Craft Plans

I'm in the process of self auditing and thinking about 2009, not in a resolutions sort of way but more in a "where do I want to be this time next year" thing.

So as I stand here and look at the craft things I achieved this year ... well, I'm kinda bummed to tell the truth. I mostly made items to gift and whilst that is always fun and a pleasure, they were late to most recipients. So I not only feel bad that I have little in my own possession craft-wise to show for this year, the gifts I made missed the occasions entirely too.

AND I missed an opportunity to supply Boeme Bebe merchandise to a real live store in the US just cause I didn't have myself together this year across the board to deal with it.

So, where to in 2009? I brainstormed a very long (general life) list last night of things I would like to not still have to do by this time next year and I think not having these things weighing down on me as STILL Not Finished, will bring me further along the path to happiness. In terms of craft, I feel like I have wasted money on supplies that go unused. And I feel like I miss out on the pleasure of finishing, feeling the sense of accomplishment and enjoying projects I have made.

I still have presents I want to make and gift. So I need to sometimes be unselfishly crafting! I also have new projects I want to be able to start, cause that's always fun. But I also want to not have these WIPs that have been hanging around, sometimes for YEARS, hanging around taunting me anymore.

So it seems like I need a balance of old and new, for me and for presents, and across my crafts. I feel like it needs RULES or a LIST and I hate to feel that craft, something that is fun and for recreation time, needs to be regimented.

Not sure yet what to do.

Craft Goals

I've been cleaning out and organising my craft corner in my study. The thinking was that if I could see all the lovely different craft supply stashes, I wouldn't feel bad being on a craft diet and I'd also get onto finishing some of my projects. It's coming together nicely. A good side effect has been organising and turfing some of my books in order to keep one whole bookcase for craft. But I've also realised how little crafting I have done for myself this year. I have a lot of skeins of sock yarn for socks for me that remain unmade. And also a few skeins for shawls that likewise remain unmade. And a looooot of fabrix stash for cute funky out there projects I'm going to make one day.

The trouble is ... when is this "one day"? When will there be time for projects for myself? And when that time comes, will I still love all those fabrics and yarns? I do kind of go through taste phases.

So I decided to finish just one project by the end of the year ... tick tick tick tick ... I think it's going to be a silk cushion cover I bought at one of the craft shows earlier in the year. Needs like three seams and some overlocking or something. The thing though that is the hardest hurdle for me is cutting up the fabric. I have a fear of cutting it and ruining it - any piece of gorgeous fabric. I think in part that's why I like yarn so much. If you don't like what you knit, you can unpick it and start again! Not so with funky fat quarters.

The other thing though that I've been thinking about is setting some kind of project goals list for 2009 so I don't end up complaining about how I gifted everything I made this year again next year. Not sure what or how yet. Just mulling over the idea at this stage.