Arty, Crafty, Space Cadet....

I'm a compulsive hoarder of things...and a compulsive buyer and collector of things. I deny myself pretty much nothing, if it takes my fancy and I'm financial at the time and I'm a girl of eclectic interests and tastes so there are lots of things that I collect, buy and hoard but the thing that is getting completely out of control is my craft collection...sigh...

I am addicted to fabric... and the joy of cutting up bits and putting them back together and have pretty much concentrated all my crafty output in the last 8 years on patchwork and quilting. Except in the year that I was working and studying I didn't have a lot of time for preparation of quilty things so rediscovered my love of knitting and cross-stitch...

I am also a compulsive starter of projects, and have so many things on the go at any one time that it's scary. And then there's the collection of things I've purchased, that are not yet started, cross stitch kits, knitting wool, and bundles of fabrics earmarked for a particular project.

My Mum says it's good that I've collected so much stuff, cause if I ever have reduced circumstances I can happily play away for the rest of my natural life and probably several dozen descendants lives can too! Someone will make a killing on ebay after I'm gone!

Even I know that my accumulated stuff is getting a bit ridiculous, so decided to sort through things methodically to work out just what I have and what's required to finish it. A bit inspired by other people making this the year of the UFO (unfinished object) and Sheila listing her Creative Hopefuls - things she'd like to get finished, and then listing the finished items for the year, so I've started an Excel spreadsheet, which I will update as I work my way through all the items I've got buried away in boxes and baskets...

In the interim, I'm going to post photo's of my current WIPs (Works in Progress) - can't just be working on one, need to alternate between a couple of different things!

CROSS STITCH
The Patchwork Hermit - this pattern was in a magazine 2 years ago and I happened to mention to Mum that I liked it. She went and bought the Aida cloth and all the different coloured threads for me and gave it to me for Christmas 2005... and being me... I started it that afternoon... It's meant to be a Santa, but I'm going to omit the sack of toys he's carrying, as it reminds me a bit of The Hermit in the Tarot, and that means I can display him year round... when he's finished...

HANDPIECING
Bushfire Quilt Blocks - A friend and I at work are coordinating the making of two quilts for local CFA Brigades as part of Jasmine's Bushfire Quilt Drive. A bunch of about a dozen newbie quilters at work that we have taught the basics of handpiecing. In between making up little block kits I've been piecing some of the blocks.

APPLIQUE
Butterfly Baskets - I'm crazy about 1930's reproduction fabrics, and have amassed a huge collection of them. I already have one quilt made (by Mum as my Christmas present 2005) in these fabrics that hangs across the bottom of my bed, and these Butterfly Baskets will finally be a bed size quilt. I've prepared about 90 blocks so far, using a different 30's reproduction fabric each time, and have buttonhole appliqued about half of them. Have run out of background fabric, but may have to make extras (still have lots of fabrics that I haven't used yet) as I want this quilt to completely cover my very high antique cast iron bed. The alternative might be to just thinly sash them with a 30s fabric or a solid colour and add a wider outer border, but I'll decide that when I'm done. This is good pick up and put down project stuff... alternating between these and some piecework.

QUILTING
This is Mum's very first quilt - the sampler she and I did in our first class together at Patchwork Addiction. I, of course, haven't even finished my blocks... sigh... I like handquilting, though I don't profess to be an expert, though I've started to quilt this, just either in the ditch or a 1/4 of an inch out. This is middle of winter work... as the quilt is very warm and heavy... should plan a Sunday to just sit and do some of this work sitting in the family room which faces north and gets lovely light.


KNITTING
A scarf I started last year. I actually made another one using the same wool, but it was too wide, so gave it to my sister for her birthday, and bought more wool to have another go. Simple, brainless knitting....