Tuesday, January 13, 2015

thirteenth

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For some reason I decided that today I would post some of the photos Cath Muscat took of our family for Doug Purdie's Backyard Bees book. I love those photos of us five in our bee suits and I've been planning on blogging them ever since she sent them to us on a disc months and months ago. I'd gotten permission from the photographer, from the publisher and all I had to do was load them up and press publish. But then last year I didn't have a very bloggy year and days and weeks and months went by and I never did.

So just before, while I was walking around the block with Indi, I decided that today was the day.

As soon as we came home I went straight to the spot I was sure they were, and they weren't. So I went to the next most likely spot and they weren't either. And then I started rummaging, and shuffling, and hunting, and having a minor freak out. I really got a bee in my bonnet. One of the worst things that can happen to a disorganised, chaotic person is to lose something and it seems I have and I'm not happy about it.

So for now there will be no bee photos.

But while I was searching what I did find was some of my abandoned craft projects. Some works that felt like brilliant ideas at the time. All of them at different stages of completion, but all put aside for new projects all the same.

So in the interest of full disclosure, and because I have lost the bee pics, I present six projects that may or may not remain unfinished forever.

Work In Process (WIP) one

A pile of 31 crochet motives I made last May, with their tails still hanging out, never blocked, never hung, never admired as a finished project. Shame.

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WIP two

There was a time last year when Miss Pepper was having awful nightmares and we bought her a tacky dream-catcher to try and solve the problem quickly. I had full intentions of knitting her a beautiful Mama - made one instead. Lucky she grew out of that phase and didn't rely on my creation, hey.

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WIP three

I once had the awesome plan to teach myself to be a better knitter by knitting every single square in the book 201 Knitting Motifs, Blocks, Projects and Ideas. After I finished I intended to sew them all together to make a blanket. Unfortunately I only got to square 45. I do love this project though and think I still might pick it up again from time to time. Hopefully.

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WIP four

I have all these little piles of fabric that were once intended for greatness. Some for dresses for the girls, some for quilts and some for other grand plans. Some are wrapped in bits of pattern, some have bits cut out and ready and some like this pile are just an idea.

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WIP five 

Is half a Mara shawl.

Last winter I wore my grey Mara almost everyday and often thought how nice it would be to have a blue one. So I cast one on. I have absolutely no idea why I put it down. Perhaps I'll pick it up again when the days get chilly.

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WIP six

Is a rug I started crocheting from strips of vintage sheets last July. I think I never went any further because the making hurt my hands. Maybe I should do a round or two, here and there though because it's beginnings are pretty cute.

Not shown are the Olinda cardigan I started over a year ago and put aside for a bit and lost my place in the pattern, a couple of crochet blankets that we snuggle under often but that still have straggly unsewn in ends, and probably a few more projects that I didn't unearth this afternoon and therefore can't remember.

Hmmmm a bit naughty hey.

So tell me lovely folk, do you have a hidden stash of WIP's or are you loyal and monogamous to the last darned end?


I hope you have something wonderful going on to keep you busy.

Love ya!

xx



39 comments:

  1. I have so many WIPs I have to go and start something new to help me forget...

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  2. It's embarrassing, but I'll confess. I started a baby boy cot quilt when my son was born. I managed to sew all the patchwork pieces and together, but never quilted it. He starts school the week after next and is well out of the cot! However luckily I had another son, who is currently in the the same cot! The unfinished quilt was pulled out of the cupboard. I added a border, and bought fabric for the quilt backing.... and put it back in the cupboard without finishing it. This is a MAJOR procrastination thing for me! Two boys and I am STILL not finished!? Why am I so blocked about completing it!

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    1. Ooooo I wonder if it's waiting for your third baby. xx

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  3. Oh yes, the WIPs. I am very good at starting new projects, but not finishing. I have quite a few on the go!!! One is my knitted squares for my blanket and another is my crocheted rag rug. There is also a summer cardigan, a washer, a scarf and a cotton rug. All these have been started during the last 12 months. One day......! Love ya too!! xxoo

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    1. I love that you are in this with me Julie, thanks. xx

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  4. This post has really made me think about how many wips I have. At least 3 lots of crocheted squares waiting to be joined together to make blankets, 4 patchwork quilts in various stages of unfinishedness, several odd socks waiting for the other ones to make them into pairs, but am currently knitting a small cardigan for my new great-niece.

    Back in the sixties I cut out a mini dress but never made it up. I'd chosen a greeny, yellowy print that really didn't suit my colouring at all. I don't know what I was thinking off at the time, but I knew I would never wear it, so i didn't bother making it. It sat in a paper bag for years and years, moving around with me when I got married to 15 different houses. One day, my then 16 year old daughter was rummaging around the attic and found it, brought it downstairs, and persuaded me to make it up for her to wear. It fitted her a treat, and probably looked better on her than it ever would have done on me. All of her friends were really envious of her 'original' retro look.

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  5. Ha!! A serial monogamist by determination here. Oh, it isn't easy.....I see so many things I would love to dive into. But I am biting down and being strong. I just have a border to finish on a lovely ripple blanket (supposed to be a Christmas gift for my mum last year) and then I will force myself to complete a cotton smock top that I cut out last winter (supposedly to be worn this summer, right) and then and only then will I cut into the gorgeous lengths of white and pale blue linen that I have bought to make new smocks. I'm not even looking at new projects until these four have been completed. I'll have to wear them with a cardy in winter!

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    1. Good on you! I need to take your lead and be stricter with myself from now on I think. xx

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  6. I have a simple granny quilt I have been making for awhile but now that it is warmer, I don't really enjoy having a big lump of yarn heating me up. So that is in a box 1/3 finished.

    I also have a blanket I started about 4 years ago.. it was a big piece of polar fleece with felt hearts cut out and hand sewn on. I spent hours on it, and I still have about 10 hearts to go, and some form of border or finishing. I don't really know what my grand design plan was. I don't know if I will ever finish it, but I don't have the heart (pun intended) to take the hearts off and use the fleece for something else.

    I also have some bits I intend to make a mini apron with.

    I have some half made monarch butterfly wings, that I don't really understand how I was going to make them...

    and lastly, I have a long stitch Winnie the Pooh cushion cover that my mum started when I was a kid, but lost enthusiasm and put down. I picked it up a few months ago and was teaching myself how to finish it, I got so close, but life got in the way as usual.

    I am sure I have other bits and bobs somewhere. Sometimes life can get so busy, that sitting down and crafting gets put further and further down the list of things to do.

    *sigh*

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    1. It's almost as if we need to finish things in one go or we never will. xx

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  7. Yup - the oldest one intended for my big gal when she was born - she's now 21! If I'm really honest I probably have more than I can think of immediately but I put it down to enthusiasm! Jane x

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    1. I love that enthusiastic part, why limit ourselves, hey? x

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  8. The materials look so soft, I love the colours too! I'm still learning to crochet, I can make blankets and that's about it! My next project will to attempt egg cosies!

    http://www.thenletsbegin.com

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  9. Those knitted leaves are gorgeous!

    I try to be super disciplined with my crafting: I have two knitting projects and one sewing project going at once. New projects can be started as soon as the previous one is done and dusted - ends sewed in, everything put together and photographs taken. The only WIP I have is my beekeeper quilt, but that's a long-term commitment (and also requires I make more socks so I have more leftover bits of 4 ply).

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    1. I think the Beekeeper's quilt is one of my favourite knitting patterns ever. x

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  10. Well of course I don't finish something before I start the next thing, that's weird!!
    I do have to wait for some yarn to arrive from BWM to finish my current cardy on the needles but instead of starting something new like I wanted to, I am sewing the sleeves of a G'day cardy. I feel very pious indeed :)
    Have fun picking what to work on next xx

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  11. This post makes me happy. Not because you can't find your photos or because you have unfinished work but because it makes you seem normal! I often look at you clever crafty ladies & am in awe of all the things you make but lament that I am hopeless at getting things finished off. This post made me love you just a little bit more xx

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  12. Heaps and piles :-D
    A lady on my FB crochet group calls them WTF's.
    Works to Finish :-)

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  13. The rug looks like a fun project! I love the colors you choose for your projects.

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  14. O yes:-) I have plenty of wips here.

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    1. Oops pressed too soon:-P
      one granny square blanket, i can't remember when i started that one. A cardigan whith a nice loop stitch a great pillowcase.. I think i have to go through all my stuff to find much more:-P and i think i will do it today (this is fun:-)) x

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  15. so glad its not just me that starts things and doesn`t finish them ! I currently have a knitted owl that just needs stuffing and sewing together and two cardigans half started. I have the wool sitting there to knit a cowl that I am itching to do but don`t dare before I finish off the other things first.

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  16. It's like the confessions of a WIP addict ;) well my dear, your not alone on that one....although I can say I've actually finished a blanket today......but then immediately started not one, but two more crochet projects......there's no hope for us! ;) xxx

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  17. I normally finish a project before starting another's one. I always have crocheted and knitted squares around because they are sent to me by other people for a charity group I belong to. When I have enough I join them together, crochet a border and send it out to the recipient. In between though, I work on one thing at a time. It must be my organized self but I can't stand chaos. I do always have a pair of socks "on the go" in a little bag that travels with me when I'm not at home.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  18. Ha ha my blog post yesterday was about wips too! X

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  19. How funny Kate. Just yesterday I made the honey Anzac biscuits from your amazing bee book! It is a great book isn't it... I hope you find the photos x

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  20. I suffer from yarn guilt so I might have a few projects on the go at once but usually finish them...although now that I say that....I do have an easter bunting of cutesy bunnies and some carrots that are floating around somewhere....Your projects look great and deserve to be finished!!! :D You are a clever thing knitting all those wonderful patterns. I just love those feathers...I might try and find a crochet pattern and do them.
    Warm regards,
    Jan x

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  21. I frogged 6 WIPs this past week! I just couldn't deal with them anymore. Then I finished a wip, and now I'm sure I'll finish another today. Fingers crossed.

    With this new baby coming in the middle of winter, I really needed to clear my schedule, so I'd feel free to work on some new bubba knits, not to mention my three growing boys who will all need a new vest each this year too!

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  22. Ohhh man I couldn't even count the number of WIP I have, or even worse the piles of fabric I bought with great intentions and full of inspiration, then never even touched! You are so productive though Kate, I'm always so impressed at how you prioritise your craft and actually make time to get it done. I'm sure you have many more beautiful finished projects than unfinished ones, which is more than I can say round here! ;)

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  23. Oh how I love that you have many wips too! And can't find stuff! I swear one day I'm going to be organised and everything will have a rightful home, especially photos... A good friend once told me when she can't find something it's a good sign to start tidying up as that'll usually unearth missing thing... love the theory tho find myself just getting annoyed and turfing the house upside down in said circumstance :-) ... and yes I have eleventy billion unfinished, half started projects tucked into all corners of craft room... knitted bits, crochet bits, fimo bits, sewing bits, you name it! I find that I do get to some of them eventually... in between decades! I used to never finish anything, I've got better over the years and I'm happy with that progress... turtle steps :-) x

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  24. The bottom drawer of my craft cabinet is very full and hard to open, I don't really want to look to see how many WIP pieces are shoved in there! x

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  25. I have so many projects on the go!! I get to a point where I just have to finish something and then I go mad and finish several. Hope you find your bee photos.

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    1. That happens to me too...after working on one large project for a while, I have gone on a 'starting spree' starting three things in one week, two little things to grab on the go and one larger one, but I have a pattern on my tray pleading with me to buy some yarn for it, but then there is the cupboard full of yarn which is testament to all the projects I intended to do but haven't started yet. I need to work through that.

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  26. These wip's are a wonderful reflection of your skills and talents. Some may reach completion, some may not- que sera sera. I tend to be the loyal, monogamous crafter I think. The down side of that is that I tend to put things off until I think the time is right. I am waiting for the Brisbane heat to subside and then I shall embark on a warm winter natural fibre scarf, crocheted probably as my knitting skills are very basic. Your knitted pile of squares are an inspiration though!

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  27. Oh No! I don't have WIPs I thought in January. I'm just not that sort of person. Then I had a little look in my bags and boxes and unearthed some. I might show all sometime on my blog. Or I might forget I ever said that, forget I ever found them and stay in denial.

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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