My Creative Space – Busy doing everything!

Wow, what a week. Sewing, crochet, writing, shopping, chatting, advising and snow! It feels like it’s been non-stop here, so I think another collage is called for:

Up there is another Seashores hat, this time out of a thick wool that definitely worked to keep my ears warm! A mitten made from Blue Sky Alpacas organic cotton, with a cuff pattern from Inside Crochet. I would have used the rest of the pattern, but my yarn gauge is so off that I’m just making the rest up as I go. Then there’s a sneak preview of a sewing project that’s been…challenging…to say the least. And finally, my big scary achievement for the week has been putting my crochet patterns on Ravelry. eep!

At the moment, I’m not going to be making the patterns available for download, since that means doing battle with Paypal, and I really don’t have the strength of mind or energy for that right now. But if you’re not near Oxford or Bath and would like one, I do have some spare copies available for posting. Just drop me an email/comment and I’ll see what I can do 🙂

Also, I’ve had an interesting if predictable reaction to having my patterns up there, which is to say it scares me silly. People have been favouriting them and adding them to their queues and it’s freaking me out, more than a little. What if they get them and don’t like them? What if they find a mistake in the middle? What if, what if, what if. I know it’s not a logical reaction, but it’s very, very real to me at the moment and I’m slowly working it through. If nothing else, it’s good fodder for the crafting and depression series of posts I’m working on! Everything’s grist for the mill, I guess.

On a more positive note, I feel like I’m making real progress in finishing things. My craft bag no longer looks like an explosion in a wool shop, and I’m starting to think about Christmas presents. I’m going to have more chance to finish stuff on Saturday, when I’m doing a demo/workshop thingy at Darn it and Stitch. Myself and the two knitting teachers will be there from 12-4, so if you’re in the neighbourhood, do drop in and say hello. Fingers crossed, and if I can get through the snow to the printer’s, I should have the new patterns ready to go by then. Woot!

Stay warm and safe, everyone.

Other creative spaces at Kootoyoo‘s this week, which is the last official one of the year. I’ll probably carry on to Christmas though, if anyone cares to join me.

My Creative Space – Busy doing Nothing?

It feels like it’s been one of those weeks where I’ve been running as hard as I can to stay in one place. There are so many unfinished projects littering the flat that I’ve barely known where to start, and I have to keep reminding myself that I’m making little and often progress on all of them. But it’s not as satisfying as finishing something, which is definitely my project for this week.

The above collage gives you a flavour of what I’ve been working on, as well as being a chance for me to experiment with the new version of Photobucket. I’m not terribly keen on the new interface, but I do like how easy it was to make the collage. The pictures are a mixture of current projects, so-nearly-finished projects and some pattern ‘cover’ photos that we took at Stowe Landscape Gardens at the weekend. There are a few more, but they’ll have to wait for a bigger collage!

On top of that, I cut the lining for my purple skirt and washed and ironed some denim ready to make another skirt from it. Oh, and I rediscovered this:

Apologies for the bad photo – I took it at 7.30 this morning before I’d woken up enough not to wobble. This bag is one of those ideas that I’m not quite sure what to do with. They’re small and cute and easy to make, but do I want to sell them? Use them as giftbags at Christmas? Both?

Does that happen to anyone else? You have a really good idea for making something, finish it, then think “now what?” I’ll be adding this to my ‘To Be Finished’ pile, I think, because until I decide what to do with it, it’s still a WIP!

For everyone else’s creative spaces, head over to Kootoyoo‘s

My Creative Space on a Shoestring

See more creative spaces here at Kootoyoo’s

Photo from Flickr by Wwarby

I’ve been more pottering than making this week, trying out ideas and buying some new supplies. But on trying to squeeze another piece of fabric into a drawer, I finally came to the horrifying conclusion: my stash is now big enough.

I’m just going to pause for a moment to let the enormity of that statement sink in.

Okay. Deep breath. I can do this.

One of the problems with doing a range of crafts, and making a range of things, is that it’s easy to accumulate supplies with no definite plan in mind. Because of the way I work, and the way I change my mind every couple of days about what I absolutely must finish right there and then, I need a sort of ‘critical mass’ of materials before I can actually start work. I think I passed that critical mass a few metric tonnes ago.

So from now down to Christmas, I’m on a stash fast. No more buying material or yarn unless it is essential because I’ve run out of what I need*. Looking at my supplies, that’s not going to be an issues, and it’s going to be good to finally use up all these beautiful things that are languishing in piles or boxes. I’ve promised myself that in the sales, I can buy enough yarn for a whole something, probably a cardigan, but that’s it. John Lewis half-price yarn, here I come. Apart from that, I’m kind of intrigued to see how far my stash can take me.

I hope to get a stock-take up here at some point, then to work my way through it to prove to myself that (to misquote Gok) I can spend less and make more.

Is anyone else putting themselves on a stash diet? I know that coming down to Christmas, it’s easy to get carried away, but I have this crazy idea that I might actually be able to make most presents from the stash. Not sure if I’ve got time, but it’s going to be fun finding out. Hints, tips, encouraging noises all greatly appreciated!

*The only thing I can think of that I’ll need for one present is bias binding, but that’s not too pricey and my last lot came from here and was perfect. Picture of the basket I used my lime binding (yes, lime, really) on as soon as I can take them!

My creative space

This week has been focussed on getting things finished for Darn it and Stitch. It feels ridiculous to be thinking about Christmas, but that’s how the retail world works, I guess!

My main preoccupation this week has been getting these sorted out. I wasn’t sure how well the buttons would work, but I’m quite pleased with the overall effect.

This is the week’s other project, and after much ripping out and starting again, it’s almost there. Just the thumb and cuff to add and we’re done.

This isn’t technically my work, but as a favour to a friend, I’m putting my new-found skills with pliers to good use. I’ve had a few technical hitches, probably due to trying to handle tiny rings before I was properly caffeinated, but I’m about 50% of the way there. Lovely, satisfying work.

For more creative spaces, head over to Kootoyoo‘s

My Creative Space

I’ve been watching these posts over at Kootoyoo for aaaaages, but never took part because if I have a creative space, it’s the one between my ears and that’s hard to take a picture of. Somehow because I don’t get to craft all day, every day, I think what I do doesn’t count. But the space between my ears is always full of ideas, and I translate them to my hands as much as I can, so maybe I do count after all.

As I said, it’s hard to take a picture of the space in my head, so I’ll have to settle for the projects I’m working on at the moment.

These are just peeks, since I’m not quite ready to talk about these properly yet. But I’m chuffed to bits with how they’re coming along, and can’t wait to get them finished and photographed properly.

To add your creative space, head over to here and fill in the boxes. Then click the rest of the links for some serious inspiration.