PawsforThought crafting in 2024

Hello friends!

I did manage to get some work done in 2023, although not nearly as much as I’d hoped. As you might suspect, the primary reason for this is my rather brutal commute and lots of stress at work. 2023 was a beast.

I still have my projects lists and will update them as needed. My work continues to primarily be utilitarian rather than decorative and I am always hoping to get more mending and darning done.

I do primarily focus on knitting and sewing but occasionally branch out into other forms of textile and yarn crafts, such as crocheting and embroidery.



Previous projects

Projects I managed to finish in 2023.

Project lists
There are never any drastic changes to my project list because I’m as slow as a slug and the queen of procrastinating, but at least I’ll never run out of things to do. I have three project lists: the knitting list, the “other” list (with sewing, felting, crocheting and more) and the mending/darning/fixing list.

Knitting:
• Red wool mamluks/shorts (started)
• Blue wool mamluks/shorts
• Beige wool pillow cover with cables (started)
• Brown wool pillow cover with cables (started)
• Red and pink raglan wool sweater in brioche
• Felted blue low slippers
• Beige wool slipover (started)
• Bronze merino wool baby blanket, hat and socks ✔
• White wool/cashmere bed jacket (started)

Other forms of textile and yarn work
• Larger heating pad for the neck in blue linen (started)
• Smaller heating pad in blue linen (started)
• Waxed red canvas lunch bag
• Yellow crocheted wool socks (started)
• Blue and white cotton tea wallet ✔
• Blue and white cotton pouch for “ladies’ products” (started)
• Red and pink cotton travel cutlery pouch ✔
• Blue and white cotton charger pouch
• Blue and white cotton travel pharmacy bag
• Blue and white cotton travel sewing kit

Darning, mending and fixing
• Elbow patches on long blue cardigan
• Fixing hole on long beige cardigan
• Fixing hole on pink cardigan
• Elbow patches on beige cardigan
• Elbow patches on dark grey cardigan
• Mending belt hoop on corduroy trousers
• Mending belt hoop on black jeans
• Darning apricot woolly socks (started)
• Mending winter coat and replacing buttons/toggles (started)
• Elbow patches on anorak
• Darning red/grey woolly socks (started)
• Mending strap on backpack ✔
• Fixing hook-and-eyes on luse-cardigan ✔
• Fixing broken seam on wind-proof trousers ✔
• Mending lovikka mitten
• Elbow patches on plaid blazer
• Mending hole in black turtleneck ✔
• Changing closures on black pencil skirt ✔

Crafting books:
A space to show my craft-related book purchases through the year.

Sorry your 2023 wasn't better. Hope you find time for things you enjoy in 2024.

I'm more of a "quick as a bunny" - hopping from one project to the next and putting things aside to "finish later". I have a few stacks of fabric right now that I can't figure out what they were supposed to be for. But I'm always optimistic.

I also hope you have a good reading year. - I stop in at your reading thread in the 75 group occasionally to see what you've been reading.

Hi Betty! Nice to see you here!

I do that too - always starting new projects and then life gets in the way (or I have to unravel) which makes my lose focus and when I get more energy I start something else.

>1 PawsforThought: What I like about your list is, there's enough variety that you can choose to do what you're in the mood for. And some projects are probably small enough to finish quickly, which is satisfying. I also admire all the darning, mending, and fixing.

Hi Laura!

Yeah, I need to have some variety. If my list was just the same thing over and over (or even variations of the same thing) I’d go nuts.
Like you said, this way I can pick something that suits my mood and the time I have available.

Happy New Year! I think even one finished project is pretty spectacular! Some years it is about crafting practice and not crafting quantity!

>8 lesmel: Thanks Lesli.

Absolutely, but it does feel good to have finished projects to look at. I think the craft I’ve been practising the most in the past year has been patience.
But when I was looking through my photos and realised that I’d actually finished a fair amount of stuff. Just not necessarily the things I’d originally planned.

Marking my place. Very nice finishes for last year.

Haven’t done much crafting so far but on a whim I decided to throw one of my project bags into my backpack when I left for work this morning. Never did make it to work because there were massive issues with the railroad switches and after being stuck for hours I decided it was better to go back home rather than continue to work only to almost immediately turn back around (and likely have more delays on the way back).
So after whiling away time doing Duolingo and checking my social media channels I picked up my knitting and made some headway on pillowcase #3.
And I met a friend (who I haven’t seen since before the plague years) on the way home so at least something good came out of it. He wants me to start working on the same regional magazine that he does, and it sound interesting so I might do it.

I’ve started (yet) another project.

One of my closest colleagues, D, is pregnant and I wanted to give her something for the baby. So I decided on a baby blanket - something that the baby wont grown out of after two months.
Also, D and her family will be moving abroad shortly afterwards so I won’t see her anymore and I thought it might be nice to have a physical reminder of her time here. (I’m gonna miss her SO much!)
It was supposed to be in a fancy-looking cross pattern but all the increases and decreases made me lose track of where I was (it’s not a difficult pattern, joys just have to pay close attention) so I unravelled it and changed it into a broken rib instead. It’s going well now, and with a simpler pattern I can knit on the train, too.

Paws, I sense some feelings of guilt but that's a very good reason to start another project. I'm sorry your friend will be moving away. I'm sure the blanket will be well-used, and evoke fond memories of her time in Sweden and your friendship.

Thanks, Laura.

I just have so many projects started right now it feels wrong to pick up something new. But I don't feel bad about prioritising this since there's a very definite time limit and I don't want to be too late. There's no time limit on any of the other projects.
I'm actually really pleased with the decision to go with a simpler patter as I really like broken rib, and I'm confident it will end up looking good (which I wasn't with the original pattern).

Hi Paws! Beautiful finishes last year - thanks for sharing. 😁

>15 PlatinumWarlock: Thanks!

Making some headway with the baby blanket - I'm doing on average 6-8 rows a day (about 3-4 cm) so it's chugging along nicely but I'm still only about 1/4 done and it's not the most inspiring work. I'm excited about getting it finished, but I think I need to figure out a small project to work on, and finish, during the weekend so I can feel that I'm accomplishing something.

I was thinking about other projects I've been wanting to do and there are at least two full-sized blankets among them - not sure how I'll be able to do it without going mad. One of them is made up of small parts so that will be fine, but the other is in one single piece. It does have colour gradients so I guess that'll make it a bit more exciting, but I'll definitely have to have other projects to switch between.

>17 PawsforThought: - Multiple projects at the same time - I can relate to that.

>18 dudes22: Oh, I normally always have 5-6 things going on and switch between them, but right now I'm only allowing myself to work on the baby blanket and it's a little mind numbing.

>19 PawsforThought: - My problem is that I get easily sidetracked when I see something new that I want to start RIGHT NOW!

>20 dudes22: Oh, yeah!

Yesterday, I mentioned that I wanted to find some small projects to tinker with this weekend, and when I got home from work there were two small packages in my mailbox. One containing the yarn I needed to mend a worn out mitten and another with stuff I needed to fix a pair of wind-proof trousers where a seam has broken. Perfect timing! So now I'll be doing repair work on the weekend in between knitting the baby blanket. Apart from these things I also need to fix the strap on my backpack (a seam has broken), some of the hook-and-eyes on a cardigan and maybe a couple of other things. I do also have my to-do list, of course.

>17 PawsforThought: I'm always amazed at how long it takes to do projects for babies, in relation to the time it takes to make the same article for adults, but it blankets, sweaters or whatever. How does that work?! (assuming here you are not using lace weight yarn for a Shetland type shawl - that's a whole other matter)

>22 SassyLassy: It’s my first ever project for a baby so I have nothing to compare it to. It maybe baby stuff is more often made with thinner/finer yarns? I have some baby alpaca yarn lying around and that’s some of the finest yarn I have.

Small update: I’ve managed to knit maybe ten rows (hard to tell at this point in the project because it feels like I’m doing so much but it doesn’t seem to make any difference to the size of the blanket), and I’ve finished three of the mini projects.
The skirt I wore the other day had a small hook-and-eye in the waist and the hook had made a hole in the top I was wearing. It’s a small hole at the back of a top I always keep tucked in so not really a big deal but it was fairly new so it’s annoying. I’ve mended the hole and I’ve removed the hook-and-eye and replaced it with a button and a ribbon as a loop. The zipper is strong enough to hold the skirt together by itself but I’m sure there will come a day when it won’t anymore.
And one of my cardigans had the closures (also hook-and-eye) hanging a bit loose so I’ve fixed that.
Pic of the new button below.

I’m going to go through my mum’s collection of buttons one of these days. There are treasures hidden that need to be dug out.

I got a bit more work done on the blanket on Sunday (not as much as I wanted to, though) and I managed to fix the strap on my backpack that had come loose and fixed some holes and broken seams (more than I originally thought) on my wind-proof trousers and also added some reflective tape to the lower legs. Didn't get around to mending/darning the mitten or fixing the lining on my coat but did make some headway with another little project.
Won't get much more work done on anything craft-related for the next few days as I'm going out with co-workers tomorrow and staying at my brothers.

>25 PawsforThought: Every little bit counts.

>26 thornton37814: Thanks for reminding me - I've had such a bad conscience the past week because I've done almost no work at all on the blanket (nor any other project). I really need to get back to it.

>27 PawsforThought: Sometimes, we need a break. You will get it done.

>27 PawsforThought: I know some people who just aim to stitch a single strand per day. They say it's amazing how even that little amount adds up. I had lots of time to stitch yesterday but I needed a nap worse, so I didn't get as many stitches in as I would have liked. (I still probably put in 3 or 4 approximately 12 inch strands of silk.) I needed the rest though, and I think I'll be ready to stitch later today.

>29 thornton37814: There is so much to be said for the daily "n" amount of minutes, rows, strands, or whatever other measure you use.

When I used to sew, I remember reading about 15 minutes of sewing each day. That of course assumed you had a place where you could leave your machine and other items set up.
Currently, Deanne Fitzpatrick, a rug hooking guru, has a 10 minutes a day goal for her readers, knowing if you sit down for that, you are likely to keep going, and even if you don't something has been accomplished. Once again though, you need space to have things set up, so you can just sit down and start. The 10 minute goal has worked for me, and even if it's all I do, after a week I see progress. She also says it's okay when you need to skip, just don't get into the habit.
I also use strands, when I am doing needlepoint - 3 is my goal there. Once again, it adds up over a week.

I do really relate to that nap though!

Thanks for the pep talks! My plan has been to knit at least four rows per days (which I can very easily do), but something about last week just didn't work. I think it was in part that I've finished season 1 of the TV show I was watching while knitting and I needed a bit of a break from it as it's fairly dark. And it didn't help that I was frustrated at work so needed some escape (meaning, mindlessly scrolling social media and watching YouTube videos).

I envy you your naps - I can't take naps during the day (aside from some state of semi-dozing on the train) because then I won't be able to sleep at night.

Good luck getting back to the baby blanket! It is much nicer crafting something that won't immediately be outgrown. I've embroidered a lot of onesies in the past and it's always a bit "why have I put so much time and effort into this thing that will be outgrown in a month or less and also immediately spit up on..."

I managed to finish a little project this weekend. As I've mentioned before, I've started making little sewn bags/holders/cases for various things I like to bring with me when I'm travelling, both for work and for pleasure. I'm making them in different patterned fabric but the same colour scheme (white and navy blue). I've now finished the tea wallet. I always bring a few tea bags with me because it's nice to be able to have a cup of tea either at the end of the day or if you're a bit under the weather. And hotels/trains/etc. don't always have flavours/kinds I like. So here it is. It fits four tea bags (though you can of course keep other things in it, too).
I've repurposed some of the fabric from the Japanese project bags I made a year or so ago.



I need to buy more fabric, because I have multiple other things to make, but it's surprisingly difficult to find navy-and-white woven cotton.

>33 PawsforThought: That ginkgo fabric is beautiful! What a great idea a tea wallet is! I too travel with my own tea bags for that end of day lift, but have been using boring old plastic containers. You've elevated the ceremony to a new level!

The geometric fabric combination looks great too.

>34 SassyLassy: Thanks! I’m really fond of the ginkgo fabric.
I’ve used plastic containers too, and was tired of it.

I love your bags as a concept, and the fabrics as well. A tea holder is an excellent idea.

I usually end up keeping my tea bags in a plastic. Bag. Your idea is so much nicer. Maybe I’ll look into doing that when we get back from vacation. I have tons of scraps I could use.

Love that fabric! I have a tea wallet as well, though I didn't make it myself. My trouble is I always want to take more tea than it holds...

Thanks all!

>36 lauralkeet: I’m really pleased with my themed works - I think I’m going to be very happy with them as a whole when they’re all done.

>37 dudes22: It’s quite a fun little project that I’ve been working on in small spurts for a few weeks (had to take a break because I realised I didn’t have any elastic that wasn’t black).

>38 mabith: I was initially sceptical about the size as it only fits four tea bags, but I had to be honest with myself and admit that I’ve never used more than four of my own tea bags on any trip I’ve ever taken.

>33 PawsforThought: Those are quite nice!

I finished another project. Or rather, I finished two but have decided I’m not completely content with the second one so I’m going to make some adjustments. That’ll have to wait a bit because the sewing machine needs servicing.

But I finished a cutlery pouch that I’ve been thinking about making for ages. I travel a bit for work (less this year than in a while, thankfully) and it’s annoyed me that buying food to go (which is common both when travelling for business and pleasure) there’s no cutlery (except chopsticks when buying Asian food). But having cutlery loose in my handbag wasn’t an option so a cutlery pouch. The knife and fork in the photo is just the stuff that I have at home, but I’ve been trying to find something that’s a little lighter in weight. I’m planning on keeping knife, fork, spoon, teaspoon and maybe non-disposable chopsticks in there.

I love that, Paws. A while back I actually bought something similar, which came equipped with reusable cutlery and a metal straw. My main use for them would be picnics, hikes, or outdoor concerts. I love that you made your own pouch!

>41 PawsforThought: Oh, that looks really convenient!

If you want something *really* lightweight, my backpacker friends swear by titanium sporks.

>43 melannen: Yeah, but I’m not a fan of sporks. I want to be able to use proper cutlery.

Great idea on the cutlery pouch!

>41 PawsforThought: I'm glad to know what that is! I had one gifted to me with another purchase I made from an Etsy shop, and I had no idea what it was. I thought it might be a case for storing crochet hooks. It was just a guess.

I've finished the blanket! it's currently drying so I'll put up a photo later. Am now working on a baby hat to use up the leftover yarn, and will also make a pair of socks. And then no more baby stuff (my colleagues's last day is Tuesday).

Congrats on finishing with time to spare!

I finished everything for my friend! Baby blanket and a hat and a pair of socks to use up the leftover yarn. There was about two metres of yarn left when I was done.
I’m quite please with this, and I’m really happy with the colour choice. It’s not a colour I’d normally pick, but it made me think of bronze statues, which makes me think of Italy, and my friend is from there (and going back there) so it made sense in my head. No baby pastels because I don’t like pastels.

The socks are spiral rib and don’t have a heel - this makes them fit well but allows for the sock to grown with the child so they can use them for longer.

What a beautiful set! I'm sure baby and mum will be pleased.

>49 PawsforThought: Those are lovely!

Those are great looking!

Thank you all! I made the hat and socks slightly bigger so that they will be more fitting in size come winter, where it might actually be chilly enough in Italy that you’d need socks and hats, and also because that way he can likely wear them for a longer time (they do grow alarmingly fast the first few months).

>49 PawsforThought: Great way to use up that yarn! I know all will be happy!

Well, I made D (my friend/colleague) cry when I gave her the baby things.
I’m glad she’ll have a physical, tangible thing to remember me and the rest of our work group with when she’s so far away.

Oh, I really like the spiral rib socks! I'm glad the mom appreciated them.

>56 melannen: Thanks! The spiral ribs are fun to make, and it's always fun when something looks a bit complicated but is actually really easy.

>55 PawsforThought: That's great!

The yarn color on the baby things is so lovely and rich. They look beautiful.

Thanks Meredith. I was drawn to the colour - it reminded me of bronze.