Craft Projects & Goals for 2023

Although I don't really subscribe to the whole "new year, new you" thing or making outlandish resolutions that will likely be abandoned by Valentine's day, I have been thinking a lot about my intentions for this year. Of course health and work/life balance is up there on the list, and home improvements are also a major one for 2023 (I have a never-ending list of projects to work on for our house once the springtime rolls around).

So whatever craft time I can carve out for myself this year, I want to make it count!

And as previously mentioned, I want to continue my yarn destashing efforts in 2023. That will most definitely be a guiding principle for any knitting, weaving or crochet (hey, it could happen!) projects this year.

I did break my "no yarn except sock yarn" rule at the end of last year, but only to buy a sweater's worth of lace weight yarn from Shi Bui, who announced they were closing their doors. I've always loved their yarns, so I figured I should treat myself to a nice sweater to remember them by, and I made sure to choose a pattern that was already in my queue to ensure I bought the right amount (because my other yarn-buying rule other that don't do it is if you have to do it, don't do it randomly - make sure you have a specific project in mind.)

I also have a backlog of cross stitch patterns and kits to work through this year -and I also bought 3 more at the start of this year when I treated myself to goodies from my favorite cross stitch supply stores, Stitched Modern.

Which brings me to one of my major themes for the year: creating a Halloween tree! After Christmas, I found a black tinsel tree for under $30 and decided that I would spend all year making ornaments for it. In addition to the kits I bought, I found a bunch of wooden owl blanks that will be perfect for it. I'll probably round things out with some knitted or sewn ornaments, and then scoop up some store bought ornaments when Halloween rolls around.

And, of course, I plan to keep exploring sewing and quilting. At the end of last year I started a long-term puff quilt project using mostly leftover fabrics from previous projects. The pattern is free and includes tutorials for every step; I have cut a ton of fabric squares for this project and have already sewn up about 125 for the project (the latest batch of puffs-in-progress are below). I'm hoping to make a pretty big puff quilt, so I'll definitely need way more than that. I would be surprised if I finished this project in 2023, but we'll see how it goes.

I also want to make a new quilt for our bed - I already have 3 jelly rolls and the quilt backing earmarked for this project, I just need to figure out what I want to do pattern-wise. The idea of a gradient strip quilt is enticing, but I keep getting hung up on how I want everything arranged. I will give myself some time to overthink it a little more, but at some points I just need to start sewing. I really want a new bed quilt!

I am still figuring out what additional sewing projects I want to make, but I do have a substantial stash of fabrics that I'd like to use up. I definitely want to make some more table toppers or table runners, and also experiment with making potholders and oven mitts - things that would be great to gift or that I could even start selling in my Etsy shop. And I only made one purse for myself last year, but I would like to try making a few more purses or bags (especially since I have a bunch of cork and faux leather left over from previous projects).

And it probably goes without saying that I would like to keep up the semi-consistent blogging to keep me accountable for all of the above. :-)

Do you have any crafty goals for 2023?

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends, so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks). The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels? I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b

handmade by stefanie

Search This Blog