Not-So-Crazy January Challenge Update – 01/12/2011

I’m done, I’m done, I’m done, I’m done, I’m done! I met my own challenge!! Happy dance! Of course, now I should amend the challenge so that I finish all of the pieces that I set out for this challenge by the end of the month. Or should I? That is the question.

So, here is the latest status update:

2. Hardanger Embroidery Emery Cushion by Roz Watnemo –
Finished!

3. Crystal Pink Pincushion by Lorri Birmingham –
Stitched the back piece for this one. It’s now ready to be finished.

5. Blue Rose Teacup by Lorri Birmingham –
6. Heart to Heart (teacup) by Lorri Birmingham –
I did the running stitch on these last night and then the attempts to actually stuff them and pull them into some usable shape today was a total failure. I’ve now pulled the old running stitches from both pieces, drawn a proper circle on the backs with a compass and will try again.

11. Sarah Belle Needle Keep by Lorri Birmingham –
Finished!

12. Butterflies & Hearts Decorative Tin Cover by Lorri Birmingham –
Finished!

13. Sweetheart Decorative Tin Cover by Lorri Birmingham –
Finished!

14. Sweetheart Decorative Tin Cover by Lorri Birmingham –
Finished!

All four tins together:

26. Butterfly Scissors Fob by ??? –
Finished!

This one’s a little wonky, but hand-sewing a circle is always difficult. I didn’t make the cording thick enough to hide the flaws.

There you go! 6 more finishes brings me to a total of 15 pieces finished in 12 days. Woohoo! Go me!

I was just paging through my original challenge post to see where my sticking points are going to be for the rest of them. I thought #1 would be a sticking point, but I have made a flanged pillow before and I just had the sudden flash of how to do it, so that shouldn’t be too bad, once I decide what fabrics are going where. I know how I’m going to try to finish #3 (different from the recommended finish) and now that I have stitched up the back piece, that will just be a little time-consuming. Number 5 and 6 will hopefully not be too problematic once I get the running stitches in again in an actual, even circle. #7 just fell by the wayside because I didn’t want to take the time to drag out the ironing board to do the interfacing as she instructs. #10… ah yes, number 10. I think this is going to be my procrastination piece. Which is terrible since I promised to send the leftover materials to Coral when I was done with it and that was before Christmas 2009! I really need to force myself to sit down and look at this one this weekend. #16 I think that I can handle. #22 is already sewn into a pillow and just needs floss for me to make tassels for the corners. #23 is ready to be sewn and stuffed. #24 needs to have a backstitched border added and then be sewn and stuffed. I just need to reference the Mill Hill Tiny Treasured Diamond ornament finishing instructions to reproduce that type of finish. #25 shouldn’t take that long. I just need to sew the top opening closed and tack it to the bellpull rod. And then I have the two pieces that I finished stitching at the end of the year, one of which will become a biscornu (easy) and the other a pagoda pincushion (not too bad, either).

That’s another 13 finishes and I still have 19 days. Do you think I can do it?