Looking Back . . .

I wish I had been more productive in 2015, but with two courses on my plate coupled with full time work and family life, my time was limited. Still I managed to finish off a few small projects. The year began with a collection of baby gifts, some of which were made at the end of 2014 and some at the start of 2015.

Baby Collection

As it turns out, my selection of yarn colour was less than ideal.  The baby born was a boy and maybe there weren't enough traditional "masculine" colours.  Nevertheless, I did like the individual items (although I wish I had made more than one bib).

My proudest moment was finishing my Bernat Crochet-Along Afghan.  That one had been in the WIP pile for years.  And I was very happy to make my first real grown-up shawl with lace edging.  There's some lovely yarn in my stash that's waiting for a more complicated lace pattern.  Here's hoping I can work on that during the year.

Some 2015 projects

The year marked my return to hand-crafted Christmas gifts.  I had decided to make gifts for all my nieces and nephews.  I started off gang-busters and then lost some of my steam along the way.  The result: some manic last-to-the-minute knitting, but I did manage to finish on time.  Sadly I wasn't able to photograph one little gift (I should really get my SIL to snap a photo for me).

Gifts for Christmas 2015

All in all, I had a decent year.  Bonus: only a few items in my WIP pile.  Hopefully these will get done in the not-too-distant future (I'm looking at you, lonely sock and almost-done scarf).

WIP pile left over form 2015

How was your year?  Did you get lots done?  Here's hoping there's lots of crafty goodness for all of us. :)

Happy New Year!

Photo credit: don2g via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Here's hoping the New Year brings happiness, joy and lots of laughter!  And of course lots of fibre and crafty goodness. :)

Cheers!

2014 in Review

Not sure I had a great crafting year.  It felt as if my productivity had greatly decreased.  Did I even make much this past year?  It hardly seems so.

Finished Projects from 2014

Yes, there was a pretty hat, some baby things, a costume and a few outfits for brown-haired Barbie.  Yet, there should have been more.  After all, I usually had a hook in my hand, working on something . . . .

In progress Rainbow Bedspread

In my defense I started something a wee bit too big.  Yup, the lovely rainbow bedspread in all its colourful glory.  And that, dear friends, has taken up a fair amount of my time.  The small projects go quickly and you can make lots of them.  As for the big projects . . .well, they take up more time, don't they?

Another view of bedspread

I've got another row of squares ready to get attached.  Too bad I've started my classes for the winter semester--and I'm already up to my eyeballs in homework!  Still, that bedspread makes me very happy. :)

Here's to a more productive year in the wide world of crafts! :)

Happy New Year's!

Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com:  http://mrg.bz/Kz2Gp3

With the start of the new year, I look back on 2014 and am amazed at all the changes and personal adversity I had to slog through.  And amidst the struggles and challenges, there were happy moments too.  Nothing like stress or conflict to help one discover one's own strength.  Through adversity, one reflects and hopefully grows.  To the future I go with new-found hope and strength.

To all my family, friends and followers, I say "Merry, merry!  Happy, happy!"  May the new year bring joy, happiness, good health, much prosperity . . . 

Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com:  http://mrg.bz/mcI2Bf

. . . and lots of crafty goodness!  Have a good one! :D

A Year in Review

After perusing the end-of-year posts of various bloggers I follow, I realized I had yet to do the same.  I wasn't even sure I'd have much to show.  With school work occupying my time and energy most of the year, it felt as if little crafting had taken place over the year.  Lo and behold, there was crafting!

Knitting Projects

I managed to finish one pair of socks, slippers, a baby sweater, a substantial adult sized sweater, couple of frilly scarves and lots of little dishcloths (it must have been the year of the dishcloth, LOL).  Not my best year, but I'll take it.

Interestingly, I noticed that my sewing machine came into use more than once--and not just for hemming pants.  I made several useful hand towels for the kitchen and I managed to sew my own costume skirt, a hat for my son and alter existing clothing for his costume.

Sewing Projects

Not bad for a girl who can't really sew.

Hoping the new year brings more crafts my way . . . 

Happy 2014!

Hope everyone had a pleasant evening ringin' in the new year.  For myself, I crashed early--not much of a party person.

Photo courtesy of free photo site

As always, I'm hopeful with the coming new year.  Hope it brings health, happiness and prosperity to all!  And of course, hope there's lots of crafty and fibre-y goodness ;)

Cheers!

Happy New Year!

Party Favours courtesy of free photo site

Happy New Year's everyone!  Hope the new year brings much joy and many blessings.    And may 2013 be a happy, healthy and craft-filled year.  :)

Champagne courtesy of free photo site

Cheers to you and yours!

The Year of Amigurumi

Now that Christmas has come and gone, I can look back at 2012 and all my crafting endeavors.

First off, I made a lot of stuff, especially baby gifts in both crochet and knitting.  And I tried new patterns.  In particular, I'm proud of my Modern Log Cabin (aka Garter Surprise).  It was a big project size-wise and I managed to finish it within four months--not bad for me, the queen of procrastination!

Most of all I made a lot of toys this year.  In fact I'm still working on some knit toys: Iggy the octopus and my artist bear.  I'm sure I'll finish one of them in the next month or so.  Most of my completed toys, however, were crochet.  Not bad, eh?

Finally no review would be complete without assessing the projects that never quite made it to the finish line.  Some I've only recently started.  Two are long-standing projects that I would love to complete in the next year: Bohus Redux and my crochet blanket (the latter I'd like to use as a bedspread 'cuz I think it'll be big enough for my bed--maybe as a light summer covering?)

I'm looking forward to the new year's crafts! How 'bout you?  And crafting goals for the new year?

The Year of the Sock

Yup 2011 was full of socks.  Given that the first half of the year found my knitting mojo often waning (and sometimes non-existent), socks were the perfect project: small, portable and sometimes non-committal.  Amongst the socks are a few items that might look unfamiliar (a vest, a blanket and a baby outfit).  They were the last projects for BlogBernat (sadly that partnership has ended but it was time for me to move on anyways).

The Finished Items of 2011

On the plus side, I learned some new techniques (hurray for toe-ups!) and published my first pattern.  And I'm still plugging away at my cardi, so I'm hoping to get another pattern published in the not-too-distant future.


And to be fair, I did work on some bigger projects that didn't quite make it to the finishing line: lots of "almost done".

The Works in Progress of 2011

Let's hope they get finished in the new year.  Maybe 2012 can be the year of FOs?  Let's hope it'll be better than 2011.  It's already off to a better start.


Cheers :)

Looking Back . . .

Sparkling Star

Hope 2012 proves to be better than 2011.  At the time I refrained from mentioning too much here, but it was a bugger of  a year for me.  I started off last year recovering from a weird ailment that initially sent me to the ER.  Then my son had a scary trip to the ER (he now carries an EpiPen due to tree nut allergies).  Coupled with other stresses, I found myself experiencing insomnia and frequent anxiety attacks . . .  Without boring you with all the details, it was a long journey back to normalcy.  It was capped off with a summer trip to Toronto and a move to the farm house.

Holiday Star

So right now I am feeling thankful for all that I do have, especially for all the good people in my life.  May the new year bring many more blessings.  
  

2010 Retrospective: A Crafter's Year in Review

Before moving forward, I thought it would be nice to look back at 2010.  Sometimes its hard to recall all the projects--it doesn't seem like much--but I've accomplished quite a lot the past year.  

2010 Knitting and Crochet Projects

Some of the items might not look familiar: half of the above projects I blogged about here at Stitchery and Such, while others were projects I made for Blog Bernat.  If you check out my project page over at Ravelry, you can find all the details, including links to the relevant blog posts found here and at Bernat (where I blog under the moniker DinaPurls).

I created some lovely items (both large and small), learned new techniques (fair isle and intarsia anyone?) and rekindled an interest in crochet.  Not bad for a gal who still feels like a beginner--well, maybe an intermediate beginner (can a person be an advanced beginner?). 

There is so much more to learn and make: projects to finish (yeah, I'm talking to you, crochet afghan from Bernat's CAL), new techniques to master (dear cables, I hear your call) and new challenges (perhaps some designing?).  I'm ready to welcome 2011 with sticks, hooks and lots o' string. ;)