Originally posted 2009-01-14 06:12:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Every year I make some New Year’s Resolutions about needlepoint.
Sometimes they are vague, like this year’s one to reduce the thread stash. Sometimes they are very concrete, like the year I wanted to do 100 needlepoint projects.
Most of the time I fail. Sometimes miserably, like the year I was supposed to finish 3 UFOs and finish none. Sometimes only by a hair, like the year I did 96 needlepoints instead of 100.
But making resolutions is fun, it gives us goals, it can direct our stitching, and sometimes it can be materially rewarding as many guilds have annual challenges.
In any case, what’s your needlepoint resolution?
Is there a project you intend to finish? A technique you want to learn? An organization goal?
I’ve come clean with mine – to reduce the thread stash by 10-25%, but leave a comment and let me know yours.
So far I’m not doing too badly. I’ve managed to use up at least one thread on every project I have done and I’m planning to do some other things (namely these vintage star ornaments) to use up a bunch more thread.
One lucky reader who provides a resolution will get a prize to be awarded Jan 30.
Related posts:
To introduce needlepoint to my nieces. First with the use of plastic canvas and we will see how it goes from there.
I love the idea of a needlepoint resolution! Although I’m still quite a novice, I can do basketweave with the best, have good tension control, and have used a variety of fibers. Lately though I have reached the point that that isn’t enough for me. My goal is to work very hard on learning to really interpret painted canvases by using new stitches, and improving my skill at selecting good colors and fibers. I’m not going to quantify the number of canvases I’ll stitch or new stitches I’ll learn, but will evaluate my progress by comparing my work at the beginning and end of the year. I hope to see a higher level of sophistication by the end of the year.
My other goal is to explore bargello. I love geometrics and color and am truly drawn to the technique.
Thanks for prodding me to formalize these goals for 2009!
One of my resolutions is to not buy any new projects or canvases. I have a 3 year supply so I have committed myself to working from what I own. The exception to this is if I go on vacation. I will allow myself to purchase a canvas as a souvenir.
I’m new to needlepointing (on my second project–a gorgeous Christmas stocking) and my resolution is to spend at least 5 hours a week on it. So far this year I’m at a total of three hours, so I’m already falling behind!
Until I read your blog it hadn’t occured to me to make a resolution for getting it done–so thanks!
My resolution SHOULD be to quit reading your blog at work. However, since that will never happen, it is to get more of my Laura Perin quilt blocks finished, especially since my boss does not object to my stitching them at work when I am finished with what I have to do for him and the clients won’t notice, and since my boss is willing to hang them on the walls here in the office. What every stitcher needs, more wall space!!!
I don’t usually make resolutions. But I have decided I need to keep track of my stitching finishes. I’ve started that on my blog with a small piece I finished last night.
I too have a resolution to learn new stitches & use them. Too often I just fall back to basketweave – it’s easy, I know it, it works, there’s no time to learn a new stitch, whatever. So, my resolution is to work along with my chapter on Pieces of Eight and have it finished (stitched) 365 days after I start. This, actually, is a double whammy as I intend to use as many threads from my stash as possible.
Janet,
My resolution is not to take any. I am absolutely no good at following them anyway. If I say I am going to work on a specific project, well that will probably not going to happen.
Life is short and all I want to do is have fun with any projects that I feel like stitching at the time. Hey, perhaps that is my resolution after all (grinning).
Pierrette =^..^=
My needlepoint resolution is to enter at least one piece in the state fair! I have several I could (and a couple that even really qualify by having been done since the last state fair), but I am thinking the one I am working on now (a Laura Perin piece with the colors changed) might be the one. . . My other resolution is to get the Coffelt painted canvas my sister picked out for her (2009) Christmas present done by her birthday (August) and to do as much of it as possible from stash. That one may be tougher!
Linda
lewmew@hotmail.com
Mine is to take all the canvases that I’ve finished stitching and actually get them into finished pieces. I’m so stubborn about wanting to do them myself, but I just don’t do them. I either need to send them out or buckle down. Stitched pieces just sitting in storage are worthless.
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