A Year Of Small Projects

I am a lover of BIG projects. The bigger the better, usually.

If a project runs over several months (block-of-the-months are so much fun!), or over a year or more (love me a good stitch-a-long!), then chances are I'm already signed up and smack-bang in the middle of it.

The only problem really, is that it's quite rare for me to actually finish anything. I have lots and lots of projects on the go, but that wonderful feeling of completion is elusive.

Until recently....

 ....just before last Christmas, actually, when I decided to stitch up a cushion each for two of my dearest friends. I had been working on the stitchery for about 6 months, using a beautiful Cottage Garden Thread stitched on a Rosalie Dekker stitchery design.

I pieced and quilted a background from Lucy's Crab Shack fabric by Sweetwater, and attached the circular design by machine (it always feels so much sturdier than hand stitching).

The back panel feature is a few leftover fabric squares, with a hand-embroidered Tilda quilt label...I LOVE those labels!

The cushion turned out just as I had imagined in my head, and was so quick to put together! 

My mojo was on fire (lol) so I pulled out another completed stitchery, and whipped up another Christmas cushion....OH MY GOODNESS!

That feeling of finishing something (and actually packing away all the leftover bits and pieces) was kind of euphoric, and totally motivating!

As the new year rolled around, I decided to aim for that "finished" feeling more often, and my YEAR OF SMALL PROJECTS was born :)

My first project : a zippy hobby bag designed by the talented girls of Sew-a-long, Claire Turpin and Jemima Flendt.

Finished in an afternoon, and such a great size!

 Of course, my eldest daughter requested one immediately, and there are another two on my craft desk just waiting to be sewn up.

I then stumbled across a hashtag on Instagram #2017sewingbookchallenge, which involves sewing some items from craft books that you already own. Luckily for me, I do have the odd one or two ;)

Tilda's Toy Box was my choice, and I even pulled out some lovely Tilda fabrics to make a start on the cushion in the bottom right corner.

Currently crushing on anything Tilda, and just couldn't bring myself to actually cut it. 😳
I did, however, cut some Pixie Noel fabric, and am currently putting the finishing touches to a very pretty cushion.

A year of small projects...this is already lots of fun!

Thank you so much for visiting. I know it's been a while (ok, a very long while) since I've shared anything in this space, but I'd like to think I might pop back in a bit more often in 2017. Thanks for reading, and I'd love to hear your comments, or even just leave me one to say hi and let me know if you're still blogging....I miss catching up with everyone's news and creativity!

TTFN
Susan xx

P.S. And the other cushion, for my other dear friend?

This is what was wrapped up for her (OMG) and it is currently STILL a work-in-progress. Watch this space 😆