Happy New Year, fellow makers! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. Reflecting on 2023, I achieved many crafting goals, reconnecting with weaving and rug hooking. With the start of a new year, it’s time for fresh beginnings. I feel inspired to set new crafting goals and face new challenges in 2024. While I have exciting plans ahead, I also aim to complete lingering projects from previous years. As time passes, my project list has grown, and it’s time to make progress. Today, I want to share my crafting goals for 2024, hoping to stay focused and accomplish them!
1) Turning hand embroidered pieces into a complete finished object
I’ve been doing hand embroidery for a while now and I enjoy it immensely. It was my first venture into needlework and felt less daunting than cross-stitching. Taking an embroidery class on Craftsy for basic stitches helped too. I’d turn to this craft sporadically when I wanted something requiring less concentration but keeping my hands busy. Over the years, I’ve embroidered a small collection of 6-inch squares using designs from my favorite craft designers like Kathy Schmittz and Sarah Jane. Now, I’m pondering how to best arrange them into a project. I’ve checked the ‘Big Book of Hand Embroidery Projects’ for ideas, but I’m still uncertain about what to do next.
So what is holding me back from making a decision?
- How to arrange them in a way to highlight each hand embroidered piece so they do not compete but still go well together.
- Is it practical? Will I use it or store it away to collect dust.
- I will have to design a layout especially if I plan to put into a wall hanging or mini quilt.
Decisions, decisions, decisions!!
2) Practicing piecing and aiming for precision in quilting!
A few crafting friends and I decided to take on the Riley Blake Design Block Challenge this year, pushing me to explore more challenging aspects of quilting. I typically stick to standard piecing with straightforward stitching and minimal cutting. As I delve into the challenge, I’ve gone through my fabric stash, considering colors and deciding whether I need to add a couple more fabrics to achieve the desired finished quilt size of around 60 x 60 inches. I’ve successfully completed Block #1, Vintage Delight, piecing together various units to create an almost squared 10.5 x 10.5 block.
3) Weaving more with my handspun.
I’m expanding my weaving projects by using more of my handspun yarn to create fabric for future original designs, like small bags and household décor items. To accomplish this, I need to produce more handspun, but luckily, I have a good stash of fiber. Currently, I’m spinning some vibrant Corriedale fiber dyed by Funky Carolina, enjoying the colors as I spin. Additionally, I’ve acquired new fiber to spin. I’m considering spinning them as singles and then weaving them with another neutral-colored single-ply wool yarn, using a tight plain weave structure.
4) Rug hooking an original design!
What is my original design involving? Of course, a sheep! Freestyling the drawing onto a piece of primitive linen foundation cloth using a sharpie, the design is approximately 6 x 6 inches and is intended to become a small wall hanging for my craft room. I plan to use leftover wool strips from a previous project, specifically hooking a sheep from the Buttermilk Basin pattern called Patriotic Sheep. Despite struggling to shift focus from this enjoyable project to complete others, it has inspired me to design more rug hooking patterns soon.
These projects represent just a few on my to-do list for 2024, and I’m excited about completing them and sharing the finished pieces with you. Despite having a list, I’m leaving room for new inspiration and creativity to emerge. That’s the fun part of crafting – seeing where it takes you. Most of the time, it turns out better than you can ever imagine. What are your crafting goals for this new year? Please feel free to leave a comment below.
Great post, Diane, for a new year of fresh beginnings! You’ve shared great life advice too, stating the importance of goal setting but remembering to leave room for new inspiration and creativity. Thanks for sharing with us!
Thank you Katie! I appreciate your kind comment 🙂 Wishing you the best for 2024