Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Next year... or... I am a realist...

I had such high stitching expectations for this year. At the start of the year, I had made a resolution to finish several wips by stitching on them one page a month. These included,

A Most Noble Pursuit
Shores of Hawk Run Hollow
Mary Wigham
HAEDs (3 of them actually with a 4th to start)
Marie Rose

Did I? Not a jot! I didn't even start Shores - shame on me! I got a bit panicked at the thought of working on that 40 count fabric - gorgeous as it is. I have worked on 40 count before but in small doses. And the HAEDS have gone belly up since my new skein of thread didn't quite match tone wise on the face of one of them!! Eeeek!

So, next year, I have plans yet again. Well, if you don't make any plans then nothing will get done at all, will it? So best to make lots of plans and even if only one of them gets accomplished then that is success!! I have signed up for the WIPocalypse 2012 next year which will totally help to inspire me to make some progress on my wips so here are my wips for next year:

Patchwork - Jan Houtman

IMG_1560

Polar Santa - Dimensions

IMG_1556

Tranquility - Loopy Lou

IMG_1562

A Most Noble Pursuit

IMG_1561

Ann Taylor Heartstring Samplery

IMG_1563

Mary Wigham

IMG_1559

Marie Rose sampler

IMG_1557

Sampler au Bouquets



I really want to put the HAEDs away next year and really want to work on samplers. I really do want a "sampler wall" and I am partly there to getting my "The Sampler Girl" wall. So Next Year is going to be the year of SAMPLERS. I have several kitted up ready to go and plenty of charts needing a few threads adding to them so here is my list so far:

A Quaker Christmas - Bygone stitches - kitted up ready

IMG_1568

Shores of Hawk Run Hollow - CHS - kitted up ready

IMG_1570

Helen Bell's Multiplication Sampler - CHS - kitted up ready

IMG_1565

Christmas Window - Brightneedle - kitted up ready

IMG_1566

Nan's Garden - Just Nan - kitted up ready

IMG_1567

My Home is Built in Glory - Heartstring Samplery - kitted up ready

IMG_1569

The Elisabeth Lillie sampler - McIntosh Samplers - kitted up ready

IMG_1571

Quackworth - Ink Circles - kitted up ready

IMG_1572

All Things Counted pocket book - Kirsten Edwards - kitted up ready

IMG_1573

Now as you can see, a lot of these are new starts so I got to thinking about that Crazy January challenge that is going on. But wait a minute... 15 is far too many for me to get my head around - let alone expect me to finish them all in that year. So what if I just did 7 new starts? 7 new starts in the first week of January - get this... - with no pressure to finish any of them within the year??? I like it. I like it a LOT!! So that way, I can combine the new 7 starts into the WIPocalypse (allowed). What do you think? Well I have 9 so far that are kitted up ready to choose from so I might just go ahead and do this.


The Sampler Girl charts I have and would like to kit up and do next year are:

Sense and Sensibility - The Sampler Girl
Return to the Sea - Sampler Girl
In the Meadow - Sampler Girl
In the Garden - Sampler Girl
Elizabeth B sampler - Sampler Girl

I also want to get a Scarlet Letter reproduction sampler. I have been drooling after one of these for years and got very close to hitting the buy button but it just never seemed to materialise. I reckon this year is the year. I WILL get one and stitch it.

Basically, if I want to stitch something then I will stitch it. I have seen a number of LHN designs that I adore as well. CCN and Lizzie*Kate are also calling to me. I think I might have to start a new Webshots album for Sampler Progress 2012 so I can keep track of them all.

Apart from samplers, I will be stitching an ornie a month with Tina again. That will be the only "pressure" stitching I am having next year. No pressure. Just fun. And a bit of crochet too!

41 comments:

Giovanna said...

You're a brave woman... I don't think my list will be half as long (but never say never, lol). They're all such great projects.

barbara said...

What exciting plans, Hazel!! I'm looking forward to watching what you work on! :)

Katrina said...

Lots of gorgeous projects!!!! I think whatever works for you list wise is what you should do :-).

I am spending the day in my stitching room making plans for the new year too.

Kate said...

That's quite some list you have there. I'm going to make a new start on 1 January as I did this year (it's still not finished!) after that - anything goes! I am going to try and be good though - no new chart/kit purchases until Harrogate.

Margaret said...

Oh, I loved seeing all your WIPs! So many pretty ones! Good WIPocalypse! And the new starts -- nice! Looks like 2012 will be a fun year for you. (You have to do a Scarlet Letter piece. I looooove her stuff!)

Michelle said...

Lots of great plans for the new year! I look forward to watching your progress!!

jane said...

Sounds like a great plan Hazel and you have some lovely charts there. Good luck with it, I feel like I need a plan too, must get my thinking cap on.

valerie said...

So many fun projects! Seeing your Mary makes me feel guilty about mine! lol Half done and abandoned!

I look forward to watching your progress!

Barb said...

Oh some to die for stitching there Hazel. a woman with a plan well theres a thing.Good luck I hope to see lots of wips next year. As for me well the only desperate ones are Elizabeth CHS, The Needle Charmer and then the usual TSG ones -so I shall see you in the parlour?

the striped rose said...

Making lists is half the fun! :) Have you seen the sale going on at Scarlet Letter? They added new charts today! Are you using the called-for colors on Noble Pursuit? Your colors look prettier that the picture.

Kathy A. said...

Oh hon what a wonderful list. I love everything on it. You have made me brave enough to venture into my stash and make a list too!

Dani - tkdchick said...

Hazel I think we always end the previous year with visions of our stitching plans for the upcoming year! I know my thoughts have headed that way. I of course didn't accomplish everything I had envisioned... but that's okay, this is a hobby right?

You've got a lot of spectacular samplers kitted up and ready to go!

Lesleyanne said...

You have got some gorgeous things ready for stitching - can't wait to see them.

Sonda said...

They are all wonderful pieces...can't wait to see your progress. Yes, Shores does go slowly, but oh so beautiful each block that's complete.

Maggie said...

Wow, you have made plans! I love that you are getting organised even before Christmas is over :-)

Look forward to seeing all your new starts in January and your finishes throughout the year :-)

Kay said...

All your wips are beautiful, and good luck on all the new starts. I look forward to seeing your progress!

Shari said...

wow, you have lots of great projects lined up.....will be anxious to watch your progress!!

Mel said...

Wow you've got sooo many great projects!
Best of luck. :)

Jackie's Stitches said...

You have a great group of projects! Looking forward to seeing your progress. Progress is better than the pressure of finishing in my book - a girl has got to have some fun!

cucki said...

wow great plans..and i loved seeing all your lovely wip;s ..they are all so lovely..
keep well dear and happy stitching xx

Joysze said...

It's always great to make plans..... they're so much fun!! :D I'm looking forward to seeing your stitching next year. :D

Robin said...

My goodness, you're a brave one and an ambitous one! Looks like lots of really pretty projects with a theme of being large ones! Good luck to you. We will be here to cheer you on!

Tatkis said...

I love your plans (especially about the sampler wall!)
Good luck!

Hugs,
Tatyana

Christine said...

Not that many then?
Some beautiful choices there. The Jan Houtmann is stunning

Siobhán said...

I read your post. Then I hyperventilated a bit. Then I went back and read it again. Then I drooled over the pictures. Then I read it again. Girl, you are talking my language!! LOL I've been obsessing over all this stuff, too. I didn't complete the WIPs that I started this year with the Crazy January Challenge, but I am fine with that. Truthfully, the way I look at it is that if I have the supplies for it, why not start it? It isn't hurting anybody or anything. I am doing the WIPocalypse with the intention of finishing up some of my WIPs (I never think I'll finish them all) and starting a whole bunch of new WIPs. If you don't mind the suggestion, what has helped me this year (besides the webshots album!) is labeling my posts as Crazy January yada yada yada. I didn't do it in the beginning but I think I went back and added it. That way, not only do I have a list of finishes for 2011 in webshots & flickr, but if I click on the label for Crazy Jan on my blog, all those posts come up. I really do need a notebook in which I write all this stuff down permanently, but my family seems to scoop up whatever notebooks I start and use them! LOL

Anyway, good luck!

Annette-California said...

WOW - your list rocks. You can do it! Love your projects they are gorgeous. Now I should make a list. Hmmm.

Sally said...

Wow Hazel that's a lot of gorgeous WIPs and new starts there! You're very brave!

Carol said...

Wow! You certainly have some wonderful projects to look forward to next year, Hazel!!

Carol said...

What a list, what fantastic projects. Look forward to watching your seven develop.
My favourite has to be "Patchwork -Jan Houtman", so much in it and the colours are just stunning. I think I mught have a look for it.
Carol xx

Kathy Ellen said...

My goodness, but you have some beautiful WIP's, and your 2012 stitching projects look really like you are truly up for a 2012 challenge!

What stitching joy, right? Happy Stitching!

Julie said...

Going to be an exciting stitching year for you, roll on 2012,

Anonymous said...

Wow! yor work is beautiful! good luck finishing them! I also joined WIPocalypse 2012 but I will only work on small finishes...I'd be lucky to finish one of yours! hahaha!

Catherine said...

You certainly have a lot of great projects there! It will be fun to cheer you on and see what you can finish and start in the new year!

Hillery said...

Oh my Hazel, you have got your work cut out for you. Good Luck. I have also signed up for WIPocalypse. I'd like to do much more stitching next year than I did this year as well. We'll see.

Sharon said...

Absolutely beautiful stitching....I am in awe of it.
I wish I could start that many.....good luck.
Thanks

Anonymous said...

Lovely wips and some lovely stitching. Love your Tranquility project. Good luck with your stitching in 2012.

Anonymous said...

Lovely wips and lovely stitching. Love your Tranquility project. Good luck with your stitching in 2012.

Maggie O said...

Love all of it!! How wonderfull to have that talent, patience and most of all the ambition to pull it all off. Looks like your "plans" are coming together but that is a LOT for anyone and I admire your courage to even post it...I am exhausted just thinking about it.I am cheering you on and I will look forward to reading your blog next year and drooling over each finished (or not) piece. Now I need to at least clean up my WIP's and get motivated...thanks for that.

Stitchabilities said...

I have three of those it my pile LOL,

Melton Mowbray is Leicester, it is 30 mins away from Derby.
If you ever want to go let me know you can travel with me!

Measi said...

I really want to start Mary Wigham one of these days... perhaps it'll be a treat once I get one of my Wentzlers out of the way!

You have some wonderful projects for the WIPocalypse! I'm so excited to see so many people interested in the SAL!

The Gingerbread Lady said...

Goodness - I just came over to say hello and thank you for the comment on my crocheted cushions (yes, I know, I've learned my lesson: don't ask the recipient to choose, just give the gift!) and I'm so impressed by your beautiful stitching. I don't want to look too closely because this looks like JUST THE KIND OF THING I'd love to do and I have too much unused wool to even contemplate buying embroidery thread (= but it's so pretty! The colours are so nice! I need 40 kilos of it! etc), so I'm going to bravely click away NOW.

I'm very sorry to read about your brother's passing, I can't even think about anything happening to any of my brothers and sisters without instantly becoming weepy, so I'm sending you a big ((HUG)) and my deepest sympathy on your loss.

Best wishes from Bavaria,
Olivia / The Gingerbread Lady