Wednesday 28 September 2016

2017 Needlework Musings......

This is going to be one of those posts that is more for my benefit than my poor readers.  So if you aren't in to plans and general rambling, feel free to skip...........:)

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I think it's fair to say that I am one of life's planners!  My stitching is pretty much wrapped up for 2016, so that's when I start to think about what I want to do in 2017.  What I want to stitch is easy, how I'm going to achieve it, well that's another story!

So as for the what, here's a little selection of next year's projects:

Stitching Plans 2017
 
 
 
I'll be stitching projects from both of the books and treating them as "learning projects" as a way of improving my stitching techniques, reading around the subject and generally enjoying immersing myself in a project.  I'm looking forward to the Hardanger and using entirely new-to-me-threads that thanks to a specialist lacemaking and tatting shop I was able to source online in the UK.  I'm still wavering on which of the samplers in The Proper Stitch to go for.  Being a Tudor nut, I'm thinking maybe I should go for the Tudor Rose Sampler but the other two samplers are beautiful too.
 
Alongside that will be more samplers including a piece I have wanted to stitch for about five years by Reflets de Soie.  It's a redwork sampler to be stitched using the AVAS silks and flax linen in the left hand side of the photo along with a bit of ribbon work.  At 250 x 400 stitches, I'm hoping the bands of letters will be a soothing stitch to possibly last the year.  Then there are the other samplers pictured which will be stitched on high counts of linen probably using Nina's gorgeous threads.
 
Once again it will be stitching from stash which is what I have basically done for the past two years.  The only exception would be completing my collection of Nina's silks and cottons and buying linens as and when I need them. My Pinterest board is so full of the many patterns in my stash that I want to stitch that very few on my wishlist make it much further than that these days!
 
Now for the how.........  I no longer have the time and energy I used to have to stitch.  I'm okay with that, after all my life amounts to more that the number of stitches I make and the stash I buy (or don't buy in my case!).  This means that when I do get a chance to stitch, the project has to tick all the right boxes - otherwise I feel I just as well sit making random stitches in a piece of linen to no end and to no avail!  I've been stitching for long enough to know what I love and what works for me and basically that is what 2017 is all about - quality not quantity I guess.  Taking patterns I love and using the stash that I love to stitch them.  I see no point in starting a project just because I can, which is why despite the fact that I've been contemplating starting another Chatelaine for a while,  I haven't done it because they no longer tick all the boxes for me.  I like to have projects that are easy, mindless, soothing stitching and I like to have projects that are challenging and 2017 is going to be a mixture of both.
 
Where this leaves blogging I don't know, less stitching means less to blog about - but I'm thinking I should be able to manage a monthly update.  I've really enjoyed the bits of OAAT stitching I've done this year (thanks to Justine), so that will be something I will be taking forward to next  year. 
 
I'm really looking forward to my projects for next year and a much more chilled approach to my stitching. By now you know that I'm not much of a "social stitcher" and all the hoop-la that goes along with that side of things - but it's nice to share what I've done in this little corner of the interweb :).
 
 
Thanks for reading.........
 
 
Happy Stitching!

12 comments:

  1. I hope you do keep blogging and if you can't update as much I would love to see you on instagram =D I would love to see your proper stitch sampler. There is a group of ladies at my guild that all decided to stitch it and they look lovely.

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  2. I like the new philosophy and all the plans for 2017. It is inspiring to me as I am going through some planning for next year myself. I hope you will do at least a monthly update. I look forward to seeing how it goes.

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  3. AMEN! 😀 virtual high five! your choices for 2017 look so gorgeous and exciting, I'm sure you'll have a blast - and if a year isn't enough, there's always 2018! 😀

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  4. Sounds like you have a very well thought out goals. Love the stash you have set out for 2017. Will be sorry to see less of you but you're totally right about stitching what is just right for you, so will enjoying seeing what you work on when you can.

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  5. I must say, I admire you on so many levels, as a stitcher, as a person, how you approach your hobby, how you approach life. It all shines through your words. No matter what you choose or how you choose or what you execute in your next year, it will be fruitful and well done!

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  6. Very exciting to have 2017 stitching thought of already. I did a little clean out for a guest and have some idea of what I'm going to start sooner rather than later, what can wait and what can't. Plus 2017 I hope to have more finishes than starts. Good luck and always nice to read your posts.

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  7. You are very organised planning next year's stitching. I'm very much a whatever takes my fancy type of person unless it is a gifted item.

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  8. This post was a great read, and it really made me think about my stitching. Thank you

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  9. I also hope you keep blogging, since I enjoy your posts so much, as I did your flosstube videos. I like seeing all of your projects, and you've definitely inspired some acquisitions of my own, such as The Sampler Girl patterns.

    I totally agree with your stitching philosophy. Despite not being a stitcher for all that long, I am very particular about what I choose to work on, and I'd rather spend my time and money on things I really love.

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  10. A great post, Amanda. No matter what and how you will be stitching next year, I hope it will be a great year for you. And I hope to see a new blog post from you every now and then just to be able to admire your needlework skills.

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  11. I love planning and have started making notes about 2017 already. I love the array of fabrics and colours you've shown in the photo, so pretty spread out like that.
    I'm trying to cut down my WIPs and cut my losses on some projects too.
    Next year my focus will be on two BAPs with smaller projects fitting in around them.

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  12. That's a lot of projects good luck!

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