So Many Finishes

Last week was a week of several finishes.

First up is the needlepoint heart from last week.  After I got all the backstitching done, it occurred to me that I shouldn't have done the cool background stitching around the heart and finished it an an ornament instead.  Oh well.  Maybe I'll turn it into a box top or something.

Second is the Violet Tool Case.  I ended up having to sew around the piping by hand.  My sewing machine didn't want to go through all the pocket layers and the piping.  Oh well.

Next up is the framed Tuscan Greeting sampler.  I finished stitching it last August, but never got around to framing it.  As it is, I have to re-frame the piece because it shifted in the frame when it was wrapped up and taken to the PASG Judged Show.  The shifting was enough to cost me a blue ribbon, but I'm still ecstatic about the red ribbon.

I also finished Musical Roses last August and finally framed it last week.  It was also entered into the show and took a ribbon.  Despite the frame being too small for the design (which I'm absolutely irritated about), it took a blue ribbon.  It's also going to be re-framed, but with a larger frame and a mat.

I've saved the best for last today.  I finished my original cross stitch design that features a poem that I wrote. They share the title of Paint the World.  I plan on offering the chart for sale as a .pdf file at some point in the future.  I'm not sure when, but it is in the works.

I'm happy to say this piece took two blue ribbons at the Judged Show this year.  The first in it's category, the second was a special award for this year's theme, "Tell Me A Story."

 It's been a crazy week, so I'm going to take the rest of today off and put my feet up.  See you next weekend!

Keeping Track

A few weeks ago I decided to log as many past and current sewing projects as I could.  I had been mulling over all the sewing projects I've done in my life and only the ones in the last three years have ever been photographed.

I started out with a regular photo album... one with the full page sticky backs and plastic that covers the whole page.  I wanted something with lines to write notes on, so I cannibalized an old journal that I never bothered to use.  Each project gets one full page (front and back) in the album.  The notes and swatches go on the front (in most cases) and the photos on the back.

The cool part is I can write all the important details on the journal page, generally on one side or less, and then move it to the album.  Then I can add fabric swatches, trim/lace pieces, and pictures.  Polar fleece swatches don't work very well, so they don't get added.  I doubt really thick trims would work well either.

As far as information goes, obviously the more recent the project is the more details I can add.  The older ones usually end up with pattern company and number, the type of fabric used, maybe the size made, and where it went.  The newer projects get more details like the fabric mill (if known), the designer's name for the pattern or fabric if applicable, thread brand and composition, what company the notions came from (if applicable), any personal notes or thoughts about the pattern/project as I worked on it, etc.

I'm still playing catch-up with the older sewing projects.  Hopefully I'll get caught up before the year is over.  Then I just have to keep up with the entries as I work.

I don't think I'll do this for crochet or stitching projects.  For those I could pick up photo albums that hold two 4"x6" pictures on a page, put a picture in one slot and an index card with information about the project on the other.  Actually I already did that once before we moved and now that album has gone missing.  So I get to do it all over again.  Happily I hadn't gotten very far into it.

I can probably do something similar to catalog mini projects too.  Not sure how I'd want to do it yet.  It requires more thought.