Wednesday 27 December 2017

Resolution Success

If you are follower of this blog, for which I thank you, you will know I make crafting New Year resolutions because they are more fun than promising to eat less cake or run 5K. 2017 has been the year of the stash diet. 


I made three resolutions. The first one was to find a knicker pattern. This has been a bit of a mission with lots of experimenting and learning. I can report success all round and can now whip out MY own knicker pattern and make batches of new knickers without even leaving the house.




The second one was to make another quilt. Again, lots of learning and new skills. I made Megan a sampler quilt trying out new techniques and blocks which I shared with my sewing group. It tied in well with the stash diet because I used up lots of scraps.



And finally the mammoth number three. Limit buying new craft materials. I must say that it was very liberating. I have used up many pieces of donated fabric and wool along with sewing notions without actually making any less items this year. My favourite free yarn project being my hat, cowl and glove set.





And my most worn free dressmaking project is my Cleo dungaree skirt from donated cord.


Of course I did buy new materials and I listed them throughout the year to keep myself in check:

4 balls of patons smoothie in red for a school jumper (need)
2 balls of alpaca wool for a baby knit (caved in)
1 10m roll of bias binding to finish the quilt (need)
1 skein of rainbow Merino (too darn pretty)
1 sockwunder circular needle (to try)
1 stitch ripper (lost mine)
1 roll of dressmakers tracing paper (ran out)
3 balls of stylecraft white DK (to finish a baby blanket)
1 bale of quilt wadding (need)

*Adrifil yarn for my big girl to crochet so not for me!



There was a double edged reason to do this task. Financially, we used the money I would have spent on frivolous craft stash to fix or replace things which we have been living with that are broken or no longer working. Our ten-year-child-rearing dip without doing any house maintenance finally caught up with us. I listed these each month too:

JAN - replaced broken yarn winder, paid for our holiday to France

FEB - new frying pan, jug, microwave and stick blender

MAR - New shower head and serviced my overlocker blades. Paint for three rooms in the house.

APR - Bought drawers for our recycling, windows 10 software, bobble buster for saving knits, replaced 3 cracked drawers in the freezer

MAY - a new cooker and a new cutlery basket for the dishwasher, a new hose that reaches the part of the garden we need to water.

JUN - A new grill pan handle, drawer knobs for all the ones that have fell off on our bedroom furniture.

JULY - Had the carpets cleaned - all of them!

AUG - An adult mattress for our 10 year old girl instead of a toddler one, a sisal rug to cover the worn bit of carpet in the front room that the cleaning couldn't save.

SEPT - A new hoover that actually works

OCT - Garden shrubs to replace the ones the dog has eaten. New garden fence from a neighbourly driving accident!

NOV - New shower taps which were dripping, painted the kitchen.

DEC - Repair the spin on the washing machine and Christmas!


I know it doesn't make for riveting reading but I wonder how many of us put up with broken things and finally decide we have had enough, we made it our 2017 mission. 

So I have to make some new ones don't I? Well I will have to have a little think about that. 


Thank you for following along this year. I have loved having you here to cheer me on in my crafty shenanigans. Jo xxxx

11 comments:

  1. What a resourceful and creative year. Such a lot of things made, mended and re-purposed. You should feel mighty proud of yourself. I'm looking forward to following your creative journey in 2018!

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  2. I enjoyed reading your lists as I am a list kind of person but never do them lol. 2018 will be a home improvèment year for us as lots of updating needed.

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  3. Well done Jo, you are an inspiration! So good to know we aren't the only parents who put up with the house falling apart in order to give our children experiences!!

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  4. Looking forward to your new crafty resolutions, you are an inspiration.

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  5. I have so enjoyed reading your blog this year, thank you very much!

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  6. I have Loved reading your blog,you are such an inspiration as many have said.You have made think think about ME,instead of my Doggy Owners all the time.I am going back to Quilting Group once a month,have really missed it,but usually too tired to go in the evening after a Day full of Doggy Walking in the rain lol.Looking forward to reading this blog in 2018.THANK YOU xx

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  7. Sorry I mean you have made me think

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  8. You are so resourceful, I should really follow your lead and start a stash diet year. I don't think I have it in me. I sorted and tidied my stash. There are lots of quilts in there, once I finished the current one. I really like Megan's sampler quilt, maybe I'll make something similar for James. It is his turn next year. Glad you have a functioning hoover and a washing machine that spins! I hate spending money on stuff like that but needs must. We are in a similar situation - 17 years of neglect instead of 10.... two mattresses this year and one washing machine repair, one new freezer, one broken dryer. I am very much looking forward to reading your new crafting resolutions! xx

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  9. I'm very envious of the sewing you do, especially the undies - so clever. Happy New Year x

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  10. My goal in January is to fix a few broken things in the house, towel racks, a closet door and the new hole in the wall in the bpys room that I assume got there from them jumping on the futon and the edge of the futon going into the wall. It is always something!

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  11. This afternoon and evening it has been so much fun to catch up on your creative pursuits...making pretty knickers, bras, hats, PJ pants, socks, a jacket, a sweater, a skirt, a baby blanket and most spectacularly, a wedding!!! Thanks for taking the time to share with us, Jo. As I have said before, I benefit from reading about your creative process. I am so glad you are enjoying the snow, as well :) xx

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