit every day. Looking forward to seeing a picture!

I have done one of my long days today, two days now where I might get some craft stuff done, hooray 😁 will post progress when I get going 😊

Must say you made a eat job of the footstool. The little extra will allow for shrinkage when washed so I wouldn't worry. I would have done the same a little extra to get on and off easily too.

Oh yes, I hadn't thought of washing, that is a good point, it will definitely need it with kids and cats in the house...
DH not overly impressed with the pattern, he 'lost' his black phone on it last night... 😒😂

My stash is HUGE. 2 x 44l tubs of wool, 4 x 44l tubs of fabric, a bunch of papercraft bits, a 22l tub of flower arranging bits, lots of sugarcraft and baking tools etc....

Over this break though, I actually did manage to do a few things...

I managed to make a BBQ apron for DBro - I'd had the material with the idea for a BBQ apron for years, with my other DBro in mind. But it is one more thing out of the stash.

I finished off a felt Gingerbread man tree decoration (at least 5 years since I cut it out) about a week before Christmas so that went on our tree. And I had made a felt fish decoration (went in a wedding present) and 5 flower basket decorations (1 went in the wedding present, and I have a use for the other 4 in upcoming wedding presents).

I actually made a Christmas table centerpiece flower arrangement for the first time in about 5 years as well - I will reuse most of the things from my stash that were involved but it was at least using them.

So having got my fingers busy over the break, and really enjoyed it too, I am intending making more time for crafting this year again. DH is due to be away for a week shortly, so I will get out the sewing machine and leave it out to work at night once DD is in bed - and see how I get on. And I am thinking about starting a scarf that I can knit on the train when commuting - I have plenty of options for both wool and patterns to choose from (one year, I made scarves for each of 8 DAunts and DUncles, and another I knit cotton facecloths with their initials for each of the 9 DSiblings and DPartners). Or else a cotton beanie hat each for 2 DNephews with allergies, and maybe some girlie ones for DNieces.

Welcome Biddypop.

That sounds quite a stash. Knitting while commuting is a good idea. I met a lovely lady on a long distance train ride. I was stitching a felt and she had just been to the country where this traditional rug making is and had been working with the woman for a month for the third time. She was most interested in the work our group was doing and she very kindly sent me an email with photos of the designs and the meaning. We both couldn't believe that in all the carriages and seats that she chose to sit opposite me. Life on train takes you on some strange journeys. My mum once met someone who lived in the same town that we did thirty years before. They were friends of our neighbours that lived in the lodge cottage! My mum sent a message with them.

Day off today so I have already done an hour this morning. I am slow so others would probably be finished now but I do think it will be finished by next week and I have two other projects lined up. I have a half made very wacky lampshade to finish with felt roses and other felty bits. A felt blue tit to match the one I have already made. It is needle felting which I have done much of and never made birds or animals. I have a book for hares and foxes somewhere. I feel really happy getting some of this done as I had stopped creative work for a while. Now I know it was definitely missing from my life. How are you getting on?

I stuck an end through a needle and parked the needle in the sock. Didn't weave any ends though
However I cast on a new pair of socks last night so I now have 3 pairs of socks on the needles because actually finishing socks would just be shocking...

That said I have made a list of what I want to get done in January. Overly optimistic and totally doomed myself because I don't stick to lists.

Sounds like me. Good at writing them not so good at sticking at them. In fact the Fledgling list has me sticking to it more than any list I have made. I guess it is because others are supportive.

Well I have done loads of knitting today only have two colours left to do. Two shades of green and turquoise. It is very colourful.
Tempted to start the needle felting but that is then not finishing this project and where I sometimes go wrong.
How is it going whispers?

Just reporting back in. Nearly finished the long joins on my blanket, hoping to finish that tonight and cracking on with the short joins tomorrow. I did not make these squares BTW, I'm just the joiner-upper.

Welcome biddypop 😊

I haven't done much, bower, I went to my sewing group today, but it was very busy, so I wasn't able to get any cutting out started as it takes up too much room. I did get some great advice though and it was nice to catch up with people after the break, so not a complete waste! Won't have time for much until the weekend now as a couple of days of work beckon 😔

The blanket looks great, who!

Bower, I have done some needle felting too! Will try and dig out some photos another time 😊 I'm not very good because I haven't got the patience, so they always end up a little too squishy 😳

Whoknows great vibrant colours. Joiner upper ers are very important. It could be really tricky when they are different size squares. Someone will love getting that blanket.

Whispers great to go to a sewing group. I went to a felting one but packed it in this year. I have a huge stash of wool tops both natural and dyed. I have a lot of unfinished projects that I need to do and lessen the stash.if I haven't done it by the end of this year I am going to give it away.

Hillsif I knew how to do it you could send 'em here. I'm impressed you can knit socks. There is a lady at church who makes them for Cafod I have bought a couple of pairs but DD nicked both one meant for her and then asked for a second for her best friend who was walking to Everest base camp. How could I not let her have mine. I will order myself a pair when she starts again which won't be long because she usually does them for Lent. She has to make it specific because she had so many orders she was getting sick of the site of socks. Hers are all random stripes, lovely colours.

Bower the squares are all nominally 6 or 12" but as they've been made by different people, some crochet, some knit, lots of different stitches, there is quite a bit of variation. The first one I did was hard but I have a system now. They are all the ssne yarn and same hook/needle size though.

I quite like self striping yarn, means you don't have to have 1001billion ends.
West Yorkshire Spinners have some fun self striping yarn but also sell their self striping as ready made socks. John Arbon who is mostly know for his spinning fibre also does socks. Just in case your lovely sock knitting lady just can't face taking sock orders totally understandable

WRT ends, my biggest problem is I like to be fancy and put contrast heels cuffs and toes in which means that I have automatically 6 more ends than if I have knit straight in one yarn. But if I do put in contrasting heels toes and cuffs i can get two pairs of socks for me out of one ball of yarn and means I am not left with a ton of scrappy ends. Which is better for me.

Got to the cuffs of one of the pairs of socks on the needles and actually wove the ends on one sock (not pair just a sock) last night.

2nd sock end woven, third sock started. One pair done you think? Nah they are all from different pairs. Doing a whole pair in one go would be crazy talk