2024 Making Round-Up!

My posts always drop off leading up to Christmas as I am usually knee deep in gift making and can't seem to think about  much else!  I thought before I start thinking about my making goals for 2025, I'd do a round up on what I made in 2024.

In retrospect, it was a very busy year, especially considering that making slowed to a trickle once the weather was warm enough to get out in the garden. It was a fun year filled with a variety of different interests.

In the wire working department, there were a couple of projects.  In the late spring, I designed a brooch for a fundraiser and made three to donate. I called it the Sunrise Brooch!

I was pleased with how this turned out.  I made them in bronze and took advantage of the extra "spring" of this metal in the design.

I also made a suncatcher for my kitchen window featuring some aquamarine chips.

No matter how long I go between wire working projects, sooner or later I always seem to need to make something new!

Knitting got a lot of attention too.  I discovered last year that despite the seaters I made, I am more of a vest and cardigan girl.  I decided to give my sweaters to Jenn and started looking at cardigan possibilities for myself.

I started a steeked cardigan using a 50/50 merino silk lace yarn (held double) from my stash. Things were going very well until I got to the button bands.  I ended up picking up too many stitches and had bands that distorted the sweater.  I was very disappointed and put it in a drawer, promising myself I would try to take the band apart in the future.  So far that hasn't happened - lol.

My next cardigan was a fun exercise in stash-busting! I used a free pattern I found on Ravelry as the base, combined a DK yarn with a variety of laceweight yarns in my stash and created something truly unique and wonderful! I added some applied I-cord and appliqued some mohair "leaves" I had originally made for a different project. I finished it off with a recycled pewter clasp. It is my favorite cardigan! And this fall, I finally found a long-sleeved t-shirt to truly complement it!

            

My last cardigan was a summer, 3/4 sleeve,  open-front version using two strands of laceweight yarn from my stash.  Because I wanted to steek again, I stayed away from silk based yarns this time and went with a straight up merino combination. This worked out much better.

I also did some hand quilting and sewing this year. The hand quilting was hexie-based. I find English paper piecing (EPP) addictive.  I had started a quilt years ago which I pulled out of storage.  I finished piecing the hexagon "flowers" and hand-stitched them to their backgrounds. Then I machine pieced the quilt top together.  

Things were going well until I got to the actual quilting.  Since my SCADs, I really don't have the strength or stamina to arm-strong a quilt sandwich through my domestic sewing machine.  Even hand quilting turned into cardio for me.  I ended up setting this aside and will try to resurrect it in the new year.

The picture at the left shows the pieced quilt top.  I really love the colors.

 

Over the winter, I hand-basted a lot (and I mean a lot) of small hexies.  The plan was to use up some of my orphan 2.5 inch charm squares and other fabric scraps.  I had seen a maker on YouTube who often creates pieced fabric for her small projects and was inspired to create some fabric building blocks of my own.  I've got a couple of bag projects in mind for 2025 that will likely feature some of these gorgeous fabrics!

I made a dresser scarf once before and had enough left over materials to make two more for my bedroom.  That was a fun project as some of the fabrics in it have been with me for at least twenty years and brought back their own memories.

I had a few leftover bits that were eventually turned into a small purse in December of 2024!

I also gave upcycling a try.  I had a corduroy dress that I had been wearing as a duster style coat for several years.  I realized I'd get more use out of it if it was hip length. So I set out to shorten it and then decided to personalize it with Laurel Burch fabric I've had for years.  It was a fun project and I was thrilled how it turned out! 

I added a pocket and several "pictures" to add a little color to the dark item.  I also added a black and white print material at the hem to avoid having to create a lot of bulk by rolling the edge over double.

I also made a beautiful bag for my mother following the wonderful tutorial by Yoan's Sewing Studio on YouTube. She has some wonderful projects on her channel and is a great teacher. I also made a simple zippered pouch to go with this bag.  

Over the past few years, I've made several of her designs and have never been disappointed. If you want to try bag making, I suggest you give her channel a try!

I did a little experimenting with some laceweight Noro yarn from my stash.  I had been wanting to create some smaller accessory pieces that could be worn throughout the year and this blended fibre yarn seemed to be worth a try. 

I made a cowl and several scarves, experimenting with stitch patterns to see what might be most versatile.

This was a useful exercise and I've already started the next iteration of those experiments! All this is leading to a pattern I hope to release later this winter.

I gave Sashiko a try over last winter.  I did a few practice pieces and made a Sashiko thimble.  I expect this new hobby will reappear during the winter of 2025 as well!

Of course as the year progressed, I started Christmas knitting.  I knit a lot of socks, hats, slippers and cowls this year!  Also made a couple of sweaters for Theodore Bear (which I made and gave my sister a couple of years ago) and a sweater for Jenn.  Below is a sample of pictures of those projects.

I'm sure I've left out a few things, but you get the picture. It was a wonderful year of making!  Being able to exercise my creativity is a big part of how I cope with my chronic health issues and stay engaged with the world around me.

If you made it this far, thanks for keeping me company on my 2024 review!  Happy New Year to you and yours!