Well, 2010 wasn't my most prolific stitching year with only 17 completions (3 of which were long-standing UFOs) but I did manage two of my goals: I completed the 2010 Bead Journal Project (although each 5 x 5 piece needs to be "finished" as a flat fold still) and joined a quilt guild (even though I never actually did any quilting, there are blocks made for part of a mystery quilt which may, someday, be assembled...)! And my two entries in the county fair won blue ribbons (just entering the fair was a goal; winning was icing on the cake! Whee!)! So I guess I didn't do so badly after all.
I end the year with 2 WIPs: "Fountain Mandala", designed by Elizabeth Almond and published in issues 53 and 54 of The Gift of Stitching, which I started last night, and "Palm Tree Elegance", a Dimensions needlepoint kit, which I worked on while on our cruise.
I have five UFOs still in the cupboard:
"Angel of Love" - started before we moved to England in 1992!
"Celestial Angel" - started before we moved to England in 1992!
"Map of England and Wales" - started in Saudi
"Harvest Sampler" -- started in Saudi
"Nature's Song" (excerpted from a larger chart) - started in Saudi
to say nothing of that ancient crewel-work pillow and all the top work on six or seven needlepoint pieces that all predate 1992! And a slew of piece-worked tops from quilting classes in Saudi...
And then there is my Round Robin piece from 2006 --- I really need to finish that off.
So 2011: WIP Myself Into Shape will be the theme over at Cross Stitch Crazy, and while it applies primarily to stitchery, I intend to apply it to ME as well. First off will be back to the Gym, walking, every day if possible!
And another goal is already underway... entering again in the fair. Nine of my completions this year --- "Greek Window" for 14ct picture, the four Art deco cats for set of related pieces, "Witches Wheel" for 16 ct picture, and "Celestial Tree-O" for Christmas ornaments - were purpose made for the fair, assuming those categories still exist. Of course, just to make back my entrance fee, I'd have to win 9 firsts which is highly unlikely --- five more different pieces of blue ribbon caliber seems beyond me, especially since the sampler categories are off limits for me since I won last year, but I can but try!
As for stitchery, I did a survey of the kitted up projects in my project bag and here is what I found. In addition to the two continuing WIPs ("Fountain Mandala" and "Palm Tree Elegance", the latter reserved for travel) there are 6 cross-stitch pieces:
"Purrfect" and "Cat Pack" by Marilyn Robertson (I did four of her black Art Deco cats this year)
"Sewing with Mama" by Sandy Lyman Clough
"Quaker Gone Spooky" and "Quaker Gone Tropical" by Michelle Ink
"Garden Stars" by Ink Circles
and one needlepoint kit - a freebie I picked up on board our cruise called "Paisley Jacobean". And there are two sets of ongoing San-Man Original freebie ornaments, one Christmas and one Valentine's Day, in my travel kit...
I wonder how far I can get with these before falling flat on my face! LOL
Especially since I am enrolled in Bead Journal Project 2011 (desperately searching about for a theme) and still in the quilt guild (I'm their webmaster now --- isn't THAT a joke --- and I have all those blocks to assemble...).
Ambitious? Yes, but if one doesn't set goals...
You can do it! Your bead journal this year was pretty awesome to watch come together, and as quick as you stitch, I think you'll have no problems getting through your list, and more :) It sounds like your fair has a lot more rules than mine - but also likely more stitching-in-THIS-millenium friendly categories - mine is definitely stuck in 1970's Little Old Church Lady mode :( Maybe I'll enter this coming year, since I skipped '10...?
ReplyDeleteThe rules are: has to have been stitched SINCE the last fair (which means since August 8, 2010 in this case); one piece per category (except ornaments (three) and sets (no set number); and if you win a premium in one year, you can't enter in that category the next year. Since I won in two sampler categories (14 ct and over 25 - even though it wasn't over 25! LOL it was 16! I don't think they understood over-two! LOL), those are now off limits for me.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it's not little old Church lady (I have a friend who refuses to enter her fair because, if it isn't a Bible verse, it will NOT win) but, given that the recently retired chair of the needlework section seemed proud that sh had no needlework skills at all, I wonder about who judges... I've seen some pretty spectacular pieces with no ribbons at all!
Your work, especially your finishes, is so spectacular, I can't see why you wouldn't win...
I've gone and won, but the results were weird, and I really think judged by the same person that judges the wood carving & that kind of thing. We don't have an entry fee, we don't get excluded the following year if we win, but also, trying to get categories updated - not going to happen. Since I do so much on 28ct & 32ct, that's the same class (14-16) here, so the classes I can actually enter 1 project into are severely limited - and over-1 sure doesn't enter into it, either, except the over-19 category. And the fair closest to me, I can't enter at all, because none of my stuff will fit - a framed piece has to be, including the frame, 12 x 18 or smaller - almost nothing I do would fit that criteria, framed... Our categories are severely out of date - and since I clearly know more about it than the people who set those up, I guess I'm out there....
ReplyDeleteI'd be dead in the water if they limited size --- no way I EVER stitch anything that small except for ornaments! What surprised me is that our fair didn't have a 16 ct category! It want from 14 to 18 to over 25, which is why my 2-over-2 sampler ended up wining in the over 25 category! They looked at the fabric, NOT the stitching! ! I wonder if they think all there is out there is Aida...
ReplyDeleteYou could always volunteer for the needlework committee! Like you have so much spare time... LOL